Forum Topic

No clear blue water?

Should not Boris have forseen this mayhem?http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7429638.stmDo we need a ban on alcohol on public transport?I would have rather seen present law enforced against begging on the Tube,Instead we see Boris the statist bringing in new law.On the plus side he did appear with Simon Hughes on May 11 at The Global Day of Prayer London, something I could not imagine his mayoral predecessor doing.http://barryboucher.typepad.com/ministers_matter/2008/05/global-day-lond.html

Graham Weeks ● 6696d6 Comments

Policing it all is going to be the problem , as our friend Bob Crowe of the RMT pointed out.Now in Hong Kong, and Singapore there are measures to stop you consuming alcohol and food on their Underground systems.Gerry will confirm that in the latter case, However the population is more disiplined in those countries, and accepts these measures without question, because they are brought up in the main to respect the law.In this Country, there exists a large minority for which anything is acceptable. Non fare paying, consuming alcohol, eating, and causing general mayhem, which seems to be accepted by many Politicians as 'High Spirits' etc. More a case of maybe I don't want to upset those who I secretly empathise with from my own early days.So, as Bob Crowe rightly points out, how are you going to tell 400 Chelsea/Arsenal/Tottenham supporters that their Lager Cans are conficated. Only with a Kalashnicov and 200 rounds of ammo it would seem!Credit where its due by the way, Bob Crowe is right over this, and fears that his members of the RMT will be in the firing line especially as the presence of a uniform is an anethma to these anarchists.

Colin Vaughan ● 6696d

Drinking on the underground would not have been such a problem perhaps if people in this country had any respect for law and order, or for fellow passengers.Sadly we appear to have a yob culture where anything goes. Other passengers are afraid of approaching troublemakers in case they end up being assaulted!I certainly would feel a hell of a lot safer travelling around Singapore than London, and yes I totally agree, people in Singapore do have more respect for the police, and for their neighbours.We have come a long way since this was so in the UK. Troublemakers laugh at authority and know they can get away with carrying on as they wish regardless.

Robert Julian Fernandez ● 6696d

I found Riga better behaved and a lot cleaner than London.

Graham Weeks ● 6696d

I note that there was a riot of some sort on the tube on Saturday. a Final Party(?) was held before the new laws came in today(Sunday)and of course got out of hand, no doubt because it was advertised on the Internet, attracting ineveratably, the 'Anarchist fraternity.'Rather confirms Bob Crowe's fears. Needed a bit more thinking through first before embarking on this initiative, right though it is .

Colin Vaughan ● 6696d

Bob Crowe is totally wrong.  His statement yesterday failed to mention customers - it only concerned itself with the inconvenience to his members.  He forgets it seems that smoking was banned on Tube trains about 20 years before the national ban (some years later smoking was banned on all Tube property after the King's Cross disaster).  This move was entirely uncontroversial and was quickly observed completely.  Initially a few people tried to smoke but were pretty soon shamed into compliance.  I remember being involved in one or two incidents and although the idiots involved swore and made a show of not complying at the time they did in the end comply.  Too many Tube staff have no concern for their system whatsoever.  They let people dodge fares, especially if they are large men, they can't be bothered to pick up rubbish and will not try to enforce any kind of discipline on the system so it is no surprise that Crow wants to duck this issue too.  It is typically cowardly of the man.  He is quite happy to bully the public with strike threats but has no inclination to stand up to nuisance drinkers.  That said the travelling public will stand up for themselves if the Tube's rules clearly outlaw drinking.  Before anyone comes up with the libertarian angle remember that the Tube is a public transport system which is entitled to impose any terms of carriage it sees fit.  People don't have to use it.  Just try and open a can of lager in a pub and see how long the landlord lets you stay where you are.

Phil Taylor ● 6695d

Point taken Phil. Another angle to all this, we'll see how it goes.

Colin Vaughan ● 6695d