Caravans on Stroud Green!, run for the hills!!!!! Options

[Andy Capp]

I saw some rather poor behaviour in Exeter a few weeks ago - should I assume all West country folk are like this?

I think this is how humans are programmed to behave and is mainly instinctive. Some of us are naturally cautious of strangers, particularly ones whose life styles we are untrusting of. Put simply, many people are nervous or scared of travellers.

[Jayjay]

I think that making generalisations about a group of people is plain wrong. It wouldn't be acceptable to do so about a group of Italians, or Poles, or Liverpudlians, so I fail to see why it is acceptable to do so about a group of travellers about whom none of us knows a thing.

I saw some rather poor behaviour in Exeter a few weeks ago - should I assume all West country folk are like this?

Stereotyping happens. The germans nick all the sunbeds, the English queue. Frence eat fogs legs and snails, English eat roast beef, Italians only eat pasta. All the Welsh can sing, Liverpudlians are comedians. The statment may be true for some and totally incorrect for others, but no sensible persons calls this prejudice or racial.

[dannyboy]

The statment may be true for some and totally incorrect for others, but no sensible persons calls this prejudice or racial.

So what would you call this glowing endorsement of a thread?

[Penelope]

So what would you call this glowing endorsement of a thread?

Huh?

[Andy Capp]

We should be free to express our opinions without fear of ridicule. To do so may mean we learn something. As soon as people act like dannyboy, then one becomes defensive, and good debate is less likely to follow.

It is without doubt travellers cause concern to settlers. What would be good is if we could discuss the merits of our position without the fear that we will be classed as EDL, BNP or even Daily Mail readers. BTW - I can't see anything wrong with the Daily Mail, provided you treat it like all papers, with a pinch of salt.

I believe most people are racist, prejudiced, or bigoted, to some degree; the trouble is, the words are understood to be extreme, so one is assumed to be extremist.

[Jayjay]

So what would you call this glowing endorsement of a thread?

I would call it perfectly normal. Some people accept travellers, some people do not trust them. On this thread we have discussions about not trusting young men with dogs, people who drink in the Hatchet and nobody trusts the council. Just differences of opinion no need for the thought police to get involved.

[Penelope]

Stereotyping happens. The germans nick all the sunbeds, the English queue. Frence eat fogs legs and snails, English eat roast beef, Italians only eat pasta. All the Welsh can sing, Liverpudlians are comedians. The statment may be true for some and totally incorrect for others, but no sensible persons calls this prejudice or racial.

You forgot the Dutch who always surrender and people who claim to come from uninhabited south Atlantic islands who have peculier relations with penguins.

[dannyboy]

I would call it perfectly normal. Some people accept travellers, some people do not trust them. On this thread we have discussions about not trusting young men with dogs, people who drink in the Hatchet and nobody trusts the council. Just differences of opinion no need for the thought police to get involved.

Which would be fine, but there is always a not to subtle under tone on this forum.......

[dannyboy]

We should be free to express our opinions without fear of ridicule. To do so may mean we learn something. As soon as people act like dannyboy, then one becomes defensive, and good debate is less likely to follow.

It is without doubt travellers cause concern to settlers. What would be good is if we could discuss the merits of our position without the fear that we will be classed as EDL, BNP or even Daily Mail readers. BTW - I can't see anything wrong with the Daily Mail, provided you treat it like all papers, with a pinch of salt.

I believe most people are racist, prejudiced, or bigoted, to some degree; the trouble is, the words are understood to be extreme, so one is assumed to be extremist.

Then we should express our opinions without the use of perjoratives.

[Andy Capp]

Then we should express our opinions without the use of perjoratives.

And perhaps we shouldn't put words in to others' mouths.

I agree, some are quick to use ugly language, but there others...

...hold on, I'm getting drawn in.


TTFN

[JeffG]

You forgot the Dutch who always surrender

I thought that was the French.

[MoonPhoenix]

Do these people not have somewhere legitimate to pitch up?

4.1.5 There is currently no transit site or temporary stopping provision managed by the Council.

I would guess, no.

i think this lack of provision is rather short sighted of WBC. But I think it's generally accepted oppinion that the newbury town planning is all about poor vision.

Really, I think the solution here should be to maybe pressure the council to provide a transit site or 2 within west berks. That way, there is somewhere managed and economically viable to move people onto... Rather than the lengthy and expensive legal cat & mouse that will just result from reactively moving on from all the towns green spaces in turn.
The good apples within the Travelling fraternity would be happy to pay a fair rent for somewhere with facilities to pull up where they won't be getting hassled by locals/authorities for the duration of their stay.
And the bad apples, will become self evident and you can be free to release the hounds... As the bad apples are a discredit to the rest of us who do live by the rules and pay our way.

also, well done guys, those of you keeping some rational objectiveness in this discussion.

[HeatherW]

Unless the Caravans are doing any damage then I will leave the be. I am sure that the council will do the appropriate thing.

[Strafin]

I would guess, no.

i think this lack of provision is rather short sighted of WBC. But I think it's generally accepted oppinion that the newbury town planning is all about poor vision.

Really, I think the solution here should be to maybe pressure the council to provide a transit site or 2 within west berks. That way, there is somewhere managed and economically viable to move people onto... Rather than the lengthy and expensive legal cat & mouse that will just result from reactively moving on from all the towns green spaces in turn.
The good apples within the Travelling fraternity would be happy to pay a fair rent for somewhere with facilities to pull up where they won't be getting hassled by locals/authorities for the duration of their stay.
And the bad apples, will become self evident and you can be free to release the hounds... As the bad apples are a discredit to the rest of us who do live by the rules and pay our way.

also, well done guys, those of you keeping some rational objectiveness in this discussion.

They could use all the taxes that the travelling community pay....

[Biker1]

They could use all the taxes that the travelling community pay....

[Andy Capp]

They've gone now, but they seem to have forgotten to take some stuff with them!

[andy1979uk]

They've gone now, but they seem to have forgotten to take some stuff with them!

Hardly suprising, then they moan that people don't like them and they are not given a chance. I would never have a problem if they left no mess and obeyed the law, but they think they are above it.

[Biker1]

They've gone now, but they seem to have forgotten to take some stuff with them!

[Penelope]

They've gone now, but they seem to have forgotten to take some stuff with them!

Thats Ok, Dannyboy and Moonphoenix are on their way to clear it all up, bless'em.

[On the edge]

Let's face it, a good few of us 'settlers' leave things behind when we move! Many of us even have trouble with our own rubbish - look at the streets and certain front gardens. At least here its all in one place.