Defining a Mexican wave....
The Australian authorities have decided to ban Mexican waves at cricket grounds. On the face of things I have no real issue with that, as the process is well past its sell by date. The underlying reason for doing so is because things get hurled, apparently, so the dreaded health and safety comes into play too.
What is more interesting is the enforcement and punishment process: "Plainclothes police will mingle with cricket fans to help impose a ban. Video footage and photos will also be used to help identify anyone who starts a Mexican wave. Offenders will be thrown out of the ground. Anyone caught throwing an object faces a $210 ($240) on-the-spot fine".
How on earth will it be possible to show intent? If a fan stands up intent on going to the bar or wherever, and someone next to him or her does the same and ad infinitum, who can be said to have started the wave? At a still sharper point of jurisprudence, what if one strands up to extricate something from a pocket and then sits down? Or, indeed, if people sit down by sequentially after standing up to applaud a century or somesuch. I do not fancy the chances of the authorities in any appeal, frankly.
What is more interesting is the enforcement and punishment process: "Plainclothes police will mingle with cricket fans to help impose a ban. Video footage and photos will also be used to help identify anyone who starts a Mexican wave. Offenders will be thrown out of the ground. Anyone caught throwing an object faces a $210 ($240) on-the-spot fine".
How on earth will it be possible to show intent? If a fan stands up intent on going to the bar or wherever, and someone next to him or her does the same and ad infinitum, who can be said to have started the wave? At a still sharper point of jurisprudence, what if one strands up to extricate something from a pocket and then sits down? Or, indeed, if people sit down by sequentially after standing up to applaud a century or somesuch. I do not fancy the chances of the authorities in any appeal, frankly.
Labels: Australia, Common sense? What's that?
This entry was posted
on Thursday, February 01, 2007 at 3:11 pm.
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I'm Spartacus. No, I'm Spartacus...
I thought better of the Aussies than this - are we sure this isn't another bordeaux-fuelled pronouncement?
Come to that... are you just winding us up today C?
Nick - Would I lie to my readers?
A Mexican wave is what I get when I let someone into my lane.
Wouldn't it technically be the wrong side of the Pacific Ocean to be a Mexican Wave, and thus an Australian Wave?
Damon - You don't have to be in Hamburg to eat a hamburger.
people engage in this activity when they are bored with the match.
Perhaps this problem will go away when the England team return home.
CU - Meowww!
CU - Class. Pure class.
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