There's nothing we can do about people allowing their dogs to shit in the street. We don't live in a police state.

[Caligula]

OK, that's not exactly what the woman from the council said when I phoned to complain, but it was very similar. 3 times she mentioned the police state. She backtracked a bit when I asked her searching questions about how many wardens there were, how many prosecutions there had been in the last year or so, what the council was pro-actively doing about the problem, but in essence, her response was that as we don't live in a police state, the council can't enforce the law. Apparantly it costs too much to put up notices and/ or poo-bins.

Imagine if they took the same approach to parking. "Can't enforce traffic laws - it's not a police state".

Am I over-reacting by being quite so peeved about it?

Eh?? It's an offence now to not pick up after your dog - what on earth is she on about?

BTW - one of my neighbours looks after her mums mini yorkshire terrier from time to time. Twice now she's let it crp and not picked up after it, despite my protestations. Her excuse - the poos are tiny and it's not her dog . I am that* close to reporting her - but we live in a small cul-de-sac and the kids all play together etc etc. Sorry - am rambling...

Can you go and pinch her, really hard, then say "It's not a police state" and run off, giggling?

It's funny, some councils seem to be taking a harder line on this. So much so, that my neighbour, who appeared to have trained his dogs to poo as far away from him as possible, has now started picking up after them!

It only takes a few prosecutions, as dog owners will warn each other about the risk, I think.

Annoyingly, though, this has fixed the parks, a bit, but not the streets, at all. Easier to catch dogs pooing in the parks, I guess.

The woman said that there were pooper bins and signs in parks, but I think that's possibly preaching to the converted. Someone who bothers to take their dog out for a big run in a park, might be more of a responsible dog owner than one who regularly just gives it a quick perfunctory walk round the streets. But that could be rubbish, of course - it might have no bearing on the matter whatsoever!

We have a little canal park at the end of the road. So nearly everyone goes there. Including people who sit in their cars, let the dog out, let the dog back in!

There is a problem with it on the streets ... the street cleaning folks are around fairly often, so it could be worse, I guess ...

Some hooligans set fire to the dog poo bin in the park near us. Melted plastic and dogshit are not a good olfactory combination.

(Love saying "hooligans" ).

hooligan is a much better word than chav. Much more satisfying. I'm going to try and integrate it into my conversation much more.

Yes, agree. Can be said with real outrage!

I'm rather fond of the term 'layabout'.
Very late 70s......

Ooh yes. I always get a vision of Wolfie Smith when I hear the term layabout.

what about yob?
that's a much under used word

I'm liking yob.
Poss even yobbos???

Ruffians?

Knaves?

The local youths (I believe that's what we call them now to be right on) also set fire to a poo bin here on Sunday. My, it was a night of riotous fun for them - fireworks in the park at 11pm, broken bottles of Buckfast and lager all along the paths (that the kids walk on to get to school) and the poo bin set on fire.

Ah, but bless them. They're just bored, little loves.

Nincompoop, I think you mean?

Oh - and this is a "plush suburb" apparently.

Bored? I'd have wanted to bore holes in them, little shits.

ninkypoop, Michael called Miss Lark's Andrew in Mary Poppins

Nincompoop is too gentle I reckon.
That's what you'd be if you left the gasring on or forgot your purse in a shop......