Friday, November 24, 2006

Illegalities on a Sunny Day 

Just at the end of my tin-shaking outing today, a young woman in a black t-shirt said as she walked past that it was illegal. She said it in such a way (kind of to me but kind of to her companion) that I turned around and said, 'no, it isn't.' And she turned around and said that it's illegal to shake the tin and something else I didn't hear. She didn't want to talk to me about it, just to let me know that I was in the wrong and deserved her open-and-shut disapproval.

I felt terrible because I'd taken the spot from another collector without thinking, and was standing smack in the centre of the Wellington St overpass, just as it opens out onto Forrest Chase in front of Flight Centre. Yep, probably a little obstructive. I've also shaken the tin that much today that when I stopped to listen to my watch in the Hay St Mall I thought, gee, it's gone quiet all of a sudden. Ye-eah.

So after our exchange I moved to the side of the overpass and toned it down. I even stopped shaking my tin. Just as many people stopped to donate - I think it comes naturally, even automatically, to some Perth people. I found it hard to believe that people noticed me without noise to attract attention, but then most passersby see.

I think my tin shaking can be justified (tenuously) as making me a fully accessible collector...? No? I'm still not sure it's illegal.

Update: DOCEP's information on Street Collections mentions that a collector cannot obstruct or annoy people but it doesn't say anything about shaking the tin.
// posted by Deanne @ 18:59
Comments:
What nonsense, why sould that be illegal?! I remember there was a man in front of a shop in Perth city where we wanted to buy some souveniers. He was singing opera. Very loud. Also good, but very loud. The poor cashier girl said, he´d been there for weeks and singing the same all the time.

If that is not illegal, why should shaking a tin for a good thing be illegal.
In that case it is illegal to say something like that and not be willing to dicuss it.

Or have I understood completedly wrong? Then this is a very, very embarrassing comment, showing that my english is just... huhhhh...
Feel free to delete it then ;-)
# posted by Blogger Iris Flavia : Sat Nov 25, 02:14:00 am AWST
 
It's fully legal to cycle two abreast where safe to do so yet many motorists try to tell me it's illegal.

It comes from ignorance and you really shouldn't pay any attention.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : Sat Nov 25, 06:19:00 am AWST
 
Hi Iris, I think you've understood the situation. :-) I chose not to call out when collecting, and I haven't stood anywhere for more than an hour, and I hope not so close to shops that it became unbearable, just part of a Friday in the city. I don't think it'd ever be illegal to say something, I'd've just liked the exchange to be a little more friendly.

Hi Rodney - I know that cycling two-abreast is legal and I'm not a motorist!

I think part of the reason I'm annoyed is because I did pay attention.

Cheers, guys!
# posted by Blogger Deanne : Sat Nov 25, 09:01:00 am AWST
 
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