The Italian Job

[Ticonderoga]

Spotted recently, a well known Oban business man with Italian connections - drives up and stops outside an equally well known Oban hostelry - well it might even be his own. Alights from vehicle and is spotted by onlookers lifting a wine case from said vehicle. Then, grasping the two bottles of wine contained therein, shakes them free allowing the empty box to fall at his feet. Carefully kicks box away from his feet, off the pavement and into the gutter beneath his vehicle. Walks away. Onlookers presume that he might do the right - and legal - thing and pick up his droppings when leaving. Not true. Businessman leaves minus his litter which remains in gutter.
A neat illustration of those who have influence within Oban through their wealth and position, but who prove to be morally witless when it comes to regarding the environment with any respect. Unfortunately there are far too many of the self proclaimed movers and shakers within this area fashioned from the same mould.

[canUsmellthat]

Does said buisiness man also own a fishing boat???

[Herby Dice]

/Moderator hat on.

Can I propose, before anyone is tempted to make any statements which might be considered libellous such as identifiying the individual concerned, that anyone who witnesses an offence being committed reports it to the appropriate authorities rather than merely posting it on here?

Just a thought.

[Ticonderoga]

Absolutely correct, but people generally don't,do they?
That's why people who drop litter get away with it - why building contractors get away with illegally burning toxic substances on site - why trees are illegally felled - why all these little abuses of the environment pass unpunished.
But the key question is this - if reports are made to the relevant agency are they then treated with the seriousness that the reporter expects, or are they made to feel that really they're making a bit of a fuss about nothing?

[jimcee]

If I happen to witness something that I consider to be extremely anti-social, but which would not constitute to be a criminal offence worth prosecuting in a court of law, there would be a great desire to let my fellow man know about it, and hope that the miscreant (if identified) would realise that his/her actions were not going un-noticed, and maybe feel sufficiently shamed to mend their ways.
The person in question here will probably continue to go his profligate way because no-one takes him to task, or advertises to a wider public his transgressions.
If I had witnessed this incident and pointed out my dis-satisfaction with his actions, I would probably have got dogs abuse and told to mind my own business. But if I had said that my report of the incident would be in a letter to the Oban Times the following week then it might well have had rather more impact.
There is a lot to be said for "naming and shaming" in this day and age where civil liberties have gone overboard to the stage where the perpetrator is treated with respect and the victim or whistle blower is vilified.