This is really for the Brits but others may be interested...

[p_p_man]

There's been a lot of talk recently amonst our American friends about loss of personal freedom in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Some of them don't mind giving up some freedom, some of them would ferociously defend their freedom.

In the UK we've had so many erosions into personal freedom over the years under the guise of national security that most of us (and I include the police) couldn't for the life of us tell you what we are or what we are not allowed to do.

So I started thinking. So far I can only recall five examples but others might want to join in...

1. If you are dying for a piss and there is no public toilet within a quarter of a mile you are allowed to relieve yourself discreetly without fear of arrest.

2. Soliciting is not illegal. Prostitution is.

3. When emergency services use their sirens there is no legal reason for other traffic to get out of the way. The siren is a request and you are not breaking the law by not moving to one side.

4. If you are a civil servant and you tell someone how many biscuits you have with your tea you are breaking the Official Secrets Act and can be fined or imprisoned (or both).

5. The same if you tell someone whether you use a biro or a fountain pen to write with.

 

[Lancaster]

My own comment on the above is that they have no substantial effect upon our liberties as they are manufactured oddities which every legal system contains.
Since the passing of the Human Rights Act 1998, the scope of personal freedom in this country has increased, but so has the capacity to act irresponsibly on the basis of that statute. I would argue that responsibility is prior to freedom, so that restrictions emanating from recent events is one of the costs of maintaining that freedom.

 

[Natalie Nessus]

4. If you are a civil servant and you tell someone how many biscuits you have with your tea you are breaking the Official Secrets Act and can be fined or imprisoned (or both).

Isn't that perfectly understandable??

3. When emergency services use their sirens there is no legal reason for other traffic to get out of the way. The siren is a request and you are not breaking the law by not moving to one side.

How terribly nice of them

 

[OUTSIDER]

I know that black cab drivers are allowed to urinate in public.....they must do it against the off side wheel of their cab but it's written in law they can and the law dates back to the days of horse drawn carriages

 

[Calamity Jane]

It's illegal in the state of Missouri to...

own a bathtub with feet that resemble those of animals
let an elephant drink beer from a bucket on a public street during a rainstorm... (not a personal liberty i'm pissed about losing)

 

[shadowsource]

Crashing in -

Don't forget that it's illegal to dance in most bars and clubs in NYC!

Brits don't have a lot of formal freedoms. The EU actually gave you some, for which you should be grateful. I'm not saying this to be rude, but I do feel a bit odd when in Britain, since so little is actually codified....

 

[xwizard4]

say what?

lancaster, did you say we have to give up our freedoms so we can have freedom? The price of freedom is dear, but it isn't paid when we give up even one of them!

 

[Natalie Nessus]