Nanny state

foxyframer · Post by **foxyframer** » Sat 14 Jul, 2007 7:20 pm

My son Chris found this one in the centre of Sri Lanka in a place called Worlds End.

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Sun 15 Jul, 2007 1:55 am

(In response to Foxy's entry above...)

Note zat if you fail to comply viss ziss direktiff, you vill be SHOT!!!!"
_________

"Road Design by Committee: Class 23"

1. Invent Mini Roundabout. Result?

2. Take Mini Roundabout idea. Add one local council, and we get:

When first I beheld this "vision" (from a distance of a 100 yards or so), my immediate reaction was, "WHAT??? You have got to be kidding me!?!"

This is not a drill. This is a one hundred per cent bona fide road sign in Swindon. Actually, it represents a wee victory for the people. The local council originally gave it some 'sensible' name or other, but the denizens of Swindon weren't having any of it. The council had to capitulate, and it has now been - officially! - renamed to:

"Good morning, Dougal!" said Florence...

(Apols to those who've seen this little piece of insanity before!)

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Sun 15 Jul, 2007 2:17 am

Apparently Nanny has now got 'booze' well and truly in her cross-hairs...

The truth is out there (in more ways than one!!)

(Oy, Spit! Does CAMRA know about this?)

Check out blog site Nanny Knows Best. (BTW, second article on page 1 features a picture of me on a good day...)
_____________
Áine

"Live well. Laugh often. Drink loads!!"

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Mon 16 Jul, 2007 4:30 pm

Nil illegitimati carborundum!

Post by **John** » Mon 16 Jul, 2007 8:54 pm

The feisty Moglet wrote:Nil illegitimati carborundum!

This topic deserves its own forum, and here is the perfect motto.

Anyone seen the wonderful overlawyered.com?

Mostly American, but an absolutely riveting read, and probably a foretaste of what is just around the corner on this side of the pond.

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Tue 17 Jul, 2007 1:56 pm

Consider yourself avenged, John!

Checked out the above site. Four-year-olds up for sexual misconduct? No pig figurines or pictures in the office? He-llo???

It wound me up so much I had to leave after 5 minutes. If this is where litigation is headed, we need to clone Judge Judy. And fast!!

Just for that, John, be sure that your "No Living" sign doesn't fall off the wall, 'cause if it does I'm gonna send the boys round.

Post by **prospero** » Tue 17 Jul, 2007 9:11 pm

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Tue 17 Jul, 2007 10:17 pm

Points out of 10, Prospero!

If anyone wants a bit of humour (and I use the term loosely), try out the "Chimp-o-matic!". (Gadget also available on iGoogle.)

Anyone remember "Whoops Apocalypse"? George W reminds me of the "stuffed dummy" Russian premier. Truth to be told, in W's case, I think a stuffed dummy would be more eloquent: move Bush out of range of an autocue, and it appears to be beyond the guy to string a coherent sentence together.

Useful signs! I think this guycould be onto something....

Post by **prospero** » Tue 17 Jul, 2007 11:45 pm

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 1:08 am

R - O - T - F - L ! ! ! !

Dermot · Post by **Dermot** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 9:54 am

I’m no tree hugger and never will I be one.............I’m also sick of people who will demean those who try and do good for mankind...................and for the want of not engaging in a better way of helping others and life will tag those who want to do good as imposing a “nanny state”

Just a few examples of areas that have been attacked as “nanny state” law over the last 150+ years are as follows this is by no means exhaustive.

1: Anti Slavery laws

2: Equal pay for male and females

3: The right to work in the civil service after marriage for females Republic of Ireland (ROI)

4: Reclassifying of available materials and chemicals as dangerous.....example LSD (this at one stage was sold to do science experiments in schools where young children were present) Asbestos (some of you may be suffering the consequences of that right now) Thalidomide (some of you may remember the horror of that one)

5: Seat belts save lives ..............there is no arguing that statistic and why anyone would not want to do some thing that will help preserve their own life and others is beyond me...................I can only conclude that those people are insane and that the rest of society needs to be protected from them.

6: Smoking kills whether directly inhaled or passively....... and again .............why anyone would want to do some thing that will harm themselves and others is beyond me...................I can only conclude that those people are insane and that the rest of society needs to be protected from them.

7: Speed kills on the roads..................with the statistic we have in Ireland do I even need to argue that one.....

8: Drinking and driving is very dangerous and can kill ...........and again ......... why anyone would want to do some thing that will harm themselves and others is beyond me...................I can only conclude that those people are insane and that the rest of society needs to be protected from them.

The list of good legalisation that has been past in this country and others over the last 150+ years is impressive and is directly responsible for many of the freedoms and wellbeing we have in society today..............

Why people keep taking cheap shots at our legislators when they try to do good is beyond me..............

I would suggest that if you don’t like some of the laws that have been passed in the last 150+ years that you should get down of your hobby horse put your money and career on the line and go and try and change these laws ...............then you might get a real sense of how far from reality you are.

PS..............I almost forgot ...........one of the most impressive pieces of “nanny state” legislation passed in the last 100 years was the right for the female to vote................yes...........the “nanny state” brought that one on us...........and told us how we should behave towards others...............do we want to throw that out also!!!!!!

kaptain.kopter · Post by **kaptain.kopter** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 11:35 am

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 12:17 pm

Dermot wrote: Why people keep taking cheap shots at our legislators when they try to do good is beyond me..............

Dermot,
Do you mean to say that everything that legislators do is perfect and no-one should criticize any of it?
I don't agree with that! Some of the posts here have examples where people in governments have done some really dopey things. The Magic Roundabout" is one perfect example of that. A great example of excessive over complication of a simple traffic control device.

Whoever decided that churches need "no smoking" signs, is, in my opinion a lunatic! Perhaps a sign to say "No Swimming" near the baptismal font will be the next step, or maybe churches will have to erect a "pool fence" around the font, to prevent accidental drownings.

You give some examples of excellent laws that have made a positive impact on life in many places, but I think there are plenty of other instances where laws have not been all that crash hot!

I think most people only take shots at pollies when they do dumb things, not when they are trying to do good!

Dermot · Post by **Dermot** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 12:24 pm

Yep........we can all nit pick...............

Why don’t you stand up and put your money where your mouth is and do something about it........... moaning on a site like this is doing no good ................that is if you feel our legislators are doing such a bad job.................they get much more right than they get wrong..................standing on the side moaning is a cheap and nasty way of trying to pretend you are taking responsibility......it might make you feel good...............but it is doing nothing to make things right.................

sarah · Post by **sarah** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 1:48 pm

One wee small problem there Dermot the legislators have made it very difficult to actually do anything about anything.

Freedom of assembly has been curtailed and police feel justified in arresting protestors under the guise of 'riotious behaviour'.

These same legislators have put in place laws that have resulted in judges sending elderly folks to prison for protecting what is theirs from 'misguided youths'

Legislation also states that a pregnant woman can pee in a policemans helmet.

Oh and women only managed to get the vote after many many years of campaigns and several of them and a horse having to die.

I do agree that alot of what government/legislators have done over the years is to the good. But I don't want to be told what I can and cannot feed my child, nor do I feel it is the role of these legislators to control my weight. Worry instead about educating the people then, in my opinion, the rest will fall into place.

Post by **John** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 3:31 pm

More crackers to be found here.

Post by **John** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 3:54 pm

osgood wrote:Whoever decided that churches need "no smoking" signs, is, in my opinion a lunatic!

And Dean of Southwark, The Very Rev Colin Slee, seems to agree.

Dermot · Post by **Dermot** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 4:53 pm

sarah wrote:One wee small problem there Dermot the legislators have made it very difficult to actually do anything about anything.

Put your money up and your career on hold as all politicians have to do and stand for election

...........if your ideas about how and what laws should be made are any good and realistic you should have no problem getting elected and then you can change things.........it’s really quite simple in a democracy

Dermot · Post by **Dermot** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 4:57 pm

John wrote:

More crackers to be found here.

The bottom step is all that needs the warning sign on a stairs..............whoever put the notices on is the one in error.......(or the stupid one) ..............I sell those signs ..........in the Republic it is not even needed though is is advisory to put it in place

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Wed 18 Jul, 2007 8:24 pm

This is not really about 'Nanny State' but sort of relative as it regards the stupid time and money wasting procedures and red tape that surrounds us.

Moved into shop here in 2000 - ample parking spaces in front. Quickly realised that 90% of cars parked outside never moved - they belonged to local shop owners and their employees. Approached them - nearly came to blows with some.

Approached council - may we have a one hour restriction?

No - the road that the spaces spill out onto has an excellent safety record and a parking restriction would increase the turnover of spaces and therefore increase the chances of an accident involving personal injury.

Er, but the spaces are part of your highway - YOU put them there, in front of these shops for, er, what reason? Shoppers - right?

So now you tell me that it is only the actions of some selfish gits with no basic business sense preventing carnage by preventing the usage you designed it for?

Whatever - but we may consider a restriction if that road is by-passed.

The road was bypassed - on the wrong side - no-one uses the bypass - another story.

So, yes, now we will restrict half of the spaces.

Ah well, so they paint the lines for the parking bays (2 attempts - first they were far far too narrow and we - Pat and I - physically prevented them from painting over their plotted chalk lines - a month later, after consultation with us and with our supervision - they got it right!) and erect the sign posts. New signposts in front of telegraph poles and right next to lamp posts! One too near the kerb - it gets trashed next day. Some of these signs were pushed up into tree foliage!

They remove posts and bolt signs to existing lamp posts etc - again after much gnashing of teeth by us.

OK - now - why is no-one enforcing this restriction? - The situation has not changed - everyone's ignoring the restriction with impunity!

Ah well, you see - East Arun only has ONE traffic warden and he has to prioritise.

WHAT! That's Arundel - a toursist town - Littlehampton and a whole string of connected villages from there to here. Anyway - we at least should see him SOMETIMES.

Letter to local police inspector - traffic warden comes to see us with tales of woe and then gleefully points out that he cannot enforce our restriction - you see - it does not match the traffic order that makes it lawful - it is 'illegal' as the signs do not correspond with where the traffic order says they should be.

Our fault then! But how long have you and the council known about this?

TWO YEARS!!

Then one day we see the traffic warden walking about in a PCSOs uniform - the traffic warden post no longer exists - NO traffic warden for East Arun - and PCSOs cannot enforce these restrictions.

So now the council are amending the traffic order to match what we have, so that it can be enforced, in full knowledge that it will not be.

But - ahhhhh - BUT - local councils are being given powers to enforce waiting restrictions.

Hooray

But of course, that will mean a new traffic order!!! Not before 2009

Whah whah whah

So, now Pat is on our Parish Council to try and sort this and other farces out. She's already hossed out the chaff - all the retired colonel types who want to feel they still have a bit of clout - got some real people on there.

But I was just ready to say - OK - you win.

I think - in this case - this is what it's about - there is no such thing as a council workman anymore - it's all done via private consultants who in turn hire private contractors. It doesn't pay them to get a job - that an 8 year old could sort out - done quickly and right first time - the more they have to correct and replace, the more contracts they get.

I'm sure also that a lot of the pathetic examples above have created jobs that have ensured we keep getting stiffed on our taxes. It's legal robbery and malpractice.