Park & Ride

LothianLass wrote:

What exactly is your point?

Point is, they are the sole 'residents' of the park & ride at present. I have never seen that amount of empty cider cans in there before they arrived.

Two english males from there were abusing the staff at Sainsbury's on Sunday morning first thing. They took 2 cases of cider to the checkout & were informed that they could not buy it because of the licensing laws. They dumped the cases on the floor, and when asked to put them back their response was, (and I quote) "that'll be f*cking right, put them back yourself".
This to a female member of staff, just doing her job.

You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work it out.

Sherlock Holmes might say that it couldn't have been them as they 'dumped the cases on the floor'. I take it you followed these folk over from the Park and Ride - 'Two english males from there...' so can verify your facts.

You've missed the point of my question entirely though! What is wrong with cider cans among rubbish? I hope you don't normally go around nosing in folk's rubbish. If you do and you look into my recycling box at present you'll find just such an article which may well be joined by another later in the week. What assumptions and judgements do you make of me, then?

They WERE from that camp. As they left, they were discussing how they were going to have to walk back over to the park & ride, get the car & drive to Tesco's - (I don't know if they thought the law in Tesco's is different to everywhere else in Scotland) - I CAN verify it, as I left at the same time as them and heard it for myself.

I was surprised not by the fact that there were cider cans littering the park, but the NUMBER of empty cans.

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What assumptions and judgements do you make of me, then?

You're a troll.

Any updates on the situation from bus commuters (oops, I almost wrote "travellers"!)

As for the large number of alcoholic beverage cans observed by Squirrel's Revenge, this is due to the oppression of this minority group which forces them to consume drink! Any Buckie bottles there?

Though I would get that in before a member of the TSG did.

The terminal building at Sheiffhall P&R is now closed too:

http://www.lothianbuses.com/more-info/news/general-news/422-sheriffhall-parkaride-terminal-buildingclosed.html

The site does not give any word on why.

rubbereye wrote:

I will leave you all to wallow in your pathetic and negative misanthropy and make this my last post.

On the other hand, why should I leave while the traveller bashers remain.

Lothian Lass is not a "troll". In fact, I'm reasonably sure we've met her before on a several of this forum's earlier incarnations.

Welcome back, Rubbereye, you seem to be the only voice of reason on this topic.

I'm certainly not a troll, I'm not the one who has gone off-topic from whinging about the gypsy traveller camp at Straiton to seemingly criticising them for drinking cider.

I accept that the aforementioned travellers shouldn't be parked up at Straiton but I also understand that it is extremely difficult for them to find legitimate places to stay, especially in large numbers. The photograph in this week's Advertiser shows an extremely tidy camp (IMO) with no evidence of mountains of cider cans or other litter, but then we (should) all know that the camera often lies. Mentioning litter, I remember being told as a child that 'fools and children should never see a job half done' so let's see what mess they leave behind when they move on and then moan about it.

I have met with several Scottish travellers over the years - University of Edinburgh invites some of them to lecture, believe it or not - and as a result have an interest in their rich culture and sympathy for the way the are marginalised by the majority of us gadgies.

I can recommend several books written by them and others about their lifestyle and culture but somehow doubt that those of you showing such prejudice would want to spend time reading them. But, just in case you do, try any by Betsy Whyte, Duncan Williamson, Jess Smith, Timothy Neat. And the next time you hear a traditional tale or hum along to a Border Ballad or other folksong just bear in mind that it still exists thanks to the Travellers and wonder how poor our cultural identity would be without them.

Never mind. they'll be gone soon and you'll have to find someone else to target, SR.

LothianLass wrote:

"Who's that trip-trapping over my bridge?"

rubbereye wrote:

I will leave you all to wallow in your pathetic and negative misanthropy and make this my last post.

Yeah, talk a good exit...

Anyway they're gone. Good.
Place was spotless. Good (but very surprising)
They (or more like them) WILL be back, it's not a matter of if.. just when.

Just to clarify....

I don't like them, their attitudes, their arrogance, their thoughtlessness, their inconsideration, their mess, their bad language, their excuses, their "everyone picks on us for no reason", their badly disciplined kids (re. stoning the buses), their aggression, their stealing, their supporters and those who make excuses for them.

I'm glad they're gone. I neither know nor care where, as long as it doesn't inconvenience me. Selfish? Too right! (At least I learnt something from their kind )

For a little while then (until the next load of chavellers arrive), I can relax and settle down for a good read. I'm afraid that Lothian Lasses' recommendations are a little too erudite for me, I'll stick with Chat, Take a Break, That's Life and my favourite classic - 'Spot goes on holiday'

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I'll stick with Chat, Take a Break, That's Life and my favourite classic - 'Spot goes on holiday'

That explains everything!!

What did I tell you?
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/topstories/Gypsies-panned-for-treating-park.6438246.jp

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A spokesman for the city council today said that travellers had left the Straiton facility altogether.
He said: "The travellers began to leave first thing on Friday morning and the site was clear by 10.30am. Staff have visited the site and are arranging for a deep clean to be carried out.

So it seems they didn't clear up themselves, ah well, I rest my case again.

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It comes just days after the bus company diverted services away from the Straiton facility because 45 caravans had moved into the car park. The bus firm said it had re-routed its services away from the 600-space facility following the attacks which included stones being thrown.

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Iain Coupar, marketing director for Lothian Buses, said the travel shop at Sheriffhall had been closed on Thursday, but was likely to reopen next week.
He said: "The actual travel centre was a mess, with travellers trying to dispose of their waste. It's a travel centre for people to buy tickets or wait for their bus, it's not a public toilet.
"We took the decision to close it because there's no way we're going to have our staff intimidated."

Behaviour condoned and excused by certain forum members who know who they are (and so do the rest of us)

Oh get a grip, you silly woman.

In the time I've lived in Midlothian, we've have several murders, the arrempted murder of a convicted a rapist, an attempted armed robbery when the Clydesdale Bank still had a branch in Penicuik, stabbings, muggings, drug abuse, vandalism, brawls, drunk drivers ....... Until very recently there was even a paedophile living on Belwood Road until he had the common decency to top himself. You name it - we've had it.

Are you honestly saying that a few kids chucking stones and a bit of litter are the worst things ever to be visited upon Midlothian?

Maybe you should try living in the area instead of just sleeping there.

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Oh get a grip, you silly woman.

Woman? not the last time I looked monkeyboy (you started it...).

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Are you honestly saying that a few kids chucking stones and a bit of litter are the worst things ever to be visited upon Midlothian?

Try reading before posting. The attacks included throwing stones at the buses, and "a deep clean" wouldn't have been necessary if it was "a bit of litter".
I have 'lived' in the area for nearly thirty years and have heard of and even witnessed some of the things you mention, however, listing a whole load of things that are wrong, doesn't negate the fact that the chavellers habits and behaviour is wrong too.
My opinions are just that. MINE. I never said you had to agree with them, in fact I'm really glad that you & LL don't. Where would then fun be in that?

SR

I apologise for thinking you were a woman. It was a genuine mistake.




Admin,

Can I just raise a small legal point here. Gypsies and Travellers now have all the same protections from discrimination and racism afforded to black people, Muslims, Jews, and every other minority group in this country, under the Race Relations Act of 1976 and the Human Right Act of 1998.

With this in mind, can I ask you to consider some of Squirrel's Revenge's earlier remarks. (And these few were gleaned from just one of his posts.)

Squirrel's Revenge wrote:

I can't understand why you are still defending these dregs.

Then........

So much for, "they're not all the same",

And later..........

Seriously, can't you see they deserve the suspicion & treatment they get, and they bring it on themselves

finishing with....

I would not wish that you could personally experience some of the grief caused by this bunch of scum

I suggest that this sort of bigotry and intolerance is unacceptable both in law and in the context of a forum that (in my opinion) should be trying to project a better image of Midlothian and its people.

FFS It's a free country. I said before these are MY opinions, take them or leave them I really couldn't care less. I stand by what I said in the same context as Bernard Manning jokes, or Nick Griffin being allowed on Question Time or invited to a royal garden party. Heard of FREE SPEECH?
You don't like it? You know what to do. Turn the TV off, don't look.

If any of that bottom-feeding, mouth-breathing, dim-witted, thieving, lying, cousin-marrying, sister-fondling band of no-hopers recognise themselves from these (and earlier) descriptions wish to come on and refute any comments or allegations they have a perfect right to do so.(and I would strongly defend that right)

So far, they have been strangely silent, other than to use their pet PR spokesman to say "it's just the kids & we've had a little word"

Then you resort to... Daddy, Daddy I mean Admin, please can you stop this man's posts because I don't like them

... and you tell ME to "get a grip", sheeeesh!

PS and what about the 'rights' of decent law-abiding people to use the Park and Ride facility as it should be used, and the 'rights' of LRT staff & local shop staff not to be attacked, stoned, abused, threatened or intimidated ?

and while we're at it, can I draw m'lud's attention to the title of this section of the forum?

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Midlothian Local Issues
Roads, Hospitals, Cars, Rubbish Collection, The Neighbours, what's getting up your nose about Midlothian? Get it off your chest here!

The clue's (again) in the title.

...and there's more! http://www.midlothianadvertiser.co.uk/news/Park-and-stay-at-Straiton.6429507.jp

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A spokesman told the Advertiser that several incidents in the past week had prompted the move.
He claimed: "Unfortunately the travelling people have been a bit intimidating to our drivers and passengers so we decided not to operate buses in there. We certainly don't want to put our staff or passengers at risk. Buses are still going along the main road so passengers who want to use the facility can."

Sorry folks but I'm on holiday at the moment and it is not easy to keep tabs on the forum. Can everyone please take a deep breath, calm down and avoid insulting each other.

ah hae ma doots