ReallyReallyGoodMeat

But eating shyte is not a risk, it's a bad lifestyle choice.

paulr

What if you see a dying man in the street?

TelBoy

Yes. Accidents, as i think i've already mentioned, cannot be exempt. I know you're trying to find juicy little examples that you see as clouding the water, but SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. As long as people (like you) are prepared to put up obstacles to prevent a radical re-think, people WILL over-eat, WILL smoke, WILL booze too much and WILL take Class A drugs because they know they do not have to be responsible for their actions. To me that is simply unacceptable any more, it has reached epidemic proportions and something needs to be done.

Geezer

Search him for a mobile phone

Geezer

Markus

I clarified my prior post to say that the call is not charged for, it's the use of an ambulance

One assumes in the situation you mention there is no charge as the person who would be taking the trip did not make the call, so it was no their decision.

I understand that this charging is done to cover nuisance use, but you would have thought exceptions would be made for obviously genuine use of an ambulance

Oh and workshy fatties who call because they fell trying to pick their crisps off the floor would not be charged as those on welfare are exempt from the charge

Markus

Out of curiosity, what are you going to do about this? It is obvious you have strong views on the subject. Are you going to start a campaign to raise awareness of what should be done? Will you run for local government so there is a local political voice for this, then if possible push further to national government and continue?
Or is it the case that you feel you should not need to do this as there are people already in positions who can and should do this type of thing, and if so, what are you or will you do to generate more awareness and resolution to the issue by aiding these people

It is all good and well saying what should or could be done but will anyone actually bother to do something?

TelBoy

There are plenty of people like me, Markus, some even more neo-**** about it. Fortunately, my opinion is not one which determines whether i have a job or not, as it does for politicians. The majority of MPs know that the welfare state and the dependency culture are financially unsustainable, but they simply don't have the moral conviction to put reforms in place ahead of their own personal wellbeing. Reforms which would cause riots by a population all very happy thank you to over-eat when they want, smoke when they want, get bladdered when they want etc etc. It does make me massively angry. Pressure groups can bring the subject into the open, but when you've got the majority of the population who don't want the status quo to change, you might as well bark at the moon.

kevo10

think this argument is very much indicative of whats up with society these days. too many do gooders in the past saying you cant do this or have that. if society hadnt been so lenient over so manythings maybe these rules wouldt have to be made as the problems wouldnt be there in the first place. its been far too easy to get cheap booze and unhealthy foods for the last 40 or 50 years and , like it or not, were now paying for it , one way or another

TelBoy

Exactly. Changing patterns of behaviour that people now see as their "right" is going to be pretty much impossible. Pay for my gastric band??? What???? I've paid into the NHS for years, it's my RIGHT!!! ****'s sake.

kevo10

i can see your point telboy but i dont think it would be right singling out one group over others , we all have our vices that could eventually lead to help being sought from society . yes , eating healthy is important and we should all be responsible , but , as others have said , cost becomes a major issue, and that isnt responsible for a so called civilised society

TelBoy

Eating to 20 stone+, smoking 20+ **** a day, drinking 20+ units of alcohol per day isn't what i'd call "civilised" either. It's just our perceptions have changed because there's no financial penalty for abusing yourself in such ways. And financial penalties are just about the only way you can make humans change their unsociable patterns of behaviour.

kevo10

but thats where cost is involved. make booze , drink and bad food dearer and people would change. eventually. i myself would prefer to eat good food (as in healthy)but having a family and a not so well paid job, find it very hard to do so

Luan Pra bang

The number of people who do those things is ridiculously small so its barely an issue. Smokers more than pay their way with regards to the NHS so they must entitled to health care, if not how can you justify massive taxes on smoking ? Any extension of your logic means we may as well scrap the NHS and let people pay for their own healthcare, after all taking responsibility for you own actions should include being able to afford your own health care. Personally I don't want to live in a country where poor people die due to lack of free health care.

hodgy0_2

The inevitable consequence of implementing this sort of regime will be a rapid and dramatic increase in the "compensation culture"

The people to whom you refer will get aboard any flavour of gravy train

(usually with chips)

jef

iTrader: (13)

dont shoot me down but some cases of obesity are genuine medical cases, where there genetic predispositions mean they store more fat than others. yes they could excersise, eat less ect ect - and they probably should. im not really trying to defend them in this post just point out that not every single obese person is purely just a fat lazy ****, which is often the perception.also debilitating injuries that leave people unable to excersise effeceintly to have an impact on there weight do exist.
human beings have a complicated relatonship with food, it not only provides energy and nutrients to stay fit and healthy but it has a real impact on how we feel, our feeling of well being ect - remember last time you were actually very hungry, its usually accompanied by anger and other negative emotions. so we are to deprive these people of enjoyment of food?
then there are those with slower metabolisms, those which lack the connection with the brain that tells us we are full, and need eat no more.

its all just small examples and i imagine a tiny minority of the obese generation, but they do exisit.

also the point about hill walker falling and needing rescued ect, or any sport involving some danger,there is no actual NEED for these activities. yes they provide adreneline, endorphines ect which can lead to a sense of well being or "being alive" - again its a long established and complicated relationship humans have had, and enjoyed.
nowadys there is no such thing as an accident, there is ALWAYS a cause for anything bad that happens - so somewhere along the line a mistake has been made by a human being and its ended up costing to treat them.

A walker, not timing journey to stay within day light, a climber not anchoring a carabina thing correctly or in the correct kind of rock, a racer not torqing a wheel nut properly ect ect ect. theres always a part of the process where someone has made an error.
and that where compensation companies step in and reep the benefits - its a sh*te set up inheritad from the states but it makes many people very very wealthy, so its only likely to get worse.

and to me eating ****e is a hazardous activity with an associated risk

but essentially where does the line get drawn - i cant see a clear cut black and white line working atall.

i agree there could be better ways of dealing with issues like obesity, to try and get the numbers down and ultimately save money, as thats what it all about (tiny part of me grudges that though seeing as in the past so many mp's wasted our money, and got obese at our expense to) but cant go back in time eh.