What pisses you off? Part II: Electric Boogaloo

[stui magpie]

Yeah, well done Ptiddy, the fact that shit still happens anywhere is very poor but withe the amount of cultural diversity you have in London (at least as I understand it) it's even more shocking.

Echoing David, I'd also be interest to know how you handled it without getting your head kicked in.

[swoop42]

He clearly bamboozled them with his words like he does to most of us on here.

[stui magpie]

I was expecting something more like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf16WUYLfpQ

[think positive]

OMG i love that movie!

and yes thats shit- the abuse i mean

[Presti35]

What pisses me off? When a truck starts to merge into your lane when they dont have enough room.

[Skids]

People who fly the Australian flag incorrectly.

If you're going to have a flagpole and fly the Aussie flag, do it properly!

There was a government directive to fly the Australian Flag at half mast during daylight hours in recognition of the Bali bombing victims on the 12th of October. Nearly every flag I saw flying was at full mast.

Flying the flag at half-mast
Flags are flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning.

The half-mast position will depend on the size of the flag and the length of the flagpole. The flag must be lowered to a position recognisably half-mast to avoid the appearance of a flag which has accidentally fallen away from the top of the flagpole. An acceptable position would be when the top of the flag is a third of the distance down from the top of the flagpole.

There are times when direction will be given by the Australian Government for all flags to be flown at half-mast and you can receive email notifications when this happens by registering for the Commonwealth Flag Network.

Flags in any locality can be flown at half-mast on the death of a local citizen or on the day, or part of the day of their funeral.

When lowering the flag from a half-mast position it should be briefly raised to the peak and then lowered ceremoniously.

A flag should not be flown at half-mast at night, whether or not the flag is illuminated, unless direction to half-mast the flag for an extended period of time has been issued.

FLYING THE FLAG

Raise the flag briskly and lower it ceremoniously.

Do not raise the flag earlier than first light or lower the flag later than dusk.

When the flag is raised or lowered or is carried in a parade or review, everyone present should be silent and face the flag and people in uniform should salute.

The flag should always be flown freely and as close as possible to the top of the flagpole with the rope tightly secured.

The Australian National Flag should be raised first and lowered last, unless all other flags at the ceremony are raised and lowered simultaneously.

When the Australian National Flag is flown with flags of other nations, all flags should be the same size and flown on flagpoles of the same height.


Do not fly two flags from the same flagpole. Unless they're both Collingwood flags.

Only fly the flag at night when it is illuminated.

Do not fly the flag if it is damaged, faded or dilapidated.
When the material of a flag deteriorates it may either be placed in a permanent place of storage or should be destroyed privately and in a dignified way such as cutting it into small unrecognisable pieces, placing it in an appropriate sealed bag or closed container and then putting it in the normal rubbish collection.

Do not fly the flag upside down, even as a signal of distress.

Do not allow the flag to fall or lie on the ground or be used as a cover (although it can be used to cover a coffin at a funeral).

[David]

All seems a bit anal to me, tbh. I understand this stuff is important to some people, but I can't imagine there are many of them out there.

Anyway, will try to restrain myself from posting the Bill Hicks clip.

[KenH]

[Skids]

Over the top? How so?

Do - Fly a good quality/condition flag. Always do.
- Either illuminate it at night or take it down. I have a solar light atop the pole.
- Fly it at half mast as directed (register for the email notifications) or for other personal reasons of relevance. Never at night. Have registered for notifications.
- Dispose of old/damaged flags in a dignified way. Very easy to do.

Don't - Let it fall or lay on the ground.
- Fly it upside down.
- Fly a damaged/faded flag.

Pretty simple really. If it's too hard to follow the simple flag protocol, don't fly the flag.

https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/australian-national-flag/australian-national-flag-protocols

[eddiesmith]

In fairness to private citizens, if they signed up to those alerts they’d be lowering the flag 50-100 times a year as I currently have to do…

[think positive]

[David]

Who are we respecting here? I don't feel that's quite the right word.

[Skids]

[KenH]

[stui magpie]

Some people do take it really seriously though.

Years ago at the Hospital I worked at, they had the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres St Islander flags all flying together, 3 separate flag poles all the same height as required.

Some clown came in with his nose right out of joint because the Aboriginal Flag was in the middle and he said that was disrespectful. We had to find and show him those guidelines Skids linked to that says in this case, the Australian flag should be on the left, which it was. He still wasn't happy so we told him to take it up with Canberra.