Overheard at the LFGSS golf club bar

I have paired it with a fat Cuban cigar.

Swiss National Day on 1st August can also be pretty riotous. An unholy combination of alcohol and impromptu amateur fireworks.

No problem. More I was riffing off what I remembered from the news and having just been away am aware how byzantine the rules are so didn't want anyone to take my word for it.

and impromptu amateur fireworks.

Drunken firework throwing does seem to be a thing at most of the celebrations I have experienced there.

so, crossing an empty street bad, drunken firework throwing is socially acceptable?

Only if the little man is green.

Nearly as good as that time at The Open when Harvey had so many Peronis he started firing golf balls out of his arse like that sort in Thailand. Fucking legend.

so, crossing an empty street bad, drunken firework throwing is socially acceptable?

Throwing or just holding, yep. In Suisse Romande they're a bit more relaxed about jaywalking but not in front of children. Sets a bad example. Won't somebody think of the children?

started firing golf balls out of his arse like that sort in Thailand

Blimey. It was only ping-pong balls when I was there. Still, that's progress for you.

Depends on the bit of Switzerland.

If you were in switzerland, you could have been fined even if not seen by a policeman, but reported to a police man that they had seen you jay walk.

Buns of Steel?

Rural Oz, any day (where fireworks = homemade explosives and/or illegal firearms)

https://www.ampelmann.de/en/

I am always amazed how overboard people in Germany go with fireworks on news years eve. A good hour of intense fireworks until nothing can seen in the smoke. And the next morning people are surprised by the "mist" and haze.

If it's only NYE (and remembering that time we should've blown the government to shit) I'm all on board. Round here there's regular 1am weekly bursts that piss off me and the local Facebook twats.

so, crossing an empty street bad, drunken firework throwing is socially acceptable?

Almost as if stereotyping an entire country as boring based on a school ski trip or business trip doesn't catch the full picture.

It's so shaped by your own small sample size, isn't it? And we all inevitably make generalisations. My experience of the Swiss is pretty much 100% of them being a lot of fun. Likewise I've met very few Germans without a wicked sense of humour. But still only met one Dutch person irl who hasn't displayed at least a Kent level of casual racism.

Ymmv.

only met one Dutch person irl who hasn't displayed at least a Kent level of casual racism

Quite the opposite ime, was stunned at a friend of a friend passionately defending black Pete.

Ymmv is right

#notallDutch

I know you've visited Switzerland a lot, but have you actually lived there?

I have. I really didn't want to be one of those Brits who lives in another country and hangs out only with other immigrants, but all my early attempts at building friendships with locals failed. I talked to a Swiss colleague about this and he made it very clear that he thought most Swiss people don't befriend foreign workers as they won't stay long. Which seems a very insular approach.

Wouldn’t have happened if you’d audaxed/randoneered.

True, but I grew up there and over the 14 years I lived in the Netherlands I reckon I experienced racism to my face on average once a week. There were also three significant events that I'd say were some kind of assault on me and my parents and the last one nearly ended up with my dad going to hospital. I hope things have improved since then but based on what I have seen in the news over the years and the political situation it doesn't look like it has.

I know you've visited Switzerland a lot, but have you actually lived there?

I have.

Hmm... Sounds suspiciously Europhile to me, are we sure this chap is a member? I may need to have a word with the secretary.