R2OK!

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

If you're visiting the North-East for any length of time, a trip to Holy Island is not to be missed.

But the tides mean that you can get on and off only at certain times.

There are huge notices to warn you and the safe crossing times are prominently displayed.

Yet every year somebody has to be rescued from a car which gets stranded because drivers ignore the warnings. It happened again yesterday, with a car containing a man, woman and two small children.

How do you define plonker?

Ian.

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

There always seems to be the odd cleverdick who thinks they can stretch the limits, be they double white lines, level crossing gates or, in this case, tide times. Those who do it on the Holy Island Causeway are fortunate that there's a heavy duty vehicle ready to hand to pull them out - I hope they charged them through the nose for the privilege.
_________________
Ron

Rachel · Guest

When I was an ugly wee lass, we lived in NE Northumberland. We went to Holy Island quite often. I can remember a couple of emergency hut like buildings on stilts at intervals across the causeway. They were for people to save themselves if they were caught out half way across. The problem as remember it, is the tide comes in jolly quickly, the middle part of the causeway is higher than each end, so you can get onto the causeway just as the tide is coming in ( Flowing I think the proper name is) but by the time you get over the hump in the middle both ends are covered in water. Not a place to cut it fine on your timing.

Fog on the Tyne · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 1095

Apparently this latest bunch of numpties attempted to cross 90 mins after the safe time period Rolling Eyes

_________________
The wheel keeps on turning...
This fool made it round.

Cherskiy · Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 5:27 pm Post subject:

It's not as though the safe crossing times are hidden from the public (they're in the local papers, on signposts and a big board at the start of the causeway), but there's always one idiot who thinks he can get across whilst the tide is coming in. As Rachel says, the mud flats are extremely deceptive and the water certainly rushes across very quickly - far quicker than you can drive across once a certain point is reached! Cars have been found washed away several hundred yards off the causeway and naturally they're write-offs due to the salt water.

An acquaintance of mine runs the Island Store on Holy Island - he was in the local paper last week advocating these numpties being charged for the rescue efforts after another incident the week of the last Bank Holiday. (The website has been updated otherwise I would have posted the link.)

The Seahouses RNLI inshore lifeboat is usually called out to each incident (towed by Land Rover to the Beal end of the causeway) and the Sea King rescue helicopter from Boulmer has also been scrambled a few times. Each RNLI 'launch' costs the organisation something in the region of £1000 but they are loathe to charge as they think it may stop drivers alerting the emergency services if they have a problem. Police and other emergency service bills add to the expenses incurred each time.

Some recent and not so recent stories re incidents:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3153567.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/5017146.stm

Plus our local rag's report on a possible solution:

http://icnewcastle.icnetwork.co.uk/journallive/thejournal/tm_headline=-put-drivers-in-the-picture--on-tide-risk&method=full&objectid=19076710&siteid=50081-name_page.html

Holy Island is lovely - one of my favourite spots in Northumberland, but you have to do a little research as it's not really somewhere you can just turn up to. If you leave it too late to get back across, far better to just sit and accept the six or so hour delay and wait for the next low tide....
_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

Cherskiy · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 11:33 am Post subject:

http://www.northumberlandtoday.co.uk/news?articleid=2883948

Another story about the latest two rescues. Apparently one of the families had been in a cafe on the island and had been warned that they only had 30 minutes or so left before the safe crossing time ended. They replied that they had plenty of time and the times were 'just there to scare people'.... Shocked

Well, hopefully this has been a lesson to them.
_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

dottie-may · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 56

Would be interesting to see just how they try to explain it to their motor insurance company... Twisted Evil

... assuming they have the gall to claim of course Laughing

_________________
"I'm a firm believer in not having to play the hand you're dealt."

Cherskiy · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:52 pm Post subject:

Probably the same way that you told your insurance company that an SE5A had landed on your Range Rover.... Laughing

_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

nod · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 3558

another watery crossing Laughing

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/6668571.stm

Cherskiy · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:36 pm Post subject:

gfloyd · Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 9:01 pm Post subject:

dottie-may · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 56

Cherskiy · Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 4:44 pm Post subject:

http://www.northumberlandtoday.co.uk/news?articleid=2901501

More on the saga of the crossing....
_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

iwarburton · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 2133 Location: Northumberland

That must have been some argument. Mind you, they're a funny lot in Whitehaven. I go across every couple of years for the Maritime Festival and half the entertainment is provided by listening to the locals....
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My best man came from Whitehaven (I've never been there but met him when we were both working in Coventry). He was a super friend and work colleague but had a rather weird sense of humour and was the most accomplished practical joker that I've ever met.

Ian.

Cherskiy · Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 4:11 pm Post subject:

Seems some people can't read - another incident on the causeway earlier this week, despite some new signs being put up:

http://www.northumberlandtoday.co.uk/news?articleid=2917882
_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)

dottie-may · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 56

Perhaps if they also display photographs of recent rescues showing quite graphically what happens when people ignore the warning times, plus how much they will be charged for any rescue, the "I know better than the locals" idiots might take heed!

But then again... Rolling Eyes

_________________
"I'm a firm believer in not having to play the hand you're dealt."

Cherskiy · Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 4:07 pm Post subject:

They are supposed to be putting up pictures of half-submerged cars saying "This Could Be You".... obviously not quick enough for the recent numpty....
_________________
Author: “To the Ends of the Earth: A Snapshot of Aviation in North-Eastern Siberia, Summer 1992”
(Free to read via Kindle Unlimited)