ianat182
Well-Known Member
I guess the Border agency just might get very interested for any national flag other than the Uk versions particularly if offshore UK.
ianat182
ianat182
What happen's if I fly a blue or a white ensign?
- Thread starter skodster
- Start date
bbg
Well-Known Member
If you want to know what COULD happen - Keen Ed has identified how you could be liable for a fine, possibly very large. That is what COULD happen.
What WOULD happen, as Lakesailor points out, is - probably nothing. Some friendly people might ask how you came to be entitled to fly it, and if you don't give the right answer they might grass you up to the MCA or the RN, who again will almost certainly do nothing.
If you went abroad flying the wrong flag (or wearing the wrong ensign for the pedants) you are more likely to have problems.
My advice is this: if you do decide to fly an ensign which you are not entitled to fly, accept the consequences if there ever are any - without complaining.
Quandary
Well-Known Member
I suspect you'd want to exercise a wee drop of caution in which of your neighbours you let see you posing as a member of the 'Brit officer class'. There's a few places around your neck of the woods - Ardglass being one of them - where folks have long memories and short tempers. I take it you wouldn't care to fly the Irish tricolour....
Interesting to see the OP from County Down being offered advice on local politics, do you think he never goes outdoors.
C
Chrusty 1
Guest
Heckler
Well-Known Member
and who will fine you?
Stu
Heckler
Well-Known Member
We had stopped in Strangford on the southern side, both flying tricolour courtesy flags. We took off for Ardglass, me smartarse took ours down. J didnt. Man in Ardglass flying blue ensign, when we had docked, says with a serious growl, People have been shot for less than that!I suspect you'd want to exercise a wee drop of caution in which of your neighbours you let see you posing as a member of the 'Brit officer class'. There's a few places around your neck of the woods - Ardglass being one of them - where folks have long memories and short tempers. I take it you wouldn't care to fly the Irish tricolour....
Stu
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Chrusty 1
Guest
I don't know this for a fact, and wouldn't want to indulge in any sort of forum lawyery, but I suppose any of these.....
(a)any commissioned naval or military officer,
(b)any officer of customs and excise, and
(c)any British consular officer,may board the ship and seize and take away the colours.
Would have the power to report you to the authorities, and they could then bring you before the court, (I suspect magistrates)..
I would also suppose that they would not quite know what to do with you and would probably seek consultation, and depending on that, would fine you in what they thought was an appropriate manner?
The thing is, why would anybody want to wear an ensign on their boat, that they shouldn't? Just seems a bit odd to me.
Sybarite
Well-Known Member
Do you not mean Carlingford Lough?
Greenwichman
Well-Known Member
More worrying is your apostrophe crime. I'd watch out for the comma police, they'll leave you flying the wrong ensign, but my goodness they'll have a rant about standards ........
maxi77
Well-Known Member
Now does that mean that I holding the Queens commision in the RN albeit on the retired list these days can amuse myself going round the local marinas demending to sea peoples warrants for special ensigns?
stevebrassett
Well-Known Member
I did see a pavement cyclist being given a talking-to by a Police Officer yesterday. Not a fine I grant you, but at least it wasn't being totally ignored.
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Chrusty 1
Guest
Dunno Peter, but I suspect it means serving officer?? Hey why don't you give it a go and let us know how you got on?
To be honest, I think somebody wearing a white ensign on their boat, that was not entitled to do so, is just being a bit of a jerk. I also think that all this huff and puff about ensigns and flag etiquette is also a bit silly.
Seajet
...
If he was flying a blue or, god forbid, a white ensign he was lucky the police got there first, or a thunderbolt from the gods would surely have taken out him, his boat, and anyone who ever met him ...
wot
Well-Known Member
Indeed
And have done so myself in the past. Well known motel on the Helston - PZ road flying the White, rang them and asked if they were aware of the legislation surrounding the White Ensign and permission to fly it. Ensign replaced by another flag within the hour.
I meant flying, as how can a motel wear an ensign?
Fantasie 19
Well-Known Member
A whole load of people with too much time on their hands would let you know what you were doing wrong at every conceivable opportunity...
C
Chrusty 1
Guest
If he was flying a blue or, god forbid, a white ensign he was lucky the police got there first, or a thunderbolt from the gods would surely have taken out him, his boat, and anyone who ever met him ...
You meant his bicycle I presume?
Keen_Ed
Well-Known Member
Spyro
Well-Known Member
Because there are loads of people who are totally ignorant about all the fuss that goes with flags and ensigns and might just like the colours. Litle do they know they might be carted off to the tower at any moment.
penfold
Well-Known Member
It's clear that the least you can expect is a stream of vituperate argumentative threads on here, questioning the legitimacy of your parentage and discussing how to get you banged up in the Tower/hanged/keelhauled.
