The law is an ass

 

The law is an ass

                                        Enforcement officer

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Welcome to today’s rant!

A woman in Richmond, West London was recently fined £150 for pouring the dregs of her coffee down a roadside drain. She was about to catch a bus to work and didn’t want to spill the remains of her drink on it. She was accosted by three ‘enforcement officers’ who issued the fine.

 Richmond Council employs enforcement officers to deal with violations of parking regulations and issue fines where necessary. They may also investigate fly-tipping, dropping litter or refuse in the street, or the incorrect way of presenting refuse for collection (!)

 She was unaware of the law, which, as we all know, is no excuse!!

It can be found under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. There are 164 sections, and 16 Schedules, 20 if you count the sub-schedules.

The miscreant asked the enforcement officers, all three of them, if there were any signs or information warning of the requirements of the law, but received no answer. She found the incident quite intimidating, but Richmond Council maintained that the body cams worn by the three officers showed that they had not behaved in an aggressive manner.

I think the sight of three officers approaching me and telling me I was breaking the law and needed to pay a fine would make my heart beat a little faster, too.

The lady asked what she should have done with her left-over beverage, and was told she should have poured it in a nearby bin. Richmond Council stated, “We are committed to protecting Richmond’s waterways and keeping our borough’s streets clean and safe. Enforcement action is only taken when necessary,”

This begs the question. ‘What should I do with left-over tea, coffee, or other drinks at home?’ Should they all be poured into the bin, rather than emptied down the kitchen sink?I wonder if this was a box-ticking exercise, 

with the results to be charted to prove that ‘efforts are being made in our ongoing campaign to improve conditions in our borough,’ or words to that effect.

If the lady who has committed the criminal act pays the fine within fourteen days, it will be reduced by £50 to £100. She is intending to make a complaint when her case will be reviewed.

Postscript: The fine has ben lifted. Commonsense prevailed.

Traditional pursuits in September

 

Traditional pursuits in September – part 1

All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Dragon boat

On Saturday 16^th September the Great River Race will take place in London. Known as London’s River Marathon, over 200 rowing boats of differing designs, race for 21.6 miles from Masthouse Terrace Pier in Millwall to Ham House in Richmond.

It started in 1988 and has grown into a race attracting competitors from across the world. Some are enthusiastic amateurs while others are committed racers, who return annually to try and beat their earlier times and/or to win a trophy.

The rules specify that boats must be moved by oars or paddles only, must have fixed seats and must carry a cox and a passenger, though these two may alternate with any of the rowers, provided they accord with the gender and/or age restrictions of that class. The requirement to carry a cox and passenger is in recognition of the tradition of the Thames Watermen, who were ferry operators and boatmen on the River Thames. Each craft must also carry a flag measuring 3’ by 2’. 

This extract, courtesy of ‘The Great River Race’ magazine, explains more:

”The idea of The Great River Race is to find the UK Traditional Boat Champions. The overall winners receive the Challenge Trophy of The Company of Watermen & Lightermen of the River Thames. This is a mounted Waterman's Badge, first issued to William Savage of Gravesend in 1803.

The race is open to any traditional-style boat powered by a minimum of four oars or paddles. Sliding seats and riggers are not permitted. Each boat must have a cox and, in keeping with the Watermen's ancient traditional role as the taxi drivers for the Thames, each boat must carry a passenger.

The optimum speed of all craft competing is calculated by computer and no account is taken of the potential abilities of the crews. Boats leave the start line on a pursuit handicap basis - the slowest first - and the handicap system is calculated so that all boats should cross the finish line at the same time if all crews put in identical performances. Thus it is the crew that extracts the most out of its boat, regardless of type, which emerges as winner. The same principle applies to all handicap classes."

The Great River Race promotes fixed-seat rowing on the Thames and its tributaries and encourages traditional boat building.  Many participants use the event as an occasion to race money for charitable causes. It is a colourful day out, with many crews opting to wear fancy dress, and attracts spectators at various points along the course.

Rowing boats ranging from skiffs to barges, and Cornish gigs to dragon boats, race under 28 bridges in hopes of winning a Great Race trophy. There are more than thirty trophies to be won in the various categories, including one for best fancy dress.