Fined £160 for spitting in the street

[Dedworth]

Waltham Forest Council initially handed spitters £80 fine each
But the pair refused to pay and Council prosecuted them
Used the same powers used to enforce against litter
Thames Magistrates' Court found duo guilty and fined them £300 each
Could pave the way for other councils to prosecute spitters

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2fuHMiCKi

Good news

[Arthur Little]

Hmm ... proper old "spat" with the authorities over "coughing~up"!

[gWaPito]

Waltham Forest Council initially handed spitters £80 fine each
But the pair refused to pay and Council prosecuted them
Used the same powers used to enforce against litter
Thames Magistrates' Court found duo guilty and fined them £300 each
Could pave the way for other councils to prosecute spitters

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2fuHMiCKi

Good news

I'm beginning to think this spitting lark is a cultural thing.

Ever since the Polish invasion at our place of work, it's become a health hazard.

We got colleagues off work due to slipping up on phlegm ....it's now deemed as gross misconduct.

Notices everywhere. ..really, should there be notices in the first place telling folks to stop spitting. ..Goodness knows what visitors think

[Arthur Little]

it's become a health hazard.

... always has been a health hazard. Particularly so, when tuberculosis was rife.

Moreover, it's a filthy habit, - not to mention bad mannered -
when in company.

[Dedworth]

I like this bit from one of the germs' grandmother

But Thomas’s grandmother said it was ridiculous to fine and prosecute her grandson for spitting when ‘everyone does it’.

Patricia Thomas, 57, said: ‘You pick out a child of that age for spitting yet everyone does it.
‘I personally think it is a disgusting thing to do, but I do see children and adults of all nationalities, young and old, spitting.

‘That should mean everybody should get a fine.’

She said she had seen her grandson ‘spitting out’ but added: ‘I think on that day it was just sad that he got spotted.’

Mrs Thomas, originally from St Lucia in the West Indies, said the teenager was ‘a good child’ but was currently in Feltham Prison and Young Offenders’ Institution awaiting sentencing for robbery.

She showed the Daily Mail his court summons for spitting, which included a picture of him being questioned by a Police Community Support Officer and a photograph of the offending saliva.

Mrs Thomas described the £300 fine and legal costs as ‘a bit harsh’ and said her grandson, a student, would not be able to pay it.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2fvRgCx00

[Arthur Little]

I'm beginning to think this spitting lark is a cultural thing.

... seems it's "widespread" ...

Ever since the *Polish invasion at our place of work

... but one would've thought *they'd have had more polish!

[Michael Parnham]

Not everyone does it, I don't and never have done. My grandma always taught me to carry a hankerchief!

[gWaPito]

Not everyone does it, I don't and never have done. My grandma always taught me to carry a hankerchief!

I first came across this awful habit at secondary school. from the kids who took up smoking. ..I imagine it was the nicotine getting settled into the their lungs

Which would explain the spitting at work! 99.9 % of these imports, smoke

[raynaputi]

Footballers should be fined too. You can see them on tv spitting and it's disgusting! I don't think other sports players do it. Even boxers spit in a bucket while having a round break.

[Michael Parnham]

Footballers should be fined too. You can see them on tv spitting and it's disgusting! I don't think other sports players do it. Even boxers spit in a bucket while having a round break.

I agree Rayna!

[gWaPito]

I agree Rayna!

I'll go along with that.

[bigmarco]

Apart from being a disgusting habit there is also the health risk it causes. On the spot fines is a good start to make it socially unacceptable.
Rayna makes an excellent point about footballers and with the amount of cameras at grounds nowadays there should be no problem handing out on the spot fines to them as well.

[grahamw48]

Disgusting pigs.

Next...chewing gum !

[jonnijon]

Part of daily life here

[Arthur Little]

Next... chewing gum !

................ ... having "chewed it over", this thread could become a "sticky" ... now we've got "our teeth" firmly stuck into it!

[grahamw48]

Yes, I was going to suggest that...but didn't want to put my foot in it.

[gWaPito]

Yes, I was going to suggest that...but didn't want to put my foot in it.

.......I see we got the full pack of cards out

[grahamw48]

Cheers Mark...now, if I can add 'stick' and 'deck' in somewhere, that will put a new 'twist' in the thread.

[Arthur Little]

... but one would've thought *they'd have had more polish!

... should've said ... in the Army it's known as "spit 'n' polish"!

[fred]

Arthur.. I seem to remember that there is a circle in an Edinburgh pavement somewhere where its not only legal to spit but positively encouraged!! I remember that from a school trip in the 70`s..
Ring any bells?

[Terpe]

I've never been a spitter

[Iani]

Tell you something about these council employees whose job it is to go around fining people for littering. This has been noticed by many.
At lunch breaks a while ago, they became notorious for following female office workers around, discreetly obviously, who were smoking. They waited to see if she dropped the butt on the ground, then they would pounce "That's a £50 fine, we want your personal details, tell us or we will call the police".

This in a not that clean town.

What everyone noticed, was that they weren't so quick to approach the "career drinkers" sat all day on benefits screaming abuse, and they certainly weren't so quick to approach football fans in groups dropping cans in the town on match days, or gangs of young men on the lash in town on Saturday nights!

Not saying it's acceptable to litter, although really cigarette butts.........well there must be worse crimes to pursue.

Maybe it just showed the "British way of being walked upon" that these people gave their details instead of just picking the litter up quickly and walking off.....leaving the council official, no doubt such a brave man in his little peaked hat looking silly talking and blustering to himself.

Again, not saying such behaviour is acceptable, however...............I don't like it when such officials pick on easy targets leaving the much worse offenders to get away yet again

[grahamw48]

Absolutely right.

Also, in my town I wish they'd cut the damned overhanging hedges and trees next to the footpaths, so that I don't have to walk for half the distance to Tesco on all fours like a blinkin Chimpanzee....or risk getting knocked down in the road.

[jake]

Arthur.. I seem to remember that there is a circle in an Edinburgh pavement somewhere where its not only legal to spit but positively encouraged!! I remember that from a school trip in the 70`s..
Ring any bells?

Good memory Fred!

The circle is the Heart of the Midlothian on the Royal Mile. The original reason for spitting on the stone was to show disrespect for the local rulers and their capital punishment. Most people nowadays spit on the stone because it is supposed to bring you good luck. Not me!

Hibs supporters spit on the stone for another reason!

[Terpe]

Jake, just out of curiosity, do you still have a Scottish accent ??

Sorry for off-topic Dedworth

[Dedworth]

Cheers Mark...now, if I can add 'stick' and 'deck' in somewhere, that will put a new 'twist' in the thread.

Give the spitter some stick then deck him

[stevie c]

About time too no wonder tb is on the increase with all the different immigrants here in the uk & spitting it no doubt helps to spread the disease

[jake]

Jake, just out of curiosity, do you still have a Scottish accent ??

Ah dinnae ken!

My accent has decreased over the years but you can still tell where i am from. Growing up i never really had a strong Scottish accent as mother wanted us to talk like the BBC

The only time you can guarantee a strong Scottish accent is when i am shouting at the kids