By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:12 EST, 22 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:12 EST, 22 July 2013 . With punts floating gently past the colleges of Cambridge University, the River Cam is usually a picture of peace and tranquillity. But an outbreak of ‘boorish behaviour’ has forced authorities to start drawing up new etiquette rules after a string of confrontations on the once-calm waterway. The Cam Conservators, who are responsible for keeping the peace on the river, said most of the problems were down to bad manners. Overcrowded: Bosses are clamping down on bad behaviour on the River Cam in the historic city of Cambridge after a pensioner was left with a broken leg in a 'hit-and-run' punt collision . However they revealed that one of the more serious incidents saw a 70-year-old man break his leg in a ‘hit-and-run’ collision. The pensioner, who was steering a college punt, had his leg crushed by another boat carrying tourists down the river. Despite being left with blood ‘pouring down’ his leg, he was ignored by the other punt, which sailed on without stopping to help. In another incident, the coach of a Cambridge University rowing eights boat which sped past a motorboat club too quickly responded to protests by shouting 'we have been doing this for 200 years and we don’t care about you'. The incident happened at Waterbeach, when two eights practised a racing start at full speed just outside the motorboat club’s moorings. Club members shouted at the crews to slow down but were greeted with laughter, and the coach responded rudely when a boater tried to speak to him on the opposite side of the river. The report said the teams could now face penalties or prosecutions under river by-laws. Action must be taken: The Cam Conservators, who are responsible for keeping the peace on the river, said most of the problems were down to bad manners . 'Bad manners on the river are not acceptable': Previous accidents prompted the Conservators to ban 'illegal' punt operators, but several have now returned to Garret Hostel Bridge, despite the threat of fines . Other incidents recorded in recent months include a rowing eight squeezing through a tight gap at top speed while a narrowboat owner was attempting to reach his mooring and rowing boats crashing into motor cruisers on two occasions and crews rowing off without apologising. Cam Conservator Clive Brown said they hoped the guidelines, which are yet to be finalised, would improve the situation, adding: ‘There has been some really quite boorish behaviour with people who were in the wrong not apologising and just being rude. ‘Bad manners on the river are not acceptable and never have been. ‘Standards have slipped and that is a pity.’ Two years ago a toddler had to have plastic surgery after its finger was crushed by punts on the 'overcrowded' River Cam, prompting illegal punt operators to be banned. The 18-month-old’s finger was trapped between two punts and had to go to Addenbrooke’s Hospital where surgeons battled to save the finger. In another incident a four-year-old girl had her hand badly crushed when a ferry punt collided with a self-hire punt and she had to have her finger re-constructed at hospital. The horrific accidents prompted the Cam Conservators to ban 'illegal' punt operators, but several have now returned to Garret Hostel Bridge, despite the threat of a £2,000 fine. 'Fines were brought in to clamp down on the number of punt companies operating on the river,' said a punt operator, who did not want to be named. 'But many illegal companies are ignoring them as only one person has been fined so far and they make so much money they can afford to pay if they are caught.'
Cam Conservators say most problems down to bad manners .
In one incident a 70-year-old man was left with a broken leg in 'hit-and-run'
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:12 EST, 22 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:12 EST, 22 July 2013 . With punts floating gently past the colleges of Cambridge University, the River Cam is usually a picture of peace and tranquillity. But an outbreak of ‘boorish behaviour’ has forced authorities to start drawing up new etiquette rules after a string of confrontations on the once-calm waterway. The Cam Conservators, who are responsible for keeping the peace on the river, said most of the problems were down to bad manners. Overcrowded: Bosses are clamping down on bad behaviour on the River Cam in the historic city of Cambridge after a pensioner was left with a broken leg in a 'hit-and-run' punt collision . However they revealed that one of the more serious incidents saw a 70-year-old man break his leg in a ‘hit-and-run’ collision. The pensioner, who was steering a college punt, had his leg crushed by another boat carrying tourists down the river. Despite being left with blood ‘pouring down’ his leg, he was ignored by the other punt, which sailed on without stopping to help. In another incident, the coach of a Cambridge University rowing eights boat which sped past a motorboat club too quickly responded to protests by shouting 'we have been doing this for 200 years and we don’t care about you'. The incident happened at Waterbeach, when two eights practised a racing start at full speed just outside the motorboat club’s moorings. Club members shouted at the crews to slow down but were greeted with laughter, and the coach responded rudely when a boater tried to speak to him on the opposite side of the river. The report said the teams could now face penalties or prosecutions under river by-laws. Action must be taken: The Cam Conservators, who are responsible for keeping the peace on the river, said most of the problems were down to bad manners . 'Bad manners on the river are not acceptable': Previous accidents prompted the Conservators to ban 'illegal' punt operators, but several have now returned to Garret Hostel Bridge, despite the threat of fines . Other incidents recorded in recent months include a rowing eight squeezing through a tight gap at top speed while a narrowboat owner was attempting to reach his mooring and rowing boats crashing into motor cruisers on two occasions and crews rowing off without apologising. Cam Conservator Clive Brown said they hoped the guidelines, which are yet to be finalised, would improve the situation, adding: ‘There has been some really quite boorish behaviour with people who were in the wrong not apologising and just being rude. ‘Bad manners on the river are not acceptable and never have been. ‘Standards have slipped and that is a pity.’ Two years ago a toddler had to have plastic surgery after its finger was crushed by punts on the 'overcrowded' River Cam, prompting illegal punt operators to be banned. The 18-month-old’s finger was trapped between two punts and had to go to Addenbrooke’s Hospital where surgeons battled to save the finger. In another incident a four-year-old girl had her hand badly crushed when a ferry punt collided with a self-hire punt and she had to have her finger re-constructed at hospital. The horrific accidents prompted the Cam Conservators to ban 'illegal' punt operators, but several have now returned to Garret Hostel Bridge, despite the threat of a £2,000 fine. 'Fines were brought in to clamp down on the number of punt companies operating on the river,' said a punt operator, who did not want to be named. 'But many illegal companies are ignoring them as only one person has been fined so far and they make so much money they can afford to pay if they are caught.'
said most of the problems were down to bad city of Cambridge after a pensioner was left with a broken leg in a 'hit-and-run' punt collision . serious incidents saw a 70-year-old man break his