Focus Group 3
Me
What is the biggest health problem facing everyone today?
FG34
Cancer
FG33
Well firstly it’s going to be a big, big task to suit everyone and meet
everyone’s needs. I’ve been a diabetic for over thirty four years
___+ And there’s a lot of people you know they go there, and they
make you an appointment and they’ve only be there five minutes and
they’re complaining about waiting, I’ve told ‘em I’ve been there an
hour but I’m all right. So long as it gets done I said if you lived in
America you’d feel it in your purse, you’d be paying thousands of
dollars for what you’re going to get here now that’s how I see it. To
me they’ve been good to me because otherwise if they hadn’t looked
after me with all these tablets especially now, if I had to pay for them
I wouldn’t be able to afford them, see, that’s it. I’ve no complaints
against the national health in fact I think sometimes people take
advantage. As one lady said she was up at Northern General once
and she said some of the patients thought it was private like you
know they wanted this they wanted that. Now I’ve got a sister she’s
a retired matron and the one thing she always used to say, I hate the
bell ringers, that’s them who are in the bed pressing the button every
second. What time is it? When is the food? That type of thing you
see.
Me
So it’s meeting everyone’s demands?
FG33
Well it’s a big job to please everyone isn’t it? I mean if you’ve got to
please everyone well we’d be in a lovely world wouldn’t we? If we
could please everyone but you can’t.
Me
Yes. Any other problems?
FG37
Dementia.
Me
Why do you think that?
FG37
Because we seem to be in an aging population and it’s seems to be
more prevalent now I mean when I was young you’d got very few old
people ___+
Me
Okay.
FG31
I’ve a friend, going on from what this lady said about Dementia. I
had a friend who was quite alert she worked for the Cheshire Home at
Tuckley doing the wages and she started with Alzheimer’s and she’s
getting all the help really. I’m really happy with the ___ I’m one that
luckily doesn’t have to go to the hospital but my husband like this
gentleman he can’t speak highly of the Hallamshire Hospital in
Sheffield and these people, we were discussing it with a friend who’s
also got problems, who attends the Hallamshire and these people that
say there’s all these dirty, you know, at the Northern General, MRSA,
you don’t really know whether it is as bad as what they say. We’ve
got a local florist and somebody we know said he had his leg off
because he’s got, contracted this MRSA, is it what they call it?
Page 1 of 19
Me
Yes.
FG31
So I wonder if it’s as bad as what they say is it as bad as that or it’s
quite interesting really. My husband begs to differ because he thinks
the health service is wonderful but then again there are people would
sort of think it’s terrible so.
FG33
The worst place, see I’d volunteer like for surgeons for examinations
and all like that and they once allocated me to Northern General well I
went in Vickers well oh dear me. The patients who walk in there are
depressed as soon as they opened door.
FG31
It’s down now.
FG33
Down now it were terrible. They were doing examinations and there
were
FG31
Well it is very old isn’t it?
FG33
Patients walking round and going to the toilet next door you know it
was absolutely it was a disgrace.
Me
FG34, you think cancer?
FG34
Yes.
Me
Why do you think that?
FG34
Because it is the, you know, the most popular illness of this area and
you know, there are so many kinds of cancers. If I take a look at it in
my own family. My grandfather had prostate cancer my mother had
lymphoma and every cancer timing is really crucial so when you go to
the hospital you shouldn’t wait for a long time to finish all your tests
because it is very important to start the treatment as soon as
possible. And as I can observe it takes lots of time for people in the
UK to finish the tests and finish the diagnosis process and then start
the treatment.
FG31
But as a young person, I have three granddaughters but one she’ll be
going to university soon she’s eighteen and she is sort of, she never
stops talking she’s frightened to death, she keeps asking me is there
anyone in the family who has got cancer she’s so scared of it really I
don’t know why. I think younger people, probably it does get to
them. You know people around them, as you say, it’s quite scary I
suppose.
Me
Any other problems?
FG35
Well I think we’re very lucky in Sheffield actually we’ve got some
very, very good hospitals and there is some very good doctors and
nurses. I mean there are things that want ironing out I’m sure there
are but I think on the whole, of course they’re teaching hospitals
aren’t they? I mean the Weston Park, I mean you say, you know,
that, but it is supposedly one of the best cancer hospitals in England.
FG33
Yes.
Page 2 of 19
FG35
So we’re very, very fortunate really. I mean I take what you said
about the dementia, I think probably as you get older, I think these
things the care of the elderly could be you know certainly could be
better. People like you say there’s a ward in the Northern General is
it Brierley or something.
FG33
I think it’s Brierley yes.
FG35
And they have a lot of old people on there and I don’t think they
always get that isn’t quite as good.
FG33
No.
FG35
I mean I know we’re going from something very different here but
we’ve also got and it’s not really attached to St Luke’s Hospice is
absolutely wonderful. And I just think we’re very lucky in Sheffield
that we’ve got some very, very good hospitals and I think we’ve got
some good people in there too.
FG33
I definitely agree with you.
FG35
I mean as you’ve said there are certain things lots of things that could
be helped whether they think this open plan that they have in, sort of
alcoves isn’t it? Now whether they think this is a good idea. The
thing that probably annoys me more than anything is if you go and
ask a question there’s usually about four behind the desk, and is this
right?
FG33
Yes.
FG35
You go and ask a question can I have a? And I’ll see to you in a
minute. Mrs so and so wants a, I’ll just see to it in a minute. Sort of
held back from the desk which is not always very nice but apart from
that, people that complain about food, I think they should remember
that they’re not in the Hilton they’re there to be made better and I
think we’ve got a lot to be thankful for here.
FG33
Yes I agree with you.
FG32
Yes I think a lot of the problems that I perceive come from the fact
that we’ve got limited resources in the NHS you’ve got limited funding
and people have very high expectations that now with our living
standards, if we get ill we expect to be cured no matter what age we
are and we a very much aging population, the elderly are getting
more and more sick and we’re spending more money on that and
younger people have very high expectations as to the levels that they
should be cured and treated for. So you’ve got lots of demands on
very limited resources because we expect to be treated and we
expect that we should be treated to the highest standards and these
things cost a lot of money. Yet because we’re funded through the
NHS and it comes out of taxes people are perhaps very unwilling to
pay the money that it is needed in order to invest in the system. I
think perhaps the demands are such that we all have different
priorities by saying cancer or dementia, they are all different priorities
to different people and to try and meet all of those priorities is really
difficult given the fact that you’ve only got limited resources in order
Page 3 of 19
to meet those demands.
Me
Okay. I’ve got another question just to move on a bit further you
seem to be quite happy with the Health Service particularly around
Sheffield but acknowledge there are problems none the less, what do
you think the government should do to improve the health of the
public, not necessarily new hospitals but the health of the public what
can the government do?
FG35
Well they’ve started that with Jamie Oliver haven’t they? I mean food
is a very, very important thing. I mean we’ve proved this, he’s
proved this by saying all this, parents send their kids to Macdonald’s
and they just have a heap of tripe. The only good thing about it is
the chips and really they’re a bit salty.
FG33
But the trouble is nowadays it’s all this junk food.
FG35
That’s right it’s all pre-packed stuff and that’s the first thing, it’s the
food I think.
FG31
I think a lot of elderly people, now they eat this food from Marks and
Spencer’s, it’s so easy and I don’t think, even I don’t cook because
I’ve done it all I’ve got the T shirt, you know when you’ve done it for
a family for years and years and years. I mean, I have elderly
neighbours who can’t get out they cook even though, they just give it
away but I mean I do think there is some good food which is prepacked as you say. I think people don’t seem to cook as much as they
used to do. Probably you get to an age where, cos my husband is
nearly eighty and start thinking about my diet he’s just not
interested.
Me
What could the government do to improve diet?
FG37
I think they should have cookery classes at school.
FG31
Yes like they used to do.
FG35
Yes I agree with you. I think that’s the first thing that should be
brought back again. I agree with you one hundred percent I was just
going to say that.
FG31
I can remember going to cookery classes.
FG35
Half of these young people don’t know how to cook
FG37
Haven’t anybody to teach them either, it’s a generational thing.
FG35
That’s true, that’s right. I think there should be classes in school you
know they’re taught these things.
FG36
They are though they are taught something at school. Your egg and
bacon stuff. My daughter starting at senior school and I went to the
school where she’s starting in September and there’s all cookery
classes and stuff so they do that. I think it’s down to parents me, a lot
of parents are out doing all sorts of work and women, they’ve never
had it so good with careers now, do you know what I mean, they’re
not there to cook properly and they’re not there to teach the children
Page 4 of 19
how to cook. Do you know what you mean? My daughter’s eleven
and I supervise her and she knows how to do mashed potatoes, she
knows how to do Spaghetti Bolognese, Tagliatelle, you know I’m
teaching her so that when she starts cookery at school and they do it
at school and you know.
FG35
Do they actually do that then?
FG36
Yeah. My daughter doing starts, you know Y6, it’s new to me stuff
what’s she learning now is what I learned at 14, 15. You wouldn’t
believe it all kinds of stuff and she says to me I’ve got to do ?twelve?
for next week’s task and she says to me do you know this, what’s this
then? And I’m thinking what sort of a granite and sandstone, don’t
ask me Coral I’m tired I’m tired the stuff they’re learning is so
advanced.
FG31
Well it is now.
FG36
It’s so advanced it’s unbelievable. And you know this school dinner
business you know this Jamie Oliver he’s not in Sheffield they don’t
have meals like that. I also work at the school I’ve was saying to the
head chef I said weren’t that a load of rubbish with Jamie OIiver. She
said, ‘I know I can’t believe it, they’re giving schools in Sheffield a
bad name.’ And you don’t have rubbish at schools in Sheffield. It’s
London what weren’t spending all that money.
FG31
That’s true yeah.
FG36
Like at the school they might have vegetables and chicken and pasta
or they have rice. They’ve got a choice of fruit after, stuff like that;
it’s not chips, chips, chips. They eat a healthy balanced meal there.
We had this business with Jamie Oliver having to bring it to everybodies attention. Did you see that documentary Macdonald’s did you
see it?
FG34
Yes, super size me
FG36
Unbelievable. He put two and a half stone on.
FG34
Maybe it would be better to increase the number of programmes on
cookery that they show on TV rather than increasing number of
cookery classes because some people may not be able to go to the
classes like once a week but it would be easier to watch them and
every one of every age can watch them easily. So if they have these
kinds of healthy diet programmes very often on TV it would help
much more.
FG32
I think you can also do it through advertising as well which is very,
very powerful because they do studies showing that so many adverts
that children see are all for sugary food and also for food that they
shouldn’t be eating and if you could try and get famous people to
advertise eating an apple then that’s going to have a different effect
to try and say to them look it is healthy. They are moving towards
that with smoking and you have adverts about drink driving, I think
perhaps just trying to move it into other aspects to try and promote a
healthier lifestyle.
Page 5 of 19
FG36
I don’t think a lot of parents want to spend money you know because
fruit’s expensive isn’t it? If you go round Safeways,…
FG32
It is yeah but so is going to Macdonald’s.
FG36
I’ve always had a fruit bowl I have a fruit bowl all the time, my boy,
he’s eight, and he’ll have two oranges in the morning, Weetabix and
porridge but it’s how you feed them.
FG31
Yes I think you’re right.
FG36
You know my kids haven’t got an ounce of fat on them because they
walk to school, I don’t own a car, I catch a bus in winter, I also walk.
Exercise is good for you, my son plays football, my daughter does
Karate, so I’m involved in their lives but I’ve a niece and she’s the
same age as my daughter and she’s about two stone, she’s about
nine stone nearly and she’s not eleven till this year but she sits down
all the time. Her mum’s got a biscuit barrel all the time, they don’t
cook they go down to Macdonald’s, drive about in a car. They don’t
do hobbies and stuff like that.
FG31
No they don’t.
FG36
I think children know about eating healthily because my son’s got all
things that he were making healthy sandwiches, he made a sandwich
box from about six, in infants. As I said, them stats things she’s got,
in fact if I’d have known I would’ve brought them to show you they’re
knowing about what makes you body do this and protein and
carbohydrates, she’s having to do all these things as prep for her
exams next week. She knows, I wouldn’t have known, about those
saturated fats at that age. See you didn’t know did you? You didn’t
know about anything like that.
FG32
But then surely that’s part of the problem as well it’s not only kids
that need educating. I’m not that much older and I wasn’t educated
about that at school so I wouldn’t know about saturated fats so it’s
not only educating the young is it?
FG36
A third of children in Europe are overweight isn’t it?
FG32
Yeah.
FG34
Maybe it’s because the price of all chocolates and ready meal are
much more cheaper than the price of fruits and vegetables.
FG36
It’s the marketing too isn’t it?
FG34
Yes you try to prepare your own meal and use vegetables and
ingredients it will be much more expensive than buying fish and chips.
FG32
I don’t think they are that expensive I don’t think they are
FG36
If you want chips then it’s a sack of potatoes and a chip pan isn’t it,
really, you know? It’s with the cheap budgets isn’t it?
FG31
It’s a cheap meal isn’t it?
Page 6 of 19
FG32
Yes some exotic things maybe.
Me
Right I’m going to give you one potential health programme here and
I want you to pass it round and I’ll read it out and then have a think
about it and tell me what you think. You’re going to have to swap
your glasses over there I’m afraid…
Fluoridation policy………
FG33
Well I think, according to first off the children I mean, with me I’m
getting on I’m eighty one years old, 1924 I was born. And in them
days the children were always eating sweets when I was at school
with them, and they used to be all this going to the Education
Committee.
FG31
Yes.
FG33
Well I think myself that the children nowadays are eating so many
sweets because in the shops, supermarkets they’re always digging in
on the sweets. I mean now you fill a bag they might be eating half a
pound of sweets.
FG31
Mind you that’s parents again isn’t it?
FG33
But you see I’ve seen it with children they’ve got it themselves they
just pass the bag to their mother to pay you see. And I think myself
that some of it is you know sweets like boiled sweets you know pear
drops and all like that, it could be that. It used to be like that in the
olden days.
Me
So you’re saying you don’t have to do this you should just stop
children eating sweets?
FG33
Well I’m not going to because I haven’t had much to do with it you
know with fluoride. I think myself they are eating too many sweets.
I’d leave the fluoride alone.
FG36
I know my little boy had a filling and I couldn’t believe it you know
you think I’ll buy Kellogg’s Frosties, all the expensive stuff, pure juice
you know that sort of stuff. The dentist told me highest sugar
content is in tomato sauce and pure juice. That’s what’s rotting
children’s teeth.
FG33
Well that’s it you see that sugar in it, they’re getting the sugar in it.
FG36
Yes. The best thing is Weetabix, porridge, bit of butter and milk. Like
you’re treating them, I don’t mean fizzy pops, you know like ketchup
with chips and Sugar Puffs says it itself when you think about it but I
was buying orange juice every morning ___+ teeth
FG31
Yeah. Yeah.
FG36
What they’re doing now with children when they know they’ve got
decay on their young teeth they came to me and seeing them off
___+ Don’t they? ___+ Just in case.
Page 7 of 19
FG31
I think sometimes people have poorly teeth that easily go bad, I’ve
got three granddaughters, some have got lovely teeth but others
haven’t you know.
FG36
Some saliva can get rid of sugar and some can’t. Like my mouth I
want a filling, I didn’t eat a lot sweets, I’ve had a lot of filled. My
daughter’s the same, she’s never had sweets, but filling.
FG31
Tooth decay yes.
FG36
That’s what he told me but my son he just, ate and ate and ate, he’s
had one filling, it’s to do with your mouth isn’t it?
FG33
What amuses me is this, you get these coloured people you can see
them all, beautiful white teeth. Wherever you go they’re always there,
beautiful, glistening, white teeth.
I once asked one, ‘What
toothpaste?’ ‘I don’t use toothpaste,’ he says Beautiful teeth. Where
do we go from there?
FG31
Think obviously eat well
FG33
What do they have?
FG31
Whether it’s the diet and that was it.
FG33
Must be something
Me
Well what do you think about putting fluoride in water?
FG33
Is it already in our water?
Me
Not in Sheffield.
FG33
Oh I thought, if it’s not in Sheffield, then we can’t really say anything
about it can we?
Me
Well you can say whether you want it
FG36
Have got, dots on their teeth, now haven’t they though, a lot of
people, like it says here that they’ve go dots and stuff in their teeth
calcium and stuff. A lot of people won’t want that ‘specially children,
if they’re growing
FG31
I don’t think I would be bothered, I’ve got misgivings really because
the water’s been here sort of thing for years hasn’t it? The water in
Sheffield is very good. The kettles don’t fur up or anything. My
husband used to travel around different areas, he said really it’s
wonderful water, Yorkshire water.
FG33
Oh yeah it furs up a lot in London. You know, down south.
FG31
Well this is it, yeah
FG33
That’s it, furs up a hell of a lot down South.
FG36
This area you know I wouldn’t think it was necessary but that’s my
Page 8 of 19
opinion.
FG38
I’m in favour as long as the concentration is not excessive, the
concentration must be kept down to a safe limit.
Me
But generally in favour?
FG38
Yeah in favour yeah.
FG34
I think if it doesn’t have any other side effects it doesn’t change the
taste of the water you know doesn’t do any harm. I think they can try
it if it halves the number of decayed teeth.
FG32
Can I ask how expensive it is?
Me
You can but I wouldn’t know the answer.
(laughter)
FG32
What I was going to say is if it’s incredibly expensive then it maybe
that the money’s better spent elsewhere but if it’s not going to cost
very much to do and it’s got lots of positive advantages and no
disadvantages I think it would be a good idea.
FG37
Has anyone contacted the local population to see what they think
about this generally? I think really you would need to get people’s
agreement to it.
Yes (several)
FG37
A poll sort of thing
Me
There’s been I know of a couple of surveys in Sheffield. I think the
legislation changed a few years ago where you can add it to water if
the local population is in favour.
FG31
I think you’d have to get people’s agreement I don’t think you can
impose it.
Me
Well what I was wondering about is not so much whether you’d vote
yes of no is why would you vote yes or no? You’ve mentioned side
effects, costs.
FG31
I don’t think it would really be all that beneficial.
FG37
I think I would vote for it. My son and daughter in law they’re
dentists and they think it’s a good idea.
Me
But why?
FG37
Because it would reduce the amount of pain and suffering that the
children and parents have.
FG38
Could I make a comment that about seven years ago there was an
incident where some sewerage and excrement had accidentally got
into the water works feeding part of Sheffield and several people went
down with sharp diarrhoea as a result. That might make,
Page 9 of 19
fluoridisation would go part of the way at least to preventing that.
Me
So a good side effect? The fact that it’s compulsory, if they do it
everyone gets it, does that cause problems with anyone?
FG32
It does a bit
FG31
No.
FG33
I think it might.
Me
You say no, doesn’t bother you.
FG31
If it was compulsory I shouldn’t lose any sleep over it.
FG32
I think, do other places do it other than Sheffield?
Me
I think one place does. Hartlepool had it naturally, they’ve got high
concentrations anyway.
FG32
So surely if, nobody told us we’d probably be oblivious anyway.
(Laughter)
FG32
Surely what you don’t know can’t hurt you.
Me
FG37 you said?
FG37
Well I just, I just don’t agree imposing things on people, you know,
big brother imposing things on people.
FG31
Give people a choice
FG37
If people are strongly against it. Well I mean if you go with the
democratic vote, majority vote for it then fine but I think people
ought to have a say
FG33
We’re on about water, a friend, one of my mates worked in a
waterworks he always used to say that Sheffield’s got the finest pure
water, he always said that and he’ll say that to you today, cos they
have got the best water. You go down south and make a cup of tea.
(Laugh) You make a cup of tea in Sheffield, you’ll see the difference
he says, he’s right. He worked for them for many years and he said
that they had the best water, Sheffield.
FG38
That’s right.
FG33
Yes. The finest water.
Me
Well if you add fluoride to it, it will improve teeth.
FG33
Well you see that’s it, I mean as he says, they’ve got the best, he
said we’ve have best water, he’s seventy eight and he’s still trotting
around, he’s trying to get into a half marathon and he’s always said
it’s marvellous water and he’s drinking it all day long, he said it’s
great. He said you get this spring water he says and you have a drink
of spring water and give me a nice drop of the other and pass it to
Page 10 of 19
someone and tell me which is which? He said nine times out of ten
you’ve got wrong one.
FG35
Well does it taste that different?
Me
You won’t taste it.
FG35
That’s what I mean we do have good water round here we’ve got so
many dams around here so you can see them all, go to Ladybower,
you go to Bradfield, you can go to anywhere.
Me
It’s about 3 parts to a million that will go in.
FG33
They buy this here water now, this spring water. When I was young
we used to go to Cordwall Valley
FG38
That’s right.
FG33
And if you went out there there used to be a trough and a spring,
beautiful water, now that’s what Buxton and all that area. I worked
round Buxton and so on and that’s what he said it’s all the springs.
FG31
Buxton Water.
FG33
Buxton Water.
Me
Anyone over here got any worries about having compulsory additions?
FG36
No not really, don’t really know would we unless you told us.
FG34
Another thing is if it’s something good then it doesn’t really matter
whether it’s compulsory or not.
Me
I’ve got another one now for you. This is the last one.
round I’m going to ask you to read it.
FG35
This is good.
Me
Speed limit policy…….
FG31
Well I think I would be in agreement with it. In Blackpool apparently
they have a 30 mile everywhere, all, it’s just 30 mile wherever, but
my daughter she was knocked down a few years ago in Ecclesfield
and very badly injured and you know to see suffering of somebody
that has been knocked down, I would be in agreement with lowering
the speed limit, myself anyhow because you do see what happens,
read what happens to children and adults because cars now they just,
well it’s horrendous the traffic on the roads now. I’m in agreement to
slow traffic down.
FG35
It’s the cars isn’t it? They build cars for speed and people speed in
them. I think it’s basically a good idea but how can you impose it
because they just don’t bother. They don’t bother to look half the
time.
FG33
Still going round ‘hello, hello’ (using mobiles) driving, they’re still
Page 11 of 19
Pass this
FG31
The sentences aren’t severe enough are they, and the fines.
FG33
You’ve only got to take now Brook Hill corner, you know where the
Jessop’s ___+ was, there, well I’ve been knocked down twice and I’ve
been going on crossings, on green. And each time I’ve got to that
end, and he couldn’t see me and you know for a fact the others just
follow they shot straight through. Well of course one, a few weeks
ago there was a woman he just caught her. Now how do you stop
that, that’s coming up on the inside have, you got me? Two lines of
traffic see, one, you’re coming across and then there’s clear way on
the inside and he can shoot straight through and you’re coming over
the crossing. How do we stop that? Now that’s happening regularly
up there especially around by the ___ ‘cos there’s a lot of old age
pensioners. As soon as I get there, now, I mean one of the lights has
been out a month and I’m fed up with phoning them up a month. Up
to the back end here. But every time I get there I’m grabbing hold of
folk about twenty years younger than me, ‘Come on I’ll see you
across.’ It’s on the inside it’s regular. What do you do, I mean he
just pulled up and he’s speeding through?
Me
So you don’t think this will make a difference?
FG33
Well actually my idea what I thought was this. Three way right, make
it ___ So then therefore, he goes there, he can’t get through can he?
Me
Any other views?
FG38
Well point number 1 I think it’s cloud cuckoo land I don’t think
motorists would ever obey that 20 mile restriction. They don’t care
where the police radar signals are, oh yes 20 mph approaching
otherwise they’ll go on 30 miles an hour if not quicker. But the point I
want to make is careful driving is not dependent on speed limits, it’s
awareness of possible pedestrians rushing out, he knows where to go
cautiously and where it’s safe to go on faster. So I think this is not
on!
FG34
You just can’t tell a person, you can’t, under 20 no way. They’re not
going to take any notice.
FG35
The point is if you’ve got a queue behind you they start beeping don’t
they?
FG33
Yes that’s right. That’s it beep beep.
FG35
I mean it looks on paper okay but I mean I just can’t see how…
FG33
I don’t see how it’s going to work.
FG35
I can’t, no
FG33
No definitely not.
FG37
You could probably educate people it takes a long time.
FG33
Specially with these young ones
Page 12 of 19
FG37
I mean they’ve done it with drink driving, I mean remember the
breathalyser, when it came in everybody used to ignore it. I mean I
did. We all used to ignore it, but it’s got to the stage now where it’s
got to be quite antisocial
(Overtalking….)
FG36
Went down road ___+ she got a cigarette and a joint in it, as I say he
just drove down road and hit ?store vans? and I couldn’t believe it
and I don’t drive but why would I want to drive when there’s idiots
like that?
FG31
No me neither it’s not safe.
FG36
As they say, that drink driving they don’t do it as much but they just
smoke, they’ve just got a joint haven’t they these young ‘uns, in cars
I’ve seen it.
FG31
Mind you that would have been an accident with Nassem wouldn’t it,
that’s just an incident of speed.
FG35
Yes but that wasn’t in a 30 mile limit.
FG31
No.
FG35
That’s another incident, actually where his car is not fit for Sheffield
roads is it?
FG31
No.
FG33
I mean, old Prince Nasser, he paid £200,000 for a car don’t tell me
he’s going to be driving 20 miles an hour with a £3,000 car, I mean
he’s ploughed into one hasn’t he?
FG35
I don’t think he’s the type of person to put 20 mile an hour you know.
FG33
He wouldn’t no.
FG35
So that’s just an instance really, you might be right it might it could
probably eventually work but…
FG37
It will take a long time.
FG35
Yeah.
FG32
When you’re looking at a 20 mile an hour restriction I don’t think
you’re looking at it on all roads that are currently 30 would be 20 are
you? Are you looking for residential estates?
Me
Housing estates.
FG32
I think in a lot of places, I’d always thought they were quite
successful, when you go to a lot of the estates they have got speed
bumps, you can’t physically drive, you’re going to wreck your car if
you drive over at 40 miles an hour and I also think that okay it would
be less realistic to put a 20 mile an hour restriction that people are
going to go 20 miles an hour. If we’re honest people in a 30 miles
Page 13 of 19
restriction don’t go 30 miles an hour, but if you make that 30 miles an
hour zone a 20 miles an hour zone they’ll actually go 30 rather than
more like the 40 they’re probably are doing now. So if you try and
sort of bring it down a little bit might be better than keeping it as it is
at the moment but it may not be as successful as you may well hope.
FG34
I agree with that, because if you degrade it a lot then the number of
people that will drive 20 miles per hour will be great because it’s okay
you can drive 30 miles per hour but if you degrade it to 20 miles an
hour then it will not be that realistic, this is what I think. Also I think
this doesn’t totally depend on the speed of the car.
FG32
Personally I know that in 30 miles per hour zones you don’t drive 30
because you get people peeping behind you if you’re driving 30 miles
an hour in a 30 zone so realistically most people perhaps go up to
about 37, 38, and you’d think that would be acceptable but if you
made it then 20 miles an hour I don’t think people then would find
that 37 miles an hour acceptable but they might find 30 miles an hour
acceptable and then you might be able to reduce it that way.
Me
So you sort of think that it’s possibly a good idea because it will work
a little bit is that?
FG32
I think it’s a good idea but I think if I’m honest I don’t know whether
people would obey that 20 mile an hour restriction but it would
reduce people’s speed and if the aim is to just to reduce people’s
speed I think would be effective but I don’t think it would be effective
with people reducing their speed to that 20 miles an hour, unless you
start having massive speed bumps which mean physically you cannot
travel over 20 miles an hour.
FG33
What do you think of these silent policemen?
FG32
Well I think as a driver everyone hates them but you understand why
they’re there.
FG33
But you see I live in a section where at one time they used to come
down Western Street speeding but when it was bad weather, when it
was cold and icy they’d be coming sliding across to the pavement.
And now they’ve put one where on that corner, they’ve put one or
two there. Now, bad weather, we’re not afraid, because it checks
them you see these white arrows in these rows, I think it’s a good
idea. In certain sections, especially when there’s children around and
old folk an old folk area.
FG31
I think they’re quite dangerous, they’ve done them at Crookes where
I live, all of a sudden they’ve done a lot of work, they jut out and my
husbands a professional, he’s drove since about seventeen and as you
say it’s not the speed, he’s never had an accident since he was
seventeen and now he’s seventy eight, why you know with so many
people, he doesn’t think these are a good idea, they jut out and they
do seem, even though I’m not a driver. They’re asking really for there
to be an accident because they jut out and if you don’t gauge, I
suppose if you’re a good driver you do but I don’t think they’re as
effective as they hope they were going to be.
Page 14 of 19
FG32
I think when you don’t know the area they can be dangerous.
FG31
Yes.
FG32
And if you do know the area then everybody just slows down.
FG31
In Crookes you see they’ve done a lot of road works, put a lot of
these areas, made little, you’ve seen them, for blind people, little
studs and that. But I don’t know whether they’re going to be as
effective as what they hope. All this money that they will have spent
time will tell.
Okay so you’ve had a think about fluoridation of water and we’ve had
a think about 20 mile an hour urban speed limits, think of those two
together and in what ways do you think they’re similar? If you think
of those two together.
FG38
No not similar.
FG31
Choice, people’s choice.
Me
Why don’t you think they’re similar ___ and I’ll get back to you?
FG38
Well fluoridation of water the majority would agree that it’s harmless
and has some benefits but the 20 mile speed limit will create great
controversy.
Me
About which bit of it? About which bit of the twenty mile an hour
speed limits?
FG38
Oh whether it should be introduced at all.
Me
And you …?
FG31
Well if I understand the question sort of thing it’s people’s choice you
know the…
FG32
I think with the teeth situation, okay I do realise people do have tooth
decay not through reasons of their own accord but a lot of people do
eat sweets and as a result their teeth decay and so forth, whereas in
this sense we’re actually trying to prevent something that’s happening
that you haven’t chosen to do. You don’t choose to get run over, you
don’t choose to have a car crash, so you try to protect the innocent
from something whereas with the fluoride case you’re not actually
protecting the innocent because people have consciously made the
choice to eat those sweets.
FG34
To me they have the same logic behind because with the fluoridation
of water you will have less teeth decay, you will have less pain, when
you have the 20 mile speed limit once again there will be another
probability that you will be seriously injured. Both of them are trying
to you know improve the well being of people.
FG32
But at least with the 20 miles an hour restriction it’s a matter of life
and death literally whereas with the teeth it’s a matter of teeth are a
little bit more decayed.
Page 15 of 19
FG34
Yes.
FG31
But with not being able get to see a dentist now which I think is
absolutely horrendous. The situation now I mean I know it’s nothing
to do with what you’re talking about, I’ve always taken my, I always
have the job as grandparent taking three granddaughters to the
dentist and I took two the other day and they just could not give me
an appointment and we’ve been going to the same dentist for fifty
something years, all through the generations which I think, I mean I
know we do well, we have got dentists in Sheffield, other towns
haven’t have they? But I mean they ask you to look after your teeth
and there aren’t any dentists, where are all the dentists that are
being trained in Sheffield?
Me
These two policies have any other people got any other ideas why
they think they’re similar or different, do you spot any similarities
between them or differences between them or?
FG31
Between the fluoride and the….
Me
Twenty miles an hour.
FG37
Suppose the effects could save money for the NHS in the long run.
Me
For which ones?
FG37
Well both really, you know they’d save dentists work, presumably the
NHS subsidises NHS treatment by dentists, it would save people being
treated ___+
FG32
But perhaps a little cost as well because it’s not going to be that
costly to impose a 20 mile an hour restriction or to put fluoride in the
water, it’s probably reducing NHS costs by a lot but with very little
money on what you’re spending on these projects.
FG33
Do we realise
on the roads?
fast now and
when they’ve
bumper?
FG35
Oh I just said that.
FG33
These accident repair firms will be making a bomb!
FG38
A good point.
FG33
Yes because I mean now you can see them at night time especially on
the top road and it’s half way down road now there’s none of them, at
night time some of them are 80 to 100 miles an hour coming up that
road and I can’t keep thinking is it Coultard or Smichael or whatever
his name is, Shumaker, coming up there I mean let’s be right, when
you start cutting down in the town and like that you’ve only got to get
two or three tortoises in front and what have you? Calamity!
Me
Now the fluoride, if you think of fluoridation.
with reducing the speed limit what it’s going to be like
If they cut the speed limit now. I mean they’re going
they’re still queuing up so what’s it going to be like
reduced the speed they’re going to be bumper to
Page 16 of 19
FG33
Well we can’t say much about the fluoride because we’re not having it
are we? Not here.
Me
Well we could have it.
FG33
We could, we could and we couldn’t, you see that’s it, how many you
think people would vote for it? Nobody knows you see. Nobody
knows.
Me
It’s usually about 60%.
FG33
What, against?
Me
For
FG33
No.
FG38
But if there’s only one common factor with these two issues, it’s that
there’s very little to choose, we’re not gaining. Most of us agree that
fluoridation is a small benefit but we don’t lose much if we haven’t got
it.
FG35
That’s right.
FG38
And the same with the 20 mile speed limit. I don’t think we’re going
to lose anything if we don’t get it, that’s my suggestion with the
common factor between the two questions.
Me
Okay FG36 can you think of anything that would be similar or issues
completely different? I’m picking on you now…
FG36
I know you picking on me aren’t you ___+ I don’t know I think it’s
some ideas isn’t it for people’s health. Some things that they’re
trying to do, saving people’s teeth and that and so they’re not going
to get run over. Some ideas for making Sheffield healthy isn’t it?
FG33
Yes.
FG36
Is that right?
FG33
With the speed would your drivers accept this cutting down?
FG36
No they won’t will they?
FG33
They wouldn’t, you couldn’t trust them to do it. No you can’t.
FG35
Maybe thirty, forty years ago they would but not now.
FG33
They even break the limits now 30 miles an hour aren’t they? These
here boys, they go through, police are waiting for them. They please
themselves don’t they? They please themselves.
FG31
And they go through red lights
Me
Okay final question then I’m going to go round the table. So if you
had to vote on whether these went ahead or not. What two issues
what two factors would be in the forefront of your mind when you put
Page 17 of 19
the X in whatever box what would you be thinking about?
FG31
Well I’d be thinking safety for the twenty miles speed limit and the
teeth for the future generations you know children and people that
are a lot younger than I am. I have three granddaughters so you
know their well being and their children you know my children’s
children grandchildren or whatever. That’s what I think, it’s for the
future rather than you know, myself.
FG35
Well if I got a vote for the fluoride I should vote for the fluoride
because that will probably help my grandchildren’s teeth. For the
twenty mile an hour I should probably vote for that as well but having
said that I don’t know how they would make people adhere to it. I
think the bumps in the road are much better.
Me
Which issues would you be thinking of?
FG37
I think for the future well being of people’s teeth and fluoride for that
one (fluoridation) and again if these figures are correct it’s worth
giving that one (speed) a go as well for the benefits of that.
Me
FG33 what two things would be thinking of if you had to vote?
FG33
I can’t see the speed limit, to me it’s impossible.
Me
It won’t work?
FG33
It won’t work you’ve got to rely on people to do it and you know what
they’ll say.
Me
What else would you be thinking of?
FG33
Well I mean fluoride I mean I’m, let’s be right, I can’t be in accord on
that because I’ve never been in a place where they’ve had it so I’m
not going to jump on it. The speed limit I think would be absolutely
ridiculous.
Me
Right
FG38
The common factor is neither of these are essential to which I would
add that the twenty miles limit is to be condemned, completely
useless.
Me
Okay that’s two okay that’s great.
FG33
You could go faster in a horse and cart!
Me
FG32?
FG32
Firstly, cost to see how costly it was perhaps then it would give me an
indication on whether the money would be better spent on this rather
than elsewhere and secondly I’d look at how effective I thought it was
going to be, so not only looking at those benefits but if they were
realistically going to be achieved.
Me
Brilliant
Page 18 of 19
FG34
I would definitely go for the fluoride as I cannot see any
disadvantages and I don’t have to do anything so I will definitely go
for the fluoride. I believe this will be effective. I am undecided about
the other one, most probably I would say yes to this one as well but
to be honest I don’t think that I would drive at twenty miles an hour.
Me
O.k., FG36?
FG36
This twenty miles an hour, I think it’s a good idea but I don’t think it
will work to be honest. As you said I think bumps might be better in
residential areas you know what I mean there’s too much traffic. It’s
a good idea but I don’t think many people would do it. Fluoride, yes
it’s a good idea yes but so many teeth missing and stuff like decay, if
parents going to carry on giving them sweets, it’s down to parents
isn’t it you know, they give them to eat and pops? It’s all right giving
them fluoride but what happens if you’ve like lots of pop? Will it
make my washing any cleaner?
Me
Ah you’d change your mind then wouldn’t you?
mind.
FG36
If it gets my washing cleaning that I’ll vote for it!
Me
That’s brilliant thanks for your help
Key
?word? Uncertain about word
___
Word inaudible
___+
Several words inaudible
(comment)
Comment from notes for clarification
Page 19 of 19
You’d change your