Has everyone done something illegal?

[PurpleHandledBasket]

Because according to my mum, everyone’s done something a little bit illegal and not been caught.

I really haven’t.

I didn’t try cigarettes until I was at University
I never tried alcohol until I was 18 or drank underage apart from the odd sip
I’ve never shoplifted
I never bunked school
I never used a fake ID to get into a club or get served in a pub or buy lottery tickets or scratchcards underage
I’ve never not paid for my train ticket or my TV license

I have plenty of other life experiences. I’ve been to university, I’ve been abroad lots of times, I’ve been through divorce and domestic abuse and I’ve owned pets. I’ve held down a job as a single parent (and I am still doing). I’ve had mental health issues.

But I’ve never done anything illegal.

My mum was surprised, she insists everyone has done something a bit illegal and you haven’t lived if you haven’t done at least 1 of the above. She says she’s done all of the above at one time or another.

So AIBU to think that not everyone has done something illegal?

You've never forgotten to pay for something ?

Or wear a seat by or home over yeh speed limit?

I accidentally shoplifted some pearl barley once.

I’ve done tonnes of illegal stuff. Never been caught. Not serious organised crime or anything, just things like alcohol underage, taken drugs, bit of good old fashioned trespass, though that’s a civil offence. Once got caught speeding and they had to let me off on an administrative error. That was bloody lucky, I’d been shifting.

I’m boring these days. But yeah, I reckon most people break the law a fair few times.

@Wasywasydoodah

I accidentally shoplifted some pearl barley once.

This is one of the most ‘peak Mumsnet’ posts I’ve ever seen 😂

Got done for speeding
Speeding and not got done
Drank under 18
Drove in a Bus Lane

I think that's it

Have you ever played 'knock a door run'?

Been drunk and 'incapable' in a public place?

Dropped litter (even a chewing gum wrapper?)

There are myriads of laws we have all broken.

I'm particularly partial to the town police clauses Act of 1847 whereby you cannot fly a kite in the street and many many other random offences.

Like driving a horse and carriage in a 'wanton and furious manner!'

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/10-11/89

I think many people have, especially the underage drinking one (I think you can tell from my user name I'm in that category!)

Although, I do wonder that when someone brings up a "I did this and this" others join in and I would think a few just make something up to look cool?

Drank in pubs under 18
Smoked under 16
Three points for speeding
One speed awareness course
Had my hair cut in lockdown
Missed a red light
Brought a live animal back from France through customs (a mouse snuck into our luggage during an overnight stop). Unzipped the bag and it was running crazy circles on the beach towels. Let it free into the garden. DC were worried it might only squeak in French.

I'm so old I didn't need fake ID to go drinking because it was before we imported the moral panic about it from the USA.

I’ve not done any of the things in your OP either but I’ve certainly given a little bit over the speed limit. I’m one of the most boring people you’ll ever meet in terms of being a rule follower.

[quote User1isnotavailable]@PurpleHandledBasket

If you include the driving over the speed limit, parking on yellow lines, paying for a job 'cash in hand' buying something that might be 'off the back of a lorry', blue badge use when disabled person not in car, working cash in hand, selling Avon etc and non disclosure of income (prior to the current minimum before declare), etc etc then the number of people that haven't done anything illegal would reduce further. The the amount of covid restrictions that were illegal.[/quote]
Are you saying that paying cash for a job is illegal or have I picked up your post wrong?

Because clearly it isn’t 😂

I shot a man in Reno...

I’m shocked by people implying that dropping litter is a minor thing we might all do. Never ever have I dropped litter, and I never would. It’s disgusting and there’s no excuse for it.

God I've done loads of illegal stuff! Nothing violent though or burglary. Not so much these days, I'm quite sensible.

@freecuthbert

Most people I know have illegally downloaded or streamed music, movies, games etc.

Yeah that's the one for me. Otherwise I've not (knowingly) done anything else illegal. I was always too baby faced to get away with buying booze underage, plus I was resolutely against drinking until I was almost 20.

But downloading music on napster etc? I did a lot of that

@snowdropsandcrocuses

Have you ever played 'knock a door run'?

Been drunk and 'incapable' in a public place?

Dropped litter (even a chewing gum wrapper?)

There are myriads of laws we have all broken.

I'm particularly partial to the town police clauses Act of 1847 whereby you cannot fly a kite in the street and many many other random offences.

Like driving a horse and carriage in a 'wanton and furious manner!'

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/10-11/89

I remember one glorious Saturday morning I was out jogging really early. I heard a strange rumbling noise and suddenly about 20 horse and carts tore down the road wantonly, riders urging them on. Behind them were more and then yet more. They were having so much fun! Your post made me think of this random moment in time. Where did they come from? Where did they go?

My list is LONG. Lots of illegal drugs. Bit of shoplifting. Driving infractions. And I'm a 40 something professional who looks like butter wouldn't melt. Im surprised you've never broken the law in your life, I really presume everyone does.

I've not done any of the things on your list although I have travelled knowingly with the wrong sort of train ticket.
I've driven over the speed limit by small margins and driven in bus lanes (although been fined for both)
I've given my ticket to another car entering a carpark if there's time left on it. (And accepted one from people doing the same)
I've bought cigarettes for teenagers that weren't 16
I've filled in forms for my DH who is dyslexic - I didn't realise until it was pointed out on MN that apparently that is illegal
I've taken food and drinks into concerts when it's apparently not allowed.
But generally I'm pretty honest.

I pirated music as a teen (don't anymore, think it's wrong), and have been known to go 10 mph faster than the speed limit on quiet motorways. I also once took an illegal right turn, though it was an accident and I didn't realise it was an illegal turn till the fine showed up in the post.

As far as I'm aware that's it. I'll let others decide if those "count" as law breaking.

Ate several picnics in April 2020
Trespassed into playgrounds in June 2020
Got pissed on a mates sofa in June 2020 as it had been 3 months since I'd had a meaningful interaction beyond my household, got really upset and it was torrential rain so sitting out was a far greater health risk than going in.
Supervising DS and his friend playing in a park Jan-March 2021
Going for a walk with another family of 4 autumn 2020

DS1 broke the law on his 10th birthday to celebrate reaching the age of criminal responsibility... we had his friend come round to play. They'd played together and spent 6 hours together in school the previous day.

I have been known to exceed speed limits, but take stopping distance seriously.

I've broken the law a lot of times and had really quite a lot fun doing it.

Are you saying that paying cash for a job is illegal or have I picked up your post wrong?

I'm sure a small proportion of MN think that any payment in cash = undeclared income. Of course some, maybe lots of it, is , but it's entirely possible for people running a business to accept cash and put it through their accounts!

I don’t pay my TV license but that’s because the system doesn’t acknowledge that my block of flats exist so really I don’t think any of the 16 flats pay it. Also never bought a song in my life, all illegally downloaded

Never ran with gay abandon through a field of wheat?

Here you go, OP - you will have done some of these:

brittontime.com/2020/11/09/10-weird-uk-laws-people-break-every-day/