9 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

I expect there were always incidents. It's just that modern technology allows the incidents to be recorded and posted on the internet.

I don't disagree with you, but in general the public had a different attitude and behaved in a much more responsible way than is the case today, so such incidents were rare. On top of that, modern tecnology has bred a behaviour pattern where it's considered clever, or amusing, to cause trouble in order to film it. You Tube is full of such scenes involving ceremonial guardsmen in London. Obviously different to the case Martin-W quoted, but still a sign of the increasing failure to respect ceremonial traditions.

33 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

It's human nature not to pay attention to warning signs and to be distracted at tourist sites so, if you can't change human nature and you can't change the ceremony, the only thing left is to change the public access.

cf. the signs by the Horse Guards sentry boxes. Yet people still get kicked or bitten (very occasionally).

3 hours ago, phileypoo1 said:

As with all things lost in the 21st century, the concept of personal responsibility has been lost.  Plus, if you don't like it then don't go and see it in order to get in the way and putting yourself in harms way.  Let's put up a cordon instead?  Who's going to provide the resource for that? Let's put up massive health and safety tape instead and spend unnecessary resources so people can  ultimately do what they should be doing instinctively and staying out of the way.  Hate this attitude of blaming other people for your own mishaps and the fact that we have to move at the place of the slowest member of society.

 

I'm afraid you totally ignore the fact that ALL human beings are fallible. Every one of us has made a mistake at some time in our lives, in fact many times. We've all had brain farts and done something daft. 

Most people, most of the time, do indeed "do what they should be doing instinctively" and do stay out of the way. But mistakes do happen,

YOU are not infallible, nobody is. And I'm sure if you arent paying attention one day and step in front of a car, you'd expect the driver heading toward you to stop, not run you down because it was your fault. 

The King's Guard are either ceremonial or an elite force protecting the monarch. Trying to do BOTH is perhaps not wise. 

As for the cost of putting up a cordone or some other measure, I doubt youd notice the impact on your tax bill. Fractions of a pence. 

 

 

Perhaps, as an American, it's none of my business to comment on your traditions.  But losing them is a tragedy.

The movie 'Fiddler on the Roof' is about the tragedy of lost traditions.

How long has the changing of the guard been a tradition?  And how many times has a child been knocked down by marching soldiers?  Perhaps this should all be brought into perspective.  One rather minor incident has brought out commentary that is now on page 3.  Methinks there is more to this than the child incident.

Noel

The video posted was shot 15 months ago when the Queen was alive so they were the Queen’s Guard. The footage was taken at Tower Of London where no royal lives.

I don’t recall this incident getting any attention from the British media. The Daily Mail would have been all over it like a rash if there’d been something worthwhile to report.

As Shakespeare might have said… “ Much Ado About Nothing”.

Edited March 7, 20233 yr by Ray Proudfoot
Corrected location of incident.

I agree all humans are fallible.  But when a person makes a mistake, why look to blame something or someone else instead of saying to ones self 'I made a mistake there that I probably shouldn't have.  Maybe I will be more careful in the future?' 

I may not notice any cost at all, but there really is absolutely no need for something where only 0.000000001% of visitors fall foul.  I agree with Ray.  Much ado about nothing indeed.

2 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

The footage was taken at Tower Bridge where no royal lives.

After being kicked out of Frogmore Cottage, I’m under the impression Tower Bridge will be offered to Harry and Meghan as their new British home.

Me thinks the OP would benefit from getting out for a good walk rather than watching a load of old cobblers on the internet….

 

11 minutes ago, DD_Arthur said:

After being kicked out of Frogmore Cottage, I’m under the impression Tower Bridge will be offered to Harry and Meghan as their new British home.

My mistake. I meant the Tower of London. Where the Crown Jewels are kept.

10 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I meant the Tower of London.

I know but it’s a great concept.

Prince Andrew could move out to the Thames Barrier…or the Fourth Bridge…🙂

5 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

I know but it’s a great concept.

Prince Andrew could move out to the Thames Barrier…or the Fourth Bridge…🙂

Even the Fifth bridge.

10 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

 

Me thinks the OP would benefit from getting out for a good walk rather than watching a load of old cobblers on the internet….

 

 

We aren't trying to fix climate change, or cure world hunger here, and its not an "ado" as someone else said. I simply saw this and wondered what other peoples opinions were. You have now given your valuable opinion as have others, so there is so need for me to "go for a walk". 

 

 

10 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

After being kicked out of Frogmore Cottage

 

Seems that's media nonsense from what I've heard. They weren't "kicked out" as the media portray. They were leasing the cottage from the Crown and the lease had expired, they weren't living there, so it wasn't extended in their name. Of course, the media like to portray it as Charles freaks out, and despite the Queen gifting it to them, punishes them by evicting them. 🙄

I may be wrong of course, I'm agnostic when it comes to the Royal Family, don't favor them or disfavor them.

9 hours ago, IanHarrison said:

Even the Fifth bridge.

Actually, the Forth Bridge is the first bridge on the Firth of Forth.

1 hour ago, dmwalker said:

Actually, the Forth Bridge is the first bridge on the Firth of Forth.

I know that, you know that, but it was a nice play on the spelling mistake that I could not resist.🙂

55 minutes ago, IanHarrison said:

but it was a nice play on the spelling mistake that I could not resist.

I know and I tried to resist but I just couldn't.

Anyway, back to the original subject, I think it's all Mr Bean's fault, setting this bad example:

 

Edited March 8, 20233 yr by dmwalker