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TV license and the Law are stupid

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posted on Sep, 17 2007 @ 06:03 AM
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Title says it all really.


We realise that £135.50 is a lot of money on a student budget. So we've made sure there are lots of different ways you can pay. You need to decide which is best for you now, because being a poor student is no defence in the eyes of the law.


135.50 is 135.50 however you pay it, are they stupid?

" because being a poor student is no defence in the eyes of the law." So being poor is a reason to be poorer, since the fine is £1,000? You don't have enough money in the first place, so pay more???? Wow anyone can tell thats stupid.


You should be aware that we catch on average more than 1,000 evaders a day, including students at university, and we visit student accommodation during term.
I wonder how they do it, since just because there's a receiver doesn't mean it's being used, so how can they tell if you are using it? Maybe they should keep their noses out of people's property.


Your hall probably has a licence covering TVs in communal areas, but this won't cover a TV in your room. So, if you're planning to watch TV in your room, you must buy your own licence.
How does the room make the slightest difference? must be the most important 10 cm wide pile of bricks in history. [/sarcasm]


Using TV equipment to watch or record TV programmes without a valid licence is against the law, and students are not exempt.

Enforcement Officers regularly visit student accommodation to find those who are breaking this law. If caught, you may be interviewed under caution. You may then be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000. Plus you'll have to pay £135.50 for a colour TV Licence.


Yeah that makes sense. [/extreme sarcasm]


The law requires everyone, including students, to be covered by a licence if they use any device to receive television programmes as they're being shown on TV. This includes any TV set, DVD or video recorder, digital box, PC, laptop or mobile phone.
....

There is just one exception to this rule: if you only use a device that's powered solely by its own internal batteries, you will be covered by your parents' TV Licence. However, you must not install the device (e.g. plug it into the mains) when using it to receive TV.

Handy! One incredibly bit of stupid law. I don't have a law degree, don't intend to get one, but i could make up better rules than this. If you are in temporary one uni year accommodation, you shouldn't need to pay. Will your experience of watching the TV be different somehow?


Here are some excuses we've heard from students who thought they could get away without having a TV Licence, and why they were wrong.
Doesn't sound like the law to me, sounds like a bunch of arrogant capitalist pigs.



posted on May, 26 2008 @ 06:53 PM
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In response to the comment ´´what happens if I´m poor and cant afford to pay it, well here´s some news just in...

Poor means just that, POOR!! If you are poor you have to live with the basics in life and thus TV becomes a luxury. If you cant afford the license in the first place just dont watch telly, they do give you a choice at least!

I dont aggree that the system of fining for not paying the license is stupid, it is intent to act as a deterant!!! ´´Hence dont do the crime if you cant do the time´´ I cant believe some people say it´s stupid to fine us more if we cant afford a lisense!! TUFF!! Dont get a telly in the first place then!!
Anyway dont some realise how completely stupid they sound saying that a 1000 fine wont help- well of course not, the idea is to avoid the fine in the first place! muppets!
Its like saying you cant murder people beacause you cant afford the fine and imprisonment! laws broken should and must be punished so that the system does not collapse from abuse!
Also It´s interesting that these days the so called poor always sport the latest mobile, tracksuits trainers, psps and smoke emselfs senseless!
Then they have the cheek to say they cant afford 140 quid a year which is more than likley cheaper than their weeks fag alowance!
So if you dont want a 1000 quid fine and do want to watch the telly,
give up a packet of fags, the latest gadgets etc and you will have your license paid in just a few days.



posted on May, 27 2008 @ 10:57 PM
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I am confused let me use my patent pending Brit to American translator...

"I don't want to pay for cable in my dorm room." and "I am ever so angry that they would dare to fine me for stealing cable"

Ah I see, quite understandable. I can see your point. I don't feel like paying for cable either. Heaven for-fend to have to watch TV communally.

I think that your saying it's probably cheaper to get cable installed in your dorm room up front and on the level than having to pay fines and such to not pay for cable and get caught.



posted on May, 28 2008 @ 02:33 AM
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Actually now it doesn't matter since BBC in a interesting move now let you download shows for free after they air, without needing a license, apparently. Which does beg the question of why the hell I'd need a license If I wanted to watch it when they air it.

The other irritation with it is that you need a license even if you don't intend on watching a BBC programme, which is just silly. £140 to watch free tv? No thanks.

And of course, they forget that there are cleverer ways of watching it without one anyway.

Edit: At the time I wrote this, I was evidently in a bad mood, and not thinking entirely rationally.
Though lack of money to pay for it means you'll have to pay more still seems really thick. As does the battery operated rule, particularly with regards to a laptop computer.

[edit on 28-5-2008 by apex]


SR

posted on May, 28 2008 @ 08:42 AM
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Originally posted by whatukno
I am confused let me use my patent pending Brit to American translator...

"I don't want to pay for cable in my dorm room." and "I am ever so angry that they would dare to fine me for stealing cable"

Ah I see, quite understandable. I can see your point. I don't feel like paying for cable either. Heaven for-fend to have to watch TV communally.

I think that your saying it's probably cheaper to get cable installed in your dorm room up front and on the level than having to pay fines and such to not pay for cable and get caught.


Ok i'll just help the OP here.

We don't get cable for that fee we have to pay that fee to merely have the right to own a television and have access to the standard four channels or five in certain areas.

So not only do we have to buy an expensive TV we have to pay that yearly to have the right to watch said TV and then ontop of that if we want cable we have to pay the monthly cable contract as well.

The BBC is finding it harder and harder to justify it's existance and why it should take our money and it's being shown as a biased government mouthpeice as every year passes. Something which goes against it's own foundation rules.



posted on May, 28 2008 @ 08:51 AM
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reply to post by SR
 


hence yet again my question is why not just pay for cable in the first place that way you don't have to watch the bbc and you can watch whatever you want whenever you want to and however you wish. It just seems cheaper and more legal to me to pay for cable in your dorm room than to run the risk of a 1000 pound fine plus the extra fine for getting a box. So logicly one would have to conclude that if you are cash strapped to minimise your expenses one could do one of the following things...

1. Watch tv communaly. given the communal lifestyle of dorms one could do this but run the risk of having to watch shows that one does not desire to watch.

2. pay for cable or the box or whatever. This way one could watch shows in their own dorm room as they see fit without runing the risk of the fines.

3. don't watch tv and go do something else like read a book. I mean if you are cash strapped and don't have the funds to pay for the box or cable then I guess one could go about not watching television and doing other activities. I am quite certan that life existed before the advent of the TV and I am sure that one could survive without this invention.

I know, im probably missing the point somewhere along the way. I just don't see what the big deleo is. I mean if your going to have to pay through the nose for something you stole then why steal it in the first place? I mean you don't go around stealing cars or robing banks. (well I don't know that for certan, it's an assumption) So why steal cable?


SR

posted on May, 28 2008 @ 08:56 AM
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Originally posted by whatukno
reply to post by SR
 


hence yet again my question is why not just pay for cable in the first place that way you don't have to watch the bbc and you can watch whatever you want whenever you want to and however you wish. It just seems cheaper and more legal to me to pay for cable in your dorm room than to run the risk of a 1000 pound fine plus the extra fine for getting a box. So logicly one would have to conclude that if you are cash strapped to minimise your expenses one could do one of the following things...

1. Watch tv communaly. given the communal lifestyle of dorms one could do this but run the risk of having to watch shows that one does not desire to watch.

2. pay for cable or the box or whatever. This way one could watch shows in their own dorm room as they see fit without runing the risk of the fines.

3. don't watch tv and go do something else like read a book. I mean if you are cash strapped and don't have the funds to pay for the box or cable then I guess one could go about not watching television and doing other activities. I am quite certan that life existed before the advent of the TV and I am sure that one could survive without this invention.

I know, im probably missing the point somewhere along the way. I just don't see what the big deleo is. I mean if your going to have to pay through the nose for something you stole then why steal it in the first place? I mean you don't go around stealing cars or robing banks. (well I don't know that for certan, it's an assumption) So why steal cable?


We have to pay it even if we have cable it's crazy i know it's basically we have to pay it for the right to own and watch a tv of any kind yearly.

I totally agree though we've existed fine before tv and will long after it's gone nothing beats going out and experiencing culture firsthand or reading a book. I don't even bother to watch TV anymore most of the stuff i can view via the internet and laptop.




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