Topic: A SERIOUS NON-GARDENING RELATED MESSAGE

[Gardengirl]

A friend of mine has passed on to me an e-mail which is being circulated to companies in the London area.  I thought I would let you all know (just in case the craze spreads to other areas of the country) what we should be looking out for.

 WARNING FROM KEITH BEASLEY/LONDON AMBULANCE SERVICE

 Something to bear in mind

> Please read and pass on.
> Dear All,
> For once, a serious message: We have received a warning at the London  Ambulance Service and have been asked to pass on the information to  all our families and friends.

 The LAS have units closely associated with the Police 'D.A.R.E.'
 squads based in South London who are basically fighting Gang Crimes.
 The 'street gangs' in London (particularly South London at present,
 but it is sure to spread) have initiation tasks which new gang members  have to carry out to be admitted to the 'gang'. The latest craze is to drive around, deliberately with no lights on their cars. The first  person who 'flashes' them, points at them or sounds their horn at  them, has to be followed by that new gang member in their car, who  then has to fire a shot into that vehicle !!! with no regard as to who  is inside.

 Our official instruction is that if we see a vehicle with no lights
 on, we are NOT to 'flash' it etc. and the advice to friends and family  is that you should ignore any vehicles you see without lights.

 I would ask that you pass this info on to all your family, friends and
 colleagues by phone or e-mail, and who knows, it may save a life!



 Its a lovely world we live in, isn't it.

[Ceri]

urban myth this one - see below from Evening Standard's website:

Drive-by shooting myth grips public
By John Higginson


Police have moved to reassure the public over an urban myth about armed gangs shooting people.

Lewisham Hospital staff became scared when letters were distributed warning them not to alert motorists driving at night without their lights on.

The warning, apparently from the police, said the motorists are gang members who, as part of an initiation ceremony, have to shoot at people who make gestures at them about their lights.

Following a flurry of calls from worried members of the public, police have released a statement saying the letter is not from them and is nothing but an urban myth originating from an email.

[Gardengirl]

I sincerely hope you are right Ceri - but felt I had to pass this on as it is being circulated round the London Ambulance Stations and sounded pretty genuine to me.  Needless to say, I will not be flashing my lights at anyone, just to be on the safe side.  I have not put this on to be a scare-monger, but genuinely thought that if it was true, people should be warned.

[Muddy_Boots]

No worries Pat.  Same thing happened to me passing on warning thought was serious and so did those who had passed it to me.

Always worth doing.

Doesn't it just make you furious tho that peeps spread all these tales when there are real dangers going on.  should be shot like lottie vandals!

[Ceri]

M_B - makes me really cross too - the originators of these scams and myths must be aware of the concern and fear they create - this particular one seems so valid as well, probably because it involves an emergency service.

I get loads of e-mails at work containing a myth or scam - usually from caring friends who are passing it on as a real concern.  I only realised this one was a bit dodgy because I did some googling and up popped the myth!