Scottish Festival Peeves?

[Nighthawk]

Perhaps, some day, the scientists will create a way that you can put people, out in the real world, on an ignore list in your brain. Put someone on the list, and they look like a blurry blob and sound like a muffled trombone when they talk. Better yet, you could have a mute button, and you don't hear them at all...

The part that worries me, Nighthawk, is that Alan said my user name changed took me off of his list... That means it must have taken me off all those other people's lists. I've been bothering all those people for months now, and didn't even know it!

That bothers you? It would amuse me!

[Bugbear]

That bothers you? It would amuse me!

And that, Nighthawk, is why I say we are cut from the same stain on different tablecloths.

[xman]

Those poor lads dressed in "Braveheart" style fantasy costumes with purple Warrior tartan actually looked jealous of my PV Casual. I probably would have had the worst kilt of the day if not for them. I actually felt a little pity for them. Who could take them seriously no matter what they were trying to sell?

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I think a kilt worn too low and hose worn too high is an abomination

I used to say almost the exact same thing about the girls at St. Catherine's Convent School...

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

OK, a new top pet peeve for me - from this weekend's PA Celtic Fling. Yes, I know it's not really Highland Games, but I suspect the issue does apply at genuine Highland Games as well. Men (I intentionally do not say gentlemen) who do not learn to move and sit so as not to let the entire area know first hand whether or not they are regimental. Fellow in a kilt obviously not a rental "costume", (not a usual tartan, amoung other clues), sitting on the ground, legs crossed at the ankles. Knees pulled up. Facing a main path, with families with children walking by. I went over, and quietly told him he was flashing everyone, and received a rude gesture for my trouble. NOT upholding what I would consider the best of Highland or Celtic manhood.
Bah!

Geoff Withnell

Geoff, I was recently at a games in North Carolina where a similar problem occurred, and was dealt with by the local police. I think that there is such a thing as "accidental" exposure, and then there's the guy you ran into... maybe there needs to be a "Kilt Police" after all.

[Nighthawk]

Geoff, I was recently at a games in North Carolina where a similar problem occurred, and was dealt with by the local police. I think that there is such a thing as "accidental" exposure, and then there's the guy you ran into... maybe there needs to be a "Kilt Police" after all.

And those police should all be women pointing and laughing at the poor little guy!

[Bugbear]

And those police should all be women pointing and laughing at the poor little guy!

There was an episode of Cops with a guy in a kilt.

I guess the guy was practicing throwing his derk in a park in Nashville and flashing people when he bent down to pull it out of the ground.

There was a male and a female cop and the female cop lectured him about how to bend down in a "skirt." They kept his derk, if I remember correctly. I saw it back in the mid nineties

[AFS1970]

Guys who think the Kilt is made especially for flashing lead to my biggest Kilt pet peeve, although it is (sadly) not limited to Scottish Festivals. That is the women who seem to think that my wearing a kilt is an invitation for them to do all manner of unwelcome things. Now there are certain women who would be welcome to do those things, but they never seem to be the ones who do.

I mean really, if one were wearing a garment with legs, would it be considered polite if someone walks up and unzipped the fly then said to you "Oh, I was just checking"? Then why is it seemingly OK to lift up my kilt, while I am wearing it?

Sadly these two groups seem to have got it in their heads that the reason to wear a Kilt is easy access for the general public.

[Lallans]

Geoff, I was recently at a games in North Carolina where a similar problem occurred, and was dealt with by the local police. I think that there is such a thing as "accidental" exposure, and then there's the guy you ran into... maybe there needs to be a "Kilt Police" after all.

Actually for such individuals there is indeed something called the "real" police, and in my opinion they should be called in as soon as the issue becomes apparent. I don't want the kilt to become a venue for [expletive deleteds] who just want to expose themselves, eventually making kilts a cartoonish garment for pervs and flashers like raincoats used to be.

Hey, I have a brand new pet peeve!

[Lallans]

One word....liability.

Newbie picks up hammer, walks a few feet out of the hammer cage while the judge is busy with something else, does a few winds to warm up, loses the hammer out his hands and sends it screaming at full velocity into the crowd where it collides with a nice 7 year old girls head.

Alternative scenario....newbie who is married to nice lady who's brother is a lawyer, walks on at the Games. He shatters his L4 vertebrae picking up a caber totally the wrong way, despite being told how to do it by the judge and two competitors. The lawyer sues the Games, the Games Organizing Committee, the Athletic Director and the County Fairgrounds.
THAT is why you can't just walk-on to a Games and hope to pick up a caber in competition.

When he was just a little guy, my kid brother was hit in the head by a hammer (Games variety) while lined up and trying it out with a (poorly) supervised gang of kids of a similar age. He had a split scalp and a concussion that was more lightly dismissed than it would have been in this day and age, but obviously it could have easily killed him. It's quite amazing what people can do in the way of damage, using heavy objects while showing off. In the present day, I have seen people at small Scottish (and Irish!) events allowing kids to try their hand, including at throwing the hammer, but wwith the hammer at least they supervise them more carefully than if they had firearms. Good to see.