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

Problem identified. Tick
Neatly labeled. Tick
Filed. Tick
Sorted!

The only people who attack firemen, paramedics etc are idiots and they need a slap. Plain and simple

Let the police find the miscreants,arrest them, and then take their parents to court,fine them heavily and then INSIST they keep a curfew with their offspring.In by 6pm and only out of the house to go to school.If they truant then they are sent to a secure school environment and removed from their useless parents arms.

There is a lot we could do but one thing is to MAKE parents do their bit.The majority of us do so and never ever get the recognition for it and our offspring get labeled right along with those whose parents don't give a stuff.Time to label and shame parents who won't/can't keep any control over their children and penalise them.

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Best post I've read on here this year.

Well it's one thing quoting Daily Mail soundbites, it's another resolving serious problems occurring in our society.

"paramedics should also be allowed to shoot people too"

something tells me that if your the sort of person who becomes a paramedic, your not the sort of person whod shoot someone.

Well said, incog.
I like the idea of firefighters hosing down their attackers - but I bet they'd sue for assault in turn

Well that's a whole other kettle of fish. Compensation culture's a very real and rather overlooked problem.

I'm in shock and don't understand why anyone would want to harm someone who sets out to help people. It's utter madness.

>> Time to label and shame parents who won't/can't keep any control over their children and penalise them. <<

Perhaps we could brand "useless parent" on their foreheads?

RF

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Yes, they do need a slap.

The thing I find curious, that no-one has commented upon is why do the Government & Fire Brigades differ so much?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7233390.stm

"A independent report - Easy Targets?, commissioned by the FBU - claims that under-reporting could mean the true figures are much higher than official statistics suggest.

According to the report, despite UK Government figures that show a fall of 68% from 1,300 in 2005/6, actual numbers - obtained by a Freedom of Information request - demonstrate they rose 15% to 1,504."

If Govt figures can be so grossly inaccurate in this issue, how reliable are *any* Govt figures?

I'd be very cautious of any of these figures, from wichever quarter, they've each their own agenda.
I heard a report recently, on the BBC Radio Four, in which they made some really* Outlandish* claim over how many blind people have been attached/abused randomly. Well as a blind person knowning certianly several dozens of other blind people, potentially a lot more than that. Why I don't I know a single one who's ever been attacked?;
The ansewr in this case seemed to be waht one ment* by 'attacked'.
Following their logic, I'd been attacked myself, though I'd never have myself said I was
So waht* exactly are they measuring in these numbers?

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Been thinking about this and of course you're right: people need money to pay for their beer and fags. But do we need to give it to them for doing nothing? If they can't or won't get a job, let them have their benefits in return for performing useful tasks. There's lots of stuff that needs to be done. Get 'em digging potatoes or cleaning up graffitti and pay 'em for it - a penny a spud (or 5p or however much is reasonable). They'd be outside in the sunshine, and would know they'd earnt their money.

Hey SWL, I'm glad you approved!

It would appear to me ,that more often than not these youths ,are not attacking firemen when they are out on a legitamate call ie. a house fire . What is happening is that the yobs on the local scummy estate steal a car drive it around a bit then dump it on the local piece of waste ground and set light to it . They then wait for the fire brigade to turn up and then chuck stones and fireworks at them . This is all part of a normal evenings entertainment for these $%**# . Why dont the fire brigade assess the situation on arrival and when its obvious they are being set up just turn round and go back to the fire station . Let the the car/skip/rubbish burn its self out .

best fishes......tod

Admittedly I'm not in the UK, but we have this problem in the states too. I think it's ridiculous that people will harm someone who is trying to save the life or lives of someone else for the heck of it.

In Texas and other states, there's a law that requires you to pull over for emergency vehicles, and you get heavily fined if you do not. I've also seen people arrested for coming near any fire or medical service servant at a wreck (it's why I keep my ID card on me at all times when I take pics at them, even though most know my job). From what I've read as far as records on cases for disobeying a servant, the fine is about $500 plus court fees, so it's pretty steep.

Now, I do have an opinion on what to do to those how harm a firefighter, paramedic, officer or interfere with their services. They should not only be fined and go to jail, but should have to spend the day in a morgue or some place of the nature and listen to the coroner or other official talk about what happened to the person - and in some cases specify if the person could've been saved if the medic, firefighter, or officer had to not deal with someone who attacked them or interfered with their duties.

Personally, as much as a waterhose is useful in stopping people, it can also cause a lot of problems, mostly the aforementioned sue-happy folks. Plus, if they used some of the forces of water used to put out fires on people, it could seriously injure or kill them. If it was a worse case scenario, i.e. a gunman drawing a gun, I can see them using it, just fisticuffs is debatable.

"they should be put in goal for maybe 5 years".

A few games for Derby County ought to learn 'em

I wonder what these idiots do if they return home from their 'stoning session' and find their house on fire? Do they call out the fire service? Or do they reason "No, I'm not calling them, they deserve to have stones thrown at them". If they do call out the fire service I think the fire service should turn up and throw stones at their house. "Not so funny now, is it?" should be emblazened on the fire unit.

Since the culprits are mostly teenagers, and almost never OAPs, perhaps the fire engines (or fire units/ fire appliances as they are now called) should come equipped with these mosquito things:

A31699146

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7240180.stm

Ah, but as you see, it infringes their rights.

You're not allowed to say "Boo!" to kids.