If the above young woman lived in Norfolk the police would bundle her into a taxi and send her home - all paid for by the taxpayer.
The taxis will be provided late on Friday and Saturday nights in a bid to cut anti-social behaviour.
Councillors in Watton, Norfolk agreed a £350 grant for a three-month trial of the plan, devised by Norfolk Police Safer Neighbourhood Team. Police have asked town taxi firm Ann's Cars to do three runs a night from 11.30pm to 2am, but admit they have no idea how much it will cost.
Sgt Lance Ogbourne said :"The aim is to catch people who would normally walk home. These people can cause criminal damage."
A Taxpayers' Alliance spokesman said: "This is not policing. It's molly-coddling at the expense of the taxpayers. If someone gets drunk it is their responsibility to find their own way home."
I firmly agree with the Taxpayers' Alliance. Also I can foresee many problems, one being what the taxi driver does when they arrive at the drunk's home. Is it their responsibility to ensure the drunk is safely inside or is leaving them lying on the pavement acceptable? This whole idea is fraught with dangers for the taxi drivers and I'm surprised any is prepared to take part in this ludicrous scheme.
The solution is to bundle them into the black maria, take them to the nearest police station and lock them in a cell overnight - for their own safety you understand.
That is the type of policing we expect, not washing their hands of the problem and pushing it onto private businesses.
Let's hope Ann's Cars think again.
Source: Media Coverage
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12 comments:
Subrosa, you know fine well that such a post as this is only meant to raise the blood pressure of your poor elderly readers.
Just Beneath the surface of my calm and compassionate persona, lurks a Calvinistic ill-tempered old fuddy-duddy.
Like many, I enjoy the occasional wee dram, but there are those today who don’t ….
… you nearly got me started :)
John, it certainly raised mine I can tell you. We're not elderly John, we're just older and wiser than the younger ones. :)
Is my anger in this matter due to my Scottish presbyterian upbringing or is it just my common sense that tells me this is madness?
Judging by the reaction of the local taxi-drivers who phoned in to comment on this - it would appear to be a non-starter - literally!
Although at least the local people themselves are attempting to find something practicable to reduce the trouble - give them credit for trying?
I hadn't heard about this until the Media Coverage email arrived Clarinda.
Would have liked to have heard the local's views.
Credit for being daft? Auch Clarinda, you know me better than that. :)
It's your common sense SR. This scheme is on a par with handing out flip-flops to drunken girls in Brighton so they dont fall over and hurt themselves when wearing high heels. Absolutely ludicrous.
Then they tell you, with that mystified look on their faces, that they "fell" pregnant!! It begins to make sense
Whilst my natural inclination would be to leave her there till she sobers up and can manage the walk home herself, I am mindful that we depend on tourism in Scotland, even in cities like Dundee which were once truely industrial.
I doubt if having to pick your way over broken bottles, discarded carry outs, vomit, urine and the likes of your "lady" above will be seen as an attraction not to be missed.
That said, I too am somewhat dismayed at the thought of paying for a taxi for her to get home. If she can afford the drink, then she can pay for her own taxi.
I suppose the only thing to do in the short term is a night in the cells and an automatic fine of a substantial amount (maybe £200)might be a plan?
Och there are holes all over that, I know, so don't shoot me. It's probably against her 'human' rights.
I'm with you about a night in the cells Tris, that's exactly what I think would be a solution and also a stiff fine. Shame them into respecting others have to clean up their mess and walk around in it too.
The HRA needs overhauled, long overdue that is.
When will it ever end though GV? Are we going to sink even further into this nannying, politically correct, government knows best vat of stupidity?
Yes it sounds a decent thing to do on the surface - very humane and worthy. Until that is, you press down on it a little. Fancy being a taxi driver and face a "he raped me charge" or a kicking from an agitated drunk? No thank you. The answer is in the old drunk tank. Get yourself into that state (no saint guys, been there and nearly killed myself but only did it once) and you get taken in for a quick medical assesment and if ok to revive without assistance off to the tank and a hang on the rope. If not, off to the medical facilites at the tank for a pump out. In all cases full cost of recovery will be charged back to you. If violence offered then Court, no violence then specialist help offered.
Excellent ideas Dram. Plus of course they should pay for their night in the cells if they're housed at her majesty's pleasure.
I'm all for that. If we hit them harder in the pocket for their behaviour rather than increase the price of booze, then I think there would be a rapid change in behaviour.
I am well aquainted with the local Taxi Driving Community and none of them would want to be responsible for a crazed drunken (xxxx) person like this in their car. xxxx requires an Ambulance or a Police Car, a Taxi is not the solution to your ( The Polices' ) problem.
Let's hope someone from Ann's Cars reads this banned. I can't see any of my local taxi firms touching it either.
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