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Traffic wardens in Ireland (& other issues)

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  • 23-02-2011 8:50pm
    #1
    jonniebgood1
    Registered Users Posts: 3,577 ✭✭✭


    I read today a story of a man in london from 1962 and how he dealt with the recently developed problem of traffic wardens. Its an interesting way of dealing with the issue which put me thinking of 2 ideas for possible discussion, 1. what reaction was there in Ireland to the first traffic wardens and 2. on a more anecdotal form of history- what other similarly novel reactions are there to the new introduction of public order legislation.

    First is the story of Peter Hicks, a farmer from London who didnt like the idea of getting parking tickets.
    FORTY FOUR years ago, a Sussex farmer called Peter Hicks rigged up 2,000 volts of electricity through his Land Rover to try to stop traffic wardens slapping tickets on his car. Peter used to sell his produce in London's Covent Garden market and parking his lorries and Land Rover at the site meant he was getting tickets nearly every day and paying about £30 a week in fines. Peter's crazy device did land him in trouble with the police (when one of them heard a strange ticking noise emanating from his vehicle) although he was eventually cleared of committing any offence.
    http://sussex.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/driving-us-crazy-10260/

    The story is also reported on BBC
    Mr Hicks, who sells his produce in London's Covent Garden market, had attached a mechanism normally used to electrify fences to his car as part of a private war against traffic wardens.

    It gives out a shock of about 2,000 volts but Mr Hicks insisted the amperage is low, rendering the device "harmless, apart from a bit of a flash and a nasty jog".

    Police disarmed the car and had a long chat with Mr Hicks but he has yet to find out what action they will take against him, if any.

    "Until somebody tells me what law I'm breaking I shall keep up my private war. I have plenty more of these lovely machines," he told the press later.

    Mr Hicks already pays £30 a week in fines for parking his 50 lorries and his Land Rover was getting tickets almost every day.

    Four weeks ago he electrified his car initially as an anti-theft device.

    He has not had a parking ticket since he made sure all his lorries were electrified by being parked bumper to bumper behind his Land Rover.

    "I've watched quite a few wardens cop it, trying to put a ticket on my truck. They gave up in disgust - and shock!" he said.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/23/newsid_2518000/2518671.stm

    20 traffic wardens appeared on Dublin streets for the first time on 8 October 1968. The price of parking for one hour was a shilling (5p). Does anyone know any more about this and reactions to them?

    Additionally what other novel methods of getting around public order legislation (smoking ban, drink driving, pub closing hours, etc) do people know of???


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    #2
    jonniebgood1
    Registered Users Posts: 3,577 ✭✭✭jonniebgood1


    The Contraceptive train give 2 fingers to customs:
    Monday, May 24th, 1971

    DENIS COGHLAN



    THE ORDER came : "Loose your contraceptives!" and a shower of, condoms, pills , and spermicidal jelly fell at the feet of Customs men and slid along the railway platform towards the waiting crowd. The scene was Connolly Station, in Dublin, on Saturday, and members of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement had just returned from Belfast.

    A few minutes later the hardcore of the movement, who had been prepared to go to jail, swept past the harassed Customs officials, waving the contraceptives they had refused to surrender, and chanting: "They are not interested."

    It was a victory that brought tears to the eyes of some of the "liberated" women - women who, a few minutes before the train pulled into the station, were still trying to work up enough courage to carry the thing through.

    But once the Customs barrier was cleared , they were the victors, and the spoils of war was the ridiculing of the law to which lip service was being paid. They marched to Store Street Garda Station and, waving contraceptives, they chanted: "The law is obsolete."

    The gardaí were not interested either.

    http://www.irishtimes.com/indepth/sisters/sowing-the-seeds.html


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