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SPITTING IN THE STREET COURT CASE

(78 Posts)
POGS Wed 25-Sept-13 17:15:03

I was so pleased to read that magistrates agreed with Waltham Forest Council that 'spitting in the street was a prosecutable offence. GOOD.

2 men had taken the case to court in a test case and obviously lost. They were made to pay £300 each, including doubling their original fine of £80 for an on-the-spot fine. I wonder who backed them or did they pay out of their own pockets?

What ever. I hope more people would be fined, I ABSOLUTELY DETEST SPITTING IN THE STREET. angry

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 17:26:50

Absent not everyone is in agreement.

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 17:28:22

A sort of Freudian slip spit grin

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 17:28:51

Where's J0?

Nelliemoser Thu 26-Sept-13 17:34:57

If they make Khat illegal then they should most certainly ban chewing gum. I suspect that chewing gum must make a far worse and more permanent mess on our pavements.

POGS Thu 26-Sept-13 17:49:09

Jess

I wouldn't have a clue how do that blush. Put a link up that is, not spit.

JessM Thu 26-Sept-13 17:59:49

I don't like spitting in myself or other people. But I can't see that it is a subject for moral outrage or the use of police time - unless of course someone is creating a public nuisance by spitting at people, or spitting herbal substances all over the pavement...
I mean how near the top of police priorities in N London do you think this should be? And how would you feel if your hypothetical clueless grandson got a police record for spitting?

feetlebaum Thu 26-Sept-13 18:35:56

Having actually been a 14-year-old boy, I can aver that sitting on a wall and seeing who could spit furthest was not a crude attempt to attract the attention of the local birds... it was similar to that great game of Who can pee highest?

annodomini Thu 26-Sept-13 18:39:58

I know it was always fun to see who could spit a cherry stone furthest - still is! But I can't say I ever took to spitting per se.

Elegran Thu 26-Sept-13 19:01:26

Ah, but was it really nothing to do with the opposite sex, feetle? Were peeing contesta not either? Did you know that males pandas wanting to impress an ovulating female will back towards a tree and walk their back feet up it, then pee as high up as they can? when a female passes that tree, she measures who has peed highest. He is clearly the biggest, strongest and most agile of her suitors, so she chooses him.

Bet you didn't stand on your hands to pee up a tree!

glammanana Thu 26-Sept-13 19:06:54

Ugh !! spitting is so disgusting but I can bet your life both of my boys have done it at one time just not in my presence or they would have got the back of my hand,I have to admit when I read the story about these young men I did think "poor you for getting caught" (not that I approve of what they did) the Grandmother of one of them said he was a nice boy who caused the family no trouble and went to college but unfortunatly he couldn't be in Court on the day of sentencing as he was on remand in a young offenders institution for another offence he was charged with.

absent Thu 26-Sept-13 19:10:37

Aka So who has posted to say that they approve of spitting in public?

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 19:15:57

Hey ho Absent please remind me where I posted that someone approves of spitting? I of course didn't say that, but then you wouldn't like to miss an opportunity...would you? smile

JessM Thu 26-Sept-13 19:21:19

glammanana a classic post grin

absent Thu 26-Sept-13 19:25:15

Aka

I said: Why is there so much shouting on this thread when everyone is in agreement about the nastiness of spitting in public?

You replied: Absent not everyone is in agreement.

Doesn't that imply that there are those who approve of spitting?

Btw What sort of opportunity do I not want to miss? Are we heading into personal insult territory now? If so, let's stop.

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 19:30:58

I know what I wrote ... so no need to get your knickers in twist. Nowhere did I say someone approves and you know that. So let's not take this up a level dear Absent and then accuse someone else of that.

absent Thu 26-Sept-13 19:36:48

Aka Please don't try to patronise me.

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 19:39:46

Not biting Absent

MargaretX Thu 26-Sept-13 19:58:19

It was only this lunch time when I was coming home from the supermarket and boy about 16 spit casually, just in front of me. He saw me looking at him and I told him not to spit. He was surprised but didn't attack me or swear or anything. I'm sure he didn't know it was wrong or just 'not done'

I'm glad those others were fined but wonder if it is against the law in Germany where I live. Must find out.

bluebell Thu 26-Sept-13 21:03:07

'Not biting' appears to be the phrase 'du jour' of a certain group of posters. Roughly translated it means' you've made a really good point that I'm not able to refute'

Ana Thu 26-Sept-13 21:22:49

From the Huffington Post:

'Launched in July, the campaign targets "enviro-crime" including spitting, litter, urination, dog mess, cigarette butts and takeaway litter and enforcement officers can issue fines of £80.'

It seems as though Waltham Forest Council is having a general zero-tolerance crackdown on anti-social behaviour, not specifically on chewing-tobacco spitting.

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 21:32:19

It means can't be arsed to deal with you!

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 21:34:29

Reported BB.

Aka Thu 26-Sept-13 21:50:16

As most people would never dream of spitting, littering, allowing a dog to foul, dropping cigarette buts or other litter, why should we have to put up with the filthy habits of a few socially disgusting individuals? More power to Waltham and hope it encourages other councils to follow suite.

Ana Thu 26-Sept-13 21:52:48

I agree. I don't understand why some posters seem to think spitting in the street is no big deal...confused

Ana Thu 26-Sept-13 21:53:32

Unless it somehow defaces the pavement...