You will recall my recent article about Nanny's police force using their scarce resources to spy on people in pubs, and fine the bar staff for serving "drunk" people?Well, she's up to her old tricks again.
It recently emerged that 12 of Nanny's finest visited The Prince of Wales pub in Moseley Birmingham, and carried out sobriety tests on the punters there who were enjoying a quiet libation (can I say libation on this site?).
In a scene out of a Charlie Chaplin movie, drinkers were made to walk along a straight line chalked on to the pavement at the rear of the pub.
Nanny was not happy with the results, officers told bar staff that the customers were intoxicated and out of control.
Landlord Keith Marsden thinks that this was a load of old bollocks. He noted that it was a normal Friday evening, and branded the police "bully boys".
Quote:
"I'm absolutely outraged. It's complete nonsense and if it wasn't so serious it would be a joke.
Why are police officers wasting taxpayer's money investigating whether or not people are drunk in a pub?
It's unbelievable."
West Midlands Police said:
"West Midlands Police received a formal complaint in November which is being investigated by our Professional Standards Department.
It would therefore be inappropriate for us to comment further at this stage."
Clearly there is no other crime in the West Midlands!
As a sufferer of Menieres disease, I would hate to be asked to walk along a straight time at anytime as I can't. Would Nanny issue my wife with a fine...Kerching...for giving me cups of tea which obviously leaves me legless.
ReplyDeleteIs it not just another case of a politicised police force going after the easy soft target so that boxes can be ticked and the ONS (Office of national propaganda) can show that crime clear-up rates are high?
Think about this, two murders...no one caught...clear-up rate zero....Two murders...five serving intoxicated customers...five bar staff fined...kerching...crime clear-up rate 71.42%...boxes ticked...Nanny happy...simple isn't it? Now if you can fine ten speeding drivers as well as the bar staff, then the clear-up rate increases to 88.23% and Nanny's till is ringing again...Kerching.
Makes you proud to be British doesn't it.
When I lived in the USA, Nanny's enforcers arrived at our local Brit pub and breath tested patrons. I refused and despite a stern look and a 'warning' about not complying with a lawful request or some such bullshit I mentioned I would phone my attorney first and produced my mobile phone.
ReplyDeleteUS Nanny's Dirty Harry backed down but several people were tested and found to be 'under the influence' - imagine Brits under the influence in a pub on a Saturday night.
Result - fine for the landlord, cautions for the wicked drinkers - UK Nanny must have been watching with interest.
Fight back, threaten and or take action on the police farce who would far sooner nick a well beahved middle or working class drinker in a pub than some pot head, cider swilling chav roaming the streets and causing merry hell.
Drunks in a pub, who could imagine?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though this is obviously bollocks of one sort or another. It seems to me that public intoxication, if that's what the police are objecting to, should by necessity involve some other form of illegal, or at least disruptive, behavior such as fighting, urinating in the street, harrassing passersby, and the like.
In the US, the blood alcohol level for intoxication is usually in reference to driving, and has been ratcheted down in recent years to the extent that one can be "legally intoxicated" while not appearing particularly drunk. I suspsct it's the same in the UK.
I'm not advocating that anyone drive home after several pints, or whatever, but if someone sits quietly at a table with a few friends, gets mildly, or even thoroughly, intoxicated, has a few laughs, then peacefully strolls home or takes a cab, what business is this of Nanny's?
Oh, I forgot, fines are involved.
Tonk said: “if you can fine ten speeding drivers as well”.
ReplyDeleteCareful Tonk!
You’re falling into Nanny’s “speed” trap.
They’re not speeding drivers. They’re drivers who are exceeding a speed limit.
Are they driving safely? Might be. Might not.
Drunk in a pub! Heh!Who'd a thunk it! Next it'll be eating while at a restaurant!working while at the office!
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Debbie:
ReplyDeleteI would not be surprised to find the food police coming into eateries to make sure one is not eating too much. Remember binge drinking and obesity are Nanny's current pet hates. Mind you she may send the truancy police into the said eateries to enquire as to the reason you are not at work.
She will issue a fine...Kerching...to compensate herself for the tax grab she'll miss out on while you are "economically inactive"
Makes you proud to be British.
I don't know the legal rules of drinking in England, but in the USA things have gotten seriously screwed up. My husband has actually had police tell him that they can arrest him for being publicly intoxicated while he was at home. He came out of the house because we were making to much noise and following police requests. IE: can we please talk to you sir? When he informed them that legally they can't because had followed their orders and started stating law to them they backed down. They also tried the "lawful request" to come into the house. It boiled down to us telling them that with out a warrant, your not coming in. We didn't realize how we were and just quieted down afterward.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to how breathalyzers work you may want to check out this website http://www.duiblog.com/ . I had a friend going though law school who told me that no matter what refuse breathalyzers test and referred me to this page because she knew I would want to know why. I’ve checked out quite a bit of the sources he quotes and so far he’s cited them correctly. While going though this site though the years I’m scared that we’re headed down the same path if only a bit more slowly.
Hannah
Who remembers 'one over the eight'?
ReplyDeleteEight?
The time must be fast approaching when we remind these arrogant little jumped-up bastards in government that it is they who work for us - not the other way round.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone - hand on heart - think of ANYTHING that politicians have done in the last ten years (or longer) that has actually been to the benefit of the people they are elected to serve? Including, of course, their futile and often dishonest attempts to put right things that, through their own stupidity, they already fucked up?
No longer content just to deal with 'The Big Picture', even though their best efforts in that area compound the utter chaos they have already created, they seem to have concluded that every last aspect of our lives is fair game for their interference and manipulation.
Other than my wife, kids and friends, why should anybody care - or interfere - if my idea of a relaxing evening is to get pleasantly pissed?
If I get unpleasantly pissed, that's another story, and legislation has long existed that would sort me out if I were to get stroppy, or attempt to drive, or piss against a policeman's leg.
If I'm standing outside the pub, swaying in the breeze, fag in one hand and pint in the other, stupid grin plastered on my face, who the hell am I hurting and how dare any government agency try to tell me that it's any of their business?
Come on fellers, start a fucking rebellion so that I can come home and help.
"Nanny was not happy with the results, officers told bar staff that the customers were intoxicated and out of control."
ReplyDeleteIt's Nanny and her minions who are out of control!