BW's cack-handed approach

I was heartened to see the article on Geoff Mayers' treatment at the hands of BW. I can say I had no knowledge of Geoff's case until this morning when I started surfing my usual haunts, writes Simon Robbins.

It's not heartening that Geoff has been subject to BW's ineptitude, but it is heartening to finally see one of the waterways media sites picking up that all is not well with BW's cack-handed approach to this contentious issue.

Mindless, insensitive and stupid

As NABO Moorings Officer I get many calls and messages from Continuous Cruisers confirming stories like Geoff's. As I say, I don't know the whole of Geoff's story but the description of being served notice and then commencing legal action for not moving on when the cut was frozen is very typical of the mindless insensitive and downright stupid attempts BW too often make at 'enforcement'.

If it stopped then, and common sense applied one could put it down to a cock-up, but the decision to start legal action amounts to downright intimidation and bullying, and where I work in the public sector, starting action for possession of someone's home on such spurious grounds would be treated as abuse of process with serious consequence for those who had made such a poor decision.

Double standards

BW's practice of revoking a licence on dubious grounds and then taking people to Court for not having a licence is also a wonderful piece of double standards which I see again and again. The reality is that most people are so intimidated at the thought of losing their homes they run away in one way or another. And I have to respect that—self preservation is a reasonable course of action for anyone to take.

This understandable reaction by many boaters of course also reinforces BW's sense of self-righteous zealotry, until a few brave folk like Geoff stand their ground.

Familiar

The description of not receiving Court papers and difficulty finding effective legal advice is also familiar to me.

As NABO Moorings Officer most of the cases like this that come my way have to understandably remain confidential. Not least because in my experience BW are vindictive. If you do have the temerity to stand up to them they will start a relentless campaign against you.

Thank you to Geoff and narrowboatworld for putting this example into the public domain. I hope this will open a few people's eye's to the reality of the Continuous Cruising issue.

Sure we have a problem but the way BW want to deal with it is by intimidating and making scapegoats of those they perceive as vulnerable, when they should be putting more energy into providing better boating facilities commensurate with the growth in licence income they have enjoyed over the last decade.

Sadly that income seems to have been frittered away on dangerous gambles in the property market.