Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[john shipton]

Power went suddenly of in many parts of Lincoln last night and no one in authority was available to provide any explanation as to what had happened. The electricity company did not provide any updates and nor could provide details. There was only an answering service saying that power would be restored ASAP and gave a time of 12.15am this morning. The power went off at around 9.10pm last night and lasted for two hours. Most of the West End was affected as well as households on the Long Leys Road area but excluded St Georges and Burton Road. Residents rang the Police Authority but they too had no idea what was going on. One resident asked police communications about the police keeping an eye on the darkened areas by the use of patrolling police cars. None were available as the weekend was only covered by a few on duty. Police cars would only be sent in an emergency.
One elderly resident was given advice that if she became a victim of crime she was to give to the police details of the intruder and description. Her response was that she cannot see in the dark!
Lincoln does suffer from power cuts so be prepared in future to have a torch and candles available and make sure lighted candles are distinguished afterwards. And for the sake of the community, please keep an eye on the old folk living alone who live in our area.

[Captain K]

Thanks for the advice John. I'll be sure to blow my candle out before I go to bed...

[robcrack]

"Many areas of Lincoln had a power cut last night which lasted for about two hours. The electricity company did not provide details what had occurred and customers were given an answering service stating briefly the areas affected and the estimated time of the fix would be 12.15am. The police were not interested and said the problem lay with the company to provide an explanation. Only a few police cars were available Sunday evening to patrol and none came to the West End of Lincoln to keep an eye on the darkened area. One elderly resident who contacted the police was told if any person broke into her house,she would have to give details and description of the intruder. Her reply was I cannot see in the dark.
No one in authority would step out of their way to give any assurance and comforting advice, and that includes the police."
A local resident, Lincoln
commented on 18-Jan-2010 10:31

I wonder who this 'local' resident might be??

Why would residents want to know what had occurred.....i'm sure it's more important to know what the solution is......as described in the answer machine message...it even quoted the approx time power would be restored. Would the 'local' resident rather National Grid deployed their staff to answer phones to give exactly the same information that an answer machine can give? What a great idea.
Did the 'local' resident hear the Police say they weren't interested or is this more 'hearsay' nonsense. How does the 'local' resident know that no police visited the area during the power cut. I spoke to a police officer on Tue afternoon who says he had a drive around the area during the period in question.
I find it very comforting to know that National Grid gave a pretty accurate time that power would be restored therefore putting us with a young family at ease. Well done National Grid. If this 'local' resident wants to know hardship then tune into the national news any time of day and look at the poor folk in Haiti. Then take a look in the mirror

[Captain K]

Here Here Rob Crack...!

I did start wondering when I read Mr Shipton's entry (above) that he had somehow invented an entirely new role for the local Policemen/women. In all my experiences of 'minor power cuts' I can never remember once finding the requirement to call the Police and pester them away from their obvious more improtant role in society! Maybe the Chief of Police should have them all trained in electrical engineering should we encounter the same issues in the future

I suppose a call to the Fire Service might have been more appropriate. Lets face it they would be tucked up in their bunks with a mug of warm milk at that time and I'm sure they'd of been only too pleased to come down! Failing that a SAR helicopter from the RAF could of come and watched over us! Or perhaps doing nothing might have been the key and let the National Grid respond in a way in which they did...!

Like you say Mr Crack it could be a whole lot worse!!!

[lincolnimp]

Although a regular reader of various posts on the site,I rarely have the urge to post things myself and voice my opinion. Today however, when I read the post of the " local resident", I was moved to comment.

I have to agree (in part at least) with "Crock" and "Captain K" in respect of the Police's role in all this. I actually spoke to two Police officers in an un marked Subaru ( Impreza I think..). They were patrolling the area and explained that they had taken the initiative and come down to see whether traffic lights had been affected in the West end and what the extent of the problem was.They told me that they have a lot of false Burglar alarm activations during power cuts and despite being a dedicated Road policing car they were helping out in the town.They explained that that the unmarked nature of the car has real benefits in catching crooks as well as bad drivers.

I know the police are accountable to us taxpayers but I'm not sure if they should have to announce their every move to the general public or that people from surrounding areas should give up their local bobby or PCSO because its a bit dark in the West End for a few hours...

[Jeff]

i presume mr rob crack is a policeman by the comments he has made on the forum and is defending the police. i understand there are other policemen who live in my area. also one police women. so i ask mr crack what did he do when we were blacked out on sunday? did he think about his neighbours? did he think about old people who live alone? he may criticise mr shipton but then does he know what mr shipton did when there was a power cut? perhaps he would like to read my comments in support of mr shipton. my road was affected and my electricity was suddenly cut off without any warning. i rang the electricity board to find out. i heard the explanation on the answer machine. I was expecting to be cut off for some time. my dog and i went for a walk to pass the time away. i bumped into mr shipton on albion grove. he was checking things out and using a torch. he spoke to pensioners if they were ok. most of houses were in darkness and some had candles. we walked down albion crescent. he and i went to the entrance to the west common. i left him there. I had a torch for walking the dog. mr crack likes to criticise mr shipton. he assumes things and sounds sarcastic. does mr crack play a part in his community? in the village where i was brought up in we knew the local bobby. he knew the villagers. that was a long time ago. i am told that mr shipton plays an active part in the community. he has helped people with problems. the pensioner mentioned i do know. i think it may be her. she rang the police. so did others. i did not see a police car in my road before and after going to the west common. i did see cars racing down long leys road. the same comments are to captain k. st georges and st georges hospital did not have a power cut. lights were on.

[Captain K]

Opinions Jeff, were are all entitled to them... Even Mr Crack if he is a servent of the Crown is allowd his opinon!

The fact is we are all adults here and I don't appreciate seeing messages advising me on the safe use of candles or long droning messages criticising the Police response (or lack of it) to a situation that was not only out of their control but additionally nothing to do with them. We are lucky to live in an area that seldom suffers crime in any format! The area is regularly patrolled (seen it myself and looks like Imp has too). You must bear in mind Jeff that just because you didn't see the Police on the 2 occasions you looked might not mean they didn't patrol your street! As for the comments about racing cars on LLR!! I have never seen a stretch of road in the City policed with more speed traps than that one! Who knows, maybe the speed enforcement Officers had been dragged away to change a light bulb in a nearby Mcdonalds.

There are worse things occuring in the world and I won't insult your intelligence by listing what they are!!!

[Neville]

I would like to join the discussion as affected by the recent power cut.

It is a good job that I still have my wits about me as I get older. People like me have left candles alight. Yes, I am a pensioner and appreciate what has been said. My computer is old just like me. And yes, I do know Jeff who walks his dog on the common. Captain K may scoff about the black out but this caught many of my neighbours by surprise. Us older ones are soon forgotten and very few care if we live alone and have no family. This is not a sob story but a fact of life. I have seen little of any policeman walking the beat. Now and again I see a PCSO. A young lady has replaced her male colleague. But to say the police cars patrol my road, what planet is Captain K living on. Yes, I have seen police cars on Long Leys Road on occassions passing by. And yes, traffic cops. The police cars I have seen turning into Mitchell Drive are used by policemen who live on that estate.
I am not knocking our policemen as they do a marvelous job having to bear the brunt of reduced expenditure for their roles. It is those on the main switchboard who sometimes are abrupt. They ask so many questions on the telephone and people like me feel that we are the perpetrators and not the victims. Because of this people don't bother to ring, hence crime figures not showing on statistics. There was a copy of The Police Pledge pinned inside to the bus shelter which contained 10 pledges. This has been taken down. Perhaps Mr Rob Crack or Captain K who appears to know about policing, would like to make comments whether or not these pledges are still revelant. I am not a moaner as this is the first time I have said anything on this forum. But please do not try to pull wool over my eyes. To say not much happens in our area just covers up the lack of caring for the community. That will change when horse racing returns to the West Common. Then we shall see what traffic congestion is all about on Long Leys Road. So don't say my comments have been boring and not important. I won't be told to shut up because I don't know much.