The wonderful world of Chavs

Published on April 25, 2006 By Sally jacobs In Humor

So JU I would like to introduce you to a chav, for those of you who aren't familiar with the term here is an explantion from our friends at wikipedia, who are also providing us with an image to give you a better idea

Chav is a slang term which has been in wide use throughout the United Kingdom since 2004. It refers to a subcultural stereotype of a person with fashions such as flashy "bling" jewellery and counterfeit designer clothes such as burberry / burkley or sportswear, an uneducated, uncultured, impoverished background, a tendency to congregate around places such as fast-food outlets, bus stops, or other shopping areas, and a culture of antisocial behaviour. Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of classism.

Here is a lovely image of such a person

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The stereotypical chav is someone who:

Wears particular clothing, such as:
Brand name athletic clothing and shoes. Stereotypically, this might include white trainers and tracksuits.
Fake designer clothing and accessories, in particular the distinctive tartan of Burberry, similar to (and perhaps derived from) the casuals of football supporters.

"Bling": that is, gaudy gold or platinum jewellery — in particular conspicuous earrings and trinkets on chains for women, and gold sovereign rings for men.

Sports caps and hoodies. Often both are worn, the hood pulled up over the baseball cap, thus obscuring the wearer's face.
Sports or jogging trousers, often tucked into white sports socks. These are also referred to as "tracky Bs", "trackies" or "tracky bottoms".

If female, wears thickly applied make-up, makes heavy use of fake tan, and has a hairstyle in which the hair is pulled back into a tight bun or ponytail (called a "Croydon facelift" or "council-house facelift").

Up-turned collars on shirts

Chav males and females are usually quite slim, but often have a pot-belly due to binge drinking and junk-food activities. However, other Chav's are generally quite slim but there are very few which have a large muscular predominance.

Is associated with crass, drunken behaviour and minor criminal activities. This includes unprovoked attacks on members of the public ( happy slapping), vandalism, verbal abuse, and drug abuse. This delinquency may be carried out under the influence of cheap alcohol, often after the pubs have closed.

Lives on housing estates and other low-income neighbourhoods, often supported by the "dole" (unemployment benefit)

Owns a tastelessly modified car, usually with a basic original specification, but decorated in a gaudy style. The Vauxhall Nova is one of the many small hatchbacks associated with this stereotype.

Takes part in under-aged drinking and sex (and, consequently, is associated with teen pregnancy).

Congregates and loiters in areas such as shopping centres and fast food restaurants .

Pronounces English in a style that is seen to be unsophisticated and characterised by slack diction — for example, the pronunciation of "thing" as "fing".

So who inspired this article? Well that would be the King of Chavs Michael Carroll
Link. He won almost Ten Million on the lottery and proceeded to live the life of a chav. I just watched a programme about him, which showed the life he leads. Getting in fights, drinking alcohol all day, racing cars, just general stupid things. He is only 22, but so am I, and I don't really think that is any excuse. You'd think that he would think to himself, well I have all this money, so I will just keep out of trouble. Oh no! That would be far to easy! He's managed to get himself several ASBO's, and the British Media haven't had to try very hard to make him look stupid.

For those of you that don't know an ASBO is:

In the United Kingdom an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) is a civil order made against a person who has been shown to have engaged in conduct which caused or was likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress to one or more persons not of the same household as himself (or herself) and where an ASBO (pronounced as-bo) is necessary to protect relevant persons from further anti-social acts by the Defendant. See, generally, s1(1) Crime and Disorder Act 1998, as amended. In England and Wales they are issued by Magistrates' Courts, and in Scotland by the Sheriff Courts.

Although these are civil orders, the behaviour complained of must be proved to the criminal standard. It should be noted that a little known Scots Law, Lawburrows enables a summary action before a Sheriff with only the civil standard of proof that the pursuer was likely to be put in fear - on the balance of probability, no witness apart from the pursurer, no court record, etc. and a bond lodged in court immediately, to be forfeit should the pursuer be put in fear subsequently. Although narrower than ASBO, the aim of Lawburrows is "...to prevent such delinquences and terrify evil doers..."

The order may prohibit any behaviour. Breach of an ASBO can result in criminal penalties. Cases of orders have included:

Vandalism
Abusive behaviour
Harassment
Flyposting (including Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Other more obscure orders have been issued, including a thirteen year old banned from using the word "Grass", a seventeen year old forbidden to use his front door and an eighty-seven year old man ordered not to make "sarcastic remarks"

In February 2004 a teenager in Alnwick, Northumberland was issued an ASBO that contained several grammatical errors. A year later when charged with breaching his ASBO, it was realised that he would have been breaking the law if he was found in town without alcohol and that he was legally compelled to cause distress with unruly behaviour.

ASBOs have a common legal foundation in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. However, as this legislation was considered ineffective subsequent legislation has been used to strengthen their application. In England and Wales this has largely been the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, in Northern Ireland through an order in council and in Scotland through the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004.

As of 31 March 2004, 2455 ASBOs have been issued in England and Wales.

In a press release of 28 October 2004, Tony Blair and David Blunkett announced further measures to extend the use and definition of ASBOs. The remit would include: extension of the witness protection programme in anti-social behaviour cases; an increase in the number of courts dealing with cases; an extension of the number of offences liable for fixed-penalty notices and giving parish councils the power to issue fixed penalty notices for infringements. The press release concluded by remarking:

"In the past year around 100,000 cases of anti social behaviour have been dealt with. 2,633 ASBOs and 418 dispersal orders have been issued in the same period."
On 25 October 2005, Transport for London announced its intent to apply for a new law giving them the authority to issue orders against repeat fare dodgers, along with increased fines.

ASBOs remain controversial, as a person can be jailed for up to five years for an offence that would not normally be criminal, although the breach of the order must still be proved to the criminal standard.

In a recent example of a less conventional use of ASBOs, a woman has been given an ASBO preventing her from jumping into rivers, canals or railways. This is because the rescue services were placed at risk when rescuing her from these places whilst she was attempting suicide. Magristrates made her subject to an ASBO, which means that if she attempts suicide again she could be sent to prison.

So JU, welcome to the wonderful world of a chav

Comments

stutefish

on Apr 25, 2006

So basically, a chav is a british gangsta, with strong wigger overtones.

shadesofgrey

on Apr 25, 2006

so is a chav to England what a spide is to Northern Ireland?

dynamaso

on Apr 25, 2006

Yeah but no but yeah but no...

Chav speak for 'I'm not sure', right?

I was recently reading something about Michael Carroll where he'd spend stupid amounts of money on a sports car and completely wrote it off before he'd got any insurance organised for it. What a loser.

We have a similar breed here in Australia. They hang in McDonalds car parks in 'hotted' up cars playing stereos so loud they could provide the sound in cinemas. I don't particularly know what brands they wear, but track suits seem to be the big thing, along with overly austentatious jewelry. And they're not generally particularly bright.

Sally jacobs

on Apr 26, 2006

So basically, a chav is a british gangsta, with strong wigger overtones.

Yep you got it! Well they are that, amongst other things, hehe!

so is a chav to England what a spide is to Northern Ireland?

I had to google that! Yer they are very similar!

Yeah but no but yeah but no...Chav speak for 'I'm not sure', right?

Ahh Little Britain fan? Yer they are exactly the yeah but no but generation! So articulate

I don't really know what people get out of that kind of behaviour. Are they trying to make a statement? Are they even smart enough to do that? Who knows!

Thanks for the comments x

dynamaso

on Apr 26, 2006

Ahh Little Britain fan?

Not particularly but you can't go anywhere near it without hearing the 'yeah but no but yeah but...' quote.

I don't really know what people get out of that kind of behaviour.

I don't imagine they even know what they get out of their behaviour except some sick sort of instant gratification. For instance, happy slapping; what is going on with that? I could never find enjoyment out of smacking a total stranger upside the head and I don't think I'll ever understand anyone who does.

Sally jacobs

on Apr 26, 2006

Not particularly but you can't go anywhere near it without hearing the 'yeah but no but yeah but...' quote.

I'm not really a huge fan, but you can't escape the people who think the are hilariously funny quoting it! There's a new one here, everyone is saying "Am I bovered tho! Face is it bovered" Quite funny the first few hundred times you hear it, lol. (Sorry If I sound grumpy, it's like 2am here and I'm suffering from a lack of sleep!)

I could never find enjoyment out of smacking a total stranger upside the head and I don't think I'll ever understand anyone who does.

See I wish I had an explanation for this, but I really don't. People that have energy but nothing good to put it in? Or simply a way of impressing your friends? Who knows? To be honest I'm not sure I want to understand the thinking behind it, presuming there is any.....

dynamaso

on Apr 27, 2006

Quite funny the first few hundred times you hear it, lol.

Yeah, it was a bit like 'wazzup'. There was a point when I thought if I heard it said again, I would go bonkers. The endless, mindless repetition of catch phrasings is another thing I don't get with a lot of people. It is almost as though they don't have any imagination themselves and have to rely on others to provide it.

(Sorry If I sound grumpy, it's like 2am here and I'm suffering from a lack of sleep!)

No need to apologise, Sally, I get grumpy too when I can't sleep.

People that have energy but nothing good to put it in? Or simply a way of impressing your friends?

I have to ask why anyone would put any energy into something that only hurts other people (with exception of the S&M crowd, of course). And if the only way to impress your friends is by hurting someone, then I'd be asking myself what sort of friends are they.

Incidentally, I heard of a gross version of happy slapping called seagulling where boys masturbate into their hands and then slap a stranger in the face with said hand all the while yelling 'seagulled'. The only thing I can say about this is that at least they're not using their seed to breed.

Sally jacobs

on Apr 27, 2006

There was a point when I thought if I heard it said again, I would go bonkers. The endless, mindless repetition of catch phrasings is another thing I don't get with a lot of people.

Yeah same here! People tend to find something that is funny, and then just go ahead and kill it. It's the same with all good things I guess, to much can take the goodness right away!

No need to apologise, Sally, I get grumpy too when I can't sleep.

Thanks, I'm a terrible sleeper, you would think I was used to it by now!

I heard of a gross version of happy slapping called seagulling where boys masturbate into their hands and then slap a stranger in the face with said hand all the while yelling 'seagulled'. The only thing I can say about this is that at least they're not using their seed to breed.

Omg! That is awful, and I have to completely agree with you, at least they aren't making 'mini me's' Can you imagine, ahah!

dynamaso

on Apr 27, 2006

People tend to find something that is funny, and then just go ahead and kill it.

Exactly. How many times does it take before it stops being funny?

I'm a terrible sleeper, you would think I was used to it by now

Oh, well, you'd probably hate me, then, as I'm normally a very good sleeper. I can sleep through earthquakes.

I'm a terrible sleeper, you would think I was used to it by now

Yes, I get a picture of the 'Yes but no but yes but...' character from Little Britain wheeling a monster pram with 1/2 a dozen mini chavs in it. Very scary indeed.

Sally jacobs

on Apr 28, 2006

Oh, well, you'd probably hate me, then, as I'm normally a very good sleeper. I can sleep through earthquakes

The rest of my family is like that, which is completely infuriating. They also like to get up extremely early, so it feels like just as I get to sleep they are all making noise!

Yes, I get a picture of the 'Yes but no but yes but...' character from Little Britain wheeling a monster pram with 1/2 a dozen mini chavs in it. Very scary indeed.

It wouldn't be so bad if that was just in a tv show, but unfortunately it's reality! It really does happen!

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