I have witnessed people allowing their children to run about on the boat's roof in locks and all sorts of scary things. It's a wonder there aren't more fatalities.
Dorothy Most inexperienced people think that the main danger is drowning rather than hard surfaces, heavy boats and confined spaces. They also have no idea of boats' momentum because they are thinking in terms of car speeds. If I see people dangling their legs over the side or something similar, I often tell them a relevant one of the accident / fatality stories I've heard over the years - the one about the stag party which tried to go through the wrong bridge arch and turned the bridegroom who was standing at the front into a tiger-skin rug usually goes down well. They usually also appreciate my point that canal accidents happen slowly enough for them to have time to appreciate the experience. Seriously, I do feel that if you know what risks people are running you should warn them in a way which makes clear you are not crying wolf. Sean [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
