This week's heavy snowstorm in the North of England brought highs and lows.
The highs include being marooned at our childrens house whilst picking up our Grandson for childminding duties. Being snowed in brought out a campsite camaraderie with all hands on deck, sharing childminding, cooking and making do with airbeds and sofa beds for sleeping in the living room. We also managed 3 separate zoom meetings for 3 different employers at the same time. Is this the future of work?
The snowfall also rekindled pleasant memories of childhood winters playing with my action man in the snow. I can see myself now pointing my arctic commando down my parents' sloped and snowy drive, his white uniform almost invisible apart from the trim on his skis and sticks. I was always enthralled with his black and white rifle strapped over his shoulder and his goggles and white boots. Did you have any arctic or polar action men?
The low was quite unexpected and really upsetting. A family member was the victim of a tirade of online abuse as a result of our having to abandon our vehicle near the kerb on a road at the other end of the residential hillside area where Moonbase Junior lives. The sudden heavy snow meant we couldn't go any further and had to finish our journey on foot. Despite parking safely half-on half-off the pavement, the ensuing deluge of wholly offensive cries of nimbyistic outrage aimed at our car, which we were shown on social media, including photos, were downright depressing.
What on earth has happened to people that should illicit such fury at the merest of slights? It can't be the shield of online anonymity since people are named on FB and the like. Is it anger at a virus-ravaged nation or some other monstrous threat? Is it a sinister and deep dislike of our fellow man, whom contact with incurs instant wrath and revulsion? I'm unsure but concerned. Where will it end?
What's certain is that FB and it's ilk have allowed this fugue of residential wrath to be vented with the click of a button from the comfort of an armchair. I find it worrying. Thank God I avoid social media like the plague. Rant over.
Back to the toys.
Maybe it was because you parked half up on the pavement, Woodsy. That's considered inconsiderate by most pedestrians nowadays, though it's no excuse for giving anyone abuse for it. It's all too common these days to see some drivers parked 3 quarters (and more) on pavements, impeding those with pushchairs, shopping trolleys, or mobility scooters and wheelchairs. Not that many of them would've been out in that kind of snow.
ReplyDeleteIm pretty sure we parked well Kid allowing everyone to pass. There were two other cars parked as well. Ah well. We won't park there again.
DeleteI can actually see both sides on this, Woodsy. There were three cars parked where they really shouldn't have been. Maybe that sort of thing is a serious problem for the residents, and perhaps they weren't to know your reasons for having to abandon your vehicle, so I'd cut them a little slack on their outrage. That is, of course, as long as they weren't threatening or aggressive, or personally insulting. After all, we all have things that set us off. At least no one vandalized any of the cars, which is something to be thankful for. That would certainly have been out of order. Did they criticize all three cars equally, or was it just your car they highlighted?
DeleteApparently, 83% of people are against folk parking up on pavements, and a significant amount of that 83% are presumably car owners themselves. Consider these comments which I've cut and pasted from an online forum discussing the problem:
Pavement parking is yet another manifestation of the selfishness of most drivers. I've had to manhandle a man in a wheelchair into the road because the pavement was blocked by cars & vans. I once complained to a van driver's company & they told me to piss off.......the UK has become a horrible place for disabled people.
The police have been very good with me. Many many fines issued to people trapping me in my home by parking with all 4 wheels on the pavement across my gate. I take photos and have a direct email to my community officer. But it won't stop until people have more consideration which they won't. So legislation is needed urgently
Just don't park on the pavement. Its easy. I am constantly trapped in my home from drivers parking across my gate with all 4 wheels on the pavement. I live in a disabled bungalow. 4 people fined today alone when my community policeman came to patrol as well as the 5 I took photos of and sent him.
So you see why some people can get upset about it.
On the question of social media, doesn't Moonbase Central qualify as such? I think you have a Facebook profile as well (for MC), don't you? I'd say that any site which invites interaction from the general public and encourages comments falls under the umbrella description of social media.
Anyway, I can understand why you're upset; you meant no harm and are therefore surprised to find yourself the target of someone's ire, but (and I say this without having seen the nature of what you term 'abuse' - if it's really vile then that's just not on), maybe you should view the experience as being beneficial to a degree if it helps you to consider other people's point of view.
Hopefully you'll regard my comment in the spirit it was intended - not a criticism, but merely a hopefully helpful observation to ponder.
I'm upset for my daughter who was on the receiving end of local online abuse Kid, completely uncalled for and very personal and all as a result of her parents parking a car in a terrible early morning snowfall. Thanks for your comment though, it has helped me see another perspective. Thanks also for reminding me about MC on FB, done at a time when I thought it was harmless. It shall be removed as soon as I figure out how to do it. Yes, I agree MC is social media too. I have tried and still try to keep it a safe space on the net.
DeleteOne of the things I've personally avoided is having anything to do with Social Media. Needless to say it's resulted in a number of raised eyebrows, as its virtually unheard of in the Radio profession. I've heard the old chestnut of "doesn't engage with Social Media" mentioned. But the truth is I genuinely cant be arsed with it. It bores me to death, the platforms have badly written code and are personally frustrating to use on a number of levels. Plus, if I want to communicate with my friends I have the phone, email or text. I am one of the editorial team for the radio station, and if I could get out of that I would. I hate social media with a passion.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear of your experience with the on-line local troll, I'm sure I've been libeled on these platforms over the years myself, but of course I've never got to see it. And there is nothing more irritating to a troll than waiting for a response that never comes! Meanwhile, one continues happy as Larry an they are completely ignored!
Don't let them get you down, your a decent person, and I'm proud to count you as one of my friends!
At Main Mission we've been finding the lockdown perfectly okay. In a previous life I did some time in the Merchant Navy so being confined to a small area for months is like old times. My missus is a little on the agrophobic side so she's happy! Generally things are very quiet partially due to the unremitting rain. It just never stops, but I consider myself very lucky as there are people not too far from all of us who are genuinely suffering in this pandemic.
I also should make mention that we lost one of our contributors to Covid, two months ago. Martin Smith is not a name you'd recognise, but listeners would recognise his beautiful voice. Which thanks to the medium of broadcasting, will live on.
Peace and love from us all at Celtica Radio.
I agree with Bill, I don't do social media, literally this blog, my own contacts list for WhatsApp and then comments on YouTube, my wife and I aren't anti social but we don't put ourselves in situations that mean we're obliged to return entertainment, our neighbors are going stir crazy and we just don't have that, we bought a house recently and it's so nice having good neighbors in a nice area, a big garden helps, unfortunately we lost some family members last year, not covid, but one was not expected, puts things into perspective, love your family and friends, only accept good things from people, and when a Karen gets up in your face for no good reason, bless them with love and let them go,I know that's difficult some times when someone is all up in your grill - MJ Southcoast base
DeleteSorry to hear about Martin Bill. Very sad. Thanks for the kind words.
DeleteSo sorry to hear about your loss MJ. Hope you've settled into the new home well. Thanks for your support.
DeleteSounds to me like you parked as safely as you 'could', due to the snow. Whilst that may have inconvenienced others temporarily, they should be able to see the circumstances that forced that on you and accepted it.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there are too many people around, who vent their pompous, self righteous spleen on the internet.
Ignore them Woodsy, they're not worth the finger exercise.
Mish.
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DeleteThanks for your support Mish.
DeleteSorry all. Didn't mean to encourage one of them to the blog. I'll stop now.
ReplyDeleteBut go ahead 'Anonymous', have that last word, why don't you ?!
Mish.
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DeleteAnytime Woodsy.
ReplyDeleteMish.
From now on I will be deleting any unnamed comments on my blog. Ive had enough.
ReplyDeleteThis is also a test
Deleteit worked fine MJ!
DeleteThat's an excellent idea Paul, it's something we've done whenever needed and its stopped dead any spiteful nonsense.
ReplyDeleteGood call my friend.
Damn, my days of anonymous sniping are over! I'm going to have to be nice to people now, that's a blow.
ReplyDeleteSorry Kev!
DeleteI'm trying to create a top name for my replies instead of Anonymous, so I don't have to sign them at the bottom each time. This is a test and may not work.
ReplyDeleteMish.
Well what do you know. It worked !
ReplyDeleteWell done Mish!
ReplyDeleteCheers Woodsy.
ReplyDelete