So I don't actually yet have my own internet up and running. That's on Tuesday, I hope. But I've discovered that if I sit near enough my window, well, let's just say I can log on anyway. And so the blogging can begin again...
And the first thing I read this morning which caught my eye was Cucumber Sandwich, in which the intrepid Inspector Gadget leads a team of Kevlar-suited policemen onto an estate dominated by Eastern European gangs.
Inspector Gadget writes from Ruralshire, of course, but having lived in N15 for a month now, it seems kind of familiar. We're not on an estate - and in fact, the flat inside is very nice. But outside, it's a scary, scary world. Cars tear through residential streets at 50 miles an hour. Big groups of shaven headed Eastern Europeans hang around with bottle-blonde whippet-thin girls in boots and bling. And every now and then you see a clearly crazy person, just doing what crazy people do. Talking angrily to themselves, touching strangers on the bus, walking into traffic.
It's not all bad. Being liberal and middle-class, with a middle-class liberal's guilt, there's a constant urge to explain things away, to reason that it's not all that bad really. And this being London, of course, a few streets can make all the difference. Some are quiet, residential. There's a park just up the road where people go to walk their dogs. But I didn't like the neighborhood first time round, and it's not a grower.
The police are, intermittently, around in force, and they do a mainly good job. Periodically the tube station is flooded with 15, 20 uniformed officers, and they tackle the barrier-jumpers and scare away the dealers. PCSOs walk around in pairs, yellow jackets smartly rolled up behind them, looking terrified, but determined.
And when earlier this week, perhaps inevitably, but far sooner than I thought, Bruv was mugged by three hoodies - on one of the quiet, residential roads - they responded well. He called, they came, at once, in an unmarked car. Then drove him around for a while, looking for the suspects.
But then they got another blue light call, and had to head off.
Business is brisk around these parts.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
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34 comments:
I really like this post; very well written and paints a picture in the mind. I will be linking to this post very soon - stand by for incoming!
Directed to your site by Inspector Gadget. I agree nice post and i will begin to visit yo more often. Nicley observed.
Hi - came via Inspector Gadget's blog. Good post - you write well.
also pointed this way by the Guv, good post. I'm usually based around central london but i've worked quite a few times on your ground around the stadium just down the road, and on roving patrols so I know what you mean about the difference a couple of roads can make!(there's a cracking chip shop on the holloway road opposite drayton road if you're in the area)
I find it very difficult to imagine the view from your window in comparison to mine, they are worlds apart; but having read your post I am an awful lot closer, thank you.
(As with others,'Gadget' directed me here. it already looks like he is a bit of a 'traffic' cop, it could be a busy day by the window.)
We live in a Northern City where gun crime and violence is common place. We moved from one area, 2 years ago, to escape what we saw coming. It was only 3 miles but we thought far enough and the bank balance couldnt cope with any further afield.
Since Christmas our old neighbourhood has had several shootings, one of which succeeded in killing a 16 year old. In our locality we have also had several shootings since Christmas, fortunately none fatal.
My neighbourhood is a lovely suburb, with nice park, local shops, good bus and train routes, good schools. I'm not scared to walk around in the day or night.
I am terrified though, of what the future holds for my 2 children in this area, I'm scared for the teenage children I work with everyday in an inner city school, I'm scared that we made the wrong choices and that we should have moved to Cumbria or the wilds of Scotland so our children could have had a chance at a normal childhood with normal worries and fears.
The Police in this country dont stand a chance (but it isnt for the wont of trying, I might add), schools dont stand a chance (and I can say we try), the Polititians cant fix the problem that no one can understand. We are slowly becoming the 51st state...
Here via Gadget also, good post. Will return.
Yet another directed from the excellent gadget blog! As the weeks/months/years go by, and the deterioration of our country continues apace, I become more afraid. Not really afraid of what is happening to Britain, but afraid of the boiling anger which I am battling to keep a lid on. And I am, I think, a reasonably balanced chap! Its all going to explode in this country. And sooner rather than later.
Diverted here by the Guv, good post, nicely observed.
Interesting to see it from the other side...
I'll be definitely popping in now & then!
Regards, Angry Rozzer.
Came via Gadget. Good post. I'd have stayed in Hendon and put up with the extra commute to avoid the "cultural enrichment" of areas like N15! About 14% of prision places are currently occupied by foreign criminals; if we didn't let them in in the first place think of the savings all round!
...and I'm another from IG....
I like this post. I live in South London, and I've been following Gadget for a while now.
I've been wondering how to respond to some of the things that I've been reading.
I often have the feeling of wanting to "do something" but don't know how. It seems to me that the police need to be better paid and better staffed, judging by the stuff I've been reading.
I think its difficult when we don't really know anyone else in our neighbourhoods, especially when we're new to the area. It makes it hard to share the burden, and think about how to respond.
It would be great if we could all move to nicer areas, but really I think its important to be committed to improving things where we are, instead of dreaming that we had more money to "get out".
Don't even try to explain this one away, you can't. All you will do is make excuses for someone else's behaviour and join the long list of the tolerant masses who have no idea of the scale of how our society is being changed.
Nice post.
Directed here by Gadget - the sentiments in your post sum up why I'm emigrating: this once great country is stuffed, thanks to the social(ist) democrats at the helm...
Guv Gadget was right, your post is an interesting view of the world. I'll be back!
Love Alice the Architect
Also pointed here by Gadget. The phrase determined but terrified is so good.
Good blog.
You'll never guess what blog directed me here... Yeah, I can sympathise. I was living in an area in Bradford until I skipped out of the UK 2 years ago that sounds scarily like your own part of London.
Every nice area backs onto a scum-hole filled with thieving, robbing filth. Somewhere that grannies lived five years ago is now home to the dregs of society, milking the state for all they can and stealing the rest from the likes of you and I.
Not a great state of affairs :(
Like others directed here by I.G site. I have known my mother-in-law for numerous years. She has always run a catalogue from her home address. Recently the company informed her that they were pulling out of her area. The reason being that it has became to dangerous for their agents to deliver goods or collect returns. And still this government spin the b******* that crime is falling.
It'd be a start if the PCSOs in my part of the MPD would get out of the cars/vans so they would have a chance to be seen by the MOPs (that's you!!!)
Good read. Keep'em coming and keep taking the tablets!
(Here from IG, BTW)
Also dorected by IG. Nice post - will be visintg again.
Another Gadget-powered redirection. Keep up the good work.
Directed here by the lovely Gadget!
I used to live in N22 for all of 6 months. moved out of the flat PDQ. I lived on Lordship lane, right by wood green tube. no end of gangs black/eastern europe/turkish etc in such large numbers too. noone there has a sense of community and I always felt intimidated or scared by the large number of gangs milling around, with noone prepared to do anything for fear of being stabbed. Bobbies on the Beat? we need more and they should be able to do their job, not be bogged down with reams of paperwork.
excuse me, did a busload of Inspector Gadget's troops come past here shortly ago? - cos i'm with them too!
Loved your post - keep up the good work.
Will visit often.
Dave (retired polis)
Now isn't it funny...? I also got here from Inspector Gadget's super blog that I read most days.
Yours is a good post... I'll put a link up on my blog to it.
In the 1960s, I lived in Islington... Had two sons... It wasn't too bad then. Late 1960s, I move out to East Anglia to raise my son's there... and am very glad I did.
Met my second husband in 1980. He lived in Sydenham, South East London. So it was back to London (which I hate), till he retired and we moved up here to the Fens. I love it. We are so isolated with peaceful walks over farmland for us and the dogs.
Eldest son, wife and g-kids still live in South London... I worry all the time about them now. Eldest g-son has been mugged for his phone. They are in a nice quiet area... but I hate visiting them nowadays. When I do, I lock my doors and have a dog able to help look after me while driving!
I don't know how things are going to be sorted out as we don't have enough Police... Where I am now, has the second lowest number in the UK. IMO, from what I've read, the police have to spend half their shift time doing paper-work.
I do worry that crimes that aren't high-profile don't really get sorted. There aren't enough police around to deal with it.
The only police I ever see are in their cars... I do worry that may be too many are doing this job?
Good post - nice to see a balanced view of the world for a change. Directed here by IG and will come back.
Inspector Gadget should lay on buses! Also came from over there....very good post.
Its interesting the effect the good Guvnor has on us all isn't it?
I reckon he would make mayor ...if he wanted to!
Also directed from Insp g,the problems could of course be solved if the police were allowed to do the job,and the incompetent politicians did what they do best (feathering their own nests)and butted out,leaving us to run ourselves for the public and not government headlines
I also arrive via I.G's blog, good one, well written, will visit again
I jut wondered in by accident... Ok, that's a lie I came via IG :D For sure I'll be back too.
I came via IG too. Doesn't he have a lot of fans! Your post is excellent, really conveys that threatening air. I do wonder if the Inland Revenue and the Police and CPS could work together to 'clean up' the streets. How do these 'gangsters' support themselves. Can they show a visible means of support? Do they have receipts for the goods they own? If they can't demonstrate how they paid for items they own, if they don't have valid receipts etc, those goods should be impounded/confiscated etc. Perhaps that would act as a deterrent?
Inspector G. sent me...
I'm American and have visited England only once in my life. I loved it and hope to return... Obviously I didn't see the things you see. My eyes have been opened by your post and those of Inspector G's site.
Every country has problems -- I'm sure you've read stories about America which would deter you from visiting here, but, truthfully, I don't live in fear unless I travel 2 hours to Memphis where the crime rate is stupendous. Every news broadcast in Memphis begins with the number of murders for that city that day...
I do sympathize with your feelings and fear. I will visit you often in the future and still hope to visit England again. Maybe you will have "fixed" it by the time I get back!
Classof65
Would you mind posting more regularly please?!
I was directed here by the good Inspector also. Your post is truely excelent. I live in Australia and things are as bad here. I live in what was once a nice quiet street in outer Melbourne and now it's drag racers and the police heliocopter of a night. The police are under staffed and good qualified candiates can't get into the job because the politicians want to raise the number of minorities represented.
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