Broads Authority - Broads Control Number

[Poppy]

Out on the river today I encountered two of Richardsons 'finest' crewed by a very large number of drunken  lads, by the sound of it, Liverpudlian.

One was stuffed well up the bank, and amidst much shouting, effing and jeffing attempts were made by the (still) mobile one to pull the stranded one free,

which was eventually successfully achieved. However , in doing so, a life ring from one or the other was 'lost overboard, complete with its line.....

yes, you've guessed it, around the prop it went, and a 'crewman' was dispatched to retrieve it.

Sensing disaster, I called Broads Control. The time was 13.10 - and heard a message informing that they were closed from 1.00pm until 2.00 pm!

I genuinely couldn't believe my ears. Should I , as the message suggested, called 999 and asked for the Coastguard?  I refrained....

[ChrisB]

I have suffered exactly the same problem, but I know not the answer.

Why should such a jewel of the British Isles attract such ill mannered, anti social louts as the Broads continually does? 

Read the Horning Regatta thread and such language and behaviour was  evident there also.

Your problem was a Richo Booze Cruise, but many private boats as in the Horning incident are guilty also. 

There are poor anti-social, badly educate folk who have frustrations which one can understand, but equally if not more  anti- social types who just because they have a few bob behave  in a totally unacceptable manner and they think it ok. Wish I had an answer.

[ZimbiIV]

Just let Darwins Law prevail, as long as no innocent parties are involved.

paul

[ExSurveyor]

Saw two Herbert Woods stag boats go past today,  nice slow pace and polite waves to the grandchild ,,  good and bad everywhere .. 

[Vaughan]

55 minutes ago, ZimbiIV said:

 

Just let Darwins Law prevail, as long as no innocent parties are involved.

 

The origin of species?

To which of his laws do you refer, as there are five, if I remember rightly.

Unless you would like to enlighten us, I can't see which of them refers to a Broads booze cruise.

Or do you refer to his third law (I think it was), the survival of the fittest?

[ScrumpyCheddar]

Silly question did they get there ring back ..??  

[imtamping2]

Vaughan , I think you mean 5 Natural selection.

[Timbo]

4 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

The origin of species?

To which of his laws do you refer, as there are five, if I remember rightly.

Unless you would like to enlighten us, I can't see which of them refers to a Broads booze cruise.

Or do you refer to his third law (I think it was), the survival of the fittest?

I think what Paul is getting at here Vaughan is the modern usage of Darwin and Darwinism...particularly the awards named in his honour. The Darwin Awards are awarded to those idiots who improve the human gene pool by removing themselves from it.

[Poppy]

Just now, ScrumpyCheddar said:

Silly question did they get there ring back ..??  

I felt it wisest to retire for my own safety and that of my crew. My real point was my amazement that Broads Control should be 'shut' for lunch. They are, after all a very necessary point of contact in an emergency not involving immediate risk to life. Am I expecting too much for my toll?

[quo vadis]

It would appear so

[ScrumpyCheddar]

Last year me and her in doors came across a stag crew on 3 boats at The Reedcutter at cantley.. There was only room for one boat.. But oh no they triple moored .. They got told by fellow boaters they can't do that .. But carried on ... Then with a bit of luck the police boat turned up told them not to triple moor... So 2 did and the other headed off ... After the police boat went and they came back.. They had found room.. Our boat was moored at the very end ?. Brundell end .. We was having a pint and meal when we heard them come in the bar.. Started to get loud as lads get more drink louder they got.. So we drank up and left .. As we was walking back I noticed are boat had been moved and there boat was half on the mooring and in the reeds.. So they only had a bow rope on and the tide was pushing the stern into the reeds  .. To my disgust I wasn't happy that someone had undone our ropes and moved the boat up.. Then we noticed that they hadn't tide our stern rope properly..  I was mad I mean how could you confront 30 drunk lads .. They came back an hour later to go .. Not even one of them said hi mate sorry we've moved your boat or nothing .. I wasn't happy at all ... Then the 2 moored together left Norwich and 3rd one went to leave .. But they couldn't start the boat .. Oh yes I had to chuckle then efffing and jefffing started...  poetry to my ears..  Half of them went back to the pub to get more drink then the others followed while Captain sensible stayed on the board to phone the engineer up.. Well he came out and it started straight way .. I think they didn't have it neutral .. I heard .. But in the mean time half of them got a taxi to Norwich ... And the others got back on bouncing into the reeds and bank .. In my eyes it shouldn't be ever aloud to have a big group like that.. Especially when they don't know what they was doing..  We did find it very. Intimidating it's sad to say that.. 

Mike 

[Guest]

Unfortunately it is the working time rules that enforce workers having a break. If Broads Control is open from 9 until 6 as I believe it is then whoever is staffing it must have a break at some point. As the BA is not an emergency service then it does not need 24 hour cover. Should someone else cover the lunch break? Possibly if someone else is available to do so. I am not sure if their control centre is in the head office but if it is I would think there will be no other staff at work at a weekend. I cant think of another solution.

I have left a message in the past when I have called at the same time of day and the control room have always called me back when they get it. If it is an emergency then call 999.

[Guest]

" Why should such a jewel of the British Isles attract such ill mannered, anti social louts as the Broads continually does?  "

Because the stag party idea websites that you can google suggest the Broads is becoming one of the best destinations. Also the boatyards allow the groups to hire the boats out. It used to be really difficult to get a boat for an all male group but now it is actively encouraged by at least 4 large boatyards.

The behaviour is going to get worse as in the rst of the country and the numbers of groups will grow. Unless someone can come up with an idea for limiting how many go out. I fear the Broads will lose trade and private family boaters if this happens.

[Bound2Please]

Broads control lunch hours, to Stag cruise bashing............

Sady the few do give the majority a bad reputation. ..... But hang on a minute what about the absolutely obnoxious who think they are special and and say,  we hired this flappy thing and no one can stop us doing what we want? THREE times this year we have encountered large parties of 2 up to 4 in convoy on the and heading to barton, well exceeding 4mph sails up engines revving the their nuts off, cutting up all in their way, shouting at mobo's, forcing them to stop or end up in reeds.

Rant over

Now broads control phone number............. did you leave a message Poppy and if you did did they return your call,

Charlie

[vanessan]

I'm assuming this event took place on Saturday? The first Saturday in August, and Broads Control can't be contacted - that is nothing short of disgraceful. Something which needs taking up with the Authority I think.

[vanessan]

The post from ScrumpyCheddar is a warning to all. Now it's not clear if the incident took place at lunchtime or early evening but, whatever, it deserved to be reported to the BA and the hire yard IMO. I have a feeling it may be a bye-law offence to interfere with another boat, no doubt someone can confirm that. IF ScrumpyCheddar's boat had come adrift because it hadn't been secured correctly, who would get the blame? I think I know the answer to that. Of course, dealing with a large number of boozed-up lads is never going to be easy and I can understand anyone preferring to steer clear of confrontation.

[JennyMorgan]

1 hour ago, Alone1 said:

" Why should such a jewel of the British Isles attract such ill mannered, anti social louts as the Broads continually does?  "

Because the stag party idea websites that you can google suggest the Broads is becoming one of the best destinations. Also the boatyards allow the groups to hire the boats out. It used to be really difficult to get a boat for an all male group but now it is actively encouraged by at least 4 large boatyards.

The behaviour is going to get worse as in the rest of the country and the numbers of groups will grow. Unless someone can come up with an idea for limiting how many go out. I fear the Broads will lose trade and private family boaters if this happens.

Amen to that.

A drum that I have banged before. We recently met up with two day boats at Oulton Broad, loaded with lads and buckets of ice and tinnies. By the time that they had got from Beccles to Oulton Broad the floors had become covered in empties. The lads were bouncing off other hire boats and appeared to accept that as the norm. We were one of two private boats,  both of us took evasive actions and helped the 'lads' tie up. They were a laugh a minute but their regard for their boats and those of others was less than nil. 

[Gracie]

I know I've said this before and I am going to say it again....there is good and bad in all walks of life, our precious Broads is no exception, we have seen some pretty appalling behaviour from stag and hen boats, private owners and family's, I remember once a boat moored in front of us and all you could hear was shouting and swearing, when I ventured outside of our boat to have a nosy (as you do) it was a man and woman with two young kids, to swear in front of and at kids is disgusting and far worse than a bunch of lads having a beer and getting a tad, shall we say boisterous

I may have mentioned this in the past  I went on a boat for my hen, we were well behaved and respectful of other river users at all times (ok the well behaved may be a slight exaggeration). They are not all bad, the worst behaviour I have witnessed is day boats, they are out for a few hours and from my experience don't give two hoops about rules and regs, passing us on the inside and even mooning at us when asked to slow down, very nice bottom he had too lol

One more thing, Timbo's prayer he mentions in another thread is brilliant, I have often been mentioned in prayer by im indoors, normally goes something like "Oh jesus Grace" or "Oh dear lord Grace, what are you going on about now?"

Grace

[Poppy]

Why on earth did I mention the 'Stag Boats' ?

I really wished for a discussion on the appropriateness of a contact number for the Broads river inspectors being unavailable at lunchtime in the height of the season  !

 

[Gracie]

Ooops sorry Pops, I should have realised this forum and it's members never wander off topic

Back on topic, River Inspectors shouldn't have lunch, simple

Grace

[marshman]

Poppy - did you not read the response fro Alone1?? Lunch breaks are not advisable but compulsory in all public bodies - including councils!

Do you really think it warrants an extra salary and expense? Surely a call back in less than an hour would achieve the same result? After all they were hardly going to call the swat teams out were they? What it was going to achieve was a call to a Ranger or yard and that could easily have been dealt with even after a 45/50 minute delay!!

And Vaughan, how long did it take to get a Ranger to respond in your day - bet it was not measured in minutes and hours!!!

A 45 minute deal is hardly the end of the world!!!!

 

[BroadScot]

1 minute ago, marshman said:

A 45 minute deal is hardly the end of the world!!!!

In Norfolk time that could easily be converted into four hours five minutes ! 

[imtamping2]

Surely the calls can be diverted to another part of the BA during lunch hour, come on its not rocket science....or is it ?

[ScrumpyCheddar]

Just seen the new BA river inspector....  

[Vaughan]

15 minutes ago, marshman said:

And Vaughan, how long did it take to get a Ranger to respond in your day - bet it was not measured in minutes and hours!!!

Excuse me, I didn't know I was involved in this particular "joust"?

As you ask, a "ranger" in my day was a river inspector, and if you got into difficulties anywhere on the Yare south of Brundall, Jack Hunt would turn up to help within about 15 minutes. Every time! He didn't even have a radio on his launch then - he just had experience, and a "nose" for trouble.

A great man, one among many in the 50s, who live in my memory.