Be Excellent To Each Other

I have just returned from the Shoreham Airshow, which was pretty fantastic with many a fine piloting skill on display - the Red Bull display guys were incredible.

Anyway, on the way out of the gates I saw some signs dotted about the perimeter of the airport. I can't remember the exact wording, but they looked like official police signs and they pretty much said, "It is an offence to stand here and look at the planes. If you stand here and look at the planes you will be prosecuted."

This can't be legal, can it? Were they really police signs, or fakes put out by the Airshow to deter the un-paying punter? I really don't like the idea that people can be prosecuted for perfectly legal behaviour - such as looking at aircraft - without having to pay for entry to an airshow.

I don't think it's airshow related, I seem to remember prosecutions for people standing outside Heathrow photographing planes.

Because of "terrorism" of course.

is it private property?

At Farnborough they did stop people from standing at certain places on the perimeter, but only because of safety concerns. There were still certain places where it was allowed but it was discouraged. The problem is that large groups of anoraks can congregate in places where it's not a good idea for them to do so, i.e by a main road like at Farnborough. People also pull up their cars and gawp which is why the A325 is so heavily policed at Farnborough. The one thing about Farnborough is public days aside, it's impressive how the police keep everything moving.

Same at Waddington every year.

It's in case you are a dick, not in case you are an terrorist.

If one is standing on private land, then, yes, you could be prosecuted for trespass. If it's on the highway, it's a little different. In 1900, a racing tout was done for being on the highway crossing private land taking notes on racehorses, but in 1999, there was a protest on the grass verge of teh highway next to Stonehenge, and the House of Lords decided it wasn't trespass unless the highway was blocked or nuisance committed. So, it seems that the 1900 case could be decided that was as well. The specifics of watching aeroplanes and that, I'm none too sure of, though.

Presumably it's all fine and dandy to stand there not looking at planes, then?

Why would you presume that?

Its the large number of plane anoraks who turn up and cause a menace to everyone else that is the problem. At Farnborough they now erect screens along where they used to congregate to prevent it.

Hundreds of them turn up, milling around and spilling out onto a busy main road. It's about preventing these people causing injury to themselves and others as well as letting everyone else actually use the pavement.

And to be fair, if they love planes so much the tight arsed gits should stump up for a ticket. OK at Farnborough the public aren't allowed in for the first five days, but why should they get the display for free at close quarters?

Because of the sign's wording...

"No officer, nothing to do with planes at all. We were just wondering if Johnny here can throw this rock and make it land near the fuel stores..."

I think you could presume wrong...

But the sign said "It's an offence to stand here and look at the planes". It didn't say it was an offence to just stand there, so if you're stood there NOT looking at the planes, I would say you're fine and dandy and obeying the sign!

It could still be trespass...

It could be, but the sign didn't mention that (Although common sense would dictate when you're trespassing)

I thought it was a trrrrsm thing to be honest.

Well, kind of. If you are on someone's land without permission, you are trespassing, even if you don't know that you are. Notable exceptions include being thrown on there if you've been fighting.

as end of an era can't remember the words. Then we can presume you can't stand there with out a good reason.

If it's private land, it's trespass if they don't give you the permission to stand there. If it isn't private land, as long as you're not blocking the highway, or committing a nuisance, they can put as many signs up as they like and it won't make a jot of difference, from a trespass point of view.

Well I didn't go to the air show but some of the planes came down and flew over my local beach. Which was really cool as they were old prop planes