What’s the world coming to when you can’t even hop onto the bus, sit back and crack open a cold one? Next they’ll ban stogeys in daycare.
From London mayor Boris Johnson’s website:
“London has a higher rate of alcohol-related crimes than any other region in England and I have been told time and again that people are scared of taking the Underground late at night because of aggressive behaviour by drunken yobs. Too many people find themselves forced to sit opposite someone swigging from a can of lager and engaging in behaviour that is intimidating or worse. I want everyone’s journeys to be safer and more pleasant.
Any politician who uses the phrase “drunken yobs” is alright in my book.
Public transport staff are expected to use “reasonable force” to remove drinkers, and to call the police if more force — presumably the unreasonable kind — is needed. Bus drivers and ticket-takers are understandably upset about this, as tossing out drunken, potentially violent riders is likely not part of their job description.
If you’re from the U.S. or Canada, you may be surprised to learn that Londoners have been happily and legally boozing on the bus and subway. Before you rush off to make your vacation plans, you should know that the new law is part of a trend toward banning alcohol in public places. Surrey Heath, for example, says it’s no longer legal to drink on some highways, or in some parking lots. Talk about fascists.
As well, a UK-wide law passed in February will finally allow police to confiscate alcohol from children who drink in public — though there’s still no law preventing them from drinking behind closed doors. Trying to sound stern as she announced the new police powers, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: “Let me be perfectly clear –- if children are caught drinking in public they’ll have those drinks confiscated.” Not arrested though. Or fined. Or escorted home to mom and dad. But no drinking for little Billy until he can stumble back to the liquor store.
That image is about the most complicated Photoshopping I can manage right now, but I’m taking lessons from the very best.
5 responses so far ↓
1 Theo // May 8, 2008 at 10:57 am
Yeah, definitely some serious problems with the whole drinking thing, no doubt. But–admitting there was more harm than good to come from public drinking, especially in England–I do want to point out one thing. Once when we took an afternoon commuter train, a guy sat down opposite us in a quad, plunked a six-pack on the table, and offered us a couple; straightforward friendliness. What an awesome thing to do. So people will miss some bits of this.
That and I never got around to my idea of having a party in a car on the Circle Line…
Underage drinking is just a mind-boggling problem in England–much worse than here, and with far more consequences for random violence with impunity. Nasty, nasty stuff. On Guy Fawkes’ Day, for example, some drunken kids, maybe twelve or thirteen years old, threw a firecracker into the lobby of my residence. Very little to be done unde the law though.
2 Rawda // May 8, 2008 at 1:31 pm
umm.. am I a bad person because I REALLY REALLY want to go to London to drink in a public park right now?
3 Asher Vijay // May 8, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Gaaaaaaaaaah! Just fine the young yobs and tell their parents already!
4 Asher Vijay // May 8, 2008 at 3:31 pm
We should start a tattle-tale agency that rats out drunken minors. Yeah. I now have purpose in my life. Thank you, Mark. Thank you.
5 maya // Aug 13, 2008 at 3:02 pm
ooo ooo now we can crack open a case of mango juice and have a parantha party in the underground car! british-brown bash at last!
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