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Original poster

Ending up in court over a car sticker

32 replies

comedycentral · 30/01/2025 10:50

I don't have any car stickers apart from the manufacturer's, so I had no idea you could end up in court for a car sticker!

You learn something new every day. It feels like a bit of a waste of court time and costs, maybe an advisory would have been sufficient.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/29/chester-woman-stand-trial-accused-displaying-threatening-bumper-sticker

Chester woman to stand trial accused of displaying threatening bumper sticker

Georgia Venables, who allegedly had sticker on her car featuring C-word, has pleaded not guilty to single charge

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jan/29/chester-woman-stand-trial-accused-displaying-threatening-bumper-sticker

OP posts:
TotallyAddictedToCoffee · 30/01/2025 11:19

What a colossal waste of public money 🙄 have the police/courts really got nothing better to do? And shame on the person who reported the sticker in the first place - what a fucking wet wipe!

Ineedpeaceandquiet · 30/01/2025 11:22

No need for that kind of language but removal of the sticker should have been sufficient.

Original poster
comedycentral · 30/01/2025 14:14

It does seem like a roadside issue doesn't it, how on earth does it end up in a court!

OP posts:
madamweb · 30/01/2025 14:22

I guess it's distracting?.

We were behind an awful bumper sticker the other day, a picture of a cavorting naked woman and some words I have blanked from my memory. My daughter was next to me in the car and was v upset by it. It didn't distract me but I can see why they are clamped down on

MangoAndMelon · 30/01/2025 14:24

That's unfortunate surname in there.

Don't be a cunt is not threatening. It's a solid advice. A druggie abusing people who don't want to give money is. But eh. Easy pickings there I guess

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 14:26

You get some that are really misogynistic and graphically rude. I guess in this case it was swearing or something? Or if someone could class it as racist?
There's no need to display offensive slogans that the driver behind you will pretty much be forced to read/look at.

Original poster
comedycentral · 30/01/2025 14:40

There are some awful ones. I think my main issue with it is the court involvement, it seems costly and disproportionate.

OP posts:
purplecorkheart · 30/01/2025 14:45

She should have been told to remove it sure. However taking her to court seems like a massive waste of taxpayers money and police and court time.

ProbableDoris · 30/01/2025 14:49

I’m not offended by that. I do however have issues with the “powered by fairy dust” one on my neighbour’s [petrol] car.

ohtowinthelottery · 30/01/2025 14:57

Must have been a slow day in policing! I feel sure there were plenty of things that the police and courts could have been more gainfully employed in. Surely just telling her to remove it as it was offensive would have been sufficient - or maybe they did and she refused, hence why it ended up in court.

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 14:57

@comedycentral yeah, you're not wrong it seems too minor for a courthouse. Surely they can just peel the bloody things off. If they won't then pay a fine? 🤷

ChonkyRabbit · 30/01/2025 15:01

Offensiveness is a matter of taste. I have seen misogynistic bumper stickers that I don't want to see, but I want to keep wearing my horror film T-shirts that a certain type of people might be offended by.

Stickers should only have to be removed if they obscure the driver's view or cause some other hazard.

Tillow4ever · 30/01/2025 15:11

MangoAndMelon · 30/01/2025 14:24

That's unfortunate surname in there.

Don't be a cunt is not threatening. It's a solid advice. A druggie abusing people who don't want to give money is. But eh. Easy pickings there I guess

Honestly - reading the article made me want to go and get that exact sticker! There are many drivers that could do with following that advice these days.

You're right though - easy win for them I'm guessing rather than having to actually do something...

Tillow4ever · 30/01/2025 15:12

Also, despite really hating Man Utd, the story about the Utd fan's sticker really made me laugh.

pointythings · 30/01/2025 15:35

So we're policing stickers, not actual crime. Pathetic police, pathetic whoever whinged and reported it.

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 16:07

@ChonkyRabbit I'm pretty sure you're t shirt isn't saying anything against a protected characteristic? Maybe it's being a bit unfavourable in it's depiction of zombies? 🤣

But offensive language that can be and will inevitably be viewed by minors or the people being mocked is unacceptable and antisocial.

The people that place those stickers are trying to offend. Else why not just put them inside your house, or car next to where you're sitting?

But still they should simply face a fine.

ChonkyRabbit · 30/01/2025 16:59

@BobbyBiscuits What protected characteristic is "don't be a cunt" against?

pointythings · 30/01/2025 18:30

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 16:07

@ChonkyRabbit I'm pretty sure you're t shirt isn't saying anything against a protected characteristic? Maybe it's being a bit unfavourable in it's depiction of zombies? 🤣

But offensive language that can be and will inevitably be viewed by minors or the people being mocked is unacceptable and antisocial.

The people that place those stickers are trying to offend. Else why not just put them inside your house, or car next to where you're sitting?

But still they should simply face a fine.

The word 'cunt' is nothing to do with a protected characteristic. And you can't protect children from everything - people swear on the streets, people wear T-shirts with swearwords on them. Are we going to prosecute all those people too, or are we just going to talk to our children about how some people behave, what is and isn't appropriate in the street and how there are better and worse ways to behave? Honestly, your post makes me feel like ranting about snowflakes and that is so not me - but a little basic resilience would be so much better than whinging and snitching to the police.

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 18:37

@ChonkyRabbit haha. I think that one is just because it says the word 'cunt'. One would hope you shouldn't need stickers to remind you of such things!
I guess you could have one that said 'stop being a paedo' and maybe that would manage to be both legit and potentially offensive. It's a fine line I think ..🤣

ChonkyRabbit · 30/01/2025 20:08

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 18:37

@ChonkyRabbit haha. I think that one is just because it says the word 'cunt'. One would hope you shouldn't need stickers to remind you of such things!
I guess you could have one that said 'stop being a paedo' and maybe that would manage to be both legit and potentially offensive. It's a fine line I think ..🤣

Edited

I'm not really sure what point you're making now.

noblegiraffe · 30/01/2025 20:12

I'm pleased to hear that all other crime has been solved that we now have police and court time to devote to this pressing issue.

YourFriendlyGhost · 30/01/2025 20:57

Don’t be a cunt is better than those disgusting hwak thua or however you spell it ones. Grim

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 21:21

@ChonkyRabbit sorry, I wasn't really making a point. I guess I was trying to be funny! I may have failed there...

ChonkyRabbit · 30/01/2025 21:31

BobbyBiscuits · 30/01/2025 21:21

@ChonkyRabbit sorry, I wasn't really making a point. I guess I was trying to be funny! I may have failed there...

It's probably me with the sense of humour failure. It's been a tough week!

Gymsharkmum · 30/01/2025 21:33

Ineedpeaceandquiet · 30/01/2025 11:22

No need for that kind of language but removal of the sticker should have been sufficient.

I used to have a friend who’s license plate was C11NT 🤣