Scantily-clad clubbers were today warned they face hypothermia if they do not dress more appropriately in cold weather.
The warning comes after two young women waiting in a queue for taxis opposite the Hippodrome, in the High Street, Colchester, outside Marks & Spencer, were found close to suffering hypothermia.
Town team neighbourhood policing inspector Paul Butcher, was patrolling the town centre in the early hours of Monday morning when he came across the "chaotic" taxi queue.
He said it was full of girls in "little shorts and skimpy blouses" and men in shirts and trousers, none of them dressed for the freezing weather.
He said: "We ended up calling a paramedic to come and treat them because we were so concerned, but fortunately a taxi arrived and we were able to get them into it.
"The line was enormous and, although it is normally gone by 3.30am, people were still queuing at 4am. People began pushing in to try to get home quicker, and that created arguments and problems of its own."
Insp Butcher called for other officers to come and help him at the scene, and they ended up letting a number of frozen men and women shelter inside their patrol cars.
Insp Butcher urged anyone going out at night to dress appropriately.
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9:32am Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: vicar on 10:40am Thu 27 Mar 08
I'm not too happy seeing the police interfering in the Darwin Awards contest.
I'm not too happy seeing the police interfering in the Darwin Awards contest.
Posted by: mick the cab, clacton on 11:03am Thu 27 Mar 08
get out of it.
its the only perks a night cab driver gets, seeing stupidly dressed girlies getting in and out of cabs, 3 parts pis*ed, all trying to be better than there mates.........
get out of it.
its the only perks a night cab driver gets, seeing stupidly dressed girlies getting in and out of cabs, 3 parts pis*ed, all trying to be better than there mates.........
Posted by: No! I am Spartacus, Colchester on 12:11pm Thu 27 Mar 08
I thought it was a rite of passage for younger clubbers to find out the true nature of 'cold'?
I spent many a night in the early 90's freezing, mid winter, because I didn't want to pay extra to 'put my coat in' in the club.
Frankly, if the yoof's are getting frozen, due to lack of clothes, surely we can expect that they will have the sense not to do it more than a few times?
Other than that, natural selection & evolution normally dictates that the weak and feeble minded fall by the wayside. Maybe this is natures new way of finding that wayside....
I thought it was a rite of passage for younger clubbers to find out the true nature of 'cold'?
I spent many a night in the early 90's freezing, mid winter, because I didn't want to pay extra to 'put my coat in' in the club.
Frankly, if the yoof's are getting frozen, due to lack of clothes, surely we can expect that they will have the sense not to do it more than a few times?
Other than that, natural selection & evolution normally dictates that the weak and feeble minded fall by the wayside. Maybe this is natures new way of finding that wayside....
Posted by: Protective Father, Colchester on 1:13pm Thu 27 Mar 08
If my daughter goes out dressed like that when she is older I will disown her. The only reason women dress like this is to get male attention. Dressing tartily should be banned.
If my daughter goes out dressed like that when she is older I will disown her. The only reason women dress like this is to get male attention. Dressing tartily should be banned.
Posted by: Mum of three, Clacton on sea on 1:38pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Hahahahahaha you obviously don't have teenage daughters yet!
Hahahahahaha you obviously don't have teenage daughters yet!
Posted by: a resident on 2:16pm Thu 27 Mar 08
dont tell em to cover up!!! Its the only reason i go into town!
As for Protective Father, please tell me you were joking lol
dont tell em to cover up!!! Its the only reason i go into town!
As for Protective Father, please tell me you were joking lol
Posted by: DK, at her desk on 2:42pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote]If my daughter goes out dressed like that when she is older I will disown her. The only reason women dress like this is to get male attention. Dressing tartily should be banned.[/quote]
Hahaaha!!! I am sure men would love to see women in pie crust collars and skirts skimming the floor! Its a right of passage for teenagers and young people to go out half dressed and go clubbing! I am sure we all did it, I know I did and I still survived! Leave em be! And anyway the "youths" dont feel the cold!
If my daughter goes out dressed like that when she is older I will disown her. The only reason women dress like this is to get male attention. Dressing tartily should be banned.
Hahaaha!!! I am sure men would love to see women in pie crust collars and skirts skimming the floor! Its a right of passage for teenagers and young people to go out half dressed and go clubbing! I am sure we all did it, I know I did and I still survived! Leave em be! And anyway the "youths" dont feel the cold!
Posted by: ian, colchester on 4:06pm Thu 27 Mar 08
I cant believe this is front page of the Evening Gazette, it just shows what a sleepy town Colchester is nothing ever happens.
I cant believe this is front page of the Evening Gazette, it just shows what a sleepy town Colchester is nothing ever happens.
Posted by: Jess, maine/colchester on 4:14pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Mum of three[/bold] wrote:
Hahahahahaha you obviously don't have teenage daughters yet![/quote] I have a teenage daughter and if I caught her dressing this way, I'd disown her. It's possible to have a teenage daughter dress the way she wants without looking sleazy. It's all about their self image and the values they have- I was able to steer my daughter away from dressing scantily by sparking interst in other areas at crucial periods of her development. She's a punk rocker now vs. a britney spears wanna-be.
On another note, I was one of those flaky girls who didn't realize it's not worth freezing your tush off in return for a little attention.
You do learn eventually....
Mum of three wrote:
Hahahahahaha you obviously don't have teenage daughters yet!
I have a teenage daughter and if I caught her dressing this way, I'd disown her. It's possible to have a teenage daughter dress the way she wants without looking sleazy. It's all about their self image and the values they have- I was able to steer my daughter away from dressing scantily by sparking interst in other areas at crucial periods of her development. She's a punk rocker now vs. a britney spears wanna-be.
On another note, I was one of those flaky girls who didn't realize it's not worth freezing your tush off in return for a little attention.
You do learn eventually....
Posted by: ha ha woof woof, the que on 4:24pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Its still bloomin freezin with a coat on anyway!!
Its still bloomin freezin with a coat on anyway!!
Posted by: ladykinsdi, clacton on sea on 4:37pm Thu 27 Mar 08
I grew up in Maidstone in Kent and spent my teens during the 1980's going out clubbing dressed in skimpy tops and yes you've guessed it short RA-RA SKIRTS!! These had to be worn with bare legs so it didn't matter if it was winter and freezing, fashion had to be obeyed and I guess the same is still true now. I wouldn't dream of going out in the winter now without at least 15 layers of clothes on, but in your teens you just seem oblivious to the cold. Plus if you wear a coat no-one can see your funky going out clothes. My mum is a strict Catholic but she let me go out like this as part of the learning curve and because she had the common sense to realise if you tell a teenager to do something they will always ignore you and do the opposite. If she had made me wear tights and a coat I would probably have just taken them off and put them in the nearest bin! You can disown your teenagers all you like, it won't make you either of you happy and to a degree they have to learn by their mistakes.
I grew up in Maidstone in Kent and spent my teens during the 1980's going out clubbing dressed in skimpy tops and yes you've guessed it short RA-RA SKIRTS!! These had to be worn with bare legs so it didn't matter if it was winter and freezing, fashion had to be obeyed and I guess the same is still true now. I wouldn't dream of going out in the winter now without at least 15 layers of clothes on, but in your teens you just seem oblivious to the cold. Plus if you wear a coat no-one can see your funky going out clothes. My mum is a strict Catholic but she let me go out like this as part of the learning curve and because she had the common sense to realise if you tell a teenager to do something they will always ignore you and do the opposite. If she had made me wear tights and a coat I would probably have just taken them off and put them in the nearest bin! You can disown your teenagers all you like, it won't make you either of you happy and to a degree they have to learn by their mistakes.
Posted by: Mc at desk, Colchester on 4:39pm Thu 27 Mar 08
If you thought down here was bad,I have spent the weekend in Blackpool and the girls wear less.
If you thought down here was bad,I have spent the weekend in Blackpool and the girls wear less.
Posted by: C Gorst, Blackpool on 5:51pm Thu 27 Mar 08
What a load of softies - leave the clubbers alone! Since when did dressing appropriately have anything to do with going out clubbing?Who on earth would want to wear a coat to go to a club in and stand in the associated queues to retrieve it at the end of the night? Girls aren't supposed to wear a lot of clothes to go clubbing because they would get too hot, especially in places like the Hippodrome. When I have been clubbing, wearing not many clothes, it has been a sweet relief to get outside into some cold air and cool down. If you think Colchester is cold you should try queuing up for a club on Blackpool prom in November. Then again, perhaps you shouldn't - our hospital wouldn't have enough beds to cope with all the hypothermia cases!
What a load of softies - leave the clubbers alone! Since when did dressing appropriately have anything to do with going out clubbing?Who on earth would want to wear a coat to go to a club in and stand in the associated queues to retrieve it at the end of the night? Girls aren't supposed to wear a lot of clothes to go clubbing because they would get too hot, especially in places like the Hippodrome. When I have been clubbing, wearing not many clothes, it has been a sweet relief to get outside into some cold air and cool down. If you think Colchester is cold you should try queuing up for a club on Blackpool prom in November. Then again, perhaps you shouldn't - our hospital wouldn't have enough beds to cope with all the hypothermia cases!
Posted by: Taxi Dave, Colchester on 6:43pm Thu 27 Mar 08
As a taxi driver who was working the rank on Sunday night I can tell you there was an awful lot of people commenting on how the girls that were out that night were dressed considering the cold weather, I was also one of the drivers still picking up at 3:30 am & it was chaos at the rank, you pulled up & there were 3 different queues formed & which ever one you went to you were verbally abused by idiots who insisted they were first & only their queue was the right one! Everyone was freezing that night even the ones with enough sense to wear a coat & not just the self centred, vain girls dressed like they were in San Antonio in August. At 4 am I pulled up & the rank was full of police, no queue, just a large group of people stood in the middle of the rank & 2 people ran up & got in, then some bloke came over ranting that 4 girls were frozen & I should kick the 2 out & take the 4 others, he got that irate that the police had to drag him away. It never ceases to amaze me how idiots come out in Arctic weather dressed in next to nothing & then blame us Taxi drivers because they’re cold!!
But if it’s “FASHION” you’re more interested in & not your ability to survive, then I’m sure the staff at A&E will be really impressed with your shoes when they’re resuscitating you.
We Taxi drivers do our best to get people home but when there are a lot of people from out of town going home, then we can only do our best to get back quickly without being nicked for doing 35 on a deserted road at 4am!
As a taxi driver who was working the rank on Sunday night I can tell you there was an awful lot of people commenting on how the girls that were out that night were dressed considering the cold weather, I was also one of the drivers still picking up at 3:30 am & it was chaos at the rank, you pulled up & there were 3 different queues formed & which ever one you went to you were verbally abused by idiots who insisted they were first & only their queue was the right one! Everyone was freezing that night even the ones with enough sense to wear a coat & not just the self centred, vain girls dressed like they were in San Antonio in August. At 4 am I pulled up & the rank was full of police, no queue, just a large group of people stood in the middle of the rank & 2 people ran up & got in, then some bloke came over ranting that 4 girls were frozen & I should kick the 2 out & take the 4 others, he got that irate that the police had to drag him away. It never ceases to amaze me how idiots come out in Arctic weather dressed in next to nothing & then blame us Taxi drivers because they’re cold!!
But if it’s “FASHION” you’re more interested in & not your ability to survive, then I’m sure the staff at A&E will be really impressed with your shoes when they’re resuscitating you.
We Taxi drivers do our best to get people home but when there are a lot of people from out of town going home, then we can only do our best to get back quickly without being nicked for doing 35 on a deserted road at 4am!
Posted by: Mandrake, Colchester on 7:39pm Thu 27 Mar 08
I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.
I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.
Posted by: easye, retired from it thankfully on 7:41pm Thu 27 Mar 08
We Taxi drivers do our best to get people home but when there are a lot of people from out of town going home, then we can only do our best to get back quickly without being nicked for doing 35 on a deserted road at 4am!.......
I can well relate to that Taxi dave..
I done the romford circuit for years when it was banging, when that slowed i run from the Essex Country Club till that finished..
Long nights, short skirts, but it was the ars*les that went with them that done it for me..12 hour night shifts did have funny moments though, still remembered the "millenium" rush that never was...ha..ha..ha..
We Taxi drivers do our best to get people home but when there are a lot of people from out of town going home, then we can only do our best to get back quickly without being nicked for doing 35 on a deserted road at 4am!.......
I can well relate to that Taxi dave..
I done the romford circuit for years when it was banging, when that slowed i run from the Essex Country Club till that finished..
Long nights, short skirts, but it was the ars*les that went with them that done it for me..12 hour night shifts did have funny moments though, still remembered the "millenium" rush that never was...ha..ha..ha..
Posted by: Questioner, Abingdon on 7:57pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Did anyone see the girl in the dressless strap with the hand-stitched sequins?
Did anyone see the girl in the dressless strap with the hand-stitched sequins?
Posted by: Vipergirl, Colchester on 8:36pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Nice to see some people are having a good time - those were the days! If your Mum wouldn't let you out like that you just got changed at your mate's house - you can not control young adults or you will lose them. I wish I had the body to wear those clothes now. Enjoy it while your young it's over too soon - life's too short to wear a coat!! Obviously more taxi's are needed.
Nice to see some people are having a good time - those were the days! If your Mum wouldn't let you out like that you just got changed at your mate's house - you can not control young adults or you will lose them. I wish I had the body to wear those clothes now. Enjoy it while your young it's over too soon - life's too short to wear a coat!! Obviously more taxi's are needed.
Posted by: The old sea dog, Any port in a storm on 11:16pm Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Mandrake[/bold] wrote:
I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.[/quote] What do you want them to wear,BURKERS?????
Mandrake wrote:
I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.
What do you want them to wear,BURKERS?????
Posted by: taxi driver, colchester rank on 11:24am Fri 28 Mar 08
I am also a taxi driver who was working the rank on Sunday night along side Dave, and i agree with every thing that he has written. Well done Dave. It was very cold and the boys and girls were not properly dressed for the weather conditions. Please dont blame us drivers, we do our very best to get every one home safe and get back into the town. At 2.30am i had to call for assistance as my passenger kept elbowing me in my arm, giving me a dead arm, if he had not had done that then 3 taxis would not have been taken off the circut to help me out, to them i say a big thank you, you know who you are xx please have some consideration for us drivers. We work that rank in all weather conditions, some nights risking our lives, only the other month we were taking people home in thick fog and gales. We really do our utmost best to get passengers home, safe, Passengers say, had a good night driver, i reply, yes fantastic night, no one has sworn at me, shouted at me, kicked my taxi jumped out in front of me, spat at my car, yes great night. What he meant is have i earnt a lot, a good night is when i turn my engine off on my drive, knowing i will see my family in the morning. Give us a break we do our best.
I am also a taxi driver who was working the rank on Sunday night along side Dave, and i agree with every thing that he has written. Well done Dave. It was very cold and the boys and girls were not properly dressed for the weather conditions. Please dont blame us drivers, we do our very best to get every one home safe and get back into the town. At 2.30am i had to call for assistance as my passenger kept elbowing me in my arm, giving me a dead arm, if he had not had done that then 3 taxis would not have been taken off the circut to help me out, to them i say a big thank you, you know who you are xx please have some consideration for us drivers. We work that rank in all weather conditions, some nights risking our lives, only the other month we were taking people home in thick fog and gales. We really do our utmost best to get passengers home, safe, Passengers say, had a good night driver, i reply, yes fantastic night, no one has sworn at me, shouted at me, kicked my taxi jumped out in front of me, spat at my car, yes great night. What he meant is have i earnt a lot, a good night is when i turn my engine off on my drive, knowing i will see my family in the morning. Give us a break we do our best.
Posted by: DK, at her desk on 11:31am Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Mandrake[/bold] wrote:
I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.[/quote] Hahahahaha! Get a life mate! People should be able to wear what they want when they want! If you want laws to tell women how to dress move somewhere the imposes those rules upon people, OR stop going out at 3am to look at these girls!
Mandrake wrote:
I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.
Hahahahaha! Get a life mate! People should be able to wear what they want when they want! If you want laws to tell women how to dress move somewhere the imposes those rules upon people, OR stop going out at 3am to look at these girls!
Posted by: Say It As It Is, Clackers on 1:07pm Fri 28 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Mandrake[/bold] wrote:
I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.[/quote] We fought for our freedoms and your religious zealouness is not wanted on these shores or indeed in this hempisphere. Clear off to some Islamic country, you and your bigoted views are not wanted here or indeed by all accounts even over there.
Mandrake wrote:
I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.
We fought for our freedoms and your religious zealouness is not wanted on these shores or indeed in this hempisphere. Clear off to some Islamic country, you and your bigoted views are not wanted here or indeed by all accounts even over there.
Posted by: nicola, colchester on 1:52pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Women should be able to wear whatever they like on a night out -yes some may do it to grab male attention but most just want to look and feel good about themselves.
I was out sunday and was waiting for a cab for hour and half getting home at 4 30!
I would have taken a coat with me but last time i put my coat in clubs cloakroom it went missing.
the police were just hovering around the taxi rank and didnt seem to be helping to organise the queue at all. it was ridiculous and had never had to wait that long for a cab before.
Women should be able to wear whatever they like on a night out -yes some may do it to grab male attention but most just want to look and feel good about themselves.
I was out sunday and was waiting for a cab for hour and half getting home at 4 30!
I would have taken a coat with me but last time i put my coat in clubs cloakroom it went missing.
the police were just hovering around the taxi rank and didnt seem to be helping to organise the queue at all. it was ridiculous and had never had to wait that long for a cab before.
Posted by: taxi driver, colchester rank on 6:52pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Dont we all think now that we should have a taxi rank marshall, i know the hippo send over one of there door persons, who i might add do a very good job, love ya, but that is from 2am till 3am only. As soon as she goes back to the hippo the rank becomes chaos, its some times hard to pull up on the rank as people are standing in the middle of it, and its us drivers that get the blame if some one does jump the queue, stand in a orderly line, its really not that hard to do. Wait in the queue untill the car pulls to the front, some times its like buses we do turn up at once, but it would be a grate help if you stayed were you are, let the taxi in front pull off and the next one pull up, to you.We all have our doors locked when we enter the town and only unlock when we let passengers in. It would help every one out if you could all try and do this. Many a time i have refused passengers that try to jump the queue, if i know thats what they have done, but some times when you all run towards the taxi its so hard to tell who was first, help us to help you please.
Dont we all think now that we should have a taxi rank marshall, i know the hippo send over one of there door persons, who i might add do a very good job, love ya, but that is from 2am till 3am only. As soon as she goes back to the hippo the rank becomes chaos, its some times hard to pull up on the rank as people are standing in the middle of it, and its us drivers that get the blame if some one does jump the queue, stand in a orderly line, its really not that hard to do. Wait in the queue untill the car pulls to the front, some times its like buses we do turn up at once, but it would be a grate help if you stayed were you are, let the taxi in front pull off and the next one pull up, to you.We all have our doors locked when we enter the town and only unlock when we let passengers in. It would help every one out if you could all try and do this. Many a time i have refused passengers that try to jump the queue, if i know thats what they have done, but some times when you all run towards the taxi its so hard to tell who was first, help us to help you please.
Posted by: jess, maine/colchester on 6:20pm Mon 31 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Say It As It Is[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Mandrake[/bold] wrote: I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.[/quote] We fought for our freedoms and your religious zealouness is not wanted on these shores or indeed in this hempisphere. Clear off to some Islamic country, you and your bigoted views are not wanted here or indeed by all accounts even over there.[/quote] Hehe yeah I too think dressing skimpy in cold weather is just not worth it anymore, but it's certainly not blasphemous or anything like that.
a couple of people have pointed out it's almost like a rite of passage. and it is! It's all about having fun, really. Yeah it's about getting attention, but- and I'm sorry to point out- it's fun and when you're young, you don't care what kind of attention you're getting as long as your the star of the show. Because everyone has their moments where they love to see and be seen.
Say It As It Is wrote:
Mandrake wrote: I was totally disgusted to read that the women of Colchester wear such skimpy clothing. Is it a wonder that women complain of unwanted male attention and of sexual assaults because of the manner of their dress? There should be a law to make women dress modestly.
We fought for our freedoms and your religious zealouness is not wanted on these shores or indeed in this hempisphere. Clear off to some Islamic country, you and your bigoted views are not wanted here or indeed by all accounts even over there.
Hehe yeah I too think dressing skimpy in cold weather is just not worth it anymore, but it's certainly not blasphemous or anything like that.
a couple of people have pointed out it's almost like a rite of passage. and it is! It's all about having fun, really. Yeah it's about getting attention, but- and I'm sorry to point out- it's fun and when you're young, you don't care what kind of attention you're getting as long as your the star of the show. Because everyone has their moments where they love to see and be seen.
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