I recently mentioned to Jacqueline how difficult our lives are made by criminals. I was thinking of all the measures taken to prevent 'crime', and how the impact on, or disrupt our ordinary day to day lives; put up our insurance premiums, etc. etc.Then I remembered how - once we have been the victim of a crime of any sort - how difficult our lives are made by the authorities, who - in general - are a bunch of belligerent, unhelpful, lazy and slow-witted office-workers whose main aim in life is to attempt to hit the targets set for them by their pay-masters. When it comes to 'preventative measures', I include council officials in this category, by the way.
Let's hope none of them are following this blog...
My people were burgled once, and the perpetrator (a wee scumbag from the village) turned up in court wearing a pair of my father's shoes. When my mother pointed this out to the judge she was threatened with being guilty of 'Comtempt of Court'. And they wonder why people now have no confidence in the legal system. The law IS an Ass.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in the Lower IVth, it was 999 Letsby Avenue!
Please replace misplaced m with n. I seem to be doing this quite often!
ReplyDelete很棒的分享~留言支持！............................. ....................................
ReplyDeleteI've been the victim of the criminal element three times now, twice our home has been burgled (Toronto & London) and once I was assaulted and my watch stolen (London). The 'authorities' each time were responsive, kind, sympathetic, but utterly crippled by either their systems or laws.
ReplyDeleteNo one was ever held responsible for the crimes and none of the property ever returned.
I am of the opinion these days that laws are written for the law-abiding, not the law-breaking and all too often it IS possible to get away with bloody murder.
Rudy and I had dinner recently with a chap from Kentucky...he told us there is less government are fewer laws there and in Montana than anywhere else in the US...that folk just 'know how' to deal with someone who behaves badly. Somedays I find myself pining for that version of justice.
Jaqueline. In para 3, I would suggest it's the opposite. In the UK anyway, laws are there to assist the criminal; NEVER the victim.
ReplyDeleteI think we are saying the same thing Cro. What I meant was the law only makes sense to the law-abiding and is usually so badly written there's always a way for the criminal to get around it.
ReplyDeleteYep - that's me, Tom. I used to work for the Council. We didn't do a lot in Environmental Health either. Well I did - I used to plant a lot of paper inside a lot of cardboard and make sympathetic noises down the telephone when somebody had an annoying neighbour etc. But you're quite right - we didn't do bogger all. I can follow your blog if I want to you can't stop me!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, it's 'Parking Services' that I hate, and Bath ones the most. I'm glad I've got you on side Moll!
ReplyDeleteYes, I like the idea of having someone to 'deal with' things and then gently reminding the authorities that these people have helped me out where they twiddled their thumbs. They are like two tribes of roosters in WA, the bikies and the police, but I know who I'd ask for help.
ReplyDelete...reminds me of the time some drunkard kept banging on my back door screaming for Lola!
ReplyDeleteI made it clear that if he didn't bugger off I would call the police!
Somehow that didn't scare him!
So I called the police...or I should say...I called the Police but got the 911 dispatcher!
Talk about 'a bunch of belligerent, unhelpful, lazy and slow-witted office-workers'....
There is a drunk man, whom, I do not know, who is banging on my back door sceaming for a 'Lola'.
Who is he?
I don't know.
What does he look like?
I don't know.
Can you describe him?
Are you listening to me...there is a drunk man, banging and screaming for Lola at my back door.
Who is Lola?
I don't know!
Can you describe her?
I hung up.
My second attempt at getting help was much better.
There is a drunk man trying to get into my house...my life is in danger!
Stay on the line...
The police were there within five minutes.
Unfortunately by this time drunk had buggered off!
Would you believe I have my own story about the cops? Yes, but it's long. It involves me and a dying baby bird, a dangerously parked city worker, a highway, one tiny mirror, three hundred dollars, two visits to court, an account under oath by said city worker which was a full out lie and she didn't even know the street she was on, an insurance card copied twice, shown twice that the court never reported so my license was revoked until the idiots saw the error. But my kids and I didn't die that day so why bring up unpleasant memories?
ReplyDeleteAnd I want to say, I totally understand how mad a person can get when dealing with things like this. You feel like you don't have a voice, because that's how they want you to feel. Even in court it was repeated over and over, ""We're here to prove you guilty and defend the court." Great.
ReplyDeleteMy pennyworth is similar to Victoria's. A tramp had broken into a neighbour's enclosed front porch, and was giving vent to his diarrhea on their doorstep. I phoned the police, who (after a long nonsensical conversation) seemed to think this was perfectly OK. Well, I suppose if you're a tramp with diarrhea, it is!
ReplyDeleteVictoria - That was probably just Ray Davies of 'The Kinks' - he does that all the time after a few drinks, apparently. Someone shot him in New Orleans a few years ago for doing it. You should have done the same.
ReplyDeleteTalking of shooting, if you keep guns in the house (as I do) and someone is kicking your door in during the night, you can have the same conversation with a civilian telephonist as you did after dialing 999 (911) - UNTIL you casually mention that there are guns in the house. 2 minutes later - quicker than 5 because THEIR lives are in danger - armed police will arrive to take away the drunk for you. Magic.
A friend of mine was having trouble with a neighbor, Sarah T, so he got the local Hell's Angels in, then watched with horror (and he's not easily shocked) as they came within an inch of murdering him, using medieval-type weapons on chains. At least he has had no trouble since.
That bloke who found himself caught short on your friend's doorstep was probably Ray Davies too, Cro. He's done it before.
Maybe the man shouting for 'Lola', was looking for his cat? Have a look at this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.asylum.co.uk/2010/08/24/woman-caught-on-cctv-throwing-cat-in-wheelie-bin-for-no-appar/
As it turns out Tom...the drunk was calling for Laura (must have been the alcohol slur making it sound like Lola)...who just happened to be a Philippine nanny living next door. Apparently Laura, aka Lola, had pledged her love to this drunk, not clear if it was before she took his wallet or after...but he was back looking for it...that would be his wallet, not his unrequited love!!!
ReplyDeleteIt never fails to shock me how people can be so cruel to animals especially cats.
I hope Lola finds that lady and ----- in her flowers.
Hmm. I think you may be just a little bit more involved with this incident than you have previously let on, like. How you can mistake 'Laura' for 'Lola', when Ray Davies clearly spells it out in the 4th line: "ELL OH ELL AY, LOLA", is inexplicable to me.
ReplyDeleteAre you, or have you ever been an employer of a Phillippino house servant who happens to live in your neighborhood? Is she employed to take care of your waste disposal and also feed your cat? What is the name of your cat?
We have a very realistic looking toy "handgun" made entirely of plastic that was bought on a holiday in Singapore years ago.
ReplyDeleteI don't think gun ownership is a good thing in principle, however we keep that toy in a handy place. Just in case.