RUN Kiddies RUN!

The SUN - UK ^ | John Coles

[steplock]

EU give swings the push

A VILLAGE had to get rid of its playground swings because Euro rules say they are too TALL.

The three swings were erected more than 25 years ago.

Kids playing on them have suffered nothing worse than a grazed knee ever since.

But now Brussels bureaucrats have introduced a new maximum height order for swings throughout the UK.

The EU edict, European Standard BS EN 11 76, states the height of children’s swings must be no more than three metres (9ft 10ins).

The set at the park in Great Somerford, Wilts, are 60cm (2ft) over the limit.

The directive also includes a mind-boggling set of other rules including the distance from the seats to the frame and to the ground.

The Great Somerford swings were condemned during a routine inspection by playground equipment firm Wicksteed Leisure last month.

Now the seats have been removed to stop kids using the swings and a notice has gone up explaining why.

It has left Sarah Beeby, 11, Hannah Lonford-Brown, ten, and Luke Whitmarsh and Jacob Botterill, both five, bitterly disappointed.

Little Luke said: “It’s very sad. The park’s not exciting any more.”

The EU standard is NOT law, but failing to comply could leave the parish council open to legal action if a child were injured.

The council is trying to raise £4,000 to get new swings. It can’t simply raise the ground around the exisiting frames because steps aren’t allowed in playgrounds either.

Chairman Toby Sturgis said: “These are barmy regulations.”

[Support Free Republic]

Interesting.

[The Great Satan]

I thought this was going to be another Scott Ritter thread.

[Support Free Republic]

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[concentric circles]

Not just EU.

The swings have been disappearing from my area the last couple of years. They can no longer be found in public parks or on school playgrounds. Thank the trial lawyers.

[patton]

If you live in a country where a kid's swing-set costs $8,000 - you are already F*****.

Enjoy. Five pipes, four chains, two slabs of leather - total cost, $15

[Coyoteman]

That's OK. Remember, these folks are some of the competition. If they want to cripple themselves with these silly rules that's their problem, better for us.

We need to do our best to avoid this foolishness here...but its a tough job sometimes.

[joesnuffy]

Great "The Beast" and the "Anti Christ" are gonna be micro managers and petty
shicken chit bureaucrats...& bean counters...and most of all 'absurd authority figures'

[kcar]

Why do the Brits defer? The Brits have the spirit and history to throw these EUnichs out on their collective little big-man arses. Is this the revenge of the French?!

Come on blokes - you survived Hitler - why are go limp-wristed now?

[armyboy]

The EU edict, European Standard BS EN 11 76, states the height of children’s swings must be no more than three metres (9ft 10ins).

What does BS EN stand for? Bull S*** European Number?

It really sad when a continent, even wosre when it is one that is run by a single governing board, is worrying over the height of children's swingsets. Certainly there are more important things to worry about.

[kcar]

England now swings by a safety compendium from EU...

Bobbies ... (whatever)

[PatrioticAmerican]

More sissy Brits. We should have let them speak German.

[Bitman]

It really sad when a continent, even wosre when it is one that is run by a single governing board, is worrying over the height of children's swingsets. Certainly there are more important things to worry about.

You don't get it do you. It's "For the Children"... (And to keep the government employees employeed).

Now that they have the regulations, think of all the people that can be employeed. I.E. The ones to inspect the playgrounds. The managers to manage these people. The ones to fill out the required paperwork. The ones to produce and distribute the paperwork. The ones to verify the paperwork. The ones to prosocute offenders (more paperwork and management etc). Just think of all the jobs created to consume tax dollars. It is for THEIR children, so that the sons and daughters of the government workers will not go without food, shelter and recreation (except of course the playgrounds).

[Adrastus]

You don't suppose they will pass regulations concerning the height of imbicility, do you?

[PAR35]

Solution:

Get a cutting torch.
Cut off legs at ground level.
Dig a 60 cm. hole for each leg.
Set each leg in the hole.
Refill holes.

Result: a well anchored, legal swing set for the Eurofolks.

[thatdewd]

The set at the park in Great Somerford, Wilts, are 60cm (2ft) over the limit.

They're made of metal piping, just cut the dang legs to regulation and reset them in a little quikcrete. 2 hours and eight bucks, max (non-union cost and time frame). Silly Euros.

[Bob]

...just cut the dang legs to regulation and reset them in a little quikcrete. 2 hours and eight bucks, max (non-union cost and time frame).

Don't forget the cost of a 6-month environmental impact study. You can't just go around pouring quikcrete anywhere you please. There may be unforeseen impacts on the local ecology.

[is_is]

It can’t simply raise the ground around the exisiting frames because steps aren’t allowed in playgrounds either.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Enjoy. Five pipes, four chains, two slabs of leather - total cost, $15

Hell, we used to make do with one of Dad's discarded re-treads and 30 ft. of manila rope tossed over an oak tree branch. Those were the days.

[spodefly]

I consider a story like this to be incontrovertable evidence of the end of civilization. When a supra-national governing body defines the maximum height for children's swingsets, we have gone past the point of rationalality ... no further discussion is possible.

It makes me want to go puke in my 1.2 Gallon per Flush toilet.