Just chatted to some US tourists here in England, eye opener...

Most laws in the USA are for one reason....to generate revenue.

a reply to: openyourmind1262
Where I am I see local laws which I understand, even the no drinking alcohol in certain designated streets is only to keep the vagrant drunks out of sight of tourists. I regularly walk home from my mates or whatever raising my can of beer and drinking from it to the CCTV cameras.
Laws and police/authority are just like the annoying referee or nightclub bouncer you need for a game or good night to happen.

originally posted by: abe froman
As an American, I think that living in a police state wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so corrupt and money hungry.

That statement is oxymoronic. A police state is, by nature, corrupt and greedy.

a reply to: incoserv

I struggle to imagine an altruistic police state, but if there is such a thing I see it easily happening in the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary area, UK. I hope everyone who reads this feels the same about their own position on the police state spectrum.

originally posted by: openyourmind1262
Most laws in the USA are for one reason....to generate revenue.

Yep they are the enforcers of the gang.. Black and blue.. That's their colors.

originally posted by: KnightLight

originally posted by: openyourmind1262
Most laws in the USA are for one reason....to generate revenue.

Yep they are the enforcers of the gang.. Black and blue.. That's their colors.

I've always looked at government and cops as just that, the biggest gang in town. I see them as a useful distraction, and I quite like the basic laws they act to enforce.
If there was a total breakdown of society then the hardest or biggest group of males would be in charge, some one or group always is.
...I am pleased that Devon & Cornwall police force is my local referee, they are chilled, and to be fair, a much more attractive option than some local white supremacist organised psycho group in a societal breakdown.

*Edit*
Clarify, I absolutely do not see cops as the biggest gang in town, just best funded.

I always cross at crosswalks unless there are clearly zero cars as far as I can see. If they hit me in the crosswalk, it's on them for failing to yield (part of me would LOVE to drag someone through the mud in court for being an impatient dumbass, but still) If I'm hit jaywalking, it's on me if I'm hit. I'd rather obey the law & levy the blame squarely where it belongs if I ever am hit crossing in the appropriate designated place when I have the right of way. Otherwise, if there's no traffic at all or considerable distance between me & cars, I just make a quick jog across the road & be done with it.

originally posted by: Nyiah
Otherwise, if there's no traffic at all or considerable distance between me & cars, I just make a quick jog across the road & be done with it.

Same, just there are no laws in the UK saying that ain't cool.

a reply to: Nyiah

I'll use the crosswalks if I am walking by and it would be time for me to go if someone had clicked the button.

I don't like to use the button tho and mess with the light cycle.

a reply to: Sremmos80

Wow, controlled by crosswalk thoughts...must be a solely US thing.
*Edit*
The only thought in my mind crossing any road is "am I safe" not "am I legal".

I found this thread interesting because my daughter (from Texas) met and fell in love with a British soldier out here on training. There was a lot of comparing of cultures, but there is more similarity than differences as far as they can tell.

I told her that the people from the UK and the US are separated by a common language.

a reply to: FissionSurplus
Ohmygosh that Texan accent though, I melted tonight haha!
...and I'm glad the folk I met tonight are all more chilled about dealing with authorities here if they have to, UK police are only usually scary if you are a prick back to them.
...if you think they are pricks then just calmly explain your position in the Audio/CCTV environment and you'll be out in less than 24 hours lol.
...being arrested in the UK is not as scary as being arrested in the US.

originally posted by: grainofsand

originally posted by: nonspecific
I am unsure if it is even illegal to cross a motorway in the UK although will admit its a bit like playing frogger on the ZX Spectrum and not something I wuld reccomend.

Hahaha!! Brilliant, really did laugh out loud at that, I had Frogger on a Spectrum.

If you ever tried to cross North Mathilda Avenue in Sunnyvale, then you know how true Frogger is. There's a median between the two flows of traffic (three lanes wide). It's a major road intersection, that is only really easy to cross by car. There were pedestrian crossing lights but they are only synch'ed to the traffic flow. In the USA and Canada, motorists can still make right-hand turns even if the pedestrian crossing lights are at green - that's led to accidents around blind corners.

originally posted by: stormcell
In the USA and Canada, motorists can still make right-hand turns even if the pedestrian crossing lights are at green - that's led to accidents around blind corners.

Did I read that correctly???!!!
Our lights are mandatory for drivers and advisory for pedestrians.

*Edit*
You cant run people over on a right hand turn and get away with it in the UK.

a reply to: grainofsand

It's one of the reasons I don't use cross walks.. On a car's Red light anywhere unless an extra sign is posted stating "No Right on Red" they can turn right.. This would be your left turn.. I don't take "right of way" unless I see the cars eyes, or a hand motion inviting me into the road.. Some other people get hit.. I'm not taking up that fight with a 4,000 lb car..

So sometimes they are looking left to see no cars are coming through the green light.. And Oh # there's a guy in the road.. Screech..

I don't trust people driving cars with my safety..


And by the way in the US it's almost never an issue crossing right in front of a cop J walking.. As long as you appear to be watching what you are doing.. As in crossing the street in one go.. If you go frogger style sometimes you can get a cop's attention. Late at night.. And actually porky pigs post about dangerous crossings attracting jay walking tickets.. That seems to fit the spot I got jumped on..


And blind corners, or blind drives or sideroads.. I don't cross anywhere near that.. enough time to see a car and be out of the way.. Sometimes cross walks are right there though, cause the blind corner is at the intersection.

I also tend to walk behind the first car if they are looking to turn out into a main road, if they don't see me.. A place where there isn't a light.. Or I wait till they see me.. I'm tall and I get seen only 80% of the time....

a reply to: grainofsand

in the UK...a right hand turn is different than the US. In the US we drive on "the wrong side of the road". Compaare it to you making a left turn. You only have 1 think to be aware of: traffic coming from the right. You don't cross another lane, etc.

NYC doesn't allow right on red. But anywhere else i have been does.

a reply to: grainofsand

This was just posted in another thread.. By member: N3k9Ni

It's so comically perfect..

The universe is dropping me gems today haha..

Enjoy




"the tactic was dreamed up when detective blah blah watched a man go out of his way to use the crosswalks in a snowstorm."
"I thought to myself this gentleman deserves a medal."

hahahaha...


A lot of Americans are BIG talk when it comes to freedom and being rebels.. They are rebels where they can't be seen.. A lot like How I am these days.. In so many ways we are a more polite society than the media will ever let you see.

I thought when you check in for a flight to America the search you for a sense of humour ?
Then replace it with an ego the size merkels score in an ugly contest ?

Pfft ( you yanks have all the fun )
To the tune of , forget it pfft

a reply to: incoserv
Sir, check your sarcasm meter, the batteries may be dead.

Just bumped into the Texan tourists again, turns out they're staying in a hotel two doors up from my house.
They told me they are from Austin and surprisingly are big rugby fans as I am, learned something new, I didn't think rugby was played much in the states as American football seems to be the big thing. Was cool to hear an American criticise the body armour and multiple boring time-outs of NFL, made me chuckle.
The big dude of the group (whose wife/girlfriend with the sexy accent I fancied last night) was an interesting chap, I asked him straight out how he feels walking around without a gun and he said back home he has a concealed carry permit so it is a strange experience for him and it's in the back of his mind that someone could confront them with a knife or whatever and all he's got are his fists.
I chuckled again and said don't worry, you tourists bring the money in so if you were in any trouble pretty much every local would help you out, and anyway, this isn't London, this is the forgotten SW of England seaside where we're all a bit more chilled out, even our criminals. With one cop for every 5000 people here right now we tend not to rely on the police anyway lol

...ohmygosh I want the big Texan dude's wife/girlfriend...that accent, love it! He put his arm around her again when we spoke today and reinforced it with a wink at me haha, first Texan's I've ever met, these were excellent ambassadors for their state.