14 October 2005
Reuters today reports that a woman in Oldham, England has complained that she was upbraided by a policeman because she used the F-word--fat.
Mary Magilton, 54, suffered minor injuries when she was hit by a car in a hit-and-run incident. She had been standing on the pavement (sidewalk to us Americans) when a car driven by an unidentified woman jumped the curb and struck her. In describing the driver to the police, she used the word fat. At which point the police officer told her she should not use that word.
"I was given a frosty look and told I couldn’t say that. I could have said lardy, porky or podgy. But I wouldn’t dare use those words," said Magilton.
The Greater Manchester Police department confirmed that the incident report included the word fat. They also said if the officer did criticize Magilton, they were sure he was polite when he did it.
