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classic 'elf n safety tweet, by Devon &Cornwall police, on bonfire night..
- Thread starter desprateseagull
- Start date
Damn those pesky police and their safety advice, attempting to keep people safe and all.
Centuries-old Ottery tar barrel race at risk after insurance rose 1150 per cent - Telegraph Just two years ago, a tar barrel exploded, causing an increase in insurance costs. Should the police not send out advice to help prevent accidents should it happen again, or just general health and safety advice? Does it not make sense for a police twitter account to include general advice?
Centuries-old Ottery tar barrel race at risk after insurance rose 1150 per cent - Telegraph Just two years ago, a tar barrel exploded, causing an increase in insurance costs. Should the police not send out advice to help prevent accidents should it happen again, or just general health and safety advice? Does it not make sense for a police twitter account to include general advice?
wunt be druv
Drat! and double drat!
I`ll try to remember those wise words next time I see a burning barrel of tar rolling towards me.I always wondered what to do.Thank you Devon & Cornwall Police.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 48,632
You laugh, but I bet there are enough planks out there who do get too close & end up singed. Never underestimate the stupidity of some people....
It was directed at people attending the annual Ottery St Mary Tar Barrel Race, where being in the vicinity of burning tar barrels, and people running with them, is a likely occurrence.
Tar Barrels - Ottery St Mary, Devon
It would be no different to sussex police tweeting to remind people not to get too close to the bonfire parade in lewes.
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ArcticBlue
New member
Whilst it is of course good advice, do we really want to create a culture where anybody over the age of 5 yrs needs to be told to stand a good distance away from a burning barrel? A burning barrel I say yes the one that's on fire.
Garage_Doors
Originally the Swankers
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I wouldn't say 'create' a culture, I think that has always existed. As edna says, you shouldn't underestimate the stupidity of people. And these burning barrels, as you can see in the picture, are held by people, there a certain sense of 'if he can get close enough to hold it, why can't I stand closer to him? It can't be that bad...' that goes through some people's subconscious.
But do you really think it needs a police officer who is getting paid to write it out, wasting time when he/she could be doing something else? Do you think these dullards who need warning will follow Devon and Cornwall police on twitter? Seems a bit pointless to me...
king Wombat
Well-known member
Yeah it probably took HOURS and HOURS to write those few words and post them to the interweb didn't it..
I imagine they've produced the advice elsewhere, too. Just because they put it on twitter, doesn't mean they won't have bothered elsewhere. The bottom of the main page for the barrel race (in one of my earlier posts) mentions that the police will be giving updates and advice throughout the event and to follow their twitter feed.
As the other link in an earlier post showed, there was an explosion of one of the barrels in 2009 (causing an increase in insurance and putting the 300ish year old event at risk). I would think a wide range of safety advice being delivered (twitter, posters, local radio, local newspapers etc) were a requirement.
I really don't see why people are acting like something so insignificant is a sign of "PC gone mad" or whatever. There are so many bigger things we say "if it saves only one life, it will be worth it" about, yet this one tweet gets people's knickers in a twist?
That's not the point, it's still time which could imo have been used more productively, and as I say who exactly is the target audience
Lord Bracknell
On fire
You'd be amazed at the reluctance of some people to get out of the way of the barrel racers in Lewes last night. Incidentally ... a big up to the young Miss Bracknell who won the Ladies' Race.
I'm not going to argue with you. Just saying that I think it's a waste of police time and money putting all these warnings/announcements if they did indeed make posters etc about it. I'm sure the police probably feel the same way, but have been pressured into doing so by the local authorities so the event doesn't get canceled. Another example of health and safety going ott, as I say is this advice not common sense? The people who do stand to close to them will probably need warning about walking near cliff edges or walking along motorways...
Lord Bracknell
On fire
The police tweet about anything and everything these days. It's their idea of the friendly bobby on the beat for our times. I can't see what's to complain about.
desprateseagull
New member
- Thread starter
- #18
would be ironic (darwin award worthy, even..) if someone at the event was checking their tweets, and got hit / burnt by a passing barrel..