painted_bird: Boris to ban booze on public transport!

Charlotte Sometimes (

painted_bird) wrote,
@ 2008-05-07 12:45:00

Boris to ban booze on public transport!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7387113.stm

???

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	arachne 2008-05-07 11:46 am UTC (link)
	That was one of the things he campaigned on, and one of his key Mayoral pledges - that he's doing something about it's hardly news... (Reply to this)(Thread)

	painted_bird 2008-05-07 11:49 am UTC (link)
	I didn't think it would be implemented quite so quickly - June 1st! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

arachne
2008-05-07 11:54 am UTC (link)

I figure it's one of the easier ones for him to implement - everyone's eyes are firmly on him at the moment - some expecting him to fail, some desperately hoping he won't, and David Cameron ready with the gag if it looks like he's about to say something ;)

So he's implementing the pledges that are easy to do first, in the first 100 days (which everyone thinks are the most important) so that he can be seen as capable and actually keeping his promises.

If his measures *work* -the sooner the better! (and I know I'll feel less intimidated on public transport that doesn't allow alcohol - even people hiding it and supping quietly to themselves is far less intimidating than crowds of lagered-up people sloshing Fosters everywhere)

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tintintin
2008-05-07 12:16 pm UTC (link)

If his measures *work*

That is a crucial 'if' - I can't imagine this will be easy to police, if indeed it is possible. And people will still be utterly hammered on public transport, having lagered themselves up prior to travelling, or sneaking their booze in coke bottles etc.

Come the first notable football match or North London derby etc, there will be thousands of people drinking on the tube. There's no way that can be dealt with without causing far more disruption and bother than if they'd just left it all alone.

So, it's a nice idea, but I really don't think it's practical, sadly.

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	arachne 2008-05-07 02:53 pm UTC (link)
	See reply below - your comment was still screened when I replied. I'm just impatient ;) (Reply to this)(Parent)

	painted_bird 2008-05-07 01:25 pm UTC (link)
	Mind you, one wonders who will be on the public transport to observe/appreciate the ban anyway, what with his congestion charge-oriented proposals... (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	arachne 2008-05-07 01:28 pm UTC (link)
	You think he's wrong to consult the residents of the proposed western extension? As many as there are now, given his congestion-charge proposals affect measures which haven't been brought in yet. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

painted_bird
2008-05-07 02:02 pm UTC (link)

I just don't think appealing to people who want to drive their planet-buggering 4X4s through London more cheaply should be a priority. I do think some of his other priorities are sensible, however - like fighting knife crime in London. But again, I wonder if perhaps he isn't choosing quite the most potentially effective strategies to fight anti-social behaviour. I'm sorry, but I can't see this no booze on public transport thing making much of a dent in it tbh...

I am actually uber-busy at work but will pick this up properly when I have a free moment tonight/tomorrow (the overtime I've offered to do on this website thing notwithstanding!), as I am very interested in talking to you about your pro-Boris stance...

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	arachne 2008-05-07 02:52 pm UTC (link)
	That's fair enough - I just don't think his abolition of a measure that hasn't come into force has any relevance on the number of people using public transport, as you suggested it would. I'm about to plunge headfirst into "ack, mother-out-of-law's visiting saturday and I haven't cleaned in forever" tidying, but should manage the odd bit of back'n'forth :) (Reply to this)(Parent)

arachne
2008-05-07 12:20 pm UTC (link)

I think it *could* be - remember a few years ago how many people thought a smoking ban wouldn't work? People still smoke outside places - that's not included in the ban - nor is getting boozed-up before you go on public transport - not part of what he's doing.

From an intimidation point of view, a drunk person with a can/bottle is more intimidating than a drunk one without one. A can/bottle can be a weapon, can (and will) be spilled, and without one, there's more chance the pisshead'll have both hands free when the train inevitably stops or starts and they go flying.

It *will* be difficult to police (as I've just mentioned on GLAWatch ;) ) but I'm hoping it at least reduces it to a point where I can feel comfortable on public transport after a certain time of night again.

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pond823
2008-05-07 01:34 pm UTC (link)

but I'm hoping it at least reduces it to a point where I can feel comfortable on public transport after a certain time of night again.

Don't mean to be rude, put can I ask, is that certain time quite early? It just seems to me that once it gets late you don't see that many people actually drinking on the buses. The problem is people who have been out drinking in pubs and clubs.

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	painted_bird 2008-05-07 02:05 pm UTC (link)
	Very true. I can't say I've seen many drunk people out after hours with cans or bottles - probably because most off licences aren't serving by then. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

tintintin
2008-05-07 03:05 pm UTC (link)

I have to go to work around Old St at 10pm on a friday and saturday night (as I work night-shift) and my tube journey from Finsbury Park to Old St is full of extremely drunk, obnoxious idiots carrying large amounts of alcohol - suited City Boys on a post-work bender, 'hilariously' dressed types off to School Disco or somesuch, Shoreditch hipster twats, Ben Sherman-wearing chav mobs, hen parties, football fans, you name it.

And on Saturday and Sunday *mornings* at 6-7am, the tube is still full of revellers on their way home after an all-nighter, many of whom are still carrying cans of booze.

So yeah, it is a problem, but I don't think this law is considered enough to be readily enforceable.

Oh, and apparently because the burden of enforcing it will fall upon RMT members, Bob Crow has reportedly pitched a fit and we're likely to be facing more tube strikes just on the matter of banning alcohol.

Yay London! Yay Boris! ;)

(Reply to this)(Parent)

arachne
2008-05-07 02:50 pm UTC (link)

It's generally around the time of the last few trains - they can be utterly terrifying as a (I hate to play this card, but when I'm with people it's not so intimidating) lone, small female. I've also pretty much stopped using night-buses - I'll crash over at someone's if I can rather than take the N21 home - there's a fair amount of drinking goes on on that, especially after New Cross.

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anarquistador
2008-05-07 03:44 pm UTC (link)

It's always been illegal on trains and buses in Sydney, but TBH I felt safer on London transport. I also got quite a bit of drinking done on the trains in Sydney, if you're not obvious about it no one cares. The problem isn't people drinking, it's people acting like drunken idiots. I think the flat ban on drinking is more for practical reasons, as supplying all the transit security with breathalysers and the training to use them would be a pain. That way they don't have to deal with the grey areas of "is the person drunk and disorderly?" and just go straight to a very black and white "is the person drinking?"

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	specialknives 2008-05-07 12:22 pm UTC (link)
	Jeepers Conservatives, how can you implement policy like that whilst accusing everyone else of being The Nanny State?! (Reply to this)

	demonmoonglow 2008-05-07 03:43 pm UTC (link)
	I thought there was one already. Bloody good idea (Reply to this)(Thread)

	pond823 2008-05-07 05:02 pm UTC (link)
	You thought there was one already because you rarely see people drinking on the tube or bus? (Reply to this)(Parent)

	omnisppot 2008-05-07 03:46 pm UTC (link)
	yes - apparently me having a can of cider on the way out, as my first drink of the evening, makes me an antisocial drunk yob and a public enemy. 9 years of travelling on tubes and I have never witnessed someone being antisocial on the tube with a drink in their hand. Bloody ridiculous, I can't believe people just voted to have less freedom. (Reply to this)

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