Archers thread #164: AmbridgEnders! An Everyday Story of Soapy Folk. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

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Thread thrown together in great haste in advance of tonight's episode. Who's in the Am? Is it George's fault? Is this the end for Alice? Over to you!

They were horrid to Oliver.

Goodness yes, I'd forgotten about that. Selling his own land - how very dare he? Of course, they see it as Grundy Ancestral Land, conveniently forgetting that a) it was never theirs to start with, being tenant farmers and all, and b) they lost their secure tenancy when they neglected to pay the rent.

I think part of George's problem is that he might as well have had his knackers caught in some farm machinery as they don't seem to be getting any use.

George isn't getting very far with the women because he's an entitled, cocky little shite with attitudes towards women dating from the '50s. The 1850s. Problem is, men like that never see themselves as the problem, and so the entitlement mixes very unpleasantly with resentment and misogyny.

Especially a 38 nearly 39 year old - age related declining fertility not a thing in Ambridge clearly. Fertility declines, it doesn’t drop to zero! If you’re having regular intercourse and no contraception, for women in their late 30s the chance of being pregnant after a year is still over 80%.

The really surprising thing is her being pregnant with a coil - only a one in a hundred chance.

750cc of 40% proof = 30 units? So from Sunday night at ?10pm through to 4am on Tuesday morning.

I didn’t think it was wistful. Just euphemistic. Society isn't quite ready for women to come straight out with “I’m post menopausal”

Re Fallon’s test? She’d fallen into a possibly sewage tainted river almost certainly with rats. Could have internal injuries. Isn’t it just a reasonable health check? If all that was needed was an external check, the paramedics could have done that and sent her on her way.

George clearly hasn't been breathalysed (because no-one suspects him of having been the driver). Does that mean that if he is subsequently found to have been the driver, he can't be charged with drink driving?

What could he be charged with? Driving without due care and attention? Driving without insurance?

Also, what happens re insurance? At the moment, Alice's insurance will pay out. But if it's discovered that George was driving, presumably Mick will have to claim for his car off his own insurance (would it be a right-off, having been submerged?) and if Joy needs to claim for her injuries, that would be on Mick's insurance, too?

Could have internal injuries. Isn’t it just a reasonable health check?

I think a urine test would be done to check for kidney damage?

Not just me then. Unplanned doesn't necessarily mean unwanted. I've known a few surprise babies that were very much loved.

I would have thought Alice’s insurance wouldn’t be valid as she was drunk

This says there are 32 units of alcohol in a bottle of vodka. Anecdotally I have heard it is wise to allow at least an hour per unit before one is safe to drive.

https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/pages/gastroenterology/vodka-alcohol-units

If both those figures are true, Alice, after her binge ended at - when, 8.00 pm? on Saturday would have to sit in her car until 2.00 am on Monday. I think someone would have noticed that.

That's the outcome I'd like because I think they both have the potential to be good parents and I don't want endless misery. However, I do think they should show people of both sexes who are happily child-free, especially women. Stella was a great example, but is now saddled with Rosie.

What could he be charged with? Driving without due care and attention? Driving without insurance?

Almost anything: driving without insurance, dangerous driving/driving without due care and attention, taking without consent (TWOCing) because Alice won't have been capable of giving her consent for him to drive...

Also, what happens re insurance? At the moment, Alice's insurance will pay out.

It will pay out for third party claims but not any damage/personal injury to the insured (Alice). However, they may also try to claim back the value of the third party claims from the person at fault (Alice).

Of course, all that would change if George was found to be driving because he won't have insurance at all. Even a "driving other cars" extension wouldn't apply unless he has a car insurance policy in his own name, which I don't think he does (and that's generally third party claims only, so wouldn't cover the damage to Alice's car). It would come down to a claim against him personally, and I shouldn't think he has much in the way of assets to claim against.

George ticks a lot of boxes for psychopathy - pathological lying, lack of empathy, impulsivity, superficial charm, grandiosity. Bullying Hannah, manipulating Will into evicting her, smashing up Caroline's bench and being happy for Brad to take the blame, his belief that he was Martin Gibson's right-hand man at Berrow and then incandescent when he was sacked for breaking the rules, his sickening outburst at his parents and Ed. I'm looking forward to seeing how he behaves when Fallon thanks him for rescuing her - happy to play the hero for the focus of his obsession, effortlessly lying to cover his involvement and shift the blame onto Alice. He will not be tortured by guilt just happy that he got away with it and knowing that he got away with it will make him even more confident in his own superiority (in comparison to his parents, Ed and general family who he thinks of as losers).

Her judgement is messed up - she would have driven over the limit and it would have just been luck if she hadn’t come across another car/pedestrian

What could George be charged with?

Scroll down to highlighting (not mine) and examples further down the page, including giving false information to the police regarding a RTA:

https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/public-justice-offences-incorporating-charging-standard#:~:text=The%20offence%20of%20perverting%20the%20course%20of%20justice%20is%20sometimes,course%20of%20justice%20are%20done.

Is that something a urine sample would help identify? I admit I know absolutely nothing about these things.

Fair enough, that makes sense. Is pregnancy something that just shows up anyway, or do you specifically have to test for it?

TheUsualChaos · Today 08:35

Oh I think Fallon will want the baby. Whether that's going to be an instant change in feelings(hormones do funny things) or a slow process. But either way I think it could be lovely. It would be nice to have a new family and think how welcome the news would be for Jolene after what she's been through. Hopefully it will be a positive story line.

CaptainMyCaptain · Today 10:42

Not just me then. Unplanned doesn't necessarily mean unwanted. I've known a few surprise babies that were very much loved.
————
When the gestator has previously been adamant that she does not want children, not now, not ever? Oh, silly little women, they don’t know their own minds, do they.
‘A baby is always a blessing.’ ‘They bring the love they need with them.’

No. No, it isn’t, and no they don’t always, and FUCK. THAT. SHIT.

George has no moral compass and he is a nasty piece of work. A bit like his mother who is often thoroughly unpleasant especially when she thinks she has been crossed. Especially by women. I can recall many times when Emma was very spiteful about other women and in front of George. So it's no wonder that he's turned out like he has with his unpleasant views of women.

If Fallon has the baby Harrison will have to up his hours. As his (if he was working full-time) salary is way higher than Fallon's who must be on minimum wage or close to.

Babies and children are bloody expensive.

‘A baby is always a blessing.’ ‘They bring the love they need with them.’

No. No, it isn’t, and no they don’t always, and FUCK. THAT. SHIT.

And how often do we hear parents say that they love their children but if they had their time again, knowing what they do now, they would have chosen differently?

Yes @RegimentalSturgeon I wholeheartedly agree. It's so fecking patronising!

But she didn’t so she didn’t. Apparently a breathalyser can only detect alcohol between 12 and 24 hours (depending on metabolism) after last drink. Wonder if any of us have ever driven the next morning feeling fine, unknowingly being over the limit (however marginally).

it gets a bit minority reportesque if it is seen as just, to potentially lose your freedom and child after being set up for something you did not do, but might or might not have done a lot later and in a massively less alcohol infused state. Justice should not be about being likeable.

Re Kate she was obviously right about Alice not visiting the hospital but, especially given Kate is her sister, she seemed too quick to dismiss out of hand Alice’s protestations about the keys in the cubby, not remembering doing it / wouldn’t do it, and George speaking to her before the accident.

I Have a couple of friends who never wanted kids and now they are too old they have no regrets. I don’t see why Fallon couldn’t have given us that.

also it is harder when you are an older mum - especially if you are not financially secure and you weren’t keen in the first place

if she loses the pregnancy and then decides she’s desperate to have a baby I will have to stop listening

I’m not saying it’s fair for her to be set up - I’m just saying her protestations that she wouldn’t drive drunk are wrong.

my worry with this SL is that she will eventually have the truth come out and then she will almost feel vindicated. Even now she doesn’t seem to feel very sorry about it all

and in terms of losing custody of Martha - I can’t see how Chris could leave them together in good conscience given he knows she’s drinking again. We’ve already heard her getting drunk with Martha in the house.

The Relationships board has plenty of tales of fathers who don't seem to give a monkey's about their planned or unplanned babies.

For once, I agree with @RegimentalSturgeon .

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g , I think Ben was a happy surprise but not planned.