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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think never breaking the law is common behaviour?

74 replies

lesley33 · 30/01/2012 16:05

In a debate some months ago another poster said something along the lines of - well we all break the law in some ways. When I said I never break the law, she said she didn't believe me.

But I don't break the law. No I don't speed, shoplift, etc. The ONLY time I have ever broken the law was stealing a pick and mix sweet from woolworths at about 7 years of age. But I don't think this is unusual I think lots of people never break the law either.

So AIBU to think lots of people have never broken the law?

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 30/01/2012 16:50

it's worse on the motorway, actually. That's where most accidents happen.

Precisely, and the most fatal accidents too.

yellowraincoat · 30/01/2012 16:50

Maybe you see more in residential areas, but there are more fatal accidents on motorways.

bejeezus · 30/01/2012 16:50

I don't feel bound by the law, I feel bound by my own ethics and morals. Which is why the law exists- because everyone's ate different

I would NEVER drive over the speed limit

I have taken lots of illegal drugs, had under age sex, been arrested for assault affray and don't always think criminal damage is wrong. I have friends who have broken international sanctions and I commend them. I can't feel affrontés by shop lifting from large supermarkets neither

thepeoplesprincess · 30/01/2012 16:50

I've been breaking the law constantly since New Year. And not for the first time.

Original poster

lesley33 · 30/01/2012 16:51

I didn't think it was automatically illegal. It is illegal to drive without due care and attention. But that is a matter of interpretation.

OP posts:

MrsPresley · 30/01/2012 16:52

Wittsend13 I dont think the actual smoking is illeagal but if you (or I) were to have an accident while say lighting up then I'm sure there can be charges of careless driving or something, maybe I'm wrong though, not 100% sure.

yellowraincoat · 30/01/2012 16:55

That's how I'd interpret it too MrsPresley.

It's also illegal to make tons of noise in your flat. I'm sure everyone's done that at one time or another.

My current neighbours being a case in point. They're not the Daily Mail version of thuggish neighbours, they just have no concept of how much noise you make when you live above someone and have wooden floorboards.

Wittsend13 · 30/01/2012 16:57

yellowraincoat ok well I'll take your word for it. I spent more of my working days on the motorways up and down the UK (Field based position) Guess I was lucky I never really saw many accidents.

MrsPresley that's actually a good point. I guess you never really think of these things.

wannaBe · 30/01/2012 16:58

I've never broken the law.

I've never done drugs.

Didn't drink until I was 27 (don't really like the taste)

Didn't have sex until I was 21.

I don't drive, so that's a large proportion of "illegal" activity out of the equasion right there.

SardineQueen · 30/01/2012 17:01

Ooooh

In houses I have lived I have had mail addressed to previous occupants. After a few years of dilligently returning it all to sender, and in the case of ones where I recognise the company as being one that I have returned to sender about 50 times saying the previous occupant is no longer there, I have binned it. Is that illegal? And a couple of times, where it looked like an interesting catalogue, I have opened it. That is illegal I am sure.

Kladdkaka · 30/01/2012 17:01

It's also illegal to make tons of noise in your flat. I'm sure everyone's done that at one time or another.

I haven't. I've never lived in a flat. I'm like a mouse. The only comment about my noise level was when I met my neighbour in the library for the first time. When I told her where I lived she was like 'really, I thought nobody lived there'.

yellowraincoat · 30/01/2012 17:02

Everyone who's lived in a flat, I meant. Sorry should have written that more clearly.

ReallyTired · 30/01/2012 17:10

I think there is a difference between breaking civil law and breaking criminal law. If you park in the wrong place or over stay a parking meter or dropping litter you aren't going to get a criminal record. However fly tipping or stealing is a different matter.

I think that local council bylaws get broken all the time. Ie. allowing children to play ball games on the lovely green outside my old house.

BroomForMyChin · 30/01/2012 17:15

I didn't know binning others peoples post was illegal?! I've never returned anything to sender. I always assumed if it was important the person would of had their post redirected. When I was at uni we used to open any post that came through the door, we often got cards with money in them and once quite a large amount of tobacco.

I have also drank underage.

But I think hope that's is. Never tried drugs. Don't drive. Don't litter.

SardineQueen · 30/01/2012 17:17

I'm not sure about binning it, but deffo got a feeling that opening someone else's post is illegal.

SardineQueen · 30/01/2012 17:19

OOOOOH what about putting household waste into a public litter bin?

EH?

Fess up.

DD once did a big poo under a bush when she was little, I picked it up with a carrier bag and put it in the bin. I reckon that was probably illegal one way or another.

Kladdkaka · 30/01/2012 17:24

I even bought a Swedish tv licence because that's what you're supposed to do, but knowing that 1) I don't watch Swedish tv and 2) unlike their UK cousins they have no powers to enforce them. How sad is that?

StrandedBear · 30/01/2012 17:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nemno · 30/01/2012 17:27

I do not knowingly break the law but I learnt on my speeding course that most fatalities occur on country roads. There is a table on Wiki taken from Dept of Transport figures. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_Casualties_Great_Britain

Wittsend13 · 30/01/2012 18:04

nemno I'd agree with that. Country lanes are bad and some people do tend to drive silly on them. I can honestly say I'm very careful on them as I find the narrow bends dangerous and I, as much as I am careful when driving, like to be able to control my car and not the other way around. Interesting information on WIKI.

Birdsgottafly · 30/01/2012 18:35

Having a wee/sex/sometimes swearing outdoors is illegal. Breaking something new and then taking it back saying that it was broken when you bought it, or changing your mind you 'lose' a bit and take it back . Illegal U turn along a bus lane in the dark. I know i break the law regulary, it's the possible effect on other people that matters.

Tanith · 30/01/2012 19:17

Isn't it still the law that all males over the age of 18 must practice their archery every Sunday afternoon?

There are loads and loads of ancient laws that have never been repealed but are just ignored in this day and age. I would think that quite a few of them are broken on a regular basis.

ItWasABoojum · 30/01/2012 21:07

I've smoked pot, weed in the street and nicked a traffic cone. I'm a walking student cliche . . .

5Foot5 · 30/01/2012 21:42

rhondajean "No one put a CD they bought onto itunes then? Illegal."

Seriously? Is it?

If I buy a CD then rip it to my iTunes library to put on my iPod is that really illegal? But if that is the case why does the iTunes software provide such an easy interface - e.g. asking me if I want to upload it when it detects a CD there; searching on the internet for any artwork; splitting it up in to tracks etc. It just seems like it is designed to do exactly what I am doing so why would they do that if it was illegal?

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