Officious jobsworthy from the MCA - our ensign

[tudorsailor]

In New York many decades ago, murder rates on the Metro system were drastically reduced by concentrating on the little things - like people jumping over ticket barriers, and graffiti on trains (Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell).

If I remember correctly from the book Freakonomics, you will find that the real reason the murder rate dropped was because the abortion lows were eased about 18 years prior to the "zero tolerance" policing. In other words the nice people likely to give birth to a criminal, had abortions and so the crime rate dropped

Tudorsailor

 

[Rigger Mortice]

. Half the posters can't be arsed, half quote chapter and verse and the other half can't add up.
.

That's three halves that you haven't added up!

 

[Doghousekeeper]

That's three halves that you haven't added up!

Ahh yes. Irony. Wonderful stuff

 

[Searush]

Ahh yes. Irony. Wonderful stuff

Sadly, it seems some people are immune to the stuff.

 

[Lakesailor]

Thank you men.
Saved me the bother.

 

[Searush]

Thank you, SAH!

Permission to stand down, SAH?

 

[alan_d]

According to the Flagpole Company:

In the UK, the correct way to fly the flag at half mast is two-thirds between the top and bottom of the flagstaff, according to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which decides the flying, on command of the Sovereign.

But maybe that only applies on land.

 

[V1701]

I was going to say you did well not telling him to f**k right off but by the sounds of it you might have done that had he not driven off. For the way he went about it I mean...

 

[Steve Clayton]

Sleeping with 19year-olds

Incidentally, regarding the original post, I look back nostalgically fifty years to my last lie-in with a nineteen year old female............ .

ROTFLMHO

 

[shmoo]

I think the correct response in such cases is:

"Thank you, I understand your request"

and then ostentatiously do nothing, just wait and watch and say nothing.

When the penny drops that you really are going to do nothing the jobsworth may well lose it. This gives you the moral and tactical high ground and something like this should finish the job nicely:

"Thank you. I understand your position completely so there is no need to repeat it. This conversation is now at an end. Good Afternoon."

Retire below.

The important thing is not to argue. Don't give reasons. Play for a situation where the next person to speak loses.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

The officious jobsworthy told him that we must take our ensign down immediately as we are flying it incorrectly

I would have given him a copy of your book....between the eyes.

 

[FullCircle]

ROTFLMHO

I concur Mr Clayton's response.

 

[Kukri]

From the interview I saw not long after he got the job I didn't get the impression he was that experienced a yachtsman.

"You may say that. I could not possibly comment!"

 

[bromleybysea]

If I remember correctly from the book Freakonomics, you will find that the real reason the murder rate dropped was because the abortion lows were eased about 18 years prior to the "zero tolerance" policing. In other words the nice people likely to give birth to a criminal, had abortions and so the crime rate dropped

Tudorsailor

Yep- and they do it here as well. Had a leaflet through the door yesterday from the local police "community team" claiming they were responsible for the 30% drop in crime in the ward in the last year. Complete cr*p of course. Crime reduces or increases for a number of complex and inter-related reasons few of which have anything to do with the police.

On the flag issue, I have a old copy of the "Yachtsman's Weekend Book" from the 1930s I think, which has a section on flag ettiquette. It says that an ensign should be worn at the peak of the gaff in a sloop, and where that sloop is Bermudian rigged, it should be worn 2/3rds up the backstay. So Jellie is completly right. BTW, it also says that an ensign should only be worn in a sailing vessel from a flagstaff on the taffrail when that vessel is moored or at anchor.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

I am not interested in the etiquette of ensigns, but more in Jellie's second post where she says: "that he had "to go and have a word with these yachties" and slap a fine on us."

Until now I was not aware that an MCA operative could issue summary fines.

 

[EdWingfield]

Ha Ha Ms Jellie, your spoof report has flushed all our Admiral Blimps into the open. Are they asking for MCA version of events? Not at all. Are they interested in balance? 'Course not, they've believed your story without question. It's their prejudice you feed.

Next one please.

 

[Searush]

Ha Ha Ms Jellie, your spoof report has flushed all our Admiral Blimps into the open. Are they asking for MCA version of events? Not at all. Are they interested in balance? 'Course not, they've believed your story without question. It's their prejudice you feed.

Next one please.

As you are accusing her of lying & having no supporting evidence, I assume you can back up your allegation? Or is it OK for you & not her?

 

[jellyellie]

I am not interested in the etiquette of ensigns, but more in Jellie's second post where she says: "that he had "to go and have a word with these yachties" and slap a fine on us."

Until now I was not aware that an MCA operative could issue summary fines.

Likewise. As I stated in my first post, I wouldn't have minded if technically he was correct, but it was the rude manner in which he approached us and designated himself as both law-maker and law-enforcer that really enraged me.

@EdWingfield - one thing I definitely wasn't expecting was to be accused of making this whole episode up! How absurd.

 

[25931]

Lift the stick out of its holder and hold horizontally until warship responds or until you get bored.

My "stick" is a fixture so I lower the ensign & hold it folded until the naval vessel (Portuguese ) has passed. Once or twice there has been an amusing panic when a chap has sprinted out of the wheelhouse to dip but I think that the courtesy is generally appreciated .
Jim

 

[doug748]

Now, I have read this thread with great interest. Mainly because I have just put my ensign staff into the loft and had intended to fly an ensign from the backstay for the coming season.
I don't want to appear raffish, so is it legal or not?
I would not want an interview with this warden chap I might be tempted to give him one in the snozz.