Other parents

[User]

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I like the last one. I'd have been so tempted to tell her that no, there were no doors, and no plans to stop anyone wandering in and taking any child they chose. Dozy mare.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

and nobody asked if there was a ban on cameras? what's the world coming to? wait until the daily mail hears about this

 

[alecstilleyedye]

actually, reminds me of a time when our first was due to start school, and the school had an open evening for the parents. so there we are, listening to what they were saying, and it got onto the subject of snacks at breaktime. milk and a biscuit was to be provided, and a voice pipes up "biscuits! why does it have to be biscuits?"

cue mass rolling of eyes and mutterings of "always one isn't there"

 

[Kirstie]

and nobody asked if there was a ban on cameras? what's the world coming to? wait until the daily mail hears about this

Err, seen this latest campaign from the met?

http://www.met.police.uk/campaigns/counter_terrorism/ct_camera_2008.pdf

Bit Soapboxy but I don't like it there, so I'm posting it here.

 

[k-dog]

2. from a father, "it seems a bit expensive [£70, includes instructors, food, accomodation, travel, equipment] I could go to a hotel for that money"

I love those questions. I used to be in charge of a youth group and we had a big weekend away each year. I had to put the price up to about £70. People moaned at how much they could get for that - but not 3 nights accommodation, all meals, transport, activities...

They don't have a clue how much these things cost.

 

[John the Monkey]

Err, seen this latest campaign from the met?

http://www.met.police.uk/campaigns/counter_terrorism/ct_camera_2008.pdf

Bit Soapboxy but I don't like it there, so I'm posting it here.

It's bizarre, isn't it? Overall, people probably photograph each other more (thanks to the advent of digital and camera phones) then they ever have - one of my younger friends seems to take at least 100 pictures of every night out he ever goes on. We're also probably more photographed and video'ed than any other generation (thanks to the prevalence of that and CCTV et al).

Yet as a society we're less at ease with the concept of street photography (in the Cartier Bresson/Doisneau mould) than ever.

The Met's campaign has had a fair bit of discussion over on the various flickr groups - those of us who still develop our own film are even more worried, as we not only walk around with cameras, but have various noxious chemicals under our sinks too (fixer in particular being evil stuff)

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Wow. I already feel a bit self conscious with my Nikon and its enormous lens when taking pictures in the street. Now I know I could be arrested for it at any moment (especially as I sometimes have a beard, which is another infallible sign that one is a terrorist), I won't dare to ever take any pictures at all.

 

[tdr1nka]

Err, seen this latest campaign from the met?

http://www.met.police.uk/campaigns/counter_terrorism/ct_camera_2008.pdf

Bit Soapboxy but I don't like it there, so I'm posting it here.

OT I know, but if you think that's OTT, there is now a law in London that requires you obtain an authourised permit to use a camera on a tripod in certain parts of town!!

 

[Fnaar]

What is going wrong

I'm often amazed that people of my own generation, who've probably had similar experiences to me, can ask such twatty qustions of schools. Whereas I am the voice of reason, most other parents I meet are paranoid control freaks who need to get out more!

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

OT I know, but if you think that's OTT, there is now a law in London that requires you obtain an authourised permit to use a camera on a tripod in certain parts of town!!

Well, what could you mount on a tripod, that could be dressed up as a camera with a long range telephoto? A rocket launcher.

There is precedant, and IMO this is not as ridiculous a law as it seems on the outset.

Before anyone starts up about the rocket fired being shoulder launched, I know this, and it makes it less likely for such an open attack to happen again. More covert means would be more likely, like pretending to be a photographer, snapping our countries seat of government. Then whoosh! OMG, I swear officer, it didn't do that last time I used it.

 

[Twenty Inch]

Well, what could you mount on a tripod, that could be dressed up as a camera with a long range telephoto? A rocket launcher.

There is precedant, and IMO this is not as ridiculous a law as it seems on the outset.

Before anyone starts up about the rocket fired being shoulder launched, I know this, and it makes it less likely for such an open attack to happen again. More covert means would be more likely, like pretending to be a photographer, snapping our countries seat of government. Then whoosh! OMG, I swear officer, it didn't do that last time I used it.

I've spoken to coppers about this. It's not about getting disguised rocket-launchers off the streets, it's about getting cameras off the street.

 

[tdr1nka]

'Yes Officer, it's the latest Canon RPG/SLR with auto zoom and 250GB of internal memory!'

 

[Alan Frame]

and then of course there are those couldn't-care-less parents who leave their child's welfare entirely up to others, and never ask any questions.

 

[bianchi1]

I agree. No parent is the same. as no child is the same. Some worry more than others, some struggle to make ends meet and some might just want reassuring where they are going to send there children is safe. If these parents want to ask questions why not?