Another 21 locks today, well the Hatton flight. That means there are 33 left to do, 
We chased a hire boat up the flight today but they weren't stopping. We actually had to catch them up seven locks up and be in the same pound as them before they let us join them. Weird. No sharing tomorrow.
So what is the etiquette when there are two boats emerging from the upper double lock and two from the lower into pound no longer than a full length boat. We tried several methods, sitting in the lock for the others to decide what to do, coming out into the pound and hoping they will come through us and trying to be pro active and making the decisions. Nothing seems to work. We may even have to resort to communication in the future. I'm sure the boatmen of old would have had a procedure.
We have had the best meal we have had for a long time this evening at the 'Tom o' the Wood' near Kingswood Junction in Turners Green. Everything was absolutely stunningly cooked and with good pub prices, there was nothing to complain about. Highly recommended if you're passing.
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Ettiquette as I understand it or what I think should happen:
A boat and butty, tied together go straight down the middle after the untied boats emerge from the lock and part to let them through.
Otherwise, the first pair to emerge past so that the second pair can go straight down the middle. This way the wash from the pair going up the middle pulls the other boats toward the centre of the pound as they pass so helping them rejoin to enter the lock
together.
Unfortunately some pounds are so silted on the off side that it is risky for a boat to go over that side. Then the boats would have to come out one at a time to form a single file.
Whatever happens all can go pearshaped with much shouting and waving in circumstances such as this http://sonflowerslog.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-do-i-know-its-hire-boat-part-2.html
That would seem to be a totally rational maneuver for all concerned but the problem comes from individuals who act in a totally irrational way (as you found).
I actually asked the hire boat that was with me to do just this and to let the other pair down the middle but my hirer went down the middle and my opposite number decided to try to squeeze past me on the outside. Chaos.
I think that we have to assume that humans (boaters) will always act irrationally unless instructed to do otherwise (if they are prepared to take rational instruction).
Hours of philosophical fun.
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