Bruce Napier wrote: > On 4 Jul 2006, at 16:25, Will Chapman wrote: > >> What exercises me is that there appears to be no consistency in >> applying >> the 'rules'. On one hand we have the bloke I met (and a perfectly nice >> chap he is too) is able to buck the system because he 'knows' someone >> and on the same stretch of the canal a local resident was fined for >> leaving his boat in the visitors area for a couple of weeks (he has >> a permanent mooring at a local marina) in the spring. Meanwhile, here >> is >> my chap with a friend who is taking up honey-pot mooring space on a >> wink >> in the high-point of the season. >> > It's one of those perpetual dilemmas. You wouldn't want some dictat > from Watford being enforced by a squad of jobsworths without regard to > circumstances, would you?
Absolutely true. But what do want is BW employees behaving with integrity and consistency. I presume that is is the same lengthsman that fined my friend (who is paying for a permanent mooring and is resident in the community) and give his friend a nod & a wink. > OTOH, that leaves the way open for petty > corruption and favouritism, because you have to allow the local guy > some leeway, which he will be tempted to abuse for his mates. > I agree the lengthsman should have some leeway; however, the nod & wink boat has been hereabouts by my recollection for around a year. Thats not leeway, its peeway (taking the pi**). > On the issue of them and us, I can't agree with Sue - we share ideas, > info, glasses of wine with whoever seems amenable, regardless of what > kind of boating they do. It would be awful if the system only contained > boats like Sanity or LT or UM or Albion (you can see I'm disposed to be > generous after my second pint ;-} ), but I do object to the mouldering, > unlicensed, uninsured hulks owned by freeloaders. > There is some merit in Sue's suggestion that some of these boats add character and charm to the waterway in the same way, I suppose, as the ruins of an ancient castle or abbey. However, there is a difference. If the ruins of an historical building have any real merit someone will usually adopt it and begin restoration (or at least stop further decay). Is there no body that officially classifies which boats/wrecks are truly worth saving? At the very minimum that would highlight those with historical merit that need attention and underline those that are simply cluttering the waterways. Cheers.... Will Chapman nb Quidditch ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Groups gets a make over. See the new email design. http://us.click.yahoo.com/XISQkA/lOaOAA/yQLSAA/ygtolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
