In response to Linda Andrews

LINDA ANDREWS is to be applauded for her diligence regarding night cruising (Night cruising—Friday, 14 September 2012 09:43), which I suspect is in response to my piece Night Travel, writes Maffi.

I would ask what is dusk? A lot of hirers are townies. Do they know dusk? I would suspect not, given that street lighting fudges that point in time. It can be very difficult to judge the difference between what appears to be a reasonable light and how long it will take to get too dark to travel. I often used to get it wrong so now I always moor up long before sunset.

How to enforce

How to enforce it? Well, hire companies could take deposits from hirers (I know some do, but not all), if they are seen to be travelling after dark then the deposit is lost, it can be donated to charity, one that we know of maybe (this would at least quell claims of profiteering).

I don't know the whole answer. Does anyone? One thing I do know is that this has to be stopped, and if we all put our heads together we can find a solution. A drunk driving a narrowboat is dangerous; a drunk driving a narrowboat in the dark is doubly dangerous. A solution has to be found. Automatic engine shutdown at dusk is not a correct response, but then neither is, what can we do?

Linda please keep up the good work you are doing. If you know of hire companies in your area who are not as dilligent as you you might try a little gentle persuasion.