Overweight haters Ltd target tube passengers.

[Kernowfem]

I don't know if you guys have seen any news coverage of this, but according to ITV, BBC and the BTP Twitter page, several "overweight" tube passengers have been handed cards informing them they are a "fat, ugly human"

I wondered what you guys thought of this....is the btp right to look into it? Eould you consider this a hate crime? As a female who is not exactly "slim" I do find it distasteful, I could not say whether any males have so far been handed one of these cards. What would you do if you were handed one? Discuss

 

[ainsworth74]

A link for anyone whose interested:

Commuters on the London Underground are being handed cards telling them they are a "fat, ugly human" by a group that claims to "hate and resent fat people".

NHS worker Kara Florish posted a message on social media after being handed a card while travelling on the Tube on Saturday.

She described the card, which berates overweight people for "wasting NHS money" as "hateful and cowardly".

British Transport Police said they had been made aware of the campaign.

The force has also had an incident reported in which a person was given a card.

The card says it is from a group called Overweight Haters Ltd.

Writing on Facebook, Ms Florish said she was "smaller than the national average and not exactly obese", and was "not upset" by the card, but worried it could upset people struggling with confidence and eating disorders.

Sean Thomas Knox posted on Twitter that he saw a woman being handed a printed card reading "you're fat" at Oxford Circus.

He said: "Her stunned, desolate reaction was very real. Then tears."

Steve Burton, of Transport for London, said this "sad and unpleasant" form of anti-social behaviour "would not be tolerated", and urged any people affected to report it to police or a station officer.

I wouldn't have said it's a hate crime but it is most certainly anti-social behavior so it seems reasonable for the BTP to get involved.

 

[Tetchytyke]

What would you do if you were handed one? Discuss

End up being arrested for GBH, probably, and I'm about as far as you can get from being violent.

I noticed from the photo that whichever piece of cancer wrote the cards is obviously of sub-normal intellect, given that they couldn't even spell "beautiful" correctly.

 

[GB]

Based on what it says on the back of the card I would say it is a hate crime.

 

[St Rollox]

You'd think top models would have more to do with their time.

 

[Kernowfem]

Thanks for adding the link

 

[ainsworth74]

Thanks for adding the link

All part of the service

 

[ExRes]

Ok, so it's nasty, small minded behaviour, but a 'hate crime' ?, a reasonable use of BTP time ?, I think not, there's an awful lot of 'proper' crimes that need dealing with first, tell the person with the cards to **** off and put them where the sun doesn't shine

 

[St Rollox]

Cacomorphobia, fear of fat people.
I'm sure there's treatment for these sad individuals going around terrorising females.
Possibly a secure unit somewhere.

 

[GB]

Ok, so it's nasty, small minded behaviour, but a 'hate crime' ?, a reasonable use of BTP time ?, I think not, there's an awful lot of 'proper' crimes that need dealing with first, tell the person with the cards to **** off and put them where the sun doesn't shine

Change FAT to Gay or Muslim etc etc would there be much difference?

 

[ainsworth74]

Change FAT to Gay or Muslim etc etc would there be much difference?

Legally there would be by my understanding but morally?

 

[ExRes]

Change FAT to Gay or Muslim etc etc would there be much difference?

In my opinion, no

Given the amount of actual physical crimes that take place, muggings, sexual assaults, GBH, in which the victim has no real hope of police attendance and actually suffers because of that, should we really use police time tracking down people who call someone a name ?

It may all be very well in the name of PC to shout about name calling but I wonder how many of those people would take it as acceptable when they or theirs were actually being put physically in danger without hope of police attendance because they were 'otherwise engaged' chasing people with silly comments written on a postcard

 

[Tetchytyke]

Given the amount of actual physical crimes that take place, muggings, sexual assaults, GBH, in which the victim has no real hope of police attendance and actually suffers because of that, should we really use police time tracking down people who call someone a name ?

Yes, if they are harassing real people in real life. It's no different to a group of kids yelling abuse at people, and nobody would suggest the police should do nothing about them.

Many on here have previously argued that the BTP should be chasing down beggars (me included), yet begging is far less intimidating than this sort of behaviour.

 

[telstarbox]

Is it a hate crime? No (in legal terms).
Are the people handing out the cards arseholes? Yes.
Will this help reduce obesity? Almost certainly not.

 

[Kernowfem]

I do question the morals of those behind these cards. Why would anyone want to deliberately set out to hurt and insult people? And to do it so publicly too. I believe the cards state that OWH Ltd resent the NHS resources spent on obesity.

I do believe there is a queue of people lining up to show members of OWH Ltd just how many NHS treatments are still available to them regardless. I don't condone violence or assault, however not everyone thinks the same and I dare say these card distributors are about to pick on someone who will give them a little fat in return! A fat bloody lip!

 

[muz379]

funny how these cowards are only handing them out to women ...

 

[Antman]

I don't know if you guys have seen any news coverage of this, but according to ITV, BBC and the BTP Twitter page, several "overweight" tube passengers have been handed cards informing them they are a "fat, ugly human"

I wondered what you guys thought of this....is the btp right to look into it? Eould you consider this a hate crime? As a female who is not exactly "slim" I do find it distasteful, I could not say whether any males have so far been handed one of these cards. What would you do if you were handed one? Discuss

There is no such thing as hate crime (hating something isn't a crime) it's just a new trendy phrase but this certainly is offensive and I think BTP are quite right to be looking into it. I struggle to understand the mindset of those handing out these cards and what they hope to achieve by doing so.

 

[me123]

Will this help reduce obesity? Almost certainly not.

Completely agree. I cannot fathom the motives of this, above being an even more cowardly version of primary school bullying.

This will achieve nothing to fight obesity. At its worst, this could really damage someone's self confidence and mental health. If anyone involved is reading this, I think you are pathetic and I pity you.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm technically "obese" according to BMI. I do carry a couple of stone too much weight which I could do with getting rid of, but I like food (decent food, not just sugary rubbish) that bit too much.

OTOH, I'm also 6' 4", built like the proverbial (I don't play rugby but I'm that sort of shape) and fit enough to run a sub 2hr half marathon.

So I dare them to try. I'm not violent, so the most likely response would be a bit of sarcasm, but I imagine I could give them a nice scare about what they *think* I might do before giving them a nice sarcastic response.

But I bet they are picking on easy prey...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There is no such thing as hate crime (hating something isn't a crime) it's just a new trendy phrase but this certainly is offensive and I think BTP are quite right to be looking into it. I struggle to understand the mindset of those handing out these cards and what they hope to achieve by doing so.

Perhaps they might find it more productive, and more likely to get people to lose weight, by being encouraging and handing out cards for the local free Parkrun or similar

 

[185143]

If I ever received one of these cards, it would disappear firmly where the sun doesn't shine and I would end up being arrested for GBG. Simples?

 

[EM2]

I bet that they're not actually incorporated as a limited company, and would therefore be committing an offence of misrepresentation.

 

[GatwickDepress]

I bet that they're not actually incorporated as a limited company, and would therefore be committing an offence of misrepresentation.

I'm sure the propagators of this are certainly in limited company. Meals for one and an unshared bed no doubt.

 

[yorksrob]

Were I to receive one of these cards (which, given my physique, wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility) I would make full use of the language our Anglo Saxon ancestors bequeathed us.

It would merely add to the list of reasons why I find the twenty-first century increasingly ridiculous.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Whilst I agree handing out these cards to people minding their own business is obnoxious I do wonder how many people screaming ‘hate crime’ would still be as upset if they were handing them out to smokers on the street. It does seem that society is really quite forgiving of some people who harm themselves, and therefore waste NHS resources (obese people, drug addicts, self harmers, etc) but are far less tolerant of others who do the same thing but in a different way.

 

[muz379]

Whilst I agree handing out these cards to people minding their own business is obnoxious I do wonder how many people screaming ‘hate crime’ would still be as upset if they were handing them out to smokers on the street. It does seem that society is really quite forgiving of some people who harm themselves, and therefore waste NHS resources (obese people, drug addicts, self harmers, etc) but are far less tolerant of others who do the same thing but in a different way.

There is a slight difference though , passive smoking is harmful to the health of others whereas passive fatness is not a medically recognized problem .

That being said I would still say it is rude and obnoxious to harass smokers in the same way ,for all you know the smokers you are handing them out to might be making significant progress on quitting .

 

[Kernowfem]

Whilst I agree handing out these cards to people minding their own business is obnoxious I do wonder how many people screaming ‘hate crime’ would still be as upset if they were handing them out to smokers on the street. It does seem that society is really quite forgiving of some people who harm themselves, and therefore waste NHS resources (obese people, drug addicts, self harmers, etc) but are far less tolerant of others who do the same thing but in a different way.

Precisely this! Excellent point!! I don't drink alcohol, but I do smoke. And I've cost the NHS thousands in the last six years, 43 surgeries, physio, medication, equipment such as crutches, wheelchair and false limbs due to a road accident. I'm a little chubby (size 16) but have yet not took a penny from the NHS for anything related to my weight.

We all abuse our bodies in some way at some time, but yet "wasting" NHS money seems acceptable on some things rather than others. Prime example, the young lady who had breast implants (Josie Cunningham) and the outrage was palpable. While drugs needed to prolong life are deemed too expensive. The NHS is a lottery. Self infliction covers a HUGE area, where do you draw the line?

 

[tsr]

As far as I am concerned, those handing out these cards may be interfering with the comfort of those on the railway and/or causing them distress and, as such, would most probably be in breach of a couple of the Byelaws.

Should they end up on my train I will quite possibly remind them of this, and depending on their reaction try to ensure there will be a robust response at the next staffed station.

I have little sympathy myself for those who become obese or excessively overweight without good reason, and that includes any foolish weight gain I myself put on, but there are also medical and genetic reasons which may lead to these things, which cannot be judged in the same moment that you hand out a card. It is also the case that a healthy body weight may be different from what is immediately apparent, in any case.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

We all abuse our bodies in some way at some time, but yet "wasting" NHS money seems acceptable on some things rather than others. ... Self infliction covers a HUGE area, where do you draw the line?

True that. Should we condemn anyone who gets in a car as risking their health, or anyone who goes walking in the hills and is at risk of injury, or anyone who doesn't go walking in the hills and risks obesity.

What about those of us who have stood at the end of a train station and breathed in lung-loads of diesel fumes, should we be given cards about wasting NHS resources lest we suffer lung problems in the future?

The vast majority of hospital admission and surgeries are due to "self-inflicted" problems - how many people eat a 100% perfect diet and exercise the required amount per day? If you don't, then you could be to blame if you get cancer, heart problems etc. etc. etc.

 

[backontrack]

Are any men being targeted?

 

[JamesRowden]

True that. Should we condemn anyone who gets in a car as risking their health, or anyone who goes walking in the hills and is at risk of injury, or anyone who doesn't go walking in the hills and risks obesity.

What about those of us who have stood at the end of a train station and breathed in lung-loads of diesel fumes, should we be given cards about wasting NHS resources lest we suffer lung problems in the future?

The vast majority of hospital admission and surgeries are due to "self-inflicted" problems - how many people eat a 100% perfect diet and exercise the required amount per day? If you don't, then you could be to blame if you get cancer, heart problems etc. etc. etc.

Perhaps forcing patients to pay 20% of the costs (or losing benefits/pension money) of the medication required for self inflicted conditions (excluding occasions when the patient has an exceptional abnormality which makes them more susceptible) would help improve public health and help pay back the national debt.