MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
The people that live over the road are secondary school teachers and have had people round and in their house most of the autumn. On Xmas day they had about 3 different households round and one of their sisters stay a few nights. Last night there was a car parked outside their house that isn't theirs.
Our relationship with them is indifferent however this behaviour winds us up and fear that this is the start of more rule breaking. At what point do you turn them in? ASAP or live and let live?
There are several other neighbours that could have reported it so wouldn't be a dead giveaway (I assume that a reporters identity is confidential)?
Live and let live, step away from the curtains...
What do snitches get? Yep
Mind your own bloody business
Yep, live and let live. Just put them on your own "dont stop for a chat" list to keep yourself safe and get on with your day
Canny be true, teachers are the glue that binds society.
What do snitches get?
Cash usually.
What do snitches get? Yep
Immunity from prosecution?
This was done to death on here during the first lockdown. It's a dilemma. In principle I don't like a culture where we are encouraged to spy on and report our neighbours, it feels petty, divisive and small minded. It encourages us all to barricade ourselves in and fear others.
On the other hand I have an immunocompromised wife and parents who will be lucky to survive the virus if they catch it, so get very angry when I see blatant rule breaking.
I think my view would be don't go actively looking for selfish idiots. But if they are taking the piss blatantly, in your face and doing it regularly not a one off, then I'd pick up the phone.
Maybe they've already had Covid.. and are friends with other teachers who've already had it.. so just sort of getting on with life a bit more. You could always pop round and ask.
Maybe they’ve already had Covid.. and are friends with other teachers who’ve already had it.. so just sort of getting on with life a bit more. You could always pop round and ask.
We'd all love to just sort of get on with life a bit more wouldn't we? Every single one of us I'd guess.
Having Covid once doesn't it seems give you lasting immunity.
Selfish, entitled behaviour.
Don’t want to live in a community of people taking that much notice of what I’m up too. Your circumstances may be different to theirs maybe one of them is poorly, maybe the visitors are medical and are helping or supporting them. Maybe they have a support bubble. Too many things you don’t know about to go telling tails.
Feel free to grass your neighbors in but don't come back here crying when they've bricked your house or car.
They could be chemistry teachers running a meth lab.
Do they have a large campervan?
Covid will pass and most of us will still be living on the same streets.
For “most of he autumn” they’ll have been working in close proximity to hundreds of disease ridden kids. This was perfectly safe according to the Government. This may have affected their decision making.
I think the time for live and let live has passed. As the virus runs out of control and the government seem incapable of impressing the seriousness of the situation on the public people are going to have to start calling other people out on their behaviour to make everyone safer.
Letting people who live near you do what they want brings the risk closer to your own home. If you aren't comfortable confronting them about it phone the police next time they have someone over, then they'll get the message.
If it is the same person visiting (bubble) or the occasional very minor transgression then let it go. Anything more and I'd say that you have a responsibility to stop it as they are endangering others, stalling societal/economic recovery, etc.
Whether you do this by police or going round is up to you. No it isn't how I would like society to be but neither are your neighbours behaving in a responsible manner.
Anybody who suggests "live and let live" or similar has obviously failed to grasp the seriousness of the situation or hasn't been directly affected. From personal experience, close friends in the NHS are on their knees in tears due to overload and neighbours parents have died. More broadly in my area children are missing education, further damaging life chances, pre-scool kids aren't getting socialised so may have problems later in life, older folk or vulnerable are suffering from mental health issues due to loneliness.
Stick to the rules, it is the only way that we are going to get out of this mess any time soon.
Report it.
As above, if there's a reasonable explanation then there won't be any consequences.
You got the right to take action on their behalf when they stopped acting like decent members of society and put their own temporary convenience above the good of the rest of us.
APF
I think my view would be don’t go actively looking for selfish idiots. But if they are taking the piss blatantly, in your face and doing it regularly not a one off, then I’d pick up the phone.
Very much my view. I don't know the circumstances of all my neighbours, but if someone appeared to be blatantly taking the piss then I'd see if the Police wanted to check exactly what was happening and why.
I wouldn't go round and check for myself because that opens you up for potential reprisals.
Anyone who thinks this a slippery slope to Stasi style informing really needs to get a sense of perspective.
I'm sure we've breached the regulations at some point though we try to be careful. If the Police come round to talk to me about that, well that's another possible consequence of my actions, isn't it?
I think the time for live and let live has passed.
I find this as depressing as people openly breaking the rules.
I'd like to live in a country where everyone followed the rules but I don't want to live in a country where people shop their neighbours.
The end does not justify the means.
How do you report it?
It's not a 999 call
How do you report it?
Dont we have Covid Marshalls?
Das Leben der Anderen.
You can report it here.
Idiots like that are helping spread the infection.
I'd rather talk to them myself than grass on anyone. In fact I'd never grass anyone to the cops regardless.
As bad as dashcam grasses. This covid shit has a lot to answer for. Imagine when it's done and you're known as the street grass.
Maybe they’ve already had Covid.. and are friends with other teachers who’ve already had it.. so just sort of getting on with life a bit more. You could always pop round and ask.
Christ are people still this ignorant?
Just because you have had it before doesn’t mean you can’t get it again or pass it on to others. Same even when vaccinated.
I see loads of people still flaunting rules on Strava. I think Strava needs a ‘grassing up’ button. I see Welsh people running in England and vice versa, and groups of people still doing activity together
Imagine when it’s done and you’re known as the street grass
Look at it the other way, I have an increasing list of people who are selfish pricks and I will not have anything to do with them in the future. To me people who help save lives are good and people blatantly going against the rules are idiots and should be shamed, not the other way round!
This covid shit has a lot to answer for. Imagine when it’s done and you’re known as the street grass.
Where do you live? Compton?
If it is the same person visiting (bubble) or the occasional very minor transgression then let it go. Anything more and I’d say that you have a responsibility to stop it as they are endangering others, stalling societal/economic recovery, etc.
This is the right answer IMO
In fact I’d never grass anyone to the cops regardless.
Selling meth to primary school kids? Getting into a car steaming drunk?
Teachers who were thrown under the bus by Gavin Williamson Frank Spencer may feel that there's very little point in keeping strict personal controls seeing as they've been exposed thousands of times a week over the last 4 months.
You could always just say that you've noticed quite a few visitors recently and would hate for one of the other neighbours to shop them to the Covid Marshalls.
We’re being told time and again that the virus is out of control, lockdown not working etc, yet worrying too many people are totally fine with this state of affairs? I’m guessing mainly those who haven’t been affected personally or financially by Covid so they still don’t consider it a big deal?
anyone else think that saying this makes a person sound like a total wannabe Kray ****? Or just me? 😂What do snitches get? Yep
Presumably you wouldn’t involve the police either if your bike/car got stolen or you were burgled/assaulted? 🙄
see abovegrass
Teachers who were thrown under the bus by Gavin Williamson Frank Spencer may feel that there’s very little point in keeping strict personal controls seeing as they’ve been exposed thousands of times a week over the last 4 months.
I am certainly in that sort of position and it does make it hard to be strict outside of work when work is such a big risk - but I did have a word with myself because of course I am actually a big risk to others. Others are very little additional risk to me
anyone else think that saying this makes a person sound like a total wannabe Kray ****? Or just me? 😂
Presumably you wouldn’t involve the police either if your bike/car got stolen or you were burgled/assaulted? 🙄
It wasn't entirely serious
But, stuff getting stolen is completely different. If I knew who had stolen it, then I would go and retrieve it.
If I didn't and reported it to the police, that's not grassing
Peru had the strictest lockdown of any country and was the hardest hit country.
You can report it here.
Idiots like that are helping spread the infection.
The people who are seeing the effects of this virus every time they punch in at work have the right perspective.
'Street grass'
Someone has watched a bit too much of The Wire.
anyone else think that saying this makes a person sound like a total wannabe Kray ****?
No, more like a someone still in infant school.
No, more like a someone still in infant school.
Oh how I'd love to be as mature and miserable as you....
may feel that there’s very little point in keeping strict personal controls seeing as they’ve been exposed thousands of times a week over the last 4 months
Think you'll find the opposite is true.
If I knew who had stolen it, then I would go and retrieve it.
Laughable. You really would go an retrieve stolen goods. My arse!
Poah - yes the opposite is true but it easy to feel that. I have had exactly that emotion. Exposed all day at work to known covid. Its not easy to take precautions outside of work. I do because I realise I am the risk to others even tho they are little additional risk to me.
Laughable. You really would go an retrieve stolen goods. My arse!
If the local smack rat had stolen my bike, then yes. If he's a bit of a rough un, then plenty of lads who'd be happy to help.
A ring of car thieves, not so much, but you'd be very unlikely to know who they were.
Yeah right you would. 
@paton "Independent Womens Forum"? Riiiiiiiggggght...
OP: Simply go berserk with bombers and slay* them all.
The "the moral maze" is then passed to the tabloids to decide.
* Full disclosure - I'm all for this**.
** I'm not really.
Oh how I’d love to be as mature and miserable as you….
I’m miserable as I’ve not seen my parents since March, nearly lost a member of staff and seeing staff exhausted dealing with seriously ill patients, not helped because ****s can’t follow a few basic rules.
To those saying "leave it" etc.
It these sort of views that raise the bar for what is acceptable. I commented to MrsG during Boris' lockdown announcement that the language and delivery was very same-old. They have run out of ways to express what a scary situation this is. One thing I picked up on was if we didn't do anything now, the hospitals would be overrun in 21 days. I understand that as people dieing at home due to no available care.
If it's enough to start a conversation on here then it's enough to warrant reporting IMO.
It these sort of views that raise the bar for what is acceptable.
And it is the lack of the prospect of community shaming which lets dickheads crack on with their gatherings even though they know full well what they are doing is unacceptable.
Can we introduce covid-secure pillories?
If he’s a bit of a rough un, then plenty of lads who’d be happy to help.
I'm not sure I want to live in country policed by vigilante justice and keyboard warriors.
The virus is out of control, the population is complicit, team Boris ultimately shoulders the blame, stay at home is the message, unless you fancy a spot of fishing, round of golf, stroll in the park, browse around B & Q send your kid to nursery etc. I get that but it doesnt give us the right to break rule number one. Personally I probably wouldn't report someone, mainly because I'd be afraid of potential consequences, doesn't mean I'd condemn someone who did.
Snitches get.... Switches
That's right Priti Pratels new initiative is for the home guard, sorry office, to team up with nintendo to reward shopping your neighbours.
😝.
I have no memory of that and very much doubt it - but I know shite when I smell it.
Reported my neighbours three times, they have an endless stream of third parties to the house.
I dont give a * what anyone else locally thinks about that. I doubt they have the bollocks to come and discuss it.
If you don't believe that reporting the actions of someone that could end up in the deaths of others is valid you need to step back and have a *ing good think about your moral position.
To not take action makes you complicit.
To those saying “leave it” etc.
It these sort of views that raise the bar for what is acceptable
No, it is people breaking the rules which does that. Someone choosing not to report it isn't to blame for raising the bar. We're getting dangerously close to suggesting it's a duty to report anyone who seems to be breaking rules.
Do you have a very big and intimidating user name TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR.
I had a similar dilemma a few months ago, several on here thought I should live and let live, I did and it turns out it was the wrong thing to do as they all contracted Covid. God knows who else they know had or has it from their actions.
Worse thing is, they're still not following the simples rules, I know it's hard, but think it's a whole lot harder losing someone because you're being a selfish goit.
It's not just about catching it from others, it's about spreading it if you're an asymptomatic spreader.
all it takes for evil covid to flourish is for good folk to do nothing
We’re getting dangerously close to suggesting it’s a duty to report anyone who seems to be breaking rules.
If you saw someone getting into a car that was obviously steaming drunk would you report it?
We’re getting dangerously close to suggesting it’s a duty to report anyone who seems to be breaking rules.
I believe it is a duty. The choice is whether you carry out that duty. Reporting to the police does not automatically mean they have done something wrong. It is flagging it to those whose role it is to investigate a possible issue. They might find that they have actually followed the rules.
Police involvement doesn't assume guilt.
The Swiss have a novel and creepy way of dealing with neighbours who don't follow "the rules", they'll post an anonymous note through the door.
You once called me a big, intimidating bloke (I’m not particularly), now you’re calling me out saying I wouldn’t face up to the local scrotes – which is it?
Sounds like you are full of bullshit and playing the internet hard man to me. Easy to act hard online after all..
As for those that say don’t grass, would you report your neighbour if they were constantly driving their car pissed? If so what’s the difference?
What do snitches get?
We have a similar relationship with our next door neighbors, they've had a pretty bad attitude to social distancing and have had their extended family round for loud knees ups throughout all periods of restrictions since March... They're alright jack.
But it was November's lock down when someone actually called the police. Not us. Probably the family across the road with a Nurse and Her Son was affected badly by covid back in March/April, or possibly the elderly gay couple next to them...
But guess who gets the shitty looks when putting out the bins?
As for next door, their behaviour hasn't really changed, they got a telling off by the police and have carried on having frequent family gatherings, but they've been spending more time at their other property in between...
So the "snitches" achieved little I suppose, but it doesn't make their actions wrong, they at least sent the message that the community they live in aren't happy with their family gatherings under the current circumstances.
It seems to be getting forgotten that the rules, however flawed, are there to try and minimise the risk of CV19 spread. We have a shielded person in the house and appreciate other people's efforts to limit spread. I've less time for people who choose not to comply with the most basic rules whatever their reasoning...
Following the rules is a matter of personal responsibility. If parts of the British public are not getting that right then why should we trust them to get reporting neighbours right? There's responsibility required there too, the responsibility not to abuse it or over use it.
Obviously there's a sliding scale here, I probably would report a full on party but a bit of extra coming and going, probably not as I don't know everyone's circumstances. I think advocating reporting people is a double edged sword, it might stop some bad things happening but it will also create a culture of blame and recrimination. Basically, be careful what you wish for.
Do you know why drugs are illegal? They effect they have on people can be very different. One person gets a buzz and little side effects and another dies.
Sounds similar eh?
So. Would you report a drug dealer?
Mind your own bloody business
I love the idea that situations which promote onward transmission of a virus that can kill 50% of the residents in your local care home in a week, and which is indirectly damaging the education of our children, and the businesses of our other neighbours, is none of our business .
Perversely, the terror that some people have of being labelled a snitch - community disapproval - is exactly the fear that needs to be instilled into idiots that are having gatherings.
Do you know why drugs are illegal?
thats a whole different debate but mainly its because Hoover the FBI man was an out and out racist and wanted to use cannabis prohibition to crack down on uppity n******** 😉
Way I look at it, all these selfish arseholes who refuse to follow the rules simply prolong this whole sorry episode for those that do, and likely will make it worse as further restrictions are brought in.
That’s on top of them potentially killing someone via further spreading the virus
I’d happily report someone who was repeatedly inviting multiple people over if it’s clear that they are breaking the rules. Would I care if they gave me a dirty look once this is all over? Not in the slightest, as I don’t give a shit what selfish idiots think of me, their opinion is worthless
Maybe they’ve already had Covid.. and are friends with other teachers who’ve already had it.. so just sort of getting on with life a bit more. You could always pop round and ask.
Maybe.
Maybe they'll be in room with 30 kids and no PPE in the morning.
"Popping round" won't protect those children or families.
Phoning the school may do.
Would you report a drug dealer?
That's a good way to end up in hospital, or worse. They generally have ways of finding out
That’s a good way to end up in hospital, or worse.
I think that’s exposure to COVID you are talking about,
Following the rules is a matter of personal responsibility. If large parts of the British public are not getting that right then why should we trust them to get reporting neighbours right?
I don't think it is large parts of the public though, most of the country comply, or at least try to.
For us it was one household in a street of about 60 odd, and that's why we swithered, grumbled and talked about reporting, but someone else actually bothered to do it. Part of the calculation is that long after CV19 and the police have gone, you're going to have to live, ideally on good terms, next door to these people.
We've had bigger issues in the area a street party/funeral/mass brawl that apparently ended with stabbings and a crashed car just after LD2 so there's a minority that simply see rules in general as not applicable to them. That was probably organised via FB, just like the recent protests in Clapham? More a failing of police intelligence than a lack of nosy neighbours. But it's not the majority who behave like this (IMO/IME)...
Ultimately we shouldn't trust people to report their neighbours, but when they do it should be handled proportionately. I'd say in our neighbors case it was perhaps a fair first contact/warning, but there's been no follow up that we can see and it's not really changed their mindset just made them more insular...
But like I said there's a personal judgement that only you can make, is the potential damage to longer-term community relationships outweighed by a risk to public health? If so grass on your neighbors, if it's just that you dislike them at least examine your motives first...
You could always pop round and ask.
Don’t do this.
Talking to family and friends about this stuff is tricky enough, bringing it up with a neighbour you hardly know is only likely to bring you grief. Report it if you think it’ll help. Don’t try and addresses it directly yourself, it’s not worth the possible hassle it could bring you, in my opinion.
Apart from all that, going around for a face to face chat with someone you consider is taking greater risks as regards transmission than you think reasonable, seems like a transmission risk that it is easy for you to avoid.
all it takes for evil covid to flourish is for good folk to do nothing
Very much this.
Selling meth to primary school kids? Getting into a car steaming drunk?
Don't be silly. The first example doesn't happen. The second example, still no. Although I'd probably intervene personally if really steaming.
all it takes for evil covid to flourish is for good folk to do nothing
Very much this.
^^^^ Childish melodrama, new season on Netflix coming soon ^^^^
Sounds like you are full of bullshit and playing the internet hard man to me. Easy to act hard online after all..
Oh, the irony of you sat behind your keyboard calling out someone you don't know on the internet. Jesus