I'm also sure that most will agree that foxes and hunting are far more important than transport, education and health issues.
Let's face it, not enough parliamentary time and effort has been spent on hunting over the last few years and it's about time that the Government took note that we consider this issue to be of paramount importance.
I may have found a partial solution ........ 'fox crossings'. These will work in exactly the same manner as 'zebra crossings'. The beauty of this is that traffic must slow or stop when a fox wants to cross the road and the hunters will NOT be allowed to use the crossing, thus giving the fox a chance to get away. Cameras can monitor the crossings so that hunters can be charged (ha) if they use the crossings ...... horses will need to have registration plates fitted.
The above solution has numerous advantages - it's a compromise for the two sides - more work for council workers putting down the fox crossings instead of putting more bloody mini-roundabouts everywhere - more cameras to slow us all down - more revenue for the police - more traffic work for the police so that they don't have to spend their time investigating and stopping serious crime ....... everyone wins !!!
firstly, does the highways agencey credit birds with a higher degree of inteligence that medium sized mammals? After all, a Zebra needs only to walk up to the crossing to operate it fully. Puffins and Pelicans are required to push a button.
It might be that these monchromatic sea birds are very easily bored, and would otherwise eschue the crossings altogether in favour of the much more dangerous passtime taken up by their smaller, fleeter cousins, Jay-walking.
The other thing that has occured to me is that, we, the Great Brithish tax payer are investing in road crossings for nonindiginous animals. This does seem grossley unfair, especially on the constantly victimised Hedgehog and Bagder populations. Or is that the authorities are trying to improve facitlies for illeagle animal imigrants in the hopes that they might settle and make our land's fauna a bit more interesting?
I don't understand any of it! ...
Mouse
...how am I supposed to cross the road?
>> Edited by danger mouse because I should have gone to bed yonks ago, and now I'm losing the power of sight...
>> Edited by danger mouse on Wednesday 4th December 02:30
I have to admit that I can't remember the last time I saw a badger crossing. Surely such a rare and endangered species should be the top of our priorities and not the foxes everyone seems to hold so dear.
Badgers are an irreplaceable part of life in this country and there simply is now similar alternative to them. Yes we could spray paint a few cats and staple longer tails to them, but you really wouldn't get quite the same aesthethic effect. At least if foxes were to disappear we could realise a few cross bred dogs into the wild and nobody would be any the wiser.
I really think our current Government is missing the point here. Personally I'd be quite happy to save a few quid on Gatso's and use the money to save the wild Badger population in this country. Who's with me?
[/churchillmode]
>> Edited by Venom on Wednesday 4th December 13:42
Venom said: [churchillmode]
Badgers are an irreplaceable part of life in this country and there simply is now similar alternative to them.
I really think our current Government is missing the point here. Personally I'd be quite happy to save a few quid on Gatso's and use the money to save the wild Badger population in this country. Who's with me?
[/churchillmode]
Ask any cattle farmer about badgers being endangered. hey are not. They are hugely over protected. There is a large section of law specifically aimed at protection of badgers.
I have a friend who farms on the edge of Exmoor.
Last week he had a ministry test on his herd of 140 beef cattle.
68 of these prize beasts were taken and destroyed by the ministry as they tested positive for Bovine T.B.
The badger is the carrier of this disease.
I was at his farm and a neighbouring one last week. That farmer has been shut down for 3 years regarding the production of his beef herd because of this T.B. problem.
There are hundreds of badgers all over the two farms and nothing is or can be done to protect their herds at the moment.
Nobody wants to see the end of creatures like badgers and foxes.
Badgers are not as scarce as everyone would think!
"Search & Seizure
41(1) ...where a constable reasonably suspects that a person is committing or has committed an offence
[ie, has been hunting without a licence]
(2) If the constable reasonably believes that evidence of the offence is likely to be found on the suspect, the constable may stop the suspect and search him"
So far, so unremarkable. But....
"(3) If the constable reasonably believes that evidence of the offence is likely to be found on or in a vehicle, animal or other thing...the constable may stop and search the vehicle, animal or other thing"
So, Madcop and his mates could find themselves stopping and searching 40 foxhounds, looking for "evidence...on or in an animal".
I kid you not.
"Now then Rover, open wide..."
There's only one other way I can think of of checking for "evidence in an animal" but that's even less appealing a prospect.
Top quality legislation brought to you by HM Govt...
>> Edited by AlexR on Wednesday 4th December 21:14
I've seen lots of ex-badgers splatted at the side of the road, but only one live one. I was riding home fairly late one evening when I had to deploy a swift bit of counter-steering to avoid this black and white beast slowly tottering across the road. Judging by the time (after chucking out time) and the way it was meandering slowly across this fast stretch of road, I suspect he was on his way home from the pub after a few too many. Glad I managed to miss him, don't think a high speed encounter would have done either of us any good.
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