There are no men on the street
A new politically-correct language guide tells council staff not to use the phrase "man on the street" - in case it causes offence to women.
The term is based on the assumption that the world is male, according to the booklet which suggests "general public" as an alternative.
But Chichester District Council's advice - which also says "manning the switchboard" and calling women "ladies" or "girls" is sexist - has been deemed "stupid" by a local parish chairman.
Tony Colpoys, of Ebernoe, West Sussex, said: "It really gets my goat. Nobody believes 'man on the street' refers solely to men. This is just another example of repulsive political correctness."
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Paul Cole - Sunday Mercury news and feature writer
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Fionnuala Bourke - Sunday Mercury news and feature writer
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I was a police officer for 30 years in N. Ireland and being a long serving member, myself and 2 colleagues had a meeting with a senior officer and his deputy with regard to our eligibility for a special allowance.
I used the term "man on the street" when collectively referring to all my police colleagues and giving reasons why male and female officers were becoming disgruntled at being refused this particular allowance.
I was threatened with disciplinary action for using the term at which point his female deputy actually smiled. I assumed she found this particular gentleman's strange interpretation of political correctness gone barking mad, thus giving me the necessary impetus to use the same term a few minutes later !
Needless to say he didn't appreciate the fact when I argued the point that it was a collective term, innocently used, to encompass all officers and the meeting quickly came to an end.
It became a major source of amusement amongst the 'men and women on the ground' and I'm sure poor old Terry must have felt so important having championed his own (imaginary) campaign for equality !
ps real names have been used !