Adrian wrote ... > Single-handed boating is quite possible, and I do occasionally do it. > > But it is also a bad idea. Locks (and other waterway locations) are > dangerous places, and if you have a mishap when you are operating one > solo you could quickly succumb with no-one to assist.
So? > This is not only my view. AIUI, single-handed boating is now > disallowed in France. And do they take the blindest bit of notice? > Yeah, do it when you have to. But I feel it is foolish to make a > habit of it. Oh lets wrap everybody up in cotton wool shall we? It's dangerous to single hand is it? Fair enough, we'll ban it. Ah, boating in the dark isn't without its risks so we'd better stop people doing that too. Actually, come to think of it water is dangerous, people might drown. Best thing would be to fill those pesky canals in actually. It'd be safer. Why the **** can't we have the right to choose to take a risk once in a while? I like taking risks occasionally (less and less as I get older, slower and less agile but that's natures way of telling me to slow down a bit!). So what if I get hurt! My choice to take the risk. Yeah so somebody might have to come and rescue me. That's what they do. I'm not advocating the taking of stupid risks - I would *never*, for example, jump across between open lock gates when single handing which used to be pretty routine practice for me when locking with other people about. But this excessive emphasis on health and bloody safety is taking all the fun out of life! Bru
