Things that are Verboten

[Artie]

OK, I have brought up two pieces of legislation that many thought was unreasonable. Let me tell you what else is verboten in NSW.
1. Firecrackers without a permit.
2. Obtaining alcohol under the age of 18.
3. Pure cows milk.
4. riding a bicycle without a helmet.
5. riding in a car without wearing a seat belt.
6. smoking in restaurants.
7. smoking in the workplace.
8. American pit bull terriers.
9. wearing your bullet-resistant vest off duty.

These are just a few that I can think of as I sit here.

Care to comment?

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We are the Police! Resistance is Futile!

[This message has been edited by Artie (edited 06-04-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Artie (edited 06-04-2001).]

[Campus]

Hey Artie,

I don't think we can have an international war over this one. Laws are very similar here

Alcohol is prohibited below 21 y/o most states. Most states have the seatbelt requirement.
The rest of your list is pretty common for city and county ordinances.

As far as comments go... I'm ok with these. I do share the typical American distrust of government, but am more accepting at the local level.

One question though. The vest law. I'm not aware of any similar restriction in my parts.
But do you really need it? I usually can't wait to get mine off. If you guys have "I forgot i'm wearing it" type vests, Please Share!

Stay safe,

Campus

edited due to not enough coffee.

[This message has been edited by Campus (edited 06-04-2001).]

[Artie]

Campus,
Damn. and I thought I could start up another debate, but away from the gun thing. I'll just have to think of something better.

What do you think about the difference between the ages for drinking alcohol. I noticed the President's twin daughters are in the sh*t lately. If they were in Australia, there would not be a problem.

Actually, it is an offence to possess a vest unless you are a police officer whilst on duty. What it is designed to do is prevent crims from getting their hands on them. I did say designed. It kind of reminds me of the fear I felt when I saw that shoot out in America where those two crims tried to rob a bank and began a shoot out with police. The were covered head to foot in Kevlar, I think. What a shocking situation. Only good thing was that they didn't survive.

Its good to hear from you.

Artie

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We are the Police! Resistance is Futile!

[wonderwoman]

Drinking age in Ontario is 19!! (18 in Manitoba) Thats why many border cities get many American youth coming over on weekends!!!

[PeteBroccolo]

Originally posted by Artie:
Let me tell you what else is verboten in NSW.
1. Firecrackers without a permit.
2. Obtaining alcohol under the age of 18.
3. Pure cows milk.
4. riding a bicycle without a helmet.
5. riding in a car without wearing a seat belt.
6. smoking in restaurants.
7. smoking in the workplace.
8. American pit bull terriers.
9. wearing your bullet-resistant vest off duty.

Saskatchewan:
1. Only if over 18.
2. Age limit 19, and can't drink on street or in a vehicle.
3. What?
4. Motorcycles - yes; bicycles - not law yet, but wearing a helmet is encouraged
5. Same.
6. Same but not enforced by Police.
7. Health regulation, again not enforced by Police.
8. Not specifically, but there is legislation about controlling all dogs that dangerous.
9. Unfortunately, I do not believe that any laws in Canada control the sale and wearing, but they SHOULD be listed as Prohibited Weapons so that only Police and Military can buy them.

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P. D. (Pete) Broccolo, Constable
#32936 - RCMP Weyburn, Saskatchewan

[Campus]

Personally I am not fond of the 21 drinking age. While in the Navy, the Govt. told me that I could operate a $20+ Million nuclear reactor, but I was not able to handle a beer. I don't think that waiting all those years helped me in any way. I am embarrassed to admitt that when I turned 21, I was very irresponsible with alcohol. I tend to think that it was due to the fact that it was forbidden for so long.
My wife was legal to drink at 16 and was introduced to alcohol in the safety of her home. I met her when she was 21, and I've never seen her drink irresponsibly. I feel that the early introduction formed a signifigant maturity when it came to alcohol.


However if a group of people who live in a community descide that they want a specific drinking age then that is fine. We have several areas in this country where alcohol is prohibited for everyone. ("Dry Counties") I fully support thier right to do so.

My problem lies with the Fedral Government dictacting this type of issue. They do not have the authority enact a national drinking age. They get around this by withholding Highway construction/maintenance money if a state lowers it's age below 21. Of course this is money that the States collect for the Feds. Few States if any can survive the loss of this funding, so they are extorted into the drinking age. ( Just checked the dictionary and discovered that "extorted" is not a word. Should be!)

As far as vests are concerned. I think that the retailers are using voluntary restrictions. When I got mine, the retailer would not sell to me without a department purchace order. He made it sound as if it was policy but not law. Most of the other retailers I checked while shopping also required some proof of my employment. If its a law, I haven't been able to find it yet.

Wonderwoman,

Your lower drinking ages are just one of the many reasons that us boarder state residents LOVE Canada. (But gravy on the fries is not one).


Best wishes to all,

Campus

[Delta_V]

Firecrackers without a permit.

I don't think you should have to have a permit, but there should be an age restriction (especially on the more dangerous fireworks...but I'm sure most of them aren't legal in Australia at all, much like many US states).

Obtaining alcohol under the age of 18.

That's actually a good law, IMO. Since in the US you are considered an adult at 18, you should be allowed to purchase alochol at that age. Having said that, it's not difficult at all for minors to obtain alcohol (I'm sure you know this).

Pure cows milk.

It can't be SOLD in the USA (doesn't pass FDA guidelines for health), but I don't think there is any law against drinking milk from your own cow. Considering that cows can carry life threatening diseases to humans in their milk, that's a good law.

riding a bicycle without a helmet.

Stupid, see below.

riding in a car without wearing a seat belt.

I posted a thread about this several weeks ago in a different folder. The government shouldn't regulate this, it's a personal choice. If you want to take the added risk of death in an accident, that's your business. It's nobody's life but your own.

smoking in restaurants.

I don't believe that should be a law, rather it should be left up to the proprietor. That's government intruding a little too much...since there are restaurants out there that will lose revenue from smokers not going there.

smoking in the workplace.

Same as above.

American pit bull terriers.

It seems that you all are outlawing everything that can cause harm little by little. Not all pit bulls are vicious, its when the owner's dont properly train and teach them. There should be leashed and stray dog laws, but not laws saying you can't have certain pets.

wearing your bullet-resistant vest off duty.

Assenine. I can't believe that they are prohibiting OFFICERS from wearing their vests. How is a criminal going to get it? Is the officer going to just take it off and leave it somewhere?? I would think there's a better chance of your house getting broken into and your vest stolen while you are out than it being taken from you while you're wearing it. Luckily, there aren't laws in this country that abridge the rights of police officers to protect themselves while off (or on) duty.

[RT]

1. Firecrackers without a permit... not a good idea
3. Pure cows milk we were able to buy in the past. If the farmer uses proper cleaning techniques it is not a problem. It has more vitamins in it that way. I love it and wish we still had it, ice cold it is wonderful stuff.
8. I have a bull terrier mix, that I got by mistake ie sent my wife to the pound to get a lab after our lab died and we got this. Well it is a female and by far the most interesting dog I have ever seen. I think she could be taught to fight but I have gone out of my way to prevent her from getting that mentality. She can jump higher than you would believe possible. I do like taking her on a walk, when I had my lab she was such a sweet dog. When an aggressive dog came towards her I was terrified. Now I say "Please keep your dog away I am trying to teach my Pit Bull not to fight. I am afraid if she did get into a fight her instincts would take over. Really she is a sweet dog and LOVES kids. When we are on a walk and she sees kids playing she just has to go by them, I think it is because she is a kid at heart. I got her a kitten, (the books say to do this) and she loves playing with her. I maybe am going a little long here but I think you get the picture.

[grum]

I grew up on a farm drinking raw milk, but knowing what I know now, I would have second thoughts
The danger with unpasteurized (raw) milk is that it contains bacteria such as E-coli(from fecal contamination of the udder), Listeria monocytogenes (which exists naturally in the cows system) that are potentially fatal to humans. I agree that proper hygiene can go along way to preventing E-coli contamination, but pasteurization is the only sure way to get rid of both bacteria.
Go to the Center for Disease Control website and read up on listeria infections of school groups that drank raw milk while touring a dairy,and it'll make you think twice (wouldn't want to be the bus chaperone on those tours)

[Artie]

OK. I started this thread to see what reaction I would get about some of the restrictions that are in place in Australia. I will now try to explain the reasoning behind those laws as I see them.

Firecrackers without a permit.
While I grew up, each year I would travel to Leeton, a country town in NSW, where my mother was born. Each Queens Birthday holiday, we would build huge bondfires made of wood. We would save our money for months to buy as many crackers as possible. As I remember it, it was a wonderful time of my life. Unfortunately, there were those kids who were irresponsible, who would blow anything up that didn

[Rule.303]

Originally posted by Artie:

1. Firecrackers without a permit.
2. Obtaining alcohol under the age of 18.
3. Pure cows milk.
4. riding a bicycle without a helmet.
5. riding in a car without wearing a seat belt.
6. smoking in restaurants.
7. smoking in the workplace.
8. American pit bull terriers.
9. wearing your bullet-resistant vest off duty.

In my part of Australia...
1. Except of July 1st (Territory Independence Day)
2. Except if that person is in the company of a parent or gaurdian and the consumption of alchol is ancilliary to a meal, provided that the eating house (restaurant) does not object. (eg. A 10 year old can drink wine with dinner in a restaurant with consent and in the company of parents; and the restaurant manager does not dissallow it)
3. Can be consumed, but can't be sold.
4. Except where the rider is over the age of 18 and is riding on a g***etted bicycyle path that is divided from a road by way of a barrier or obstruction.
5. Mandatory for all. Seatbelts save lives. While wearing a seatbelt will not guarantee that the person will not be killed, they do reduce the number of road deaths.
6. Smoking in restaurants is at the descretion of the owner.
7. Smoking is prohibited in Government workplaces, but in the private enetrprise, it is a case of adopting a work place smoking policy. Obviously not near gas and other inflammables, and in a ventilated area that is away from where non-smokers have to be.
8. No restrictions here.
9. Illegal to supply to non police, and other non para military orginisations or civilians. Not illegal to own or wear. (Although legislation is on the way to restrict private ownership and wearing without lawful excuse. "Because the police might shoot me" is not an excuse.)

[Valor55]

Just about everywhere here it is illegal for convicted felons to possess body armor (as it is illegal for them to possess guns). Real body armor is somewhat a tiny niche market where the distributor knows they are selling it (LE, military) so you don't see much of it in the hands of criminals. The only place I've even seen it retail is in specialty cop shops where you need credentials to even browse.

That's not to say it is impossible to get a hold of (ie military surplus etc) but I've never come across anyone with it other than cops.

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It may be a summons to you, but it's therapy for me.

[Delta_V]

Originally posted by valor55:
That's not to say it is impossible to get a hold of (ie military surplus etc) but I've never come across anyone with it other than cops.

Not really. I work in armed security and I have body armor. Galls will sell it to anyone with a credit card.

[Mitzi]

WHen I was in college, smoking was permitted anywhere. I have a lot of allergies AND asthma. Life was h*** in the classrooms. I, and others, used to plead with these people to not smoke in the classroom to no avail. I had so many asthma attacks and was so miserable. Only my inhaler allowed me to attend class. So, I was not displeased when the no smoking rule turned up in so many places. I wish it would in all restaurants. Just because they have "no smoking" sections doesn't mean the smke from the smoking section stays away!

[Niteshift]

But now it's getting out of hand......... no smoking within 30 feet of a doorway?

Smokers cough isn't caused by cigarettes, it's caused by standing in the rain to smoke.

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Niteshift-
Perseverate In Pugna

[This message has been edited by Niteshift (edited 06-05-2001).]