please empty your brain below
The Nanny State strikes again.

No wonder people don't take repsonsibility for themselves any more. They feel totally diesmpowered by authority.

Blue Witch | Homepage | 13.05.08 - 9:53 a.m. | #

It's the riverside equivalent of street furniture that councils seemed to be obsessed with these days. I'm not one to advocate vandalism but if these were to "disappear" I don't think anyone would be too upset ....

Johnny Topaz | 13.05.08 - 10:30 a.m. | #

The environment agency are pretty good at this sort of thing too; at every one of their locks there's a big sign with eight different warnings on it. British Waterways, for all their faults, at least (for the time being) still credit their users with a bit of common sense.

Sarah | Homepage | 13.05.08 - 11:14 a.m. | #

DG,

No real surprise though. I think we (UK government/councils) just like putting up signs: http://www.flickr.com/photos/344...7@N00/
138379925

Jono | 13.05.08 - 11:59 a.m. | #

How much is this due to some form of 'backside protection' in case some non-thinking eejit accidentally slips, hurts themselves & does a no-win-no-fee claim on the council.

Such things may or may not be on the increase, but they do happen.

Maybe if fewer stupid claims were allowed, & common sense promoted, or even THOUGHT, such river furniture wouldn't be as necessary.

I wonder.

Bronchitikat | Homepage | 13.05.08 - 1:34 p.m. | #

Driving behind a lorry last week, I couldn't help notice the sign above the rear left indicator light which read "This Vehicle May Turn Left."

Is there anyone out there that is still surprised lorries can turn left?

John | 13.05.08 - 1:45 p.m. | #

Yes, it's the Nanny State again. Honestly, the people who erected these yellow and white 'safety' signs along the river (actually, looking at the picture, it's more like a small brook) are the same people who cancel school field trips just in case one of the little tykes falls and scratches his knee, and the parents seek 'comp-en-say-chun'. They also insist that bottles of bleach are explicitly labelled as 'not suitable for human consumption'. For goodness' sake, let us live our lives!

Okay, small rant over...

Andrewh | 13.05.08 - 11:38 p.m. | #

There's one warning that might actually have been relevant, but is unaccountably missing -
"Danger of drowning"

diamond geezer | Homepage | 13.05.08 - 11:55 p.m. | #

No chance of drowning if you can achieve a cracking pace like the swimmer in the picture. Remarkably stylish action, in the circs.

Great Aunt Annie | 14.05.08 - 12:00 a.m. | #

I hope you completed a risk assessment before that visit young man.

drD | Homepage | 14.05.08 - 1:40 a.m. | #

Hi DG - only just noticed the bit about QUERCUS - it's not a cumbersome acronym for the French as it is the french word for oak tree (you pronounce the 4 letters "care" and the last three cus as in swearing). OK, lesson over!

dianne | 16.05.08 - 9:01 a.m. | #

"No wonder people don't take repsonsibility for themselves any more. They feel totally diesmpowered by authority." I take that doesn't apply to yourself, blue witch? Are you better than other people at avoiding such faults? So its just the rest of us, then?

IanB | 16.05.08 - 2:03 p.m. | #

IanB - nothing in Blue Witch's comment suggested it applied to all people. Now, sssh.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 16.05.08 - 5:57 p.m. | #

Oh dear, ugly ugly ugly signs, yuk. Surely it would be safer to fill the brook in and concrete it all over, now we know how very dangerous it is? Anything could happen! (And I bet they haven't even started the risk assessment for malarial mosquitoes and giant crocodiles.)

I think it comes back to your question: why is this warning here? Absolutely. Who benefits, what is it preventing (er, court action?) and what is it telling people that they don't already know? It's a bit sad really. I'm a local government and H&S sympathizer but really, it's hard to see the point here.

Vogel von Neustadt | Homepage | 21.05.08 - 11:40 p.m. | #

I like "Danger of Flooding" as DG says, what on earth are you expected to do? Avoid falling asleep while sunbathing? Keep an eye open for surges?

IanB | 22.05.08 - 11:19 a.m. | #











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