Major current problems in the UK?
Jul 20th 2011, 3:30 pm
#61
Septic Sprout
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 7,993
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
They are. Show me a law enforcement agency that isn't self-serving and whose employees (at every level) don't think that there's one rule for them and another for everybody else.
Jul 20th 2011, 3:32 pm
#62
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
I don't see anyone claiming here that police corruption is new - check out the conduct of the Yorkshire police in the '70's for example - but more that the surveillance "culture" in the UK makes the scope of such corruption more far reaching than used to be the case. Hence one of the reasons for my concerns as how readily many Brits accept their every move being recorded, filmed etc.
Jul 20th 2011, 3:49 pm
#63
In the pink
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,324
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
We found the cops we saw on our last visit back to be very friendly and helpful with directions. At least they don't carry guns. It terrifies me when I pass cops in the street here, their guns right there for anyone to see. Not to mention walking into Grand Central station and seeing army guys with massive automatic weapons and dogs. Yikes!
Jul 20th 2011, 5:15 pm
#64
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Posts: 7,861
Jul 20th 2011, 9:23 pm
#65
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 85
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
I think it's funny how we just drove past a knife and gun show out here in Washington State. It scares me how open this country is with weapons.
Jul 20th 2011, 9:24 pm
#66
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 85
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
You haven't been to Europe much then? I just came back from a trip to 4 different European countries, and saw plenty of cops with guns. I wasn't terrified at all. I lived in Germany years ago, and all the police carried guns way back then. I believe Canadian cops carry guns too. Look closely around any major European airport - you will be surprised at what you see.
Jul 20th 2011, 9:40 pm
#67
The Kwisatz Haderach
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: North Wales
Posts: 8,080
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
Oh yes I remember the first time I saw a gun, I was a kid on holiday in Spain (way back i the 60's) and the police were very nice and chatty with us, I was totally freaked out by the side arms they were carrying, I put it down to my Dad being a western movies buff so I watched a lot of westerns and expected a gun fight to break out
Jul 20th 2011, 10:44 pm
#68
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,775
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
This can't be said often enough.
Not only that, but Britain today is a better place to live for the vast majority of people than at any time in its history.
The 'good old days' my generation often speak of were also the days of 3-day weeks and rubbish piling up in the streets and IRA bombs and terrible food. I remember when the opening of Kentucky Fried Chicken was a cultural highlight in my little town.
Holidays abroad were the province of the rich and 'foodie' wasn't even a word yet.
Go back a few generations and my family were living in the York slums, surviving on occasional poor law hand-outs and odd jobs, drinking themselves into an early grave (if they weren't murdered in street violence first), all their kids in a 'school' that was just a front for child labor. Just 160 years later, their descendents are all living in comfortable houses, breathing clean air, taking frequent holidays and protected by a slew of labour laws, but complaining louder than ever about how the country has gone to the dogs.
Not only that, but Britain today is a better place to live for the vast majority of people than at any time in its history.
The 'good old days' my generation often speak of were also the days of 3-day weeks and rubbish piling up in the streets and IRA bombs and terrible food. I remember when the opening of Kentucky Fried Chicken was a cultural highlight in my little town.
Holidays abroad were the province of the rich and 'foodie' wasn't even a word yet.Go back a few generations and my family were living in the York slums, surviving on occasional poor law hand-outs and odd jobs, drinking themselves into an early grave (if they weren't murdered in street violence first), all their kids in a 'school' that was just a front for child labor. Just 160 years later, their descendents are all living in comfortable houses, breathing clean air, taking frequent holidays and protected by a slew of labour laws, but complaining louder than ever about how the country has gone to the dogs.
A lot of folk had a degree of social/political awareness and far less interest in the rich and famous.
People lived simplier lives and there was perhaps more connection than now days with one another.
The summer was warmer..........
Jul 20th 2011, 10:50 pm
#69
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,775
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
Found a similar thing myself. Aussie cops do appear to take themselves very seriously and views to match.
Jul 20th 2011, 10:54 pm
#70
Finally Home!
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Used to be New York, now North Yorkshire
Posts: 3,610
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
You haven't been to Europe much then? I just came back from a trip to 4 different European countries, and saw plenty of cops with guns. I wasn't terrified at all. I lived in Germany years ago, and all the police carried guns way back then. I believe Canadian cops carry guns too. Look closely around any major European airport - you will be surprised at what you see.
And I'm aware of guns at airports. But I'm unclear as to how German police rules have any impact on my concerns about cops in my own city and my preference for the British approach to arming police.I don't like guns and I don't like cops carrying guns, whether they are American or German or any other nationality. I'm just not big on trusting the police and have read too many news stories of innocent New Yorkers shot by cops. People who would be alive today had they been born in the UK instead of the US.
Last edited by sallysimmons; Jul 20th 2011 at 11:00 pm.
Jul 20th 2011, 10:57 pm
#71
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
They just aren't as approachable and I think the gun on the hip has something to do with that. I really hope they don't go down the same route in the UK.
When I was in Florida the car hire place next to the one we used was shot up by an ex employee the day after we were there, a couple killed and the girl at KFC asked us if we had a gun during a short conversation with her. We of course said no, she had one but didn't bring it to work, she looked to be 18 at most. Scary place.
Talking of Police, I pulled up next to a cop car in Miami and asked the cop where we could park, he said 'not here' and drove off.
When I was in Florida the car hire place next to the one we used was shot up by an ex employee the day after we were there, a couple killed and the girl at KFC asked us if we had a gun during a short conversation with her. We of course said no, she had one but didn't bring it to work, she looked to be 18 at most. Scary place.
Talking of Police, I pulled up next to a cop car in Miami and asked the cop where we could park, he said 'not here' and drove off.
Jul 20th 2011, 11:15 pm
#72
In the pink
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 3,324
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
No I don't go to Europe much these days - I rarely get to take a vacation, what with living in the US. And I'm aware of guns at airports. But I'm unclear as to how German police rules have any impact on my concerns about cops in my own city and my preference for the British approach to arming police.
I don't like guns and I don't like cops carrying guns, whether they are American or German or any other nationality. I'm just not big on trusting the police and have read too many news stories of innocent New Yorkers shot by cops. People who would be alive today had they been born in the UK instead of the US.
And I'm aware of guns at airports. But I'm unclear as to how German police rules have any impact on my concerns about cops in my own city and my preference for the British approach to arming police.I don't like guns and I don't like cops carrying guns, whether they are American or German or any other nationality. I'm just not big on trusting the police and have read too many news stories of innocent New Yorkers shot by cops. People who would be alive today had they been born in the UK instead of the US.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...intervene.html
Jul 20th 2011, 11:21 pm
#73
Democracy advocate
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 12,460
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
Unfortunately, the police often needs gun, such as the shooting in Cumbria, where they could only stand and watch.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...intervene.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...intervene.html
Jul 20th 2011, 11:35 pm
#74
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
The occasions where UK Police would need guns would be extremely rare. The Police are armed here and America but it doesn't stop mass shootings.
Jul 20th 2011, 11:35 pm
#75
The Kwisatz Haderach
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: North Wales
Posts: 8,080
Re: Major current problems in the UK?
Actually quite liked seventies Britain for the reason that it was a far less materialistic and money obsessed country.
A lot of folk had a degree of social/political awareness and far less interest in the rich and famous.
People lived simplier lives and there was perhaps more connection than now days with one another.
The summer was warmer..........
A lot of folk had a degree of social/political awareness and far less interest in the rich and famous.
People lived simplier lives and there was perhaps more connection than now days with one another.
The summer was warmer..........
I finished high school in the late 70's it was extremely depressing to my friends and I, we worried that we'd never find work or be able to afford to do or go anywhere, and one friend cried thinking she and her sweetheart would never be able to marry and find work or have a family one day. Little did we know what the 80's would bring
We just couldn't see an end to all the unemployment and misery. I see my Son and his friends with that look, he'll be a high school senior next week.
