Fun with Travellers

[cinema guy]

Sundays at the cinema are known as 'Gypsy* Sunday'. While I am a little uncomfortable lumping a single group of people together into a negative stereo-type, of all the customers that cause us trouble, these are they.

We get Travellers regularly on Sunday, and we are always on our guard when they come in. Their kids are often unwatched and can cause trouble or steal. Often the kids will simply be left alone. The parents will buy them a ticket for the next kids film and leave them, it doesn't matter if the next film doesn't start for over an hour.

The adults are often disruptive in screens, by talking, laughing, and on one memorable occasion, shagging.

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On Easter Sunday we had dozens of them. One or two would come in and buy tickets to a film, and then a few more would arrive and they would talk volubly among themselves and they would buy tickets to the same film. And then more would arrive, and so on, until there were twenty or so in one fim. Then an hour or so later we would get more who would select a different film.

Everyone was on tenterhooks, afraid that if one of them caused trouble, any confrontation would bring them all down on us.

In case there is any doubt about the trouble they can cause: a few weeks before this, there had been a Traveller funeral at the cematary in my town. When I came past the cemetary there were several policemen. Further down the road was a police van and several more uniformed men and women on foot. That day, the police advised every single pub in the town to close.

Anyway there was only a little real trouble that day, as one goup of teenage Traveller boys stole a hat from a different group of teenage Travellers. A scuffle ensued in a screen. This was witnessed by the projectionist, who summoned a manager and went to sort them out. The lads with the hat went back into the screen that they had tickets for. The second group tried to enter the screen en mass, and the projectionist would only allow one of them to go with a member of staff to get the hat. One of the lads tried to enter the screen and threatened the projectionist. The projectionist lost his his cool and said, "Don't be a twat. Can't you see I'm trying to help you out here."

Fortunatley the hat was returned with no further incident.

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The following week, we had to ban a four-year old Traveller boy and the guy who was accompanying him. Now the guy is no trouble when he comes on his own but he often brings several children with him, non of whom appear to actually be his kids.

But after they had seen their film, the boy approached two black teenage girls who were waiting outside of the doors to the cinema for a lift. This four-year old shouted racial insults at these two girls who ignored him. This lad then told them to 'go back to their own country' and punched one of them in the stomach.

A woman witnessed this and tried to intervene but got a torrent of verbal abuse from both the boy and the guy. The lady immediately informed the cinema staff. The police were called, but the guy and the lad were long gone.

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*Travellers is the correct term, as I understand it. They are called Gypsies, though have no real connection with Romany Gypsies as far as I'm aware.

[friendofjimmyk]

You know, I am one of those folks who tries to not lump people into a stereotype - but I've heard of these people - they are trouble. They're are some state side - but I heard they're not in abundant here as they are across the pond.

Occasionally, the news will feature a story about some spectacular scam job and the source of such scam would be the travelers as stated by the reporter.

[Andara Bledin]

My former mother-in-law is a practicing nurse who, at one time, worked for a doctor that was favored by Zsa Zsa Gabor and a large group of "her people" who were largely unwashed, ill-mannered, and prone to theft.

We also have a similar group that comes in to sell us product. There are about 20 of them, all told, they are all closely related, they tend to be mostly clean. We also once bought a box of product that turned out to have one of our own sorting labels in it. We can't be positive that we didn't sell it to them years ago, but we still watch them like hawks when they show up. Which they do, often without calling ahead, which they've been told several times not to do.

^-.-^

[Peppergirl]

laughing, and on one memorable occasion, shagging.

Ummm, yeah. I think we're gonna need to hear some more details about THIS occasion.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

I had to deal with them once. They came out to my house and tried to get me to have me re-tar the driveway, which was something it needed as I was getting a bunch of cracks that really needed sealing.

However it's something I can do myself and I don't trust anyone who comes to my house offering to do the work for me. If you can't provide insurance information and a license...fugging forget it...you ain't doint shit.

Besides my neighbor had it done and sadly the "tar" was nothing but used motor oil which made the driveway nice and black, but cost her more in the fact that HAZMAT had to be called since there was a waterway nearby that led to the Chesapeake Bay and it needed to be cleaned up.

Their crap meant that this woman had to pay them for their "services", tear out her old driveway, a goodly chunk of her yard, get in fresh dirt, pave her driveway again, and re-sod the yard.

I felt sorry for her and I offered to pave the driveway for her if she'd get the materials. She wanted to go for a brick driveway and I've done them in my sleep.

[Dilorenzo]

Not had much experience myself with the travelling community in any of my jobs, but I did have one sighting... this would've been... crap, 11, 12 years ago, maybe? I was still in school, anyway.

I was getting the bus home one night (and if there's one thing I dearly miss from Ireland, it's Dublin Bus), when on gets a traveller. Obviously completely and utterly plastered. Not a problem in itself, per se, especially later at night when only drunk folks got on the busses.

No, this guy was special, cause he was carrying an open beer can with him, and couldn't comprehend when the driver told him to get the hell off. Of course, the guy refused, yelling that he was being discriminated against, that it was only because he was a traveller he was being told to get off (none of us would've known he was had he not declared it), that they had no right.

So, the driver stayed sitting in his little booth, the bus sat there for 10 minutes while the police came and had to physically drag the guy off, which resulted in a 3 year old tantrum.

So, drunken SC, race card SC, and just plain ol' SC, all in one package...

[wagegoth]

We actually have a television show about a family of Travellers. It's called, "The Riches." It's a little different, as it's about a family that's trying to steal the American Dream. It stars Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver.

[Peppergirl]

We actually have a television show about a family of Travellers. It's called, "The Riches." It's a little different, as it's about a family that's trying to steal the American Dream. It stars Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver.

Do you like it? I tried watching it a few times, and I really like EI, but I have always detested Minnie Driver, so it ruins the show for me.

[wagegoth]

I watched it last season, but this season I've fallen out of it. I'm kind of thinking of recording it, then just watching the parts with the kids.

[Aethian]

I've heard of it and was always tempted to watch it but then I would always end up missing the show. Meh.


We don't get Travelers here like you guys talk about but when we do it's time to hide the animals and hide the valueables. We once lost all of our chickens and every egg out of the fridge that had been holding them. Mom was so irked she vowed no more chickens.

I am so building a chicken hut when I find a property and save up enough to build my dream home.

[allniter]

Another reason to always carry a gun if you live in the US. At least you can hold someone at bay until the police arrive.

And no, I'm not paranoid about interacting with other people. Only twice in my life have I ever had to draw my gun for defense. But each time, I probably saved someone's life other than my own who was being threatened. I believe the jerk got 20 years LOL

[cinema guy]

Ummm, yeah. I think we're gonna need to hear some more details about THIS occasion.

There was a Traveller couple, in their twenties. They were in a children's film and obviously board. We had to throw them out because they were horzintal, one on top of the other. They were still clothed, but were getting kind of hot and heavy. Not actually shagging, but getting there.

It is interesting that the young women wear very revealing clothing, yet the menfolk won't take them into films that have and kind of sex.

[morgana]

It is interesting that the young women wear very revealing clothing, yet the menfolk won't take them into films that have any kind of sex.

Of course not. The girls might find out that their 'men' aren't all that good at it.

[mischugenah]

Only Traveller group I ever came in contact with was while I was working in a hospital, and we had the local Traveller Matriarch in the ICU, where I was working. The family kind of took over the waiting room, stood around and talked a lot, but to be honest, they were no worse than any other large-family-oriented group I've worked with (Hispanics, Greeks, etc). Mostly they were respectful and left when they were told visiting hours were over, but I didn't interact with them much, so I don't know.

[Geek King]

...but to be honest, they were no worse than any other large-family-oriented group I've worked with (Hispanics, Greeks, etc). Mostly they were respectful and left when they were told visiting hours were over, but I didn't interact with them much, so I don't know.

Probably like most groups, its the assholes that ruin the reputation for everyone. You probably don't even notice the decent folk who are Travellers, like we don't remark on decent customers, other than to note a famillier face.