Riverdance music gets a fine !
Discussion
Who makes these decisions ? The cop (Streetcop's post), the apple and now this ? (Not only to prosecute but to investigate).
www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1399233,00.html
Markus Aitken has few vices. He does not smoke or drink and is a careful driver. A lover of the quiet life, he stays away from nightclubs because of the pounding beat.
However, a weakness for a certain type of Irish folk music landed Mr Aitken in trouble with the law after he cranked up the soundtrack from the show Riverdance too loudly on his car stereo for the taste of a police officer.
He was issued with a £30 fine but has been fighting against the penalty for 10 months, denying he was playing the music which made Michael Flatley a global superstar too raucously.
Following the case of the uneaten apple this week in which a woman was fined after 10 court hearings for holding a piece of fruit while driving, Mr Aitken is demanding his day in court.
The saga began in March last year when he tried to take a shortcut to his home in Manchester after visiting his parents. He found himself in an industrial estate and pulled up next to a police car to check his route.
Mr Aitken, 30, said: "She put me right and then asked me: 'Don't you think your music is a bit loud?'"
Mr Aitken told the officer he did not think the music was too loud.
Though his car is a specially adapted Nissan, the stereo system is not particularly powerful and only has speakers in the doors.
However, Mr Aitken, who is setting up a car valeting business, was issued with a fixed penalty notice, which carries a £30 fine. He refused to pay and the fine was increased to £45. When he refused to pay that, the bailiffs were sent round, but he continues to hold out.
Mr Aitken said: "I want to take this to court. I want someone to tell me how loud you are allowed to play your car stereo and no one seems to know that." He has now written to the government demanding clarification of the maximum volume.
Greater Manchester police declined to speak about Mr Aitken's case in detail.
www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1399233,00.html
Markus Aitken has few vices. He does not smoke or drink and is a careful driver. A lover of the quiet life, he stays away from nightclubs because of the pounding beat.
However, a weakness for a certain type of Irish folk music landed Mr Aitken in trouble with the law after he cranked up the soundtrack from the show Riverdance too loudly on his car stereo for the taste of a police officer.
He was issued with a £30 fine but has been fighting against the penalty for 10 months, denying he was playing the music which made Michael Flatley a global superstar too raucously.
Following the case of the uneaten apple this week in which a woman was fined after 10 court hearings for holding a piece of fruit while driving, Mr Aitken is demanding his day in court.
The saga began in March last year when he tried to take a shortcut to his home in Manchester after visiting his parents. He found himself in an industrial estate and pulled up next to a police car to check his route.
Mr Aitken, 30, said: "She put me right and then asked me: 'Don't you think your music is a bit loud?'"
Mr Aitken told the officer he did not think the music was too loud.
Though his car is a specially adapted Nissan, the stereo system is not particularly powerful and only has speakers in the doors.
However, Mr Aitken, who is setting up a car valeting business, was issued with a fixed penalty notice, which carries a £30 fine. He refused to pay and the fine was increased to £45. When he refused to pay that, the bailiffs were sent round, but he continues to hold out.
Mr Aitken said: "I want to take this to court. I want someone to tell me how loud you are allowed to play your car stereo and no one seems to know that." He has now written to the government demanding clarification of the maximum volume.
Greater Manchester police declined to speak about Mr Aitken's case in detail.
The increasing reliance on fixed penalties is going to reach the point where it becomes impractical.
The whole system relies on people not exercising their right to a court hearing and encourages more and more petty (IMO) action by the police, litter wardens etc. It is an extension of the tendancy for "policing on the cheap" espoused by the current administration.
Maybe if people had to go to court for every offence we would see a return to the law being enforced in the public interest rather than just "because it's the law."
The whole system relies on people not exercising their right to a court hearing and encourages more and more petty (IMO) action by the police, litter wardens etc. It is an extension of the tendancy for "policing on the cheap" espoused by the current administration.
Maybe if people had to go to court for every offence we would see a return to the law being enforced in the public interest rather than just "because it's the law."
kevinday said:
Car manufacturers should ensure that in-car stereo systems ONLY work when all of the vehicle's windows are wound up tightly..
How would that work in a convertible?
Ban convertibles in any European north of France!!!!!...it's too bloody cold for soft tops...
Streetcop said:
Streetcop said:
Car manufacturers should ensure that in-car stereo systems ONLY work when all of the vehicle's windows are wound up tightly..
How would that work in a convertible?
Ban convertibles in any European north of France!!!!!...it's too bloody cold for soft tops...
No wonder you got rid of the bike
Streetcop said:
Streetcop said:
Car manufacturers should ensure that in-car stereo systems ONLY work when all of the vehicle's windows are wound up tightly..
How would that work in a convertible?
Ban convertibles in any European north of France!!!!!...it's too bloody cold for soft tops...
Are you nesh or what?
top post said:
pulled up next to a police car to check his route.
Mr Aitken, 30, said: "She put me right and then asked me: 'Don't you think your music is a bit loud?'"
Mr Aitken told the officer he did not think the music was too loud
So they had a conversation, without having to shout, without having to turn the musak down first and then ...........
Something wrong here
Sounds to me like both the driver and the copper had an almost identical self righteous attitude. Life's too short to argue with a copper over something so tedious. Apologise, turn the music down then as they're walking back to the squad car turn the music right the way up and rejoin the flow of traffic 
.. Reminds me of an incident last summer in Belper.
Bunch of lads in the archetypal chavved/maxxed/laxxed/whatever going round and round the block and through the town centre with some awfull thumping shite at full volume and all the windows down. 2nd time around folks sort of watched them go by and looked at each other with the rollseyes skyward mutual shared recognition. I looked across at a bystander and gave the coffee grinds, he laughed and nodded. Anyway, they came around on another circuit and before the lads knew what had hit them, they were stopped in traffic with several bystanders looking at them and all doing the coffee grinds and pointing at them, It was a wonderfull spontaneous moment that couldnt have been better if it was orchestrated. I think the poor lads just wanted to die, the sounds went down and they all shrank down in the car clearly feeling like plonkers.
Its a free country, if you want to look like a clown, then fine. I like a laugh. Riverdance isnt funny though.
Bunch of lads in the archetypal chavved/maxxed/laxxed/whatever going round and round the block and through the town centre with some awfull thumping shite at full volume and all the windows down. 2nd time around folks sort of watched them go by and looked at each other with the rollseyes skyward mutual shared recognition. I looked across at a bystander and gave the coffee grinds, he laughed and nodded. Anyway, they came around on another circuit and before the lads knew what had hit them, they were stopped in traffic with several bystanders looking at them and all doing the coffee grinds and pointing at them, It was a wonderfull spontaneous moment that couldnt have been better if it was orchestrated. I think the poor lads just wanted to die, the sounds went down and they all shrank down in the car clearly feeling like plonkers.
Its a free country, if you want to look like a clown, then fine. I like a laugh. Riverdance isnt funny though.
I had a wonderfull hoon on the A517 today between Ashbourne and Belper. 
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