Dock and Ferry Etiquette
I was hanging out with some folks the other day, and the discussion wandered into the territory of our tales of Dock Rage, (witnessed or personally experienced), on the ferry or off -- with drivers of vehicles or riders of the ferry -- and as the discussion also wandered into the territory of this website, and how little we all seem to use it as a 'forum', we agreed that someone should get the ball rolling here. So, I invite you, if you're reading, to make your comments, add your two bits, get it off your chest, have a word, rant or rave --
share your ideas of what constitutes appropriate 'dock and ferry etiquette'.
Ferry etiquette
One thing that happens on a regular basis when the ferry is full and has docked at false Bay is the way people drive down and block everyone in with their vehicle so no one can get off the dock The flow can be smooth with every one being considerate of each other and all taking their turn. But no ,there are always those who just have to "quick" drive down and "quickly" load their stuff, blocking everyone in to wait and wait. If everyone who drives down ,parallel parks and the rest wait for an opening,cueing up on the hill, just like for gas, there would be order and much less caois. Can't we just be aware that were not here alone or number 1 ?
good manners
yeah, Kathy!
One thing that might help with that sort of chaos, is if more people would get their freight/groceries/laundry/etc. up off the floats and ready to load before they moved their vehicles down to the dock for loading.
I've seen people bring their vehicle down to the dock, (when it's quite clear the place is jammed to the hilt), block the whole works, and then casually begin the process of going up and down the ramp to the floats, retrieving their stuff, one package at a time, stopping for a good ole chat along the way, maybe a hug & kiss or two...all the while there are folks in their cars ready to leave the dock, to make room for more vehicles, but they can't.
If people are worried that the ferry is going to take off again with their stuff, maybe the thing to do is arrive earlier, like when the ferry arrives, get your stuff off the ferry to the float, and then move it up to the frieght shed area, and then, bring your vehicle down. Your stuff won't disappear on you for a cruise across the straits, and by the time you've done all that, there's more than likely an actual space for you to parallel park your vehicle when you bring it down...What a concept!!!
It's always made me wonder...
We were visiting Lasqueti for years before moving here - always on vacation, arriving by boat - sail, power, or paddle. Didn't take the ferry for the first time until just a couple years back - but heard plenty of stories once we were seeking information about the good, the bad, and the ugly of life on the big L. The ferry always came up as 'the ugly'.
What a wonder?
What we saw here, and continue to see and be amazed by, is a community like no other we've been part of, full of joyful, creative, intelligent people, who value peace, cooperation, and have a very healthy 'sharing, caring, help thy neighbour' ethic.
Then the ferry lands...
... and yet sometimes it feels like a Walmart sale in the US - all elbows and 'me first' - odd?
Of course, that's an over generalization - what actually happens is people help each other unload their stuff, lend a hand with heavy or awkward items, id grocery boxes and get them paid for and unloaded when their owner doesn't seem to be present, cart and carry and load stuff for others when they've got a free hand, arrange to share rides, hug and kiss and say their hellos and goodbyes. I've seen it all happen - all the considerate, helpful actions consistent with the rest of island culture.
and yet sometimes....
The irony here is: we're all trying to do exactly the same thing - we all want to catch the next ferry, we all need to get our freight loaded before it leaves, we all need to haul our stuff up the ramp and get it in our cars, and we all want to get home (as Karl so shrewdly points out) as soon as possible. And all that would go much faster and smoother with a little cooperation - and we'd all get home a little sooner a in a lot more tranquil state of mind.
I see islanders applying cooperative principles time and again: many hands makes light work, give as good as you get, but for some reason, and perhaps Karl's pegged it, not so much at the ferry.
Odd.
Ferries
I miss the Captain Vancouver! It made us realize we where in the wilds and not on the sea bus across the burrard inlet. When we could not survive off the rich but survive off the land. Let's not forget the past mine and the ones who taught me about life and living