JohnK

Amazingly satisfying to look back and see what you’ve done when you have a job where you rarely get that.

Today my better half and I drove from home early this morning to take part in a litter pick around Potter with some other bungalow residents. Very pleasant it was too to meet a few neighbours and to make the place a little nicer.

I’d say keep guard up and keep watching by all means. As soon as new evidence or a change of direction away from “we are definitely not seeking full National Park status” I’m sure we’ll all be with you. I certainly will be.

With a bit of luck BA will put up tolls, spend the extra cash promoting the Broads as a National Park and win the next one. Maybe it’s time to let this one go people [emoji57]

Wikipedia talks about them a little but no photos. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keelboat?wprov=sfti1 When do you think they stopped being used on the broads? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Are boat ACs reversible like residential / office ones? The most efficient heating available aren’t they? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can see both sides of this (and don’t want to take sides). What Robin wrote above in response to Ricardo is very well put and fair in my opinion. I think some of the posts though are done with good intent because it’s believed Robin is doing the wrong thing (I’m not saying Robin is wrong, just that some people may think he is) and there’s a fear that other people (forum lurkers perhaps) will do the same thing. I know Robin always says don’t do what I do but some people will think someone with such a high profile must be an expert.

This is kind of where I’m coming from. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11410261/Driverless-car-beats-racing-driver-for-first-time.html I’m not claiming faster is better and I’m not claiming a track is a real representation of driving on roads. But if technology can beat the best drivers in their domain where will it be in 10, 20, 50 years? I’m ashamed to admit it but I’ve had an accident avoided by technology. I would have gone into the back of another car if the radar on my car hadn’t sensed it and braked for me.

It’s my understanding that ABS also stops you quicker than a person doing cadence braking but I’m not certain. For sure (at least I think I’m sure [emoji57]) the cars that sense if they think you’re emergency braking and put the brakes full on for you are better than most people. I think it’s a very interesting point on whether you trust the technology or plan for it to fail. I’ve not heard of ABS or brakes failing without a warning light coming on first. I’m not saying it can’t happen but isn’t it getting so rare you can ignore the possibility? Everything on a modern braking system has at least one level of redundancy doesn’t it?

What if the brakes fail? What if the steering fails? Do people need training for those eventualities too? Where do you stop? What when the training for something conflicts with what you have? ABS being a good example where people who know about easing off braking when you lock a wheel not stopping as quickly as they could with ABS.

I think we’re agreeing ... however if someone is unlikely to ever drive a car without ABS (I’d say most new drivers fit this category) do they need to know how? Ironically, apparently, inexperienced drivers with ABS often back off the brakes when ABS cuts in.

I use it all the time in average speed camera zones [emoji6]In my opinion adaptive cruise control (where the car holds a distance to the car in front) is a fantastic safety aid (sadly I don’t have a car with it on at present). I agree too but also thinks it matters less. For example if all cars have ABS does it matter if people don’t know how to drive without it?

You don’t. You could choose to not share it. You could choose to not share it on an open forum. You could choose to not respond to the comments.

I don’t think there is any. However, in the case of an accident HSE, a court or whoever is going to start with “ok Mr boat yard owner show us you’ve done everything you can to ensure that person was competent to hire your boat”. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe if you’d just spent nearly £400k on a boat you don’t like very much risking under £30k on an unseen boat doesn’t seem much of a risk [emoji6]

I don’t bother talking to them anymore. Sadly I have to accept calls from unknown numbers because it might be work but the sequence of events usually goes .... ‘Am I speaking to John?” “Yes you are” “I’m ringing from xxxx company, according to our records ....” at that point I’ve hung up. I genuinely feel sorry for the people making the calls, they’re so desperate for work they’ve taken what must be an appalling job.

Haha, very true. I find I’m wanting to punch more people in Waitrose though. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good point. I guess they’d argue you’re under constant supervision. Having done digger racing at a Diggerland a few years ago I’d challenge that though [emoji57] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If it does go to formal training testing what would happen if someone doesn’t pass? Can’t take the boat? Still pays? Gets refund? There would be someone out of pocket either way and it would be open to abuse. Scary. I’d bet a lot of money there will be something in a few years though. Is there anything else in the UK where you’re in control of something so big and mixing with joe public without having to prove competence?

More like having to give the brakes a wack before they’ll work! I assume at some point the electronics become mechanical. A linkage on the injector pump? Are you certain that’s moving freely?

Doesn’t there have to be a cut off? If a yard said anyone from 2 years old could hire that would be ridiculous wouldn’t it? Equally if they said you have to be 45 that would be ridiculous. 18 seems like a reasonable number doesn’t it? Ok, some under 18 are responsible people and some over clearly aren’t but it’s an ok guide isn’t it? I was an idiot until well into my twenties (some would argue I still am) but a lot of people I know were fairly sensible from mid teens.

To be brutally honest I’m glad you couldn’t sue the boatyard. I do agree it’s a shame you couldn’t hold the hirer to account though.

Sorry, my mistake, it was a lot less than that when I did it and two days to do RYA 1&2 and SBD2 On the other hand, more people doing it would likely drive the price back down wouldn’t it?

Personally, I like the idea of mandatory qualifications. RYA powerboat levels 1 & 2 can be done in a day and don’t cost much. For the Broads perhaps the first handover to a new hirer could be formalised with a certificate to prove you at least understand the basics. That might solve a lot of the potential litigation stuff too. As a boat owner perhaps the BA toll could require a nominated person to be qualified. I get that for the majority of people that isn’t required but wouldn’t it be a price worth paying to improve safety and enjoyment for others? I understand it would be easy to bypass and difficult to police but don’t we need to start somewhere? At least on the Broads you can be fairly confident someone on the boat has shown they can steer it and it has insurance and a BSS. On the sea it’s mad. Buy a fast boat or jet ski no experience necessary, no insurance necessary, no maintenance on said floaty thing necessary. Again, not necessary for the majority but some of the madness you see in coastal waters really needs something done about it.

I used to like those stories. My favourite was a guy had a beware of the dog sign. He crossed out dog and wrote Siberian tiger. A burger broke in and was mauled by a Siberian tiger. He sued the house owner because he didn’t have a proper sign and wouldn’t have burgled the house if he believed there really was a Siberian tiger inside. True? Who knows?