Misfits, Dad's Army Types et al...

[jdw100]

Dibble said:

Think I've already posted, but CBA reading the whole thread again.

I'm a blood biker. I don't have a white helmet or a BMW. I use my own bike (unstickered and sans flashy lamps) when I do runs. There are liveried bikes available for use, but you have to have an advanced rider (RoSPA, IAM etc) ticket. To use the blues and twos, you have to have done the blues and twos course, run by the local Police. Even with the blues and twos, you have to stick to the speed limit and can't go through red lights.

Despite having previously been on traffic (so advanced driver, TPAC trained etc), I don't qualify to ride the liveried bikes. Suits me fine. I do about one night a month, sometimes I don't get a call, sometimes it's a few. The only "Walt" kit I have is a hi-viz jacket (not one of those awful "Polite" abominations) and an ID card (on a lanyard...). The ID just makes sure the hospital doesn't give to stuff to any old random.

Most of the other riders are fairly normal, but there ARE a few wants who enjoy the liveried bikes/hi viz a bit too. ICH (IMHO). That said, they're not hurting me, they are providing a service so I just let them get on with it. There have been a couple of occasions when one or two have gone a bit "road captain", but a quiet word from the Chairman normally sorts things.

I'm sure it's the same with any volunteer organisation. There will always be a small percentage who are in it for the "power"/"kudos". Best just to ignore them and they are normally pretty easy to identify...

Well put, sums it up nicely.

I do believe it's totally fair to take the piss out of the Chem Chaos 'sleeping with one eye' 'deploying to a MAJOR event' 'standing down' 'stop citizen for the road is coned off by the powers invested in me under the Road Traffic Act' type of character.

If you festoon yourself and your vehicle in badges, stickers, superfluous lighting rigs and (in the UK) wear a Stetson - then you are asking for mickey taking.

However should you ride a blood-bike (as per chap above), crew an RNLI vessel or generally help others without seeking authority/power above other members of your community through this volunteer work - then you are to be applauded.

[anonymous-user]

Westblue said:

I agree, those officious RSPCA employees who become aggressive do so much damage to the reputation of the RSPCA should hang their heads in shame. They have no legal standing at all.

On another topic raised above, the RNLI boys are probably amongst the bravest volunteers ever. (I'm not just saying that because my dad, my granddad and my great granddad were RNLI skippers BTW)!

You thought about becoming an RNLI skipper?

[Westblue]

AVV EM said:

Westblue said:

I agree, those officious RSPCA employees who become aggressive do so much damage to the reputation of the RSPCA should hang their heads in shame. They have no legal standing at all.

On another topic raised above, the RNLI boys are probably amongst the bravest volunteers ever. (I'm not just saying that because my dad, my granddad and my great granddad were RNLI skippers BTW)!

You thought about becoming an RNLI skipper?

Skipper - no chance! Lol. I tried for deck crew. Failed the physical - too weak, small, too female !

[Willy Nilly]

Saw a ropey old X5 today with a hi-viz sign on the dash saying FIRST AIDER. There was also a hi-viz jacket resplendent on the parcel shelf.

[Trabi601]

Didn't get a photo, as I was driving.

Mk3 Mondeo Estate, silver with battenburg livery, silver tint rear windows, 'dog unit' stickers, multiple aerials and... the crowning glory, a reversed 'POLITE' sticker prominently displayed across the bonnet.

Uber Walting.

[ThunderGuts]

Trabi601 said:

Didn't get a photo, as I was driving.

Mk3 Mondeo Estate, silver with battenburg livery, silver tint rear windows, 'dog unit' stickers, multiple aerials and... the crowning glory, a reversed 'POLITE' sticker prominently displayed across the bonnet.

Uber Walting.

I don't quite get the whole 'dog unit' thing.

Saw one the other day, astra/vectra van, natch, with red battenberg and the spinny vent thing on the top.

What exactly does a 'dog unit' rent-a-cop do? Go for walkies on a site they're guarding?

[AstonZagato]

I saw one of those "dog unit" vans parked up. He'd left the back doors open (but the cage door shut) to allow air to circulate. The only dog in the back was a tiny Yorkshire Terrier which was shaking in fear at the other dogs wandering around outside.

[Tom1312]

Willy Nilly said:

Saw a ropey old X5 today with a hi-viz sign on the dash saying FIRST AIDER. There was also a hi-viz jacket resplendent on the parcel shelf.

Southend by any chance?

[Willy Nilly]

Tom1312 said:

Willy Nilly said:

Saw a ropey old X5 today with a hi-viz sign on the dash saying FIRST AIDER. There was also a hi-viz jacket resplendent on the parcel shelf.

Southend by any chance?

[Tom1312]

I know of the chap.

Not a Walt per se I think he just forgets it's there.

[Spare tyre]

Trabi601 said:

Didn't get a photo, as I was driving.

Mk3 Mondeo Estate, silver with battenburg livery, silver tint rear windows, 'dog unit' stickers, multiple aerials and... the crowning glory, a reversed 'POLITE' sticker prominently displayed across the bonnet.

Uber Walting.

That's just strange, you can imagine that sort of weirdo getting a bit carried away and ending up in big trouble


The proper weirdos who actually mark themselves up as cops and ambulances, what do they tell the garage at service / mot time?

[anonymous-user]

Spare tyre said:

Trabi601 said:

Didn't get a photo, as I was driving.

Mk3 Mondeo Estate, silver with battenburg livery, silver tint rear windows, 'dog unit' stickers, multiple aerials and... the crowning glory, a reversed 'POLITE' sticker prominently displayed across the bonnet.

Uber Walting.

That's just strange, you can imagine that sort of weirdo getting a bit carried away and ending up in big trouble


The proper weirdos who actually mark themselves up as cops and ambulances, what do they tell the garage at service / mot time?

They must look a right c.nut

If i was a mot tester and I seen a walted car with actual 'police' written on it, I'd phone the real Bib immediately.

[Trabi601]

If I were a tester, I'd be very tempted to make a comment in the advisories part of the printout.

[Shakermaker]

This came up on Faceboook.

Walt heaven I expect.

Nonetheless, I really want to go.

[Shakermaker]

ThunderGuts said:

I don't quite get the whole 'dog unit' thing.

Saw one the other day, astra/vectra van, natch, with red battenberg and the spinny vent thing on the top.

What exactly does a 'dog unit' rent-a-cop do? Go for walkies on a site they're guarding?

Our company uses them at some of the sites we guard, generally as a deterrent to people getting in to areas, and also sniff out undesirable types trying to hide out in containers and vehicles to gain access.

[AstonZagato]

Shakermaker said:

This came up on Faceboook.

Walt heaven I expect.

Nonetheless, I really want to go.

Perhaps I'm wrong but I'd have thought a 'stolen valour" type Walt would avoid that sort of thing. A few reasons:

• They wouldn't want their obvious ineptitude to be highlighted. The "I was the third man on the balcony" and "what colour are the boathouse doors" routine would be dented if they were shown to be useless
• the instructors are presumeably ex-army at a minimum and more likely ex-SF. They tend to be very good at sniffing out Walts.

[wildcat45]

Westblue said:

Skipper - no chance! Lol. I tried for deck crew. Failed the physical - too weak, small, too female !

I was out on the weekend with some pals of mine on the local RNLI. Plenty of girls in the crew.

Not one - mate or female - was a Walt misfit or any other type of overbearing character.

[DonkeyApple]

AstonZagato said:

Perhaps I'm wrong but I'd have thought a 'stolen valour" type Walt would avoid that sort of thing. A few reasons:

• They wouldn't want their obvious ineptitude to be highlighted. The "I was the third man on the balcony" and "what colour are the boathouse doors" routine would be dented if they were shown to be useless
• the instructors are presumeably ex-army at a minimum and more likely ex-SF. They tend to be very good at sniffing out Walts.

You are missing the angle that there is every chance that the employees are actually the walts. Plenty of ex army types love to embellish their past activities to a bunch of blokes on a stag weekend.

[Some Gump]

AstonZagato said:

Perhaps I'm wrong but I'd have thought a 'stolen valour" type Walt would avoid that sort of thing. A few reasons:

• They wouldn't want their obvious ineptitude to be highlighted. The "I was the third man on the balcony" and "what colour are the boathouse doors" routine would be dented if they were shown to be useless
• the instructors are presumeably ex-army at a minimum and more likely ex-SF. They tend to be very good at sniffing out Walts.

Lol. Ex speciAL forces people? More likely to be Dave from the TA, backed up by Trevor and Keith that used to be lance corporals in the army cadets.

[anonymous-user]

DonkeyApple said:

You are missing the angle that there is every chance that the employees are actually the walts. Plenty of ex army types love to embellish their past activities to a bunch of blokes on a stag weekend.