Brickbat: Slipping the Leash

An 80-year-old woman in Bootle, England, was handed a £50 fine ($65 U.S.) by code enforcement for walking her dog on a leash that was too long. The officers who cited her warned her the fine would increase to £2,500 ($3,200) if she did not pay it in two weeks. After local media picked up the story, the local council dropped the charge.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Today's Britain is all about the short leash.

[Rat on a train]

There was a time:
I would like you
On a long black leash
I will parade you
Down the high streets
You've got the attraction
You've got the pulling power
Walk my doggie

[Quo Usque Tandem]

New Jersey is our experiment on what it would be like to had we never left Great Britain.

[Adans smith]

With a shock collar. And guess who's finger in on the button ?

[Jerryskids]

All laws, no matter how trivial, are backed with the threat of force. Would you be willing to shoot your nan for refusing to submit to the order to keep her dog on a short leash? Apparently some people are willing.

[Leo Kovalensky II]

Nobody would be willing to shoot their own. Apparently a majority would be willing to shoot someone else's nan.

[a ab abc abcd abcde abcdef ahf]

Nobody would be willing to shoot anybody's nan. Apparently a majority would be insistent that somebody else shoot other people's nans.

[ace_m82]

So
...who does the shooting?

[markm23]

That's why government workers love the passive voice. "Nan was shot" avoids saying that someone shot Nan.

[Vernon Depner]

In the US the cops would just shoot the dog.

[Longtobefree]

Amazing.
The "anti social behavior crime and policing act of 2014".
Amazing.

But then, it's only England.

[Conchfritters]

Are cops douche bags all over the world?

[croaker]

Pretty much, yes.

[Leo Kovalensky II]

Don't you believe in the rule of law?

[KiwiDude]

They were just following orders

[Cyto]

Interesting that this story has a hook because of the age of the woman with the dog.

If it had been a 35 year old, overweight plumber's assistant, I suppose the $3,600 penalty for not paying in 14 days would be just fine with everyone?

The problem isn't the cop who wrote the ticket. It is the ass-hats in city hall who wrote the law. Who the hell thinks it is OK to walk around ordering people to pay up in 2 weeks or face a 3,800% penalty? That's just nuts.

And to give the council hero status for stepping in and waiving the charges? Really?

[Leo Kovalensky II]

That's a great point. It's almost worse that the council waived the charges, recognizing that they can keep them and fleece the next sucker who doesn't garner media attention, instead of changing the law.

[a ab abc abcd abcde abcdef ahf]

These British local councils make me think of polite but deadly Soviet worker councils, Avengers-style (Mrs Peel and John Steed).

[BearOdinson]

I used to believe in this joke:
In Heaven:
The engineers are German
The lovers are Italian
The cooks are French
The cops are British
In Hell
The engineers are Italian
The lovers are French
The cooks are British
The cops are German.

[BearOdinson]

Different countrys' dictators when they enforce harsh laws:
Japanese feel proud: "For the Emperor!"
Russians feel vengeful: "Take that Kulak!"
Germans feel nothing: "Just following orders!"
English feel really bad: "So sorry old chap, but you know how it is, must follow the law and all. Would you like a spot of tea before your hanging?"

[Entelechy]

There was an old woman of Bootle
Who fined for the leash on her poodle
She said it was crass to take all her cash
And the law lords concurred,
'Twas too brutal !

[Entelechy]

There was an old woman of Bootle
Who was fined for long-leashing her poodle
She said it was crass when the cops took her cash
And the law lords concurred,
‘Twas too brutal !