New BT survey reveals Mancunians commit 32 crimes a year
People in Manchester commit an average of 32 crimes a year, according to research by BT TV.
But quite often people are breaking the law without even realising it. The research by BT TV to mark the UK network premiere of Better Call Saul reveals that Mancuians regularly commit unlikely ‘crimes’, such as gesturing to other road users (46 per cent) and vacuuming after 1pm at the weekend (39 per cent).
Singing Happy Birthday in a restaurant is the law almost half of people in the city (49 per cent) admit to breaking, yet, more than 97 per cent consider themselves to be law abiding. Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of people polled think many of these laws are completely unnecessary – and 64 per cent admit they feel guilty if they break them. But, 86 per cent of people say they are confused by what is and isn’t illegal.
More than a third of Mancunians (35 per cent) revealed they have been caught doing something illegal – with nearly a third (32 per cent) claiming they simply weren’t paying attention.One in five didn’t realise they were committing a crime.
Commissioned to celebrate AMC showing Better Call Saul on BT TV on Tuesdays at 9pm, the study of 2,000 UK adults found that 1.52pm on a Saturday is when people are most likely to break the law.
10 laws Brits break:
- Sang Happy Birthday in a restaurant (48 per cent)
- Drank alcohol under the age of 18 (47 per cent)
- Sworn or gestured to other road users (40 per cent)
- Eaten or drank whilst driving (39 per cent)
- Vacuumed between the hours of 6pm and 8am on a weekday or 1pm and 8am on a Saturday or Sunday (36 per cent)
- Parked partly on a pavement (34 per cent)
- Cycled on pavements (33 per cent)
- Speeding whilst driving (32 per cent)
- Beeped a horn for any reason other than alerting traffic (31 per cent)
- Been drunk on the street, or in a pub or restaurant (30 per cent)
Across the UK, three in five (60 per cent) respondents said it bothers them when they see others breaking the law – even if it’s something relatively small. On average, UK adults spot people doing something they shouldn’t four times a day – although just 10 per cent would ever confront the offender.
The offences that leave people frustrated when they see someone committing them include using a mobile phone while driving, people dropping litter and cycling through a red light.
The research comes as Better Call Saul star, Jimmy McGill has set up a new office in the UK, in the village of Saul in Gloucestershire to mark the network premiere of his show on BT TV. Mr McGill chose a BT phone box on Framilode Passage for his new ‘office’. Those in need of advice on these laws can reach Jimmy McGill on 0800 345 7285 (SAUL).
Jimmy McGill said: “I am proud to announce the first J M McGill Attorney at Law office outside of Albuquerque. I have chosen England as my new base after finding out that those folks with a stiff upper lip have some ridiculous laws. Only within England and Wales can someone get into legal trouble for having one too many drinks, vacuuming in the evening, dressing up as a sailor and even flying a kite in a park… crazy Brits.”
Better Call Saul is available to BT customers in the UK on AMC – on BT TV channel 332. AMC is also available in HD on both BT TV and Sky with an HD subscription[1].
Notes to editors
A survey of 2,000 UK adults was carried out by Onepoll on behalf of BT on June 22, 2017.
Images are available at the following links:
Images and press assets from “BetterCallSaul”: https://tinyurl.com/yar8ud8v
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[1] Customers must opt in to receive the AMC channel
