Petty Britain

[mongrel]

I won't comment on this. I feel I don't need to.

Just make a cuppa and read this.

http://www.modernliberty.net/research/petty-britain

My favourite

"Man fined for swearing at TV".

[Markas]

We've always been officious and petty, hence our ability to queue in an orderly and correct manner.

[Kamos]

We've always been officious and petty, hence our ability to queue in an orderly and correct manner.

It's not worth it IMO.

[Markas]

It's not worth it IMO.

If Americans had to queue like us there'd be shootings.

It's a test of discipline.

[Seether]

Pensioner banned over speed trap alert Pensioner Stuart Harding,71, was convicted of wilfully obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty, banned from driving and ordered to pay court costs after he set up a sign warning motorists of a police speed trap. The court also confiscated Mr Harding’s sign and ordered it to be destroyed. Telegraph, 11 June 2004

Whats so crazy about that? That is very illegal and nowhere near the stupidity level of the baby that was fined. The idiot deserved to get in trouble for obstruction

[Last Roman]

If Americans had to queue like us there'd be shootings.

It's a test of discipline.

if by queue you mean line up, oh we know all to well. Ever been to a DMV here?

ya.

[Каие]

We've always been officious and petty, hence our ability to queue in an orderly and correct manner.

Even on the titanic. I don't know about you, but makes me proud. Where I'm from queuing up is unheard of. Especially in life or death situations.

I do really think councils should be scrapped.

So you want everything run from Whitehall?

[Denny Crane!]

Wow I mean I wonder how much of it is true considering it comes from the daily mail in the most part.

If it is all true, well bloody hell. Makes me wish I owned a gun and lived near a clock tower. I do really think councils should be scrapped.

Has Britain become obsessed with petty-minded control?
Convention on Modern Liberty Research Team paper 3

Tolerance and common sense have been replaced by officiousness and the enforcement of petty-minded regulations in Britain. Armies of wardens patrol our streets watching for the slightest misdemeanour. Bureaucrats have become obsessed with nonsensical health and safety laws. No longer are we a nation that indulges human failings and eccentricity, as these thirty examples from the last six months show.

Council snoops use anti-terror laws to spy on punt operators. Cambridge City Council have used RIPA anti terrorist laws to install hidden CCTV cameras to film punt operators on the river Cam in an attempt to catch them picking up passengers from undesignated spots along the river bank. Mail Online, 16 September 2008

Council censors art gallery. Harrow Council forced Harrow Art Society to take down nude paintings and drawings at an exhibition in a local arts centre. The stated reason was that it was to avoid offending children. harrowobserver.co.uk, 6 November 2008


Man fined for littering without evidence. Mark Winspear was issued with a £75 fine by a Kettering Borough Council ward for (legally) flicking ash from his car window. After challenging the fine, Mr Winspear was prosecuted and convicted at Kettering Magistrates Court and forced to pay £660.northantset.co.uk, 17 September 2008


Busking bagpiper arrested for causing ‘distress’ to local shoppers

Shaun Cartwright, a busking bagpiper, has been arrested for causing a breach of the peace. He was accused of causing ‘distress’ to shoppers, despite having made £50 in just an hour of playing.Daily Mail, 22 December 2008

Circus fans face silent comedy after ban on clowns’ Zippos Circus said it had been told by Birmingham City Council to drop a section in which its clowns play the instruments after it fell foul of the Licensing Act 2003, which requires a licence for live music. The Times, 22 September 2008

Health and safety ban on welcome doormatsResidents in a block of flats in Hampshire, have been told by Gosport Borough Council to get rid of their welcome mats because they have been deemed a health and safety trip hazard. Daily Mail, 17 November2008

Pensioner fined for littering after police knock cigarette from his hand while arresting shoplifters. A 76-year-old-man for Margate, Kent, was handed a £60 littering fine when his cigarette was knocked out of his hand by a crowd gathering to watch police arrest shoplifters.Mail on Sunday, 7th December 2008

Father of four taken to court and fined because he overfilled his wheelie-bin by four inches. Gareth Corkhill from Whitehaven in Cumbria has been forced to pay £210 by magistrates, and handed a criminal record, because his wheelie bin lid was four inches ajar. Daily Mail, 22 April 2008


Litter police fine woman £75 for dropping a morsel of sausage roll. Sarah Davies, was fined by two officials from Hull City Council’s “environmental crime unit” when she accidentally dropped a piece of sausage roll while giving it to her four-year- old daughter Chloe. She was also threatened with arrest for refusing to give her name.Daily Mail, 25th April 2008

Disabled woman fined for permit slip-up. A traffic warden in Kendal, Cumbria issued a £35 ticket to an 82-year-old sufferer of Parkinson’s disease, who was asleep in a car, because her disabled parking badge was upside down. Telegraph, 3 May 2008

Petite pensioner deemed a violent patient. Ada Tremlett, 81, who is barely 5ft tall, needs two walking sticks to get around and was recovering from a broken wrist, was officially deemed “potentially dangerous” by staff Devon County Council social services. She has since won a complete apology. Telegraph, 3 May 2008
Suffolk teenager’s chip nightmare. Teenager Jack Double was fined £50 by litter enforcement officers when he threw a bad-tasting chip to a nearby seagull on Ipswich’s Chantry Estate.Evening Star, 30 Dec 2006


Boy (12) fined while being ill.12-year-old Bradley Brooks was fined £50 after leaving a plastic drinks bottle on a telephone box while he vomited after feeling sick at a friend’s birthday party. grimsby.co.uk, October 10 2008

Man fined for swearing at TV. A man has been fined £80 for swearing at his own television while drunk. His ranting put him in breach of an ASBO that had been imposed at an earlier hearing to try to stop him shouting and swearing at the television whenever he disagreed with a programme. Telegraph, 7 Dec 2008

Metric martyr brands council rules ‘farcical’. Janet Devers was found guilty at Thames Magistrates Court on eight charges, including two for using imperial weighing scales without an official stamp. She was sentenced to a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay the prosecuting council’s costs of nearly £5,000. Telegraph, 8 Oct 2008
Off-licence staff asked two PENSIONERS for proof they were over 18
Pensioners Jennifer Rogers, 68, and Joyce Fisher, 70, were stopped trying to buy a £4 bottle of white wine at their local One Stop Shop and told to prove they were over 18 with photographic ID. Mrs Rogers’ old-style paper driving licence was refused and staff only relented when she showed her bus pass. Daily Mail, 25 Jan 2009


Ambulance given parking ticket An ambulance was given a parking ticket while its paramedic driver collected medicine in Kingston-upon Thames.Telegraph, 21 Dec 2008

Nurse suspended for prayer offer A community nurse has been suspended by North Somerset Primary Care Trust for offering to pray for a 79-year-old patient. Caroline Petrie has been accused of not showing “personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity” Daily Mirror, 3 Feb 2009

Boy threatened with fine for putting up missing pet posters 13-year old Daniel Cope was accused of ‘fly-posting’ and threatened with a £80 fine by Canterbury Council when he put up posters near his home to find his lost cat Milly. Daily Mirror, 5 Sept 2008

Vicar taking funeral gets parking fine. A vicar in Torquay was given a parking ticket while conducting the funeral service for a friend, because his disabled drivers badge was displayed incorrectly. Daily Express, 29 Jan 2009

Toddler fined £80 for dropping two crisps. Grandmother Barbara Jubb was fined £80 for littering after her 20-month-year-old granddaughter dropped two crisps on the pavement as Mrs Jubb was returning from a hospital appointment in Crawley, West Sussex. Daily Mail, 17 May 2007


Teenager arrested for growling at a dog. Kyle Little was arrested for growling and barking at two Labradors. He was then convicted by magistrates of causing harassment, alarm or distress and ordered to pay a £50 fine and £150 costs. Daily Mail, 28 April 2007


Pensioner banned over speed trap alert Pensioner Stuart Harding,71, was convicted of wilfully obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty, banned from driving and ordered to pay court costs after he set up a sign warning motorists of a police speed trap. The court also confiscated Mr Harding’s sign and ordered it to be destroyed. Telegraph, 11 June 2004

A toy go-kart? You’re nicked! A Staffordshire police officer pulled up three boys riding a home made go-kart and said they were breaking the law because they hadn’t got a tax disc insurance, and then sent a letter to their parents informing them that their sons were guilty of anti social behaviour. Daily Mail, 1 May 2007

Four police officers t tackle boy, 11, who called schoolmate ‘gay’ Police sent two officers to the home of a 11-year-old-boy’s home, and two to his primary school to investigate after he had sent an email calling one of his school friends ‘gay’. Daily Mail, 2 April 2007

Surfers could face ASBOs for cutting in on swimmer’s waves

Police in Cornwall are considering sending community support officers to patrol the beach if surfers continue to cut in on swimmer’s waves. The surfers risk being taken to court and issued with an ASBO if the problem persists.Telegraph 19 Sept 2008

Neighbour must not laugh or stare. Stuart Hunt, from Drumnadrochit in Inverness-shire, has received an ASBO banning him from laughing, staring or slowly clapping his hands at anyone following a dispute with neighbours over speed bumps. Scotsman, 24 Oct 2008

Council bans mourners from laying artificial flowers on graves - because of the health and safety risk North East Lincolnshire Council have banned the use of artificial flowers, pottery and glass items at Grimsby Crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance warns on the grounds of health and safety.Daily Mail, 5 Jan 2009


Shopkeepers banned from serving customers glass of mulled wine. SA store owner in Anstruther, Fife, was banned from serving their customers a glass of mulled wine, and told he needed to apply for an alcohol licence if he wanted to offer customers a festive treat. Telegraph, 24 Dec 2008
Fight against pub music red-tape Licensees face having to provide detailed information, including names, ages, and contact details of promoters and performers, every time a live music event or other entertainment is staged. Other details, such as music style and target audience are also required on the document, known as Form 696.Morning Advertiser, 14 Jan 2009

[jsktrogdor]

it makes more and more sense every day

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[The Devil's Sergeant]

Slow clap for Britain

Whats so crazy about that? That is very illegal and nowhere near the stupidity level of the baby that was fined. The idiot deserved to get in trouble for obstruction

How is warning motorist that they face imminent ticketing for speeding stopping the Constable from doing his duty?

[Seether]

Slow clap for Britain



How is warning motorist that they face imminent ticketing for speeding stopping the Constable from doing his duty?

The Constable is there to ticket people for speeding, which is also called "enforcing the law". If a person interferes in that endeavor, such as warning people of the Constable's intent to enforce the law, that person is obstructing the Constable from doing his duties. Obstructing an officer, or Constable in this case, is against the law.

[DimondLight]

Slow clap for Britain

Nope, that's banned as well.

Neighbour must not laugh or stare. Stuart Hunt, from Drumnadrochit in Inverness-shire, has received an ASBO banning him from laughing, staring or slowly clapping his hands at anyone following a dispute with neighbours over speed bumps. Scotsman, 24 Oct 2008

[Denny Crane!]

How about because speed controls like cameras are taxation by stealth, have little effect on peoples speed and the pensioner was actually helping the police because motorists who saw it would slow down.

Why were they upset? Well because for all people slow down like they supposedly want they don't get the revenue from getting to fine people speeding. Thats criminal apparently.

[Denny Crane!]

He was assisting the officer, people would slow down after seeing the sign.

[Seether]

He was assisting the officer, people would slow down after seeing the sign.

I see what you're getting at, but it isn't assisting, it is obstructing. That cop wasn't there just to get people to slow down, he was there to catch speeders (aka law-breakers) and fine them. Although public safety is the key concern, enforcement is necessary to maintain that safety as well. That civilian was only there so he could obstruct the cop from issuing citations, not to slow motorists down for safety-sake. Which is, as I said, obstruction.

Pick up any Traffic Law Article book, they have all of the necessary verbage and case law to show how and why it is illegal.

[Denny Crane!]

I see what you're getting at, but it isn't assisting, it is obstructing. That cop wasn't there just to get people to slow down, he was there to catch speeders (aka law-breakers) and fine them. Although public safety is the key concern, enforcement is necessary to maintain that safety as well. That civilian was only there so he could obstruct the cop from issuing citations, not to slow motorists down for safety-sake. Which is, as I said, obstruction.

Pick up any Traffic Law Article book, they have all of the necessary verbage and case law to show how and why it is illegal.

So the point isn't to get people to slow down its to punish them. Since we know that excessive punishment in this fashion doesn't reduce speeding (in fact warning signs ''official'' ones anyway have been proven to have more of an effect than speed cameras) then I am forced to conclude that it is just a revenue earner and not about reducing traffic accidents and casualties on the road.

Well I had already come to that conclusion ages ago truth be told but that wouldn't have made for good rhetoric.

[Seether]

So the point isn't to get people to slow down its to punish them. Since we know that excessive punishment in this fashion doesn't reduce speeding (in fact warning signs ''official'' ones anyway have been proven to have more of an effect than speed cameras) then I am forced to conclude that it is just a revenue earner and not about reducing traffic accidents and casualties on the road.

Well I had already come to that conclusion ages ago truth be told but that wouldn't have made for good rhetoric.

Sadly, that is indeed the case. The populace, as a whole, will be more inclined to follow laws and regulations if there is some sort of reprisal; fines and jail time. The sad truth is that people care more about their wallet than saving the lives of their fellow citizens or ensuring their safety.

[metenojo]

I won't comment on this. I feel I don't need to.

Just make a cuppa and read this.

http://www.modernliberty.net/research/petty-britain

My favourite

"Man fined for swearing at TV".

This happens in all west,I never saw so many rules in my life.Here in Portugal we lived a dictatorial regime untill 1974,but now we have much more restrictions,regulations etc ,the state control all aspects of our lives,and we let they do that.We are living in to much clean world.

[Caduet]

A "punt" is a sort of boat, right?
What is "busking"? I don't know these british words.
I thought both of them sounded kinda dirty tho...

[KozaK101]

Busking is begging while playing a musical instrument, people do it as begging is illegal.
Plus councils want to squeeze every bit of money from people. Look at bins now as an example. I make sure to put all the stuff in the wrong bins...thank the world for small victories....