UKC

To the light-fingered climber at the Lakes Festival of Climbing this weekend,

There was absolutely no excuse for stealing packets of sweets from the bar of the pub on Friday night.

I've no idea who you are and didn't get a chance to confront you on your own about it, but as a member of a community who I generally trust whole-heartedly, you have disappointed me.

I would suggest that a donation into a MRT box and an apology might be in order? I appreciate that owning up publicly might be too much to ask. Maybe an anonymous post would be an option.

Yours disenchantedly,

Gadget Girl

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Ah, but maybe the defence will be that it was fair game if the sweets in question were lying unattended for any length of time....?

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Takes Allsorts, I suppose.

In reply to Skaredykat: Well, if that was the case I agree, he could have claimed 'crag'swag' rights and walked away with a relatively clear conscience.

However, the swag in question was in a proper rack with crisps, peanuts, biscuits etc, at one end of the bar. He furtively looked around to see if anyone was watching then snaffled a bag. I couldn't believe my eyes at first but watched him nearly take another pack 'til disturbed, then return a little while later to grab another.

OK so we're only talking a quid or two but it was the principle of the thing. He specifically snaffled said Skittles surreptitiously.

Shameful.

gg

In reply to Martin76: Baddum tsh!

In reply to Gadget Girl: How do you feel about the time honoured tradition of nicking bar towels for shoe wiping?

In reply to Removed User: I find there's no need to nick them. Whenever I've seen one I liked, I've asked for one and the bar staff have happily handed one over with a smile - I've got a great little collection! There's no need for any dishonesty as far as I'm concerned.

In reply to Removed User:

I haven't seen a proper bar towel for years. Always used to ask for mine. Thought the pubs got them for free from the brewers anyhow?

A quiet word to the culprit, or to the bar staff would have been in order on this occasion.

In reply to Gadget Girl: How do you feel about minesweeping at the end of the night?

In reply to Removed User:

It's not that dangerous getting home round your way, is it?

In reply to Martin76: Yeah, wanted to have a quiet word but he was with others both that evening and the next morning at the camp site and I figured that a public shaming wouldn't be productive. I know this is public but I have no idea of his identity and he doesn't have to respond. I just wanted him to know he was spotted!

In reply to Removed User: Ha ha ha, each to their own!! gg

In reply to Gadget Girl:

?!?!?

Why didn't you confront him at the time?

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Admirable restraint, which I'm not sure he deserved. I'd have spoken to him across the bar as he did it. Pubs have enough trouble making a profit these days without thieves.

In reply to Gadget Girl:

is it any worse than not buying parking tickets at National Trust car parks? A thing that many climbers i know do as they now they wont get a fine etc

Not that i'm condoning the above (i'm a NT member so they get my money in advance), but wheres the line of acceptable / not acceptable?

In reply to Removed User:
I'm not familiar with "minesweeping", please enlighten me

In reply to DreadyCraig:

Nicking people's pints off the bar and downing them. Normally followed by either a bloodbath or a very hasty retreat.

In reply to Martin76: Best done toward the end of the night. Much more effective since the smoking ban.

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Did he leave the pork scratchings alone?

In reply to ed34:



Who is posting on this forum from work right now, for instance ? not that it makes it right of course.

In reply to Gadget Girl:
Sorry I`m not following this, a scumbag stole some sweets and people are saying this is okay, other people are saying it`s okay to steal other peoples beer if you give it a cool name, I suppose it`s all down to how your brought up really knowing right from wrong.

In reply to LordFlashheart:


Like I said - he was with others and I figured it wouldn't be productive. A drunken slanging match late on in a pub is never going to be a good idea.

In reply to J1234:

no one said it was ok, i was just thinking theres good + bad people in all sports, and lots of things many climbers commonly do (well climbers i know) are also theft, eg the parking without getting a ticket, also packing up early from campsites or bivvying so you can avoid paying. All these are similar monetary value 'thefts' and i just wondered how people draw the line?

But if you saw someone doing the parking / camping thing would you post on here and call a scumbag too?

Probably havent explained it very well here either..

In reply to ed34: but your right my comments are sort of irrelevent and diverge from the topic.. they just popped into my head when i started reading the thread!

In reply to ed34 and GrahamD: I work for myself, pay for my own internet and mobile bills and I always pay in the NT car parks. Maybe I'm more honest than most but like bedspring said, it's down to how you were brought up I guess...?!

In reply to thread:

Call it what it is, it's shoplifting.

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Nice to see an honest person in the world.

just a question for the forum though:

if you call yourself an honest person who doesn't steal,do you refrain from stealing because it's wrong or because you fear getting caught?...honest answers please

In reply to kieran b:

it's most definitely wrong!

In reply to Gadget Girl:

I don't think anyone is saying these things are right - just an observation that there appears to be a threshold above which most people will point the finger (blatent theft from a small business as in this case) and below which they won't (making phone calls from work e.g.)

In reply to Gadget Girl: I think if you are pissed and hungry, any unattended food is fair game.

In reply to Gadget Girl:

As do I (very grudgingly in the case of the NT car parks, but that involves a different sort of thieving...)

In reply to the inspiral carpet:

Well, i have to agree with you...but, though i know it's wrong, i still have the desire to steal things from time to time (not that i would nowadays...was a bit less moral when i was a lad).
But, to be honest, i think that part of the reason people don't steal is not just a sense that it is wrong, but also that they fear being caught.

I brought this up because i felt that people's mixed motives can (i stress the word 'can') result in a tendency towards self-righteousness when it comes to theft/minor crime.

In reply to kieran b:
I don`t steal because it`s wrong.
I pay in NT car parks because I fear getting caught, is it morally wrong to park and not pay? yes because you are taking a place that somone else may pay for therefore depriving the NT of that income therefore stealing, kind of. I still dislike the NT though.

In reply to kieran b: Some people thrive on the thrill and risk of being caught though don't they?

Personally, I think it is wrong, but it hasn't stopped me pinching my colleagues short bread biscuits this afternoon...

I will, however, be buying another box for her as recompense on Wednesday!!

In reply to ed34:

Completely different ball game. As I understand it the National Parks can not enforce any fines so people can to some degree choose to contribute or not (The National Trust are different and can, as far as I am aware, legally enforce fines). Therefore parking on one of their car parks and not paying can be viewed as a) stealing parking space b) making a moral stand on the freedom of the hills or some such c) not paying for something because you can easily get away with it within the law. Now stealing sweets or anything else from a rack is pure unambiguous stealing unless they have a big sign saying "Free sweets please take one (or a dozen)"

In reply to Gadget Girl: Hmmm, I agree pretty sad! Reflects on him and not the `climbing community'. He has let himself down.

Still, not as bad as when JamesTHacker lost his rope when he went to help a nearby climber that had fallen (MRT were called out - Yellow taxi etc).
I wondered about whether James got his rope back. He posted on here asking for it back in the generous spirit that perhaps someone had `looked after' the rope for him.

If it was nicked, in some sense it is very sad but in another sense it is almost so unbelievably mean that it is almost funny. Imagine James urgently rushing off to help someone in goodness-of-spirit and someone then takes his rope!

I always did wonder if James got his rope back - James?

In reply to Duncan Bourne:

My understanding is that you have got that wrong way around. The National Trust cannot enforce parking fines, they would take you to court for the stated parking charge, ie. the service that you used and did not pay for, plus any reasonable costs. The National Park on the other hand have statutory powers and will usually be able to enforce fines.

I am honest and always pay anyway, but would be less worried about my ticket expiring in a National Trust car park.

In reply to The New NickB:
You sure? As awhile back there was all the business about Stanage plantation car park, which I believe is National Park not trust, and how they couldn't enforce the fines as it was deemed open public land and not private property which the National Trust are.

In reply to Duncan Bourne:
I was wrong it has changed see here http://www.thebmc.co.uk/News.aspx?id=875

In reply to Gadget Girl:

I look forward to seeing the re-enactment on Crimewatch.

In reply to Jonno: Ha ha ha, me too... it'd be comedy!

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Don't agree with stealing, which, in the case of the sweets, it quite clearly was. However as regards the carparks, one of them, Park or Trust, (and I can't remember which) used to have a lot of details on the back of the sign in amongst which it explained it was a donation they were asking for and therefore was voluntary. This was why many people chose not to pay.

In reply to winhill:

That narrows it down to a vegetarian, a Jew or a Muslim!

In reply to Lord of Starkness:


but they had skittles which counts out the vegetarian (i think they have gelatin in them).

In reply to dissonance: Thick vegetarian then?

In reply to Bingly Bong: Yep, no pig snacks for this fella. They were most excellent toe-nails so he really missed out!

In reply to Gadget Girl: Vegetarians really don't know what they are missing out on with pork scratchings do they?

In reply to Bingly Bong: No you're right. They're almost the best thing about pubs, except for real ale...!! Especially the hairy ones.

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Is "work for myself" another way of saying "I'm self-employed", and are you using it as badge of honour as if that is morally superior to being an employee at a company?

I am an employee at a company, but I like to think that I "work for myself" insofar as I work in order to earn money to finance life.

Amazingly, I also "pay for my own internet" (well, I pay for access to the Internet) AND my mobile phone bills, and not only do I alway pay in the NT car parks, but I actually ENJOYING doing so, in the knowledge that my money is going toward a cause that ultimately benefits me.

Maybe that makes me a freak.

In reply to Gadget Girl: Are you sure it was a climber and not just some hanger on? It could have been worse, I suppose, and the pub did pretty well out of the millions who turned up. Poor show though, whoever you are!

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Hairy ales?! Ask for a cleaner glass next time.

In reply to Aiden Wright:

I like to hang on whilst climbing. Does that make me a pub sweetie thief? (I am a sweetie)

In reply to Blue Straggler:



Not at all! Was just pointing out that I don't 'steal' internet access from my employer. And I agree about supporting the NT & Parks!

In reply to Aiden Wright:

Yes, definitely. And yeah, the pub was pretty busy from the extra 80-odd (I guess) people there, but it was still a pretty low thing to do.

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Do you work in the pub or were you just a punter?

I think if you are pissed and hungry, any unattended food is fair game.


What, such as on a supermarket shelf?

In reply to Lord of Starkness:

Or anyone with a dislike of fatty lumps of fried offal.

In reply to Gadget Girl:

Ah, sorry - you were responding specifically to the person who had a dig about that. All clear now Now it looks like I was having a dig at you doesn't it, oops

In reply to Blue Straggler: S'alright, you're off the hook!!

In reply to:

FFS what a load of self righteous bleating. Hands up all those who haven't ever done something they are ashamed of later whilst on the sauce.

Yes it was theft, very minor, most likely viewed as collatoral damage by the licensee, who will have made more than usual over the weekend.

What next? criminal damage charges for walking on the carpet in dirty boots?

In reply to 3leggeddog:

Carpet, CARPET? I thought the pub had one of the finest flag floors in the country.

In reply to sutty:

does anyone else think this could be a the start of a brilliant limerick

There was light fingered climber from duddon
Who piched sweets all of a sudden
......

In reply to Chris F:

No, scratchings are skin, not offal.

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):

Ooh yes, please carry on!!

In reply to Gadget Girl:

He's struggling for a decent fifth line, I reckon.

In reply to Martin76:

to be honest I was struggling for anything after line 2, english lit was never my strong point.

In reply to idiotproof (Buxton MC):
....
Them Skittles looked tasty
He did something hasty
Then was on his toes like a good 'un.

In reply to mark burley:

Or...

There was light fingered climber from duddon
Who pinched sweets all of a sudden

In a fit of red mist,
Which he couldn't resist,
He started stealing sweets by the dozen.

In reply to Timmd:

thats the winner so far

Or...

There was light fingered climber from duddon
Who pinched sweets all of a sudden

He looked around furtively
Grabbed them assertively
Then ate them all up, what a glutton!

C-: