Minor rules you'd bring in with far reaching consequences

[BursarsDriedFrogPills]

What seemingly minor rules would you introduce that could make a bug difference?

I'd make it illegal to sell coats (for any age) that didn't have some kind of reflective strip somewhere on the back and on at least one sleeve. On these dark mornings and early evenings I've lost count of the number of pedestrians, dressed in black or other dark colours, ambling across the road (not at a crossing point), oblivious to the fact they are nearly invisible to oncoming traffic.

I think if this was a unilateral rule, clothes designers would rise to the challenge to make stylish coats with flashes of reflective stuff. It could quite cool.

So what would your minor rules be?

Any person who drops litter will then find that litter in their own living room when they return home. Might make them think twice and behave responsibly. Would also make the world safer for wildlife.
Don't know how this would actually work but it's what I daydream about when I see offenders.

PP - can’t tag, phone being an arsehole.

Should clarify - stop ONLY putting baby change on disabled toilets. Put them elsewhere too. That should stop the often fucking huge queues for them that are mostly full of babies needing changing, preventing disabled users from queuing for ages.

Tickets for event should be sold by height e.g under five foot get first three rows, over six foot six get last rows,

@Laterthanyouthink yes! And especially at standing gigs! I'm not small at 5'7 but invariably I will secure a decent vantage point only for the tallest man in the venue to stand in front of me half way through the first song.

@BuzzShitbagBobbly likewise for people who press the 'bus stopping' button after the first person has done it. A loud recorded voice 'that's the second/third/fourth time you muppet' should sufficiently embarrass them.

@egontoste DH accidentally put on a pair of my old fat jeans recently and he only realised when he tried to put his phone in his pocket.

Completely agree with sensible pockets rule 👍

4x4s and any car that's oversized / inefficient compared to other family cars of a similar age only available to those who have a proper reason to need something that big - towing trailers, farmers, live in the middle of the Highlands and can get snowed in etc.

Anyone looking to take their driving test must first have passed their cycling proficiency test, on a road. Adapted and e-bikes are available to those who have a disability. Might make drivers more aware of why cyclists take certain actions (for instance, cycling in the middle of a road where it's too narrow for drivers to safely overtake).

Anyone travelling on a child ticket is not allowed to travel in the quiet coach of the train - young children do not have the desire or ability to be quiet for 2 hours straight.

Criminal record for non payment of child maintenance, the deduction from wages to work, and steeper penalties for domestic violence

Get rid of council B&Bs

Scrap universal credit sanctions, advances and third child rule and remove the benefit cap, but instead have a rent cap

All politicians should have lie detectors fitted at all times.

That could get intolerable for nearby tinnitus sufferers, though. Maybe, instead of a beep, a recorded message in the person's own voice could immediately say "That was a lie!" after said untrue proclamation.

Maybe we could reverse them and have 'truth detectors', so unless something they said was instantly confirmed as actually true by the machine, you could safely assume that everything coming out of their mouths was pure fiction.

Alternatively, instead of any kind of audible warning, MPs could be forced at all times when out in public to wear super-strength versions of those heat pads you use to warm your hands when camping inside their underwear and linked up to their permanent lie-detector.

One lie, you feel very warm; two lies, you're sweating; three lies, you feel extremely comfortable; four lies - your pants are quite literally on fire as unassailable evidence of your mendacity for everybody to see

Oh, and considering that MPs are supposed to represent a constituency at a very high and powerful level, they can only stand for election in a seat where they have lived for at least 10 years before they ever began getting involved in politics at any level.

Also, no MP can become health minister unless they've worked in a coal-front healthcare provision role for 10 years, cant be education minister unless a teacher for 10 years etc. etc.

cant be education minister

That missing apostrophe was a typo, honestly - I'm aware of the irony of that in the same sentence as the word 'education'....

Following on from the theatre/concert suggestion, shoe shops should, by law, be forced to put smaller sizes on lower shelves and bigger sizes on the higher shelves.

Yes, we know that a 'pyramid' effect probably does look more aesthetically pleasing, but in reality, the bigger your shoe size, the taller you're likely to be. It's silly making short people have to stretch right up or stand on a chair and making tall people have to bend right down uncomfortably to get to an appropriate pair.

I'd ban parents driving kids to school. I'd bring in buses that have to stick to their own lanes.

I'd ban people driving in to residential areas to attend football matches. I'd make them all do park and ride and travel in on coaches, again only allowed in the coach & bus lane.

I'd ban 2 adults and children in supermarkets/shopping centres. 1 adult can stay with the kids in the car or at home.

Good sound insulation on terraced & semi detached houses. DS & partner bought a new build semi in 2016 every sound from next door is heard in his house.
Water filling the bath & kitchen sink walking upstairs toilet flushing tv
conversations doors opening & closing it’s horrendous the neighbours can probably hear the same.

Renarionalise prisons. How anyone expects offenders to be rehabilitated when they're locked in a cell 23hrs a day being supported by officers with barely a year on the job, is beyond me. More officers on the wings, more time out of cell, more education and progtammes

Proper training for prison officers. Recently on training with prison officers who've been in job for years, but current recruitment process is bollocks. At least for private prisons, where that officer is. Apparently all new recruits do is an online 'suitability' test, then a written test, then some companies do an interview but some don't, a fitness test (bleep test) and you're in. Compare that to their experience of proper interview panel, proper fitness and endurance test and a live test. One live test used to be sit with offenders who've been instructed to try and get info from you, and try and get info from then without revealing anything too personal about you. Now of those which is going to recruit prison officers of a high calibre? I wotk in probation and the common view among prison colleagues is that recruitment, training and staffing is diabolical and most new officers have no clue. 2hich is fine if their mentor is experienced but more often than not its someone with 6 months experience.

Admittedly those 2 aren't minor things really but they would make sucb a difference. Everyone whines when offenders are treated like human beings, while failing to realise that the current system only breeds contempt and resentment

Make it illegal to publicly shame women in court - eg waving knickers around courtroom in rape trials

Licence to have pets. Licence only obtainable after studying for and passing written test on elements of pet care and first aid. As well as practical elemts. Cruelty to animals means swift removal and lifetime ban that is properly enforced. Ban on things like leaving poor animal outside to bark or c3y for hours on end or locking poor thing in cage. Of family going through tough time and can't look after dog eg family member ill, then pet put into Foster care.

Bus companies held accountable if their shoddy service makes someone late - similar to train refunds - they also pay for things like fines like missing drs appointments or loss of work.

All members of public to experience being shop assistant to improve their manners

Shop assistants properly trained in customer service. Able to be assertive with horrid customers, but required to uphold standards themselves (just been served by the most ignorant till person ever and I worked as a checkout person for years and still managed to be nice to nice, not aggressive, customers)

Anyone who reports someone maliciously for disability fraud (eg 'they can make a sandwich so they can work') to live off limited income to see how they feel

I've said for years - anyone involved in making benefit amounts etc should first have to live on it themselves

Dog licence and you have to pass an exam on dog care to get it.

This; except I'd also make the owner and dog pass a handling and training exam before you can take the dog into a city centre or near a school, or let it off the lead in public.

Anyone who parks in the space outside my house will have their vehicle vaporised. Especially if they are the people who live opposite, who have a garage, a drive and have gravelled over their garden. You have three spaces, I have none so take your stupid car and fuck off

Talking of cars, white cars that from the front look like a Storm Trooper's helmet are to be banned.

Also banned is the car paint colour which resembles 'wheelie-bin-grey'. It's too depressing.

All drivers to have to spend time on a bike before they get their licence (and all current drivers who can physically ride a bike to have to have such a lesson retrospectively) so they learn to treat cyclists properly on the road.

As a matter of balance, I completely agree with compulsory lights and hi vis for cyclists and pedestrians.

Clocks to go back in winter but go forward again at the end of Feb, not March.

YY to dog licences

YY to ejecting people from public transport who don't respect quiet zones.

YY to standardised sizing for clothing!

All members of public to experience being shop assistant to improve their manners agree with this too, any customer service role will do though, could eg be catering or call centre, too.

Good sound insulation on terraced & semi detached houses Yes.

I'd ban 2 adults and children in supermarkets/shopping centres. 1 adult can stay with the kids in the car or at home [Grin]

Oh and on the shelves in shops thing - also, put kids' clothes, books, toys etc on the bottom floor of a shop (or library) rather than forcing people to take their buggies in a lift.

All dogs to be muzzled in public. This is the law in other countries and should be here too

Those lights that you attach to dog collars so you can see where your dog is in the dark and oncoming drivers can see you have a dog, to be made in all sizes, not just the half-brick size which is only suitable for a Great Dane/St Bernard and drags along the ground if you have a terrier.

Proper, usable pockets on ALL women's clothing.

All running clothing coming with reflective strips on. I run and all the stuff I have bought was only available in black, no reflectors, so I have to wear a cross body band like I'm off to play night-netball.

To add to the standing gig rules, at any where a mosh pit can be expected, anyone that stands in it and then takes offence at those moshing will be dragged out. And will be forced to wear a t-shirt saying 'This isn't my scene I just think it makes me sound cool and alternative to pretend it is' should they go anywhere similar again.

Feeding horses without the owners permission to be punishable by watching the possible consequences for the horse, and a non negotiable £10k fine per horse to cover any costs, regardless of their income.

All drivers to pass a section on horse riders before they are allowed a licence. Licences revoked for any current drivers that fail, and driver tied over a saddle to experience the other side first hand.

Drama llamas, especially those in the work place, to immediately be drowned out by a loud warning siren alternating with the phrase 'warning, massive twat about to attention seek'