Forum Topic

Front page article from borough health boss

I hope everyone has read and absorbed the front page article from the borough health leader. She is pleading with us all to say home and only go out if it is essential and then protect yourself by avoiding as much human contact as possible simple message. To all those who are not complying stop and think about the damage you are doing to other people, think about all the doctors and nurses that are exhausted because people are not complying with the rules, if you are guilty of this think again and join the majority of people who are being compliant. If we have to shame you into behaving correctly then we will!  Joggers please move over and if necessary go into the road thank you,

Jayne Thorburn ● 2114d21 Comments

Hi Jayne..Kelly's excellent message is perfectly clear.  She's venting the same angry frustrations as many other front-line fighters of the pandemic.  Particularly within the NHS.  Many of them are understandably at their wits end.BUT - The vast majority of the public IS complying, no matter what you read on here or in the tabloids.  And any qualified human behaviourist would tell you that going on and on about the small minority getting it wrong can become dangerously counter-productive and must be discouraged.This angry noise about selfish joggers (and thoughtless shoppers sans mask) undermines and degrades the positives.  It also destabilises the natives – and in many cases breeds the feeling that if “they're” doing it then I might as bloody well join in and to hell with it.Besides which – do you imagine that this sort of message actually reaches the non-compliant?  It hardly does.  They're largely stone deaf.    It mainly reaches our own captive W4 congregation of consenting adults in private - who spend their hours looking for examples of folk not following the rules, then wrapping the story up into yet another lousy unoriginal forum anecdote.So (I reckon) we should leave the police and people like supermarket security to quietly enforce the restrictions.Leaving us lot to report stories about people getting it right..

Stuart Kerr ● 2114d

Well said.  I absolutely agree that we fully converted, law abiding folk are countering amongst ourselves and that the "baddies" will never be reading this forum.  We must make a huge effort to try to stay as positive as we can - hardly the best of weathers today is it though!  A few more grey days then I think we're due some sunshine.

Jennifer Selig ● 2114d

Corporal Kerr, being chief reporter for the Daily Grudge, stories of people getting things right is not what your average reader wants. Boring.Without verbal sword play over joggers, cyclists, masks, traffic, LTN, Brexit and conspiracy codswallop Chiswick W4 would have died a death a long time ago.Lost cats, bin collection dates and parking tickets just don't cut it.Bearing in mind some of your excellent past sword play I trust your last posting is just a blip.Chin up, shoulders back, carry on!

Adrian Irving ● 2114d

Absolutely Jayne.

Adrian Irving ● 2114d

Some people's lives would be empty without finger pointing, and lockdown seems to have amplified that need for the little dopamine hit of proudly calling out your fellow citizens. 

John Hall ● 2114d

some horrible truth in what you say Adrian..Here's more bad news – in my earliest incarnation as a Fleet Street reporter for  a top sports agency then UPI – I used to get sent to cover stories on behalf of all the nationals.  So I'd be producing copy of the same story for the like of The Times, Telegraph, Express and Mirror etc..Be assured that tabloid writing is far and away the hardest.  Dead easy to knock out a tale for the Telegraph.  Not easy for the Mirror.  That's where all the top riters worked and where journalist got paid mega-bucks.So – if you're the self-appointed Chief Reporter for the W4 Daily Grudge, I can only say you and your clickbait staff all need a right kick up the arse!  Rite something ORIGINAL for once.  Lay off all the cliché phrases you use time and again.  If you want to make a joke, at least make the bloody joke funny - instead of cretin-dull with a sodding emoji hung on its tail.And no repeating yourself.  If I get ONE more tale of a jogger coming within six inches of a boring woman who can almost feel his breath on her bloody neck, that journo will be sacked.  Where are stories about the Covid murderers?  What about the W4 parrot who squawks “I've got the covid I've got the covid”.  Where's the headline story of the jealous neighbours' revenge – a covid bomb in a polystyrene bag packed with the breath of a covid victim and thrown through a Bedford Park window attached to a brick?Get busy oh creative twerp that you are...Tomorrow's W4 news goes to bed at midnight..

Stuart Kerr ● 2114d

It was disappointing that so few residents took the opportunity to hear Kelly O'Neill address the Chiswick Area Forum last night. Those that did attend were able to put their questions to her and get clear no nonsense responses.Kelly is a star and showed true dedication by spending her birthday evening with "us". There were several tributes to the key role that she has played since last February. Laura Ellener, Head Teacher of Chiswick School, was also inspirational in her address to the forum and in the clarity of her responses to questions.We are fortunate to have such public servants working in and for our community.

Cllr Sam Hearn ● 2114d

That’s great to hear Sam, we need more of the frontline people enforcing the message. Stuart, I have to slightly disagree with you I think everyone understandably is getting very weary with all the rules but in our experiences many people walking in the street are not moving over just walk straight past. I appreciate the chances of catching covid in this situation is low risk but it is still a risk. It is totally alien for humans to actively move apart when approaching but that is what we all have to do so eliminating any risk. I do agree that the idiots not complying are unlikely to read this forum. I hope that parents are enforcing the importance of the rules with their older kids. It does require everyone regardless of age to play their part in society to reduce this dreadful virus.

Jayne Thorburn ● 2114d

Hi Jayne,Sure!    Not all compliant members of the public are ultra diligent.  Many are far too busy on the mobile to look out for what's coming..  Heard all that time and again but didn't buy the T-shirt. Because it doesn't mean they don't care.Truth is, those who are worried can usually take avoiding action.  I do.  Like cross the road when I see someone coming who looks like they're infested with covid.Something I don't do but is a possibility for the really squeamish -  if you take a small wing mirror out with you and hold it out in place, then you'll see joggers coming up from behind and be able to duck!Another free tip.  Last few days I've been doing a walk round and about the deserted backstreets of Bedford Park.  Unlike The Avenue which is strangely busy being a through route for many, the backstreets are virtually deserted.  And VERY safe...x

Stuart Kerr ● 2114d

I like the man with his large dog who trots along side carrying a very long stick in his mouth.  It's over 6ft and effectively keeps other bods at a far distance.

Jennifer Selig ● 2114d

Took my cat to vet and back in Bayswater on Monday.  People chatting in big groups, loads of people going into and coming out of supermarkets without masks and no distancing.  And joggers are a real risk.  People are NOT mostly obeying the rules from the evidence of my own eyes.  And the current virus stats go a long way to proving. Ex-journalists should think harder before posting rubbish.

Claire Moran ● 2114d

From the exaggerated crap written by you Claire and the other forum clickbait writers about our suicidally negligent neighbours, it's a bloody miracle any of you has survived thus far...

Stuart Kerr ● 2114d

Don't know what your agenda is on this occasion but seems you are wilfully blind. Several of my clients are in hospital with Covid and I know of many more including close neighbours with the virus.  If they survive it will indeed be a miracle. For those who have a comfy enough lifestyle to be able to shelter fully from this awful disease, they  sneer at others from a distance. Or  don't get out enough because they are cossetting their precious little selves to see what is going on, they are clueless.  But it only takes one mistake. And then they might regret their stupidity - perhaps when it's too late.

Claire Moran ● 2114d

But you don't go out anywhere unless you absolutely have to.  Again and again you've said that.  So how come you suddenly manage to see so much going on in your little world?

Stuart Kerr ● 2114d

I explained above.  My world is far bigger than yours as you seem to not engage with what is really happening, whereas most of us do.  People who are too stupid to understand the scale of the problem may be visited by Karma. Hope not for their sake. Not going to engage further with your dangerous idiocy. You and Trump should join forces, you have an incredible amount in common.

Claire Moran ● 2114d

OK have it your way big girl.  I'm blind and most of the W4 public are dangerously negligent..Even so, this is a public forum and if that's the ongoing message YOU want to hear, try not to be so bloody repetitive and boring about it.  The same story again and again about a jogger panting down your neck. You sure it's not the same jogger going round and round?  Maybe he's taken a fancy to you?

Stuart Kerr ● 2114d

Oh, get lost you dismal, cossetted, boring man.

Claire Moran ● 2114d

You came on for the row old girl - be happy!

Stuart Kerr ● 2114d

Err, no, your snarky remarks over the last few days clearly aimed at me - as for many years - prompted my reply.  Happy days, Stuart.

Claire Moran ● 2114d

Thought you'd gone..but now I understand.  Claire, you've fallen victim to your own paranoia here.  But if you wanna reopen old sores that's your choice, daft as it is.No way have I been prodding at you - "snarky" or otherwise.  If there was inspiration for what I've been writing recently it's coming from someone else on here...I've already forgiven you.  But if you go on believing I'm anything like Trump, you really are demonstrably crackers..

Stuart Kerr ● 2114d

Stuart, my lack of clarity , apologies.I meant that you, Corporal Kerr, are the Chief Reported for The Daily Grudge.I could never emulate your experience in the art.

Adrian Irving ● 2114d