Doing your job properly. Noisy phone users.

 There’s been a lot of kerfuffle about Reform UK winning a sizeable number of seats in local council elections in various parts of the country. Maybe it will be a wake-up call to Mr Starmer to make the Labour Party do Labour Party things and have Labour Party policies. The fact remains, however, that Reform UK still has only a handful of seats in Westminster.

In most professional occupations, if you fail to be present for the majority of meetings, you lose your job. Maybe that should apply to Members of Parliament, not just Mr Farage but to others as well. I am always amazed at the emptiness of the chamber when you see a shot of it on TV. I am aware that MPs (i like to think that it is most of them) do a lot of work in their constituency as well. I don’t think that applies to Mr Farage though!

On the subject of MPs, I hear that the Liberal Democrats are proposing a bill to ban people from playing loud music on their phones in public places. I see a lot of people out running with-ear buds or even huge ear phones. It’s as if they can’t be out and about without listening to something. What’s wrong with listening to nature? Mind you, I think I have yet to hear music blasting out as I make my rather sedate a the local bridle paths. I did almost have to run down a lady (with ear buds) with my bicycle the other day as she failed to hear my much praised, much admired bell until the very last moment. No harm done, fortunately.

We have had the occasional argument while remonstrating with noisy phone-music perpetrators! It’s not always music. There are people who cannot have a phone conversation without shouting, as if they don’t believe phones work if you don’t use top volume. You hear some awful conversations, details of court cases and all sorts of scandal! We’ve yet to remonstrate with such people. 

Anyway, the Liberal Democrats want there to be law against it. A good idea but hard to enforce. Bring back the bus inspectors! The drivers have a hard enough time without having to police mobile phone use as well. This is especially true around here where some of the buses follow extraordinary routes and have to slalom between parked  vehicles.

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Today they have had extend their routes, making a long detour to allow for repairs a local viaduct. Not even pedestrians are allowed to walk under the viaduct, presumably for fear of falling masonry! This last is rather a shame as it’s a fine day for a stroll along the canal towpaths.

Safety first! So it goes!

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!