Koastal Karl
Voyager 
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Oct 22, 2006 21:05:34 GMT -8
I took the 5pm SOVI from TSA this afternoon but ended up being one of the last off, not that I mind that or anything but it was because some idiot wasent back at his truck in time and they were trying to get people to inch back in line so they could at least get one car out so there was room for people to back up. The guy ahead of me ends up clipping the truck as he trys to pull out. Eventually we all got off as the moron finally comes back to his truck. The ferry employees were annoyed I could tell. I think it''s part the ferries fault as they dident do the docking announcements till 5 min before we docked. We were running about 20 min behind this afternoon. And lots of people were still in the lounges like 5 mins before docking. Although there were tons of foot passengers just like last Sunday. Still pretty crazy! Just thought I would share that.
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Post by nolonger on Oct 22, 2006 21:47:48 GMT -8
Take it from me, just because there is an announcement, doesn't mean people will get up and move. 5 minutes should be plenty of time for everyone to get to the car decks. IF they started when the announcement was made. We get complaints from people that we make announcements too early. "It only takes me 30 seconds to get to my car." The problem is that if they don't move, it creates a problem to get the lounges etc. clean for the next batch! After all everyone expects things to be tidy when they get on board.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Oct 22, 2006 21:51:16 GMT -8
ah yeah, that's true. I also think sometimes the announcements are too early. Only on route 1 though. Havent noticed it on route 2 or 30.
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Doug
Voyager
Lurking within...the car deck.
Posts: 2,213
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Post by Doug on Oct 22, 2006 21:57:05 GMT -8
During the summer they called the announcements 20 bloody minutes before the ship docked on Route 2, nearing Horseshoe Bay.
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Post by Mike C on Oct 23, 2006 15:19:17 GMT -8
I have lots of stories about brainless people on our boats - including Rednecks, idiots who make reservations and don;t return to their cars (I mean, why make a reservation if you don't want to get on the boat) and people reporting stolen cars - but first, I'll tell you a more recent one.
It was the 10:15 out of Tsawwassen, on my way to Comox for the second time that year. They had already made the departure announcement, and our bow thrusters kicked in and we were off, and without delay they played the dreaded, but mandatory, safety announcement. The mystery lady (legend has it that she is Deborah Mashall) finally stopped blabbering about the safety equipment - when an old lady sat down at the table next to us. I couldn't help but to overhear what she said to her colleuges: "I checked everywhere and I couldn't find a single piece of safety equipment. Our ferries aren't safe." At this point, I noticed we were passing the Spirit of Vancouver Island, but I didn't care very much. I started laughing under my breath, at what the senior had said.
The end.
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Post by kylefossett on Oct 23, 2006 15:28:30 GMT -8
hey if it were not for the passengers the ontime rating on all routes would be 100%.
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Post by BrianWilliams on Oct 23, 2006 22:30:24 GMT -8
My own fave rave is about the idiot passengers who are in their monster diesel pickup trucks 10 minutes before arrival, firing up and choking the car deck with noise and fumes.
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Post by Barnacle on Oct 24, 2006 5:25:33 GMT -8
Same problem on the WSF side of the border. I tell them, "hey, we're still ten minutes out. Why don't you shut 'er back down and save about $5 worth of fuel?"
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Post by SS San Mateo on Oct 24, 2006 9:46:09 GMT -8
My own fave rave is about the idiot passengers who are in their monster diesel pickup trucks 10 minutes before arrival, firing up and choking the car deck with noise and fumes. Isn't there a rule that drivers cannot start their vehicle until directed by a crew member (like WSF has). On the boat I commute on in the morning, there's generally a police car that has its engine running before the boat docks (not sure if the cop keeps the engine on the whole trip or not). There was a deckhand (who now works in the wheelhouse) who would give the "turn the engine off" signal to the cop(s). |
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Post by Curtis on Oct 24, 2006 15:47:05 GMT -8
In response to the "Don't start your engine untill directed by crew" Question. Yes they do say that and most everyone follows it. I get the I think the person who doesn't get down to the car deck after 10 minutes when started loading the lane they should be towed.
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Post by Retrovision on Oct 24, 2006 18:05:23 GMT -8
On the boat I commute on in the morning, there's generally a police car that has its engine running before the boat docks (not sure if the cop keeps the engine on the whole trip or not). There was a deckhand (who now works in the wheelhouse) who would give the "turn the engine off" signal to the cop(s). Did the member of your law enforcement hypocritically not follow the suggestion of the deckhand to abide by WSF's own rules, or did he make the respect-earning move for his entire profession and turn off his engine? Isn't there a rule that drivers cannot start their vehicle until directed by a crew member (like WSF has). As PR Coastal Teen 16 mentioned, yes we have this rule, and yes it's almost always followed. Although, while waiting for the 'Surrey to arrive, we wondered if the vehicle on the upper vehicle-deck with its lights on had its engine on as well, and hoped it was just the lights...  A personal pet peeve of mine is car alarms, which quite frequently go-off while I've been aboard ferries, so I can just imagine how often it actually occurs. Are locks not sufficient aboard a confined ferry? Here's the Queen of Vancouver, leaving Tsawwassen terminal, showing a good example of this...  |
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Oct 24, 2006 19:53:45 GMT -8
Sometimes if it's really cold out people will run their engines with their heaters going same in the lineups while waiting for a ferry. But people shouldent be in the cars anyway on the vehicle decks while underway.
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Post by Mike C on Oct 24, 2006 20:51:13 GMT -8
Ahh, on Route 30 I've seen people do it all the time, however, in some cases, it's because they parked in a small space and were stuck in their car.
However, I was on the 3:05 Queen of Cowichan in the summer on the way home and my sibling and parent found that the passenger area was crowded and uncomfortable, so they returned to their vehicles, as we entered Howe Sound. I never actually joined them, I just toured the boat instead. Because that's what dedicated ferry-forum members do.
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Post by Extreamme on Oct 25, 2006 14:45:11 GMT -8
onetime when I was at Saturna Island I was waiting for the Queen of Cumberland to come in on a Saturday to take me to Mayne Island where I would Transfer to the Queen of Nanaimo and as it was coming in I saw like 4 or 5 cars driving on the ferry while it was still 5 minutes out.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,307
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Post by Neil on Oct 25, 2006 15:03:27 GMT -8
did they like drive off the end of the ferry into the water or were they like just driving round in circles wasn't it hard to see them that far out  |
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Post by kylefossett on Oct 25, 2006 15:04:53 GMT -8
onetime when I was at Saturna Island I was waiting for the Queen of Cumberland to come in on a Saturday to take me to Mayne Island where I would Transfer to the Queen of Nanaimo and as it was coming in I saw like 4 or 5 cars driving on the ferry while it was still 5 minutes out. have been onboard the smaller ferries when the crew have had passengers move their cars around to ballance the load out. mainly have seen this on the bowen queen when she is on route 9a. after stopping at galiano and offloading cars and then proceeding to long harbour |
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Post by Airchime on Oct 25, 2006 23:45:13 GMT -8
But people shouldent be in the cars anyway on the vehicle decks while underway.
It may surprise you just how many people will actually stay in their vehicle on the Mainland - Vancouver Island crossings. Unthinkable for those of us who prefer the outer decks (for photos and girl-ahem-people watching) I know, but it happens alot.
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Post by Retrovision on Oct 26, 2006 10:57:44 GMT -8
We need to allow people to stay in their vehicles during the crossing, or else the upper passenger decks on the 'Major' vessels will become even more cramped in an already tight situation, especially considering how the designs of 3 out of 9 of the passenger accomodations of today's fleet were designed in the '60s, let alone considering the average age of most of BCFS' 'Minor' vessels.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Oct 26, 2006 11:15:56 GMT -8
The last time I rode a BC ferry (on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route) back in 1988, I recall that the announcement mentioned that noone could be on the vehicle decks during the crossing. Was this a policy at one time or did I mishear the announcement?
I can't remember the name of the vessel I was on, but it was a lifted V Class.
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Post by SS San Mateo on Oct 26, 2006 11:20:32 GMT -8
On the boat I commute on in the morning, there's generally a police car that has its engine running before the boat docks (not sure if the cop keeps the engine on the whole trip or not). There was a deckhand (who now works in the wheelhouse) who would give the "turn the engine off" signal to the cop(s). Did the member of your law enforcement hypocritically not follow the suggestion of the deckhand to abide by WSF's own rules, or did he make the respect-earning move for his entire profession and turn off his engine? The cop did turn off the engine. A personal pet peeve of mine is car alarms, which quite frequently go-off while I've been aboard ferries, so I can just imagine how often it actually occurs. Are locks not sufficient aboard a confined ferry? I hate that too. Does the crew make an announcement telling the owner to go back to the car and turn off the alarm? |
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Kam
Voyager
Posts: 926
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Post by Kam on Oct 26, 2006 12:28:51 GMT -8
But people shouldent be in the cars anyway on the vehicle decks while underway. It may surprise you just how many people will actually stay in their vehicle on the Mainland - Vancouver Island crossings. Unthinkable for those of us who prefer the outer decks (for photos and girl-ahem-people watching) I know, but it happens alot. If you think back to the fast cats it was required (and enforced) that passengers not remain on the car deck. That almost caused a riot at the time, even though it was a TSB regulation for high speed vessels. Personally I always make my tour of the ship, but most of the time I end up back in my car where it's quiet, and comfortable and I can have my own space. And nothing in more irritating than BMW's with alarms that blair every 5 minutes. Do the owners actually think someone is going to steel their car on the ferry?? And what’s with the BMW's anyway? I've noticed that when a car alarm starts going off on the car deck 7 out of 10 times its a BMW! |
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Post by Retrovision on Oct 26, 2006 12:43:09 GMT -8
Did the member of your law enforcement hypocritically not follow the suggestion of the deckhand to abide by WSF's own rules, or did he make the respect-earning move for his entire profession and turn off his engine? The cop did turn off the engine. Guaranteed. |
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Oct 26, 2006 14:27:17 GMT -8
You wouldent find me in my car. Waste of money to sit on a ferry in your car on the car deck. I couldent sit for the whole trip anyways. I like to move around explore the ship, ect.. I have seen people on my last two trips on route 30 in the cars while underway. That would be a long 2 hours.
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Post by Dane on Oct 26, 2006 16:49:27 GMT -8
And nothing in more irritating than BMW's with alarms that blair every 5 minutes. Do the owners actually think someone is going to steel their car on the ferry?? And what’s with the BMW's anyway? I've noticed that when a car alarm starts going off on the car deck 7 out of 10 times its a BMW! You can't turn that part of the alarm off, at least not without spending a lot of time on it. BMW alarms from about 1996-2001 will go off on ferries because their vibration sensors are too sensitive. |
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Post by Ferryman on Oct 26, 2006 16:55:57 GMT -8
With my car, I just lock the door with the power lock button on the inside of the door, when I don't want to activate the alarm. So if I want the alarm activated, I just lock the doors with the keyless remote. So BMW's really don't have this option? I know I won't ever leave my alarm activated, my alarm is very sensitive, and will go off if someone gets too close to it.
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