London riots: If you listen carefully

bendix

If you're selling newspapers and a riot arrives and it hasn't occured to you to get the hell out of there by the time the police arrive (usually 30 minutes or so later) you deserve to be shot for gross stupidity.

For the love of God, man . .

bendix

kabayiri wrote: »

No it's not. Far from it.

On the radio earlier they interviewed a friend of a Malaysian student who made the news when people who seemed to be helping him then robbed him of his possessions. The victim's mother was trying to organise funds to come over.

Literally, within minutes, there were offers coming in to the radio station from UK people offering to replace anything lost, contributing to any air fare needed etc.

The generosity of the UK people helping to clean up affected areas or donating via charities never ceases to amaze me. Few citizens of other countries come close in their generous nature.

All very nice but exceptions tend to reinforce the rule, not disprove it. Petty and PR-oriented feel good stories like this do nothing to hide the dark underbelly of British society - the barely suppressed anger, the fear, the herd mentality, the selfishness.

I've lived all over the world and spent time in no end of blackspot nogo areas, and yet the only time I've ever felt scared was walking through Norwich town centre after the pubs emptied earlier this year.

Horrible, horrible chavish loutish people.

FTBFun

bendix wrote: »

I've lived all over the world and spent time in no end of blackspot nogo areas, and yet the only time I've ever felt scared was walking through Norwich town centre after the pubs emptied earlier this year.

Horrible, horrible chavish loutish people.

You were scared?

I'm rather confused by this as I went to uni in Norwich and am a frequent visitor, and despite closing time being fairly lively (in particular along Prince of Wales' Road) I can't say I've ever been scared.

Generali

bendix wrote: »

If you're selling newspapers and a riot arrives and it hasn't occured to you to get the hell out of there by the time the police arrive (usually 30 minutes or so later) you deserve to be shot for gross stupidity.

For the love of God, man . .

I guess you've never been in a riot then. The ones I've seen (thankfully just a few) tend to move about a bit.

This piece is pretty interesting about a woman who was in the midst of the riot by dint of her job.

Generali

FTBFun wrote: »

You were scared?

I'm rather confused by this as I went to uni in Norwich and am a frequent visitor, and despite closing time being fairly lively (in particular along Prince of Wales' Road) I can't say I've ever been scared.

Britain at pub kicking out time is a pretty violent place compared to most of the rest of the world.

FTBFun

Generali wrote: »

Britain at pub kicking out time is a pretty violent place compared to most of the rest of the world.

Yeah I know, just I have experience of Norwich and it rates fairly low down the scale IMO.

Generali

FTBFun wrote: »

Yeah I know, just I have experience of Norwich and it rates fairly low down the scale IMO.

Fair enough. I last went to Norwich was in about 1982 and I was only about 11 so the local pub scene was about the last thing on my mind.

Having said that, I've been more concerned for my safety in many a provincial town on a Friday or Saturday night than in places like Camberwell and Brixton.

StevieJ

FTBFun wrote: »

Yeah I know, just I have experience of Norwich and it rates fairly low down the scale IMO.

Kicking out time is not quite what it was now we don't have an enforced closing time. Chester Races can be quite the place in July, no football, Scousers,Mancs and SS from the Principality mainly drunk, but I have never felt like Bendix ? (he must be a tart ).

bendix

FTBFun wrote: »

You were scared?

I'm rather confused by this as I went to uni in Norwich and am a frequent visitor, and despite closing time being fairly lively (in particular along Prince of Wales' Road) I can't say I've ever been scared.

One is allowed to use hyperbole to make a point . .

You're very manly, arent you?

Loughton_Monkey

bendix wrote: »

One is allowed to use hyperbole to make a point . .

..but if I've told you once, I've told you a million times: you should not use gross exaggeration!

In my student days, I, too, used to be 'frightened' at pub closing time. Not because of the violence, but simply that in those days all pubs had to shut at 10:30 p.m. by law and you couldn't get another drink!

This was superbly solved by becoming involved in the running of the Hall of Residence bar. We dutifully closed at 10:30 sharp. By midnight, most had gone to bed and so we could then open again and continue drinking until breakfast. However, our 'violence' was restricted simply to dirty looks at the Italian cafateria staff.