Things that aren't free that should be

[Nexus]

Similarly, school uniform - it's bullshit we make parents spend a hundred quid (at least) when they start in Y7, and then probably at least another fifty by Y9. 

[Gus Mears]

I'm still waiting to grow into the blazer mum bought me for year 7. Thing would have fit loose on Giant Haystacks.

Edited January 2, 2025 by Gus Mears

[westlondonmist]

I think there should be a free water allowance but not totally free. Enough to wash and drink. But I see people soo much water on sprinkler systems and hoses that there needs to be limits. 

 

I agree public toilets should be free (I've mentioned before I work in the industry somewhat) but councils are skint and they actually cost quite a lot to run as they are subject to a lot of ASB. Ranging from criminal damage, assault, drugs with needles and blood on the floor, cottaging and people exposing themselves to kids. They need funding for it centrally.

 

But I think often they would be beneficial to local economies as people would go out and would also help NHS as there is a belief that physically they help with things as people wouldn't hold it in. Also could help old people mentally as they would be more confident going out so would be more independent. 

 

TFL not putting any in Bond St or Tottenham Court Road is a disgrace but they have £3m a year to install more into tube stations. £3m isn't much though. 

 

Edit: https://www.toiletmap.org.uk for anybody who needs to go. Includes shops that let you piss for free. 

Edited January 3, 2025 by westlondonmist

[stumobir]

16 minutes ago, westlondonmist said:

Edit: https://www.toiletmap.org.uk for anybody who needs to go. Includes shops that let you piss for free. 

[SuperBacon]

My Dad could've come up with that map and similarly to George knows all the best toilets in London and used to save me all the time.

"Dad I'm down the Cut and need a piss"

"The Old Vic. 3rd floor, tell them you're from trading standards"

[tiger_rick]

Imagine the money those TikTok Mums would have to throw around if you didn't have to pay for rent, utilities, school uniforms and internet? There'd be a B&M on every street. Be like Pret for tat.

[DCW]

We had to buy our school jumper, tie and PE gear from a school book shop that the school principal just so happened to own. The jumper was depressing grey with a tiny crest on it, but yer man still saw fit to charge 50 quid for the jumper alone back in the early 90s. This was a normal school in quite a poor area of Dublin too. Don't know how he got away with it for so long, the prick. 

[Wretch]

7 minutes ago, DCW said:

We had to buy our school jumper, tie and PE gear from a school book shop that the school principal just so happened to own. The jumper was depressing grey with a tiny crest on it, but yer man still saw fit to charge 50 quid for the jumper alone back in the early 90s. This was a normal school in quite a poor area of Dublin too. Don't know how he got away with it for so long, the prick. 

Born and bred in Ballyfermot and can confirm the same, the robbing pricks. An astronomical amount of money that was for my ma. 

[tiger_rick]

My Mam forked out about £20 for my Rugby Shirt which was a massive amount for a family like ours and some bastard nicked my bag on about the 2nd day of secondary with that in it. There was no chance we were affording a second one so I got a lost property special that did me until we could choose PE sports and I could stop being a tackling dummy.

The bag was a beauty too, a Head one bought with thousands of cards that came with Embassy cigarettes or something. Was well proud of that for the 2 days I owned it!

[SuperBacon]

12 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

The bag was a beauty too, a Head one

Yeah they're lovely. I had one, similar to what Begbie has the money in in Trainspotting, and then some teacher called it a "smack bag" and I fell out of love with it.

School uniform is all a scam. Two of the items that we were asked to purchase this time for our youngest were an apron and wired headphones despite our eldest having never needed those in the 4 years she's been there.

I remember a massive deal being made out of gumshields at our school (would be in bloody Twickenham) and them telling us we'd have to get specially made ones that fit our teeth and having to go to a shop and biting down on this sort of chewing gum shit to get the outline right.

I never bothered doing it. I bloody hated rugby.

[westlondonmist]

My sons school had these bloody just William style hats, they cost £25. Most parents refused to buy it and the head caused a stink with a load of parents. Luckily the shop that sells the uniform refused to stock them as they were shit quality and they had to replace loads. 

£22 a jumper though, they get covered in pen and paint. And a tie. He's fucking 6. Kind of pisses me off. Most schools use sweatshirts that cost £12. 

If you are going to do uniform it should be basic. Grey trousers, white polo and a plain sweatshirt. Stuff anybody can afford. 

 

 

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

My sons old school had white polo shirts for the first 3yrs....how ruddy stupid?! White t-shirts every day for 4-7yr olds doing art and practical activities....absolutely barmy

[Arch Stanton]

41 minutes ago, Tim Healys Chutney Spoon said:

My sons old school had white polo shirts for the first 3yrs....how ruddy stupid?! White t-shirts every day for 4-7yr olds doing art and practical activities....absolutely barmy

Every supermarket in the country will sell you a multi pack of plain white school polos for under a tenner. At Tesco you can currently get a five pack for just £7.50.

[Rossman]

On 1/2/2025 at 4:02 PM, tiger_rick said:

Air for your tyres. £1.50 in some places. For air. Bastards.

Yep, used to be £1 at my local garage. Guess that's inflation for you.

[simonworden]

It should be mandatory for public toilets to have a free card opening system for anyone with a condition so they can get in for free. Not sure how it works but the idea of an old lady being humiliated cos she hasn't got 30p to hand stings me a bit. However if for the rest of us able bodied plebs paying a few pence keeps the needles and bad stuff out then it's fine by me. 

Public transport should be free to get you from anywhere you live to all required amenities. My parents and 95 year old grandmother live in a Village with a GP, crap co-op, few pubs and that's about it. If they need to go to a hospital, bigger shop etc then they have to drive or fork out for a taxi as the bus system is expensive and atrocious. They are all fairly well off tory voters though so don't have too much sympathy. It's actually the young, those without a care etc who I feel sorry for. Growing up was a right pisser with the one bus going to the one town I didn't want to often go to and costing 4 quid (in about 2003) for the privilege. 

Final one, globally shoes for kids should be free and provided on a 6 monthly basis. Nothing drastic just a solid black trainer or something similar. Too many children with ill fitting shoes or none at all walking over horrific cold, hot, rough terrain and buggering their bodies up before they're even adults.