Rishi Sunak not wearing a seatbelt.

You will find cars had to be fitted with belts in the 1960s. I know this to my cost as I was in a car that skidded (very slowly) on snow in the winter of 1966/7. I was thrown out as it hit one high bank. It then very gently hit the other and slid back over me. The car was booked to have belts fitted the following week.

For those who feel they can talk for others, saying that they think we all leave our belts off from time to time, please believe me - we don't.

Not wearing a seatbelt in the back can endanger those in the front seats if they are projected forward. That’s why the law was brought in in the first place.

What a fuss. He wasn’t driving! . If anyone was at risk it would have been him. Worry about what he’s saying.

Agree with you henetha.

MaizieD

^I didn't care that much about Johnson eating a piece of cake or his wife's wallpaper,^

Oh, growstuff. I hadn't realised that he ate wallpaper, too...

Possibly this only happened when he had the munchies

MaizieD I love the idea that whilst idling away an hour in a Saturday on Gransnet I'm actually multitasking 😇

I didn't care that much about Johnson eating a piece of cake or his wife's wallpaper,

Oh, growstuff. I hadn't realised that he ate wallpaper, too...

Ilovecheese

It shows, I think, that he is just not very good at politics, not to realise how this would be pounced on. Or he just thinks that the law is for the little people.

My real worry is the quality of his team.

I have a friend who was PPS to two health ministers and they said, for example, that on crossing the threshold of a hospital the first thing they said was "role your sleeves up, tuck your tie into your shirt and remove your watch. Someone will be taking photos".

It seems that Rish!'s team say "break the law, take your own photos and upload them to social media"

VioletSky

He has been fined

He was one of those fined for breaking lock down rules right?

Not the best example to set

Makes him look careless.
Not a good look for a PM.

There’s no hope then. 😁

Germanshepherdsmum

Perhaps the Pope could be prime minister.

Even Popes and their monks, Monseigneurs and Vatican staff have been known to ‘make mistakes’
😇

40 years ago, history was made when the UK Parliament passed legislation to make seatbelt wearing compulsory where fitted in the front of cars

where fitted

It was opposed by the Conservative Government and the Labour Official Opposition but, late in the evening of 28th July 1981, after 13 failed attempts by backbenchers in both Houses, a House of Lords amendment by Lord Nugent of Guildford, succeeded in the Commons. It was the result of years of campaigning by medical and safety organisations.

That's his second fixed penalty notice. Silly me I was under the impression that our government should uphold the law not break it. Must've got that one wrong then!

1991.

www.gov.uk/government/news/thirty-years-of-seatbelt-safety

volver

^Twitter have a picture of Starmer doing the same.^

Which was apparently taken about 27 years ago before the law came in. (I exaggerate, but it was before the law came in)

Must try harder.

Just for clarity on the law. It came in force 31st January 1983, except for a week or so nigh on 40 years ago.

Mollygo

*I have no idea what he was thinking, but I don't see why that's relevant. It's the law to wear a seatbelt in a car and it should be automatic. No excuses!*
It’s not an excuse. I’ve already said I think he was wrong and he should have been fined, which he was.
I can’t go so far as to say I know what he was thinking. So I can’t accuse him of something that no-one can prove is true. Thought police is a scary idea.

Do you understand what "optics" are in politics?

MaizieD

^Sunak gives the impression of not connecting with the lives of ordinary people - in politics, that matters.^

I said that ages ago in this discussion. Presumably optics don't matter to many.

I think that Sunak is just oblivious to them (optics, I mean)

I feel the same every time I see a thread about Harry and Meghan or trans rights. People don't actually seem to care about important issues. We truly live in a "bread and circuses" society.

FWIW I don't care that much about Sunak's seatbelt. I do care about his family's tax affairs and the rumour that his FiL has just been given a big government contract.

I didn't care that much about Dominic Cummings going to stay with his family. I do care that he was given so much power.

I didn't care that much about Matt Hancock fondling somebody's bum (can't remember her name). I do care that he handed out contracts to his cronies.

I didn't care that much about Johnson eating a piece of cake or his wife's wallpaper, except that the parties seemed to be a regular occurrence. I do care that he's a liar and chancer, who couldn't care less about the country.

I care about the allegations of bullying by senior politicians, many of which just get swept under the carpet and the victims are smeared as "snowflakes".

Maybe I'm a little quaint, but I would like our politicians to have decent moral values and to uphold the law, even minor ones. I would like the people who vote for them to think about whom they're voting for.

rafichagran

I cant get worked up about this, he did it, he has been fined, let's move on. Far more things to worry about.

For the life of me I can't work out how/why he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. However, he apologised and will pay a fine, enough.

Thought Police.

That would be awful, wouldn't it?

police will not need to wait for disruption to take place and can shut protests down before chaos erupts

www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-takes-action-to-stop-disruptive-protests

I have no idea what he was thinking, but I don't see why that's relevant. It's the law to wear a seatbelt in a car and it should be automatic. No excuses!
It’s not an excuse. I’ve already said I think he was wrong and he should have been fined, which he was.
I can’t go so far as to say I know what he was thinking. So I can’t accuse him of something that no-one can prove is true. Thought police is a scary idea.

Callistemon21

That reminded of the advert about the Mum who was driving, son in the back without a seatbelt on.
She has to brake suddenly, the result is shocking.

"Julie knew her killer"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKHY69AFstE

gosh yes, I still remember this advert too

Perhaps the Pope could be prime minister.

growstuff

Callistemon21

Yammy

One swallow never made a flock, all these sanctimonious comments people need to think hard about the times they have either inadvertently or on purpose broken the law . Had a parking ticket passed to them instead of buying a new ticket? Kept the pound in the trolley when someone left it?I could go on. Yes, it was dangerous for him and others and he has paid his fine.

Whenever has keeping a trolley pound endangered anyone?

I'd put it in the charity box but then I tend to be sanctimonious.

Had a parking ticket passed to them instead of buying a new ticket? You have to key in your car number which is printed on the ticket 🤔

I don't think I've ever been lucky enough to find a pound in a trolley. I use a metal disk I keep in my purse - and get my own disk back at the end.

DH has one.

Sunak gives the impression of not connecting with the lives of ordinary people - in politics, that matters.

I said that ages ago in this discussion. Presumably optics don't matter to many.

I think that Sunak is just oblivious to them (optics, I mean)

Mollygo

Although he certainly did the action, are you sure he thought, “It’s OK for me to break the law,” when he took the belt off?
Now if you’re talking about having parties during Covid . . .

I have no idea what he was thinking, but I don't see why that's relevant. It's the law to wear a seatbelt in a car and it should be automatic. No excuses!

Sunak gives the impression of not connecting with the lives of ordinary people - in politics, that matters.