A Welsh Brand of McDonald's Plays Classical Music, Rations Wi-Fi To Deter Anti-Social Behavior (theregister.com) 66
A Welsh branch of McDonald's has started playing classical music and rationing wi-fi in a bid to deter anti-social behavior. The BBC reports: The fast-food restaurant has taken action after incidents at its Wrexham branch and elsewhere in the city which led to police issuing dispersal orders. North Wales Police said a group of 20 to 30 youngsters had caused "upset" but progress had been made recently. McDonald's said it was committed to being a good neighbor in the area. [...] McDonald's said: "We are aware of anti-social behavior affecting the wider area, and have introduced a number of measures in our Wrexham restaurant to support the police in tackling this issue. These include playing classical music from 17:00 GMT and turning off the wi-fi at certain points in the evening."
Classical music (Score:5, Interesting)
Lots of places have been playing classical music outside their stores to scare away homeless people. Opera even. It's effective. Upon investigation I've concluded that classical music sounds to homeless people like Boulez [youtube.com] sounds to the rest of us. You just need a bit more focus to understand it, and homeless people are not in a stage of their lives where focusing comes easily.
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Lots of places have been playing classical music outside their stores to scare away homeless people. Opera even.
It also keeps away negroes
That doesn't always work [seattleoperablog.com].
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Disabling wifi is also basically a way to get rid of rabble who aren't on unlimited data plans.
Or who occupy space but don't generate income. Or who are disturbing others.
Re:Classical music (Score:5, Funny)
Disabling wifi is also basically a way to get rid of rabble ...
Or who are disturbing others.
Seems counter intuitive. When they turn the WiFi off, I bother everyone in the coffee shop. When they turn it on, I sit quietly in my corner, log on to Slashdot and disturb all you people instead.
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So if I cannot afford unlimited data (or chose not to be financially raped) then I'm rabble? Fuck you, rich guy.
Re: Classical music (Score:2)
Oh please.
If you can't afford $50/month for phone service, you shouldn't be at McDonald's.
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Re: Classical music (Score:2)
I never said anything about what you could or should buy. My comment was about affordability. Unlimited cell phone data is fairly cheap these days. Whether you NEED or BUY it or not, if you can't AFFORD it, you probably would be better off not wasting money on McDonald's.
Re:Classical music (Score:5, Funny)
But the Bach Gang then trashed our 7/11 for playing a poorly tempered clavier.
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Upon investigation I've concluded that classical music sounds to homeless people like Boulez [youtube.com] sounds to the rest of us.
Or Messiaen.
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Lots of places have been playing classical music outside their stores....
Painting the cell walls pink reduces violent conduct. There's a whole field of social behavioral psychology dedicated to this stuff.
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> Lots of places have been playing classical music outside their stores to scare away homeless people
Hun ? Link ?
Though I've heard of a high pitched tone being played in a subway exit here to to harass teenagers.
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https://www.google.com/search?... [google.com]
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Ah ! :) , thanks.
Loud music discourages loitering and with classical music not many customers complain (just don't try playing Baby Shark).
https://www.latimes.com/califo... [latimes.com]
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What do you like about it?
Seen this in my town. (Score:1)
Not exactly news, but anyway, classical music played at places in my town where people (virtually all late-teenage boys) loiter and generally are a nuisance. One time I was walking by when the classical music came on and some teenage lout shouted "what the fuck is this shit!!!" and they cleared out.
Wrexham? (Score:5, Funny)
Damn near killed 'em!
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It's okay, they renamed it Fixam.
Good luck (Score:1)
There was a strip mall that did something like this in the town where I grew up. They played annoying Muzak to scare away teens. It worked, scared away everyone, no one went there anymore and the businesses went under.
One of those businesses was about 'fresh' food. Around the inside of the place were ad words, things like 'No Microwaves', 'No Can Openers' - along with 'No Rap Music'. Rap is not my first choice, but banning it? Fuck you and your Muzak too.
Re:Good luck (Score:5, Insightful)
Well in San Diego we have started doing it in some of our beach communities and the results have been absolutely wonderful. They'll also added bright lights and a local neighbor has been installing (with shop owner permission) video surveillance pro bono.
It's made the area safer, cleaner and overall the community is quite happy with it.
P.S. This all happened after a group of homeless angels hospitalized a local resident that was walking his dog. Sad it had to take this long.
Re:Good luck (Score:4, Insightful)
I've lived in California almost all my life. We are missing at least two things:
1. Affordable housing.
2. Public psychiatric services.
Forcing out homeless people just moves the problem. Ignoring a problem does not solve it. You have to ask yourself what is driving the anti-social behavior. People need options and opportunities, sometimes help. Some people just want to watch the world burn and a little music is not going to stop them. Violence is criminal behavior and goes beyond anti-social behavior.
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Public psychiatric services are available in California. It's just a matter of homeless people knowing about it or wanting to take advantage of it.
https://blog.opencounseling.co... [opencounseling.com]
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Involuntary hold with drugs isn't what I'm talking about.
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Holy crap at least look at the link I provided before answering. Posting without researching makes you look ignorant.
Re:Good luck (Score:4, Informative)
I read the link:
"In California, the services people can receive at a community mental health program vary from county to county. All county programs provide emergency and crisis intervention services. These typically include suicide prevention hotlines, walk-in centers, and mobile assessment teams who evaluate people who have been placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold (commonly known as a “5150 hold”) to determine if they require involuntary inpatient treatment.
Many of the additional services that county mental health programs provide follow from the outcome of these crisis interventions. Most county programs provide case management services for people who have been hospitalized or who have a severe mental illness that impacts their ability to function and puts them at risk of hospitalization. Case managers help link their clients with all of the different services they need and monitor their progress in treatment and recovery."
Services vary from county to county and the state provides pretty much bare minimum, often involuntary, service to mostly indigent people. Lots of people could use help before they get there.
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Is it the business's responsibility to solve society's problems? Or is it their responsibility to solve problems affecting them.
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Are businesses part of society? It is everyone's responsibility. I guess I can blow all of the leaves from my yard into your yard and that is cool, right? I solved my problem.
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There was a strip mall that did something like this in the town where I grew up. They played annoying Muzak to scare away teens. It worked, scared away everyone, no one went there anymore and the businesses went under.
Sounds like people went to the mall only to loiter and not shop. Most people who go shopping can't even recall if music was playing at all, let alone what. It's different in a food court, but believe me the type of music played had zero to do with a stripmall going broke.
Did you know that the age of Miss America almost perfectly correlates by murders by steam, hot vapour, and hot objects? That doesn't mean we can solve those murders by voting a toddler to be Miss America.
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Linking to news stories about it would out me (if they are even online). It is okay if you don't believe me or have a different opinion. Maybe the way business owners react to a problem can be worse than the 'problem' itself.
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https://www.rd.com/article/mcd... [rd.com]
I guess they never watched "A Clockwork Orange" (Score:5, Funny)
Vidy this my drougies, it's lovely Ludwig Van
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The McDonald's near me peaked during the Great Recession when all these unfortunate Millennials - some apparently fresh out of college - couldn't find suitable employment. Bad for them, good for McDonald's. Luckily that's over but since then they've
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Welsh McDonalds? (Score:2)
What is it called? McDavid?
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ap Dyfnwal, surely?
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And how do they call McDonalds in Scotland?
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Overpriced American chippie?
Re: Welsh McDonalds? (Score:3)
MwcDwnwyllds.
Puberty Love (Score:2)
Attack Of The Killer All-Beef Patties, Pickles, Special Sauce, Lettuce, Cheese, Pickles, Onions and TOMATOES On A Sesame Seed Bun
Puberty Love (Score:2)
Attack Of The Killer All-Beef Patties, Special Sauce, Lettuce, Cheese, Pickles, Onions and TOMATOES On A Sesame Seed Bun
Ryan Reynolds buying opportunity (Score:2)
Ryan, I'm sure you're a /. reader. Here's another investment opportunity for you. Welsh McDonalds. If anyone can turn it around, you can.
Branch, not Brand (Score:3, Insightful)
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Fix the headline, please.
And you should probably say "franchisee", rather than "branch". It's not a branch.
I think they do have corporate-owned stores, but they don't call those "branches", either. And this one is almost certainly a franchise store.
They like to call them "stores".
A bright light, hallelujah as loud as you can.. (Score:2)
That certainly can scramble kids brain waves into compliance.
And to stop piloting the giant robot things as well.
Austerity (Score:2)
Now everyone pays.
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If you are going to make such claims, it would be nice if you'd describe exactly which Welsh youth services havr been cut and what those services actually did for the good (or Ill) of teens in Wales.
"Anti-social behavior" (Score:2)
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Since when is 20-30 people congregating considered anti-social?
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Since when is 20-30 people congregating considered anti-social?
Good point!
Unintended consequences (Score:3)
I genuinely and fervently hope that this eventually results in wild gangs of youths gatecrashing opera houses and classical performances.
It's always rich arseholes who come up with these schemes so let them share their culture with the people they inflict it on and see how that shakes out.
Welsh branch? (Score:1)