The Mercy

[Stemar]

I couldn't watch the film, so I'll limit myself to the secondary thread.

My Plod tie had a clip which meant it would come off when pulled. I suppose that someone who really wanted to could then use it to strangle mem but it would probably be easier to take me out in other ways. The idea of wearing any other sort of tie near machinery is just plain daft and, IMO, criminally negligent for the supervisors to allow an apprentice to wear one, though probably no worse than plenty of equally dangerous practices from the time. We complain - sometimes rightly - about Elfin (Effin?) Safety and the nanny state, but it isn't all bad.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I couldn't watch the film, so I'll limit myself to the secondary thread.

My Plod tie had a clip which meant it would come off when pulled. I suppose that someone who really wanted to could then use it to strangle mem but it would probably be easier to take me out in other ways. The idea of wearing any other sort of tie near machinery is just plain daft and, IMO, criminally negligent for the supervisors to allow an apprentice to wear one, though probably no worse than plenty of equally dangerous practices from the time. We complain - sometimes rightly - about Elfin (Effin?) Safety and the nanny state, but it isn't all bad.

For 37 years, until I retired in 2011, I worked in an environment and at a level where a tie was de-rigeur. It wasn't required for everyday working, but we were expected to look smart when meeting people from other organizations or when on display for whatever reason. I didn't have a problem with wearing a tie for work (computer keyboards aren't likely to grab a tie and strangle you!) and in any case, as others have pointed out, it was an opportunity to wear something brightly coloured and interesting! Others in my position who didn't feel the same way usually kept appropriate clothing in their office so they could change if necessary. Obviously, we had to take care if in the vicinity of equipment with moving parts (a 60" plotter could have done a pretty good job on you if a tie had got caught in it), but the ergonomics were such that you'd have to be trying to get a tie caught in it.

As I said, I rather liked wearing a tie - it was part of my personal image - and I can't understand the reluctance of some people to wear them. I don't much wear one these days, unless I'm on public display, but I still have a large collection!

There's the old joke about the newly elected member of the RYS who is getting outfitted at Jeeves. He's got the jacket, the trousers, the shirt and the cap, but now he's got to decide on the tie. So he asks the assistant "Which do you recommend? Terylene or Silk?" and the assitant replies "Well, sir, the silk does a good job of holding one's trousers up, but the terylene is better for starting outboards!"

 

[jbweston]

There's the old joke about the newly elected member of the RYS who is getting outfitted at Jeeves. He's got the jacket, the trousers, the shirt and the cap, but now he's got to decide on the tie. So he asks the assistant "Which do you recommend? Terylene or Silk?" and the assitant replies "Well, sir, the silk does a good job of holding one's trousers up, but the terylene is better for starting outboards!"

I've always liked that story because, like many good ones, it's based on good advice. It's easy to get a good secure and neat knot in silk, but terylene/polyester is more durable and weather resistant.

It also symbolises sailing in the old days when I were a lad - Seagull outboards with their separate starter cords that had a tendency to go missing so a spare always came in useful, sailing not in 'technical clothing' but in any old trousers ('technically clothing'?) that you held up as best you could, and the need to have a tie ready for use if you wanted to drink in a yacht club bar after sunset.

 

[Wandering Star]

I worked for a software house in Wimbledon and we had an annual “bad tie day” - great fun with some outrageous examples of bad taste on display. Normally though, I’d be expected to wear a decent tie and I imagine security would have shot me trying to get in without wearing a tie at all! Oh for the good old days!

 

[newtothis]

I sat in on a shipping industry webinar the other day. Commercial shipping was always a bastion of conservatism, rank and uniform. Even in this century there was a dress code at one container line requiring women's skirts to be below the knee. Ties were not optional.
But on this occasion the only person wearing a tie was the journalist hosting the event.