Is This Bureaucracy Gone Mad?

Here in Britain, we have had some odd or even somewhat unbelievably strange rules and regulations put into effect on this island nation, to save us from what I ask?

The nanny state that this country has now become, with cameras positioned everywhere, we are caught on camera countless times throughout our every day to record our safety, or just to keep a track of us as we are safely being watched by big brother.

For many years now and I think a correct one that cigarettes can only be sold to adults, it was at one time that over 16's only could buy them. This has now changed to over 18's only permitted to purchase tobacco products.

Now if you go into a shop with the intent to buy something for your nicotine fix, you have to prove you are over 18 years of age, ok, for many younger aged smokers this is simple. Hand over some form of ID, to prove you are of an age to legally smoke if you so wish.

One national chain of stores has now made it company policy to check the age of all its customers. Recently one 59 year old man, disabled and walking only with the aid of a Zimmer frame, so obviously well past the age of requiring permission to inhale the tobacco fumes if he so wishes, was refused his purchase because he did not have any ID with him, he was expected to struggle home and return with the relevant piece of ID so he could buy them. He simply went to a less stringent store, i.e. anywhere with a degree of common sense and not requiring proving his advanced age.

Is this bureaucracy gone mad?

Another recently reported incident, this time of overreaction. An incident of which our hard earned money went to waste in this economically gloomy time. A group of people were having a wild west fancy dress party, all dressed up in their outfits, complete with Stetsons etc. Some had toy guns, as these were part of the normal attire during that time. The group were having their party in a pub, during the evening some of them spilled outside into the parking area. A local resident saw this commotion, phoned the emergency services and told the operator that several armed people were roaming the streets.

The police with little information to go on sent in several armed response teams, expecting to come under fire at any moment. A spokesman for the police did comment that toy guns or not hand guns are banned from this country; you should not go about the streets armed. (Remember these were toy guns)

Was this an overreaction by the police, or if this nosy neighbour had not jumped to the wrong conclusion it wouldn't have come to that. Are people not allowed to have fun anymore in this country?

Are the laws that have been put in place to protect us, just what or who exactly are they protecting us from?