h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am still . There are road works outside my flat where Thames Water Board are turning 19th Century water mains into 21st century water mains, so the road has more holes in it than Emmantal. Unfortunately local Yoofs find it to kick these over. Now, considering the recent weather, it has been difficult to ensure that the protective signs stay up to prevent people falling down the holes. We don't need Chavs kicking them over.

Tonight a lad from Hounslow, of all places, decided to kick a load over, directly in front of a traffic cop! They stopped and asked a few questions before I could dial the usual 999 (not an unusual occurrence for me late at night!) then politely made him repair the damage. Both parties were very civil, and eventually the cops said 'Look sonny, if we wait for you to finish this, the sun'll be up... on your way, and don't do it again'. Other words had been said but it was all very restrained. I was very impressed. The cops here get very bad press but they handled this perfectly, and the poor lad still has around 3 miles to walk home after X number of vodkas and, to make matters worse, he was about to dive off for a crafty pee, so must be feeling major discomfort now.

The long arm of he law, eh? I was truly impressed, not that I've ever been there myself!!! Honest!

What? You don't believe me?

It's a fair cop Guv!!!

MMF

How on earth do you sleep nights?
Sounds like they did the right thing there

round our way, if you DO see two cops together, we shout snap!, there's more pretend ones about though

GB, luckily most of it happens on a Saturday night when I'm gigging.

So what usually happens?

Youths beating the merry out of the stop, usually by showing off with kung-fu drop kicks, but also one guy beats it with hammers. It is all bravado, as the stop can't fight back, so they are really macho!

Kids sitting in the same stop, whether the perspex is there or not, drinking vodka ices and getting stoned before heading to Kingston around 22:00, then being totally abusive at 01:00 when they get off the before heading home, usually diposing of their bottles in my neighbours' garden, and themselves in my stairwell. Showing that they really can't handle their drink after all!!!

Occasionally we end up with gang warfare up and down the road between the five tower blocks, as they can't do it there as they have CCTV. Loads of obscenities and the odd throwing scenario.

It does make for an interesting life.

Believe it or not, most of the time it is really quiet, but when it does kick off, it can be big time... The AK47 hasn't been seen for a while. Probbably in the Thames now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6662387.stm

The joys of living in London!!!



MMF

o/_

MMf, I think I actually understood about every third word of that original post.

I wish the cops around here were that understanding. Talk about having a bad rep. Unfortunately, they generally deserve it.