Anglers Stranded

Davyred

Davyred

Well-known member
I see 2 anglers were stranded on the end of Roker pier at 2.30 this morning due to bad sea conditions. The lads in question weren\'t tresspassing as the gates were open, and had to be rescued by council officials opening the tunnel running along the pier.

Glad the lads were ok, and thanks to the authoriites who rescued them. But I\'ve got a couple of questions.

1) Why weren\'t the council criticised by the coastguard and RNLI for leaving the pier gates open in the first place when everyone with a decent knowledge of weather/sea conditions knew it was going to get worse? They\'re certainly quick enough to criticise anglers who apparantly \'risk their lives\'

2) Is the person who decides whether or not the pier gates should be open, experienced enough to make such a call? What would have happened if the lads in question had drowned, where would the blame lie?

If anyone from the council is reading this, I\'ll do the job for a minimal fee, and judging by the events of this morning, definitely make a better fist of it.

Does anyone know who currently does the job (or after this mornings episode, USED to)?
 
Davy, i take on board what you say about the gates being open.
But anyone with an ounce of sense would surely see enough water coming over the pier to realise for themselves it was unsafe.
Or did they have white sticks instead of fishing rods.
 
\'But anyone with an ounce of sense would surely see enough water coming over the pier to realise for themselves it was unsafe.\'

Does this include the council official who opens/closes the pier Tony?? He\'s paid to have an ounce of sense as he indirectly has peoples lives in his hands.

I partly take your point Tony, but you know as well as I do that there are anglers just starting out who don\'t even know whether the tide is flooding or ebbing - they just go out fishing. They\'re unaware of weather conditions and how certain wind directions can cause problems.

Roker pier can show no white water at all at low water in a dying sea, but come high water, you can have water, not splashing up, but actually flooding over. I know because these were the conditions I regularly used to fish Roker pier in, whether I was right or wrong to do so is another question.

What is without question is someone in the council f***ed big style and he\'s lucky to wake up this morning without 2 deaths on his conscience.
I

[Edited on 28/2/2006 by Davyred]
 
Terry,i kno for a fact that these two lads were told earlier in the evening to come off the drum head,by an angler fishing lower down the pier,coz he cud c wat was going to happen. But uve guessed it ,they chose 2 ignore him.So yes, common sense didnt cum into it. :casstet:
Aint seen u up Sharply for a while,but then again ive been busy...!!
 
Davy, a word of advice.
If your going to complain or make it known your feelings to whoever is responsible then tread very carefully.
Make too much noise and they may even think about closing the pier altogether for health and safety reasons.
Just look at the docks, probasbly lost forever!
 
\"Does this include the council official who opens/closes the pier Tony?? He\'s paid to have an ounce of sense as he indirectly has peoples lives in his hands......\"

\"I partly take your point Tony, ..........\"

I haven\'t given any point for you to take, Davy........infact, I haven\'t posted ANYTHING on this topic until this one saying that I haven\'t posted anything - but the very fact that I have posted it, means that I have posted something - allbeit a comment saying I haven\'t posted. (I think)
 
Sorry, should have read Terry. Sorry TC/Terry :(

Paul F, you and me both. As Terry has said, you have to go about things the right way now. This was done years ago by the now defunct AWAC (Association of Wearside Angling Clubs) for the eventual opening of the South Pier and Hendon. Unfortunately, I can\'t see thise marks being opened in the short or long term, unless the port gets sold off.

[Edited on 1/3/2006 by Davyred]
 
From a Safety officers point of view as to who would be to blame if the two lads on the pier had met an untimely end.
There would be a good case against the local council or the port of Wear. They both have a duty of care to both their employees and members of the public visiting thier property and must take every step \" reasonably practicable\" to ensure everyones safety.
Failing to close the pier during bad weather could be looked upon as neglegence in thier duty of care. They cannot assume that everyone will have the common sense to stay off the pier during bad weather. They put the gate there for that reason so why did they not lock it.

A case in Canada : a driver bought a Winibagoe Motor Home and whilst on his holiday, he was driving through Montreal. Set the Motorhome on cruise control then went to make a cup of coffee. The motorhome ran off the road at a bend and ended up in a field.
The owner sued the company which made the motorhome and won his case, because the handbook did not explain that cruise control did not mean the motorhome would drive itself. $250,000 and a new motorhome.
 

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