Flawed Reasoning

OH DEAR! I do not wish to be argumentative (honest!) but I could not sit back and not respond after reading the article by Peter Ponting (Make things simple and effective—narrowboatworld 15 February), writes Orph Mable.

The current rules for mooring are quite clear (simple) which in my understanding are that unless it states otherwise, a temporary mooring on the towpath can be for a period of up to 14 days.

Danger or inconvenience

Boaters should not moor on lock waiting areas, or on the approach to or under bridges. Bends or narrows should not be used as mooring places or any other place so as to cause a danger or inconvenience to other craft.

Those places that are signed for reduced mooring periods (water points or purposely set aside as Visitor Moorings) must be effectively policed to ensure that those self centred boaters who abuse the stated mooring period are moved on and made aware of their wrong-doing (charges possibly). It is this effective policing that is missing at the moment and is what I certainly get annoyed about.

Flawed generalisation

Mr Ponting's article makes a wildly flawed generalisation on ‘facility usage' by different categories of moorer. My own view from experience is that ‘you can't judge a book by its' cover', and that many boaters with a marina mooring spend upwards of six months cruising the network. Many continuous cruisers hate to moor in a place frequented by others and moor in remote places for peace and quiet. I have learned over the years not to make too many assumptions and that generalisations are a bit like statistics; there is no ‘real' Mr. (or Mrs.) Average!

So Mr. Ponting may I recommend that you spend a few minutes talking to the many boaters that you will meet whilst out cruising and take note of how many actually use the ‘facilities' and in what way.

Sorry for the ‘Soapbox Attitude' but I had to get that off my chest.