PLTuck

How did the now banned practice of caning (Corporal Punishment) work in schools in the UK before 1986?

Posted by NotSoF4stCvnt@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 287 comments

PLTuck@reddit

I got caned at middle school, which would have been between '78 and '82 for climbing on the roof. Didnt stop me climbing. I was ADHD and didnt know it. Also had a teacher in that school who would rap a handful of wooden rulers, side on, on your shoulder, or throw one of the big wooden blackboard wipers at your head if you were talking or daydreaming. Don't ever recall them having to ask my parents permission either.

What film shocks you when you realise how old it is?

Posted by Ok-Ebb5960@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 255 comments

What’s a place in the UK everyone should know about? (curious perspective from Japan)

Posted by Miserable_Self_4632@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 245 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Ye Olde Ship Inn and Woodbridge Cafe - Guildford (about 30 mins train from London) 500 year old pub and a greasy spoon cafe.

Which elements of late stage capitalism are infuriating you today?

Posted by AlephMartian@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 39 comments

Why are jacket potatoes becoming such a street food phenomenon here?

Posted by IsyABM@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 491 comments

PLTuck@reddit

We used to get hot Jacket spuds at the local vicarage bonfire night for 20p entry in the mid-late 1970s. Definitely not a new thing.

‘Walk on the left’. Is this a thing in UK?

Posted by IsisPantofel27@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1493 comments

PLTuck@reddit

I grew up in the 70s and was always taught that as a man, I am expected to walk on the road side of the pavement. I still do it out of habit. But no, people don't walk on the left. People don't even do it when there are signs asking to do it like on train station steps.

I love watching British police/crime procedurals. How do the SIO/CIOs drive such nice cars like Audi, BMW. Etc? Are those their own personal cars? Do they have to have special police license plates? Do they have to pay for their cars?

Posted by Few-Might2630@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 99 comments

PLTuck@reddit

FWIW police cars are not engine tuned (unless its changed in the last 10 years). If anything they underperform compared to their joe public model because of all the extra weight they carry in equipment.

Of all of the various fictional UK police shows over the years, which would you say is the most realistic?

Posted by HallowedAndHarrowed@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 233 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Absolutely. I worked in Major Crime for 5 years and didn't even know who our DCS was until he was carted out to tell us during austerity that we were absolutely, definitely, 100% NOT merging with a neighbouring force and our jobs were completely safe. (Spoiler Alert: We merged and I lost my job). All the bosses were DIs apart from 1 DCI.

Of all of the various fictional UK police shows over the years, which would you say is the most realistic?

Posted by HallowedAndHarrowed@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 233 comments

PLTuck@reddit

My biggest issue with police dramas (more specifically the murder detective ones) is that they distill the work of an entire dept down to one or 2 characters and it just doesn't work like that. Grace and Luther are the only 2 series I can remember off the top of my head where its a more accurate portrayal of a murder investigation as it would happen IRL (apart from the fact that Grace is a DCS and SIOs are DIs, maybe a DCI in my experience. For Police procedurals. The Bill before it got a bit too soapy. Line of Duty is pretty good. Blue Lights is on my list to watch. Happy Valley is a bit extreme but its grounded nicely in the reality or rural policing. Life on Mars is a brilliant look at pre-PACE policing, and Ashes to Ashes similarly in the early days of PACE.

What is life in England really like?

Posted by basicallynotawesome@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 137 comments

PLTuck@reddit

I think life in the UK is like life in most european democracies at the moment. Some good, some bad. Everything is expensive. Housing and energy costs in particular are crazy but even a lot of groceries have doubled in price (or more) in 6 years. Lean beef mince I used to get for around £2.20 pre-covid was £5.50 this week for example. Teaching in the UK is a tough gig. Teachers are overworked, underpaid, undervalued and most newly qualified teachers leave within 5 years due to burnout. Good luck.

What’s the worst designed city/town in the uk?

Posted by MajesticRate1818@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 357 comments

PLTuck@reddit

The Guildford one way system around the bottom of the town centre is like a town planners fever dream. Urban legend has it that it was supposed to be counter clockwise but they messed it up so it ended up clockwise.

What are some ways to make the UK a better place to live?

Posted by Puzzled-Boss-8005@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 290 comments

Cheese and pickle sandwich ingredients?

Posted by TaroPie_@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 168 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Tiger Bloomer, grated mature (or extra mature) cheddar, Branston to taste. Spread the Branston on first, don't try to spread it on grated cheese.

How accurate is the TV Show “The Inbetweeners” regarding the British secondary school experience?

Posted by Odd_Survey_8792@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 250 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Its an exaggeration / caricature but yeah it's pretty relatable to me, and I was that age in the 1980s. random useless thing: Its set around my area. Thorpe Park is like 15 mins drive for me. I lived in Woking for about 20 years.

What can I do if my social worker keeps making ableist comments?

Posted by Verifiedvenuz@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 151 comments

PLTuck@reddit

No problem, I hope it's useful. Point 4 was kinda something I've noticed about myself with the whole executive function stuff and just interested in another person's perspective. I have ADHD not ASD so may be different but I will often really have to think hard whether I'm using it as an excuse to not do things I don't feel like doing. It usually ends up that I'm not, and its just the years of brow beating by everyone else that I get this immediate sense of guilt if i try to duck out of doing something. I hope you have luck with Social Services. they are there to help you afterall, not misjudge your symptoms!

What can I do if my social worker keeps making ableist comments?

Posted by Verifiedvenuz@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 151 comments

PLTuck@reddit

1. Report him. 2. Executive dysfunction isnt a term used by Docs. They will say you have poor executive function instead. This is what I thought caused the confusion between you but it seems not. 3. He doesnt get it. Ask for a social worker that does. 4. Are you ever harsh on yourself, telling yourself that you are using "executive dysfunction" as an excuse to not do things? I know I do, but I also know that its not an excuse, thats just what society has told me for 50 odd years. It's a hard habit to break though.

Who is the most iconic British fictional character of all time?

Posted by debrisaway@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 503 comments

Was the uk in the 90s genuinely more fun and united, or are we just getting old?

Posted by JesusOnly8319@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 761 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Pre-social media. Mostly pre internet. Correlation? And yes, I can confirm that the 90s werent all rainbows and sunshine but public services worked better and there was less hate.

Anyone old enough to remember the time before Channel 5 existed - what do you think of it?

Posted by FroganCholakianTate@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 549 comments

PLTuck@reddit

I'm another that remembers Ch4 launching. That was exciting. Ch4 was innovative, they pushed boundaries. To this day I just see Ch5 as The Daily Mail but on TV which is probably being a bit harsh on it. I don't know because most of the time I forget it even exists.

What personal connection do you have to a case shown on BBC Crimewatch ?

Posted by debrisaway@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 83 comments

PLTuck@reddit

I worked on a very, very high profile case and appeared in a Crimewatch special about that case. (only in a wipe shot mind!)

If recreational cannabis is illegal, why do so many people smoke it out in public?

Posted by Bolticus13@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 822 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Police don't have the resources to deal with it. There is also a big rise in private prescription legal weed. Massive waste of police time going after it really. If they get whiff of a mid level local dealer making thousands they will spend the resources to get them, going after end users of weed is counter productive really because the war on drugs is an objective failure.

Has anyone successfully managed to stop people with loud exhausts going down their street?

Posted by 946789987649@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 142 comments

PLTuck@reddit

We have a similar issue, outside central london (but within the M25). They are lucky I don't own an air rifle. One of my neighbours went out and confronted them when there was a line of 100+ of them going up and down the road at 1am with their 100+ dB cars. Yersterday I was playing a VR music game, with headphones in and most windows shut, and their shitty exhaust and pops were still louder than the music being pumped directly into my ears. Think ill start to take pics and just bulk send them to the 101 email address for illegal mods.

How can we solve the Wealth Inequality problem and is Wealth Inequality the main reason why housing is so scarce?

Posted by GreenOutside9458@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 249 comments

PLTuck@reddit

They did, at a HUGE discount, and then their kids sold them to private investors. If they hadn't we wouldnt have so many landlords now. It's true that no government hasd corrected it since but the Right to Buy policy (they said they were going to reinvest but they didnt, spiel <> policy) is the direct cause of the lack of available housing now.

How can we solve the Wealth Inequality problem and is Wealth Inequality the main reason why housing is so scarce?

Posted by GreenOutside9458@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 249 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Main reason housing is so scarce is Thatchers Right to Buy coming home to roost. In the early 70s landlords were a rarity, because social housing was plentiful and wages kept pace with house prices. Now we have more landlords than teachers. Thats it. It's that simple.

Should I feel bad / think twice about using police resources for a minor common assault?

Posted by thepkmncenter@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 44 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Definitely report. They won't spend a ton resources trying to find him, but it will be added to an intel file and may come in useful if/when he does it again, perhaps seriously assaulting someone. Always report. Always.

Is £250 a month for groceries enough for two people?

Posted by marieannatrench29@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 492 comments

PLTuck@reddit

We aren't what I would call big spenders for groceries. Just the two of us. We eat things like Spag Bol, Quiche and salad, sausages and mash, curries. We have a weekly supermarket pizza and a weekly takeaway (subway), and we do about £350 a month. Grocery prices are mental. It wasn't THAT long ago, maybe 10 years or so, I was able to feed myself easily for about £15 a week.

What was the first piece of new technology you remember being blown away by?

Posted by Anfernee139@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 532 comments

PLTuck@reddit

As a gamer since the 1970s (I was the perfect age of 8 when Space Invaders cabinets started appearing in local takeaways), in the late 90s I bought this new fangled thing called a MMORPG (Asheron's Call). It blew my mind while playing it that I was talking to and killing monsters with someone from Ohio. A year or two later and I was selected to betatest the new playstation online multiplayer dongle and SOCOM blew me away again. Then 20 years later I put a VR helmet on and played Beat Saber for the first time and now aged in my late 40s I was again blown away by this lifelong hobby.

What has gradually disappeared in the UK over the last 20 years without people really noticing?

Posted by DunyaPhobic76@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 966 comments

What is the prettiest, most picturesque town/city in the UK?

Posted by wordgirl@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 207 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Generally when I go to really postcard pretty places its the further away from london you go. Cornwall, Isle of Wight, Lake District, Scottish Highlands, New Forest, Snowdonia all filled to brim of pretty villages. Liverpool seemed really pretty to me in its architecture, but I've only been there once and was as part of volunteering for something so didn't get to do any sightseeing really :(

What are your favourite mottos that get you by?

Posted by No-Television-9862@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 135 comments

Why do people who claim they know someone that knows someone claiming benefits fraudulently never say they reported them?

Posted by Over-Space833@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 148 comments

PLTuck@reddit

100% this. It is actually very difficult to defraud the DWP. Most fraud tends to be committed by Organised crime groups, not individuals.

Is anyone open to just chatting about the UK?

Posted by GodSaveTheKing07@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 464 comments

If you were to implement a new tax what would it be?

Posted by ant682@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 473 comments

Why are government u-turns considered such a bad thing?

Posted by YerManOnTheMac@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 45 comments

PLTuck@reddit

I agree but they've been told these things since it was announced and ignored campaigners and advocate groups. Nothing has changed other than the possibility of an embaressing defeat on Tuesday. If they had said much earlier that ok theyve taken on board what experts have said and are going to have another think then gereat, but they've only climbed down now because they are somewhat being forced to.

If you were to implement a new tax what would it be?

Posted by ant682@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 473 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Yeah you make a really good point and those details would be crucial. One things for sure,there has to be a better way than sticking the boot into the old, poor and disabled.

If you were to implement a new tax what would it be?

Posted by ant682@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 473 comments

Are the British police so time constrained?

Posted by Ok-Scientist7083@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 177 comments

PLTuck@reddit

No problem. I think people also forget that austerity takes time to filter through to the public. 10 years ago people were saying to me "I don't notice any difference in public services". Well, they notice now that the full effects are evident. Austerity absolutely ruined this country and we have still not recovered. I would argue we are still in austerity despite politicians insisting we are not.

Are the British police so time constrained?

Posted by Ok-Scientist7083@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 177 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Cameron and Osbourne's austerity programme absolutely gutted the police service, losing not just headcount, but thousands of years of policing experience by forcibly retiring Chief Supers. To cut costs when 90% of your budget is salaries and Police Officers cannot be made redundant a lot of civilian police staff were done away with, but those roles still need doing so its officers that have to do them, hence less officers on the streets dealing with crime. Source: was one of those police staff for 10 years.

Does Madelaine McCann deserve so much public money over the so many other children who have been lost?

Posted by Rags_75@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1562 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Cold cases never die. While working in a major crime team, one of my jobs was a 40 year old unsolved murder. So yes, if there is new lines of enquiry to look it, it should be looked at.

Which non British accent do you like the most?

Posted by Natashayabada@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 383 comments

Could you recommand UK towns near London for 5 days trip?

Posted by Hgangster@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 62 comments

PLTuck@reddit

Guildford is a lovely town to visit. Walk along the river to St Catherines hill which is where Guildford got it's name as its golden sand in a place where there was a medieval trade post and river crossing (Ford). Golden-Ford >>> Guildford. You can also visit the Norman castle and shop on the cobbled high street and see a 500 year old school and 500 year old pubs. It's about 30 mins train SW of London waterloo. Enjoy and COYS!

What technology do you fondly remember using in the 80s in Britain?

Posted by Autistic-Inquisitive@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 256 comments

PLTuck@reddit

My mate got his older brother to burn it onto a ROM. \*Elite. Instant loading. 2 giddy 10 year old boys who spent an entire summer co-op ing it. I was pilot. Mate was all the stuff on the keyboard. When we got the random hidden missions (once you got to competant or above iirc) it blew our tiny minds.

What technology do you fondly remember using in the 80s in Britain?

Posted by Autistic-Inquisitive@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 256 comments

PLTuck@reddit

BBC Model B computer. ONe of, if not the first home computer that had a degree of modular expansion capability built in. &#x200B; Ahhhh \*elite FTW.

What’s the smallest amount of power you’ve seen go to someone’s head?

Posted by soverytiiiired@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 831 comments

PLTuck@reddit

In the 90s a worked at a regional government office at entry level. My boss was 2 grades above me. After I'd been there a couple of years they got someone in to fill the grade gap who really wanted to make their mark and proceeded to tear down all the work I had put into processes and efficiency over the past 2 years and shortly after complaints from the whole 200 ish worker office flooded in. (I worked in Facilities management. Post, stationary, reception desk, photocopiers etc)

Why do brits love to que at the airport gate?

Posted by brave1991@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 242 comments

What are some Britishisms that would confuse a non-native speaker?

Posted by DamnedFoolofaTook@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 3142 comments

PLTuck@reddit

popping down the road (to go somewhere in the next town). Let's go out out. It's half ten. cheap at half the price cheesy bob Alright? Fuck off (in astonishment, not a directive...."Fuck off! Really?") old man / old lady referring to parents, not spouses. could**n't** care less

What do you do if someone talks like they are an old friend but you don't know who they are?

Posted by louwyatt@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 108 comments

Would you let your 17 year old daughter travel on her own to London for a concert?

Posted by Artistic-Advice1035@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 929 comments

As a Brit, what's some British code words we use?

Posted by Mistyheart_@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 676 comments