Tricky one,
First question to OP. What are you doing tramping a narrow canal towpath when the whole of england is in lockdown and you are suppse to be at home and only going out for essential journies. To me, your activities today appear suspicious at least.
I see two things here that may have a bearing on why the boat owner may have reacted in such a negative way. His retail activities may have been illicit. Also the equipment we use, and how we use it, can attract attention. As you rightly say, it has some similarity with street photography and the same attendant problems when people don't want to be photographed.I agree that those using the canal do not have the obligation to be photographed. However, nor do those living in a town centres or my own street for that matter. I make efforts to ensure that I photograph boats as part of a scene. And only if it's really worth the use of the film. I shall continue to do this and see it as "street photography". For me the same rules apply with discretion. In this case the boat was not named yet was advertising goods for sale on the towpath . In a way it was a shop. It had little expectation of privacy.
I will contact the waterways owners for their definitive view.
Thanks for your responses and views
hmmm - do you own a boat on a canal?
And to my understanding from this thread the tow path makes part of the canal and thus falls under control of the canal authority and its restrictions and is less a public area than a common foot path.
I think that canal paths are de-facto public rights of way. A path used to become a right of way if it were open to public access for a year and a day. Many publiciy used private paths are therefore closed one day in the year to ensure they remain private. Canal paths have been there for a bit longer than a year and a day so we have a de-facto right to use them. Also they have been in public ownership for years.Yes indeed. A canal path is almost certainly private land and you are there under sufferance, that is not to say they will stop you but if there have been complaints it is better to be above board with those who's responsibility it is to manage the site. Much the same with Railway Stations, it used to be a big no-no in case you caused an injury to anyone or to yourself and maid a claim for compensation. They are fare more relaxed about it now so long as you take care. They do not like tripods though!
This is not to say you can go on or near any of the running lines or works because an injury there can cost thousands in lost running time.
Believe it or not canals pass through built up areas. The Leeds Liverpool backs onto the house the other side of my street. The path is the other side of the canal. Where do you think most of the locals take their daily constitutional in lock down.hmmm - do you own a boat on a canal?
Interesting legal approach, we do not know here.A path used to become a right of way if it were open to public access for a year and a day. Many publiciy used private paths are therefore closed one day in the year to ensure they remain private.
Canal paths are public places and you have every right to be on the path. An aggressive dog should be reported to the police.
Note: I live very near the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The tow path is heavily used a a footpath and cycleway.
There is an almost an opposite parallel near where I live in the shape of the Beamish Open Air Museum. That is closed off to the public when there is no one on site. This was contested in court because the enclosure included a right of way and the site had to be opened up until they fenced off the right of way providing a path through the ground.
And to my understanding from this thread the tow path makes part of the canal and thus falls under control of the canal authority and its restrictions and is less a public area than a common foot path.
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