Bridge's use of the resistor code takes me back to when I was at college, (ex colliery electrician for my sins) and the lecturer using the BBROYGBVGW acronym. A black colleague in the other class related that the BB became Bad Boys for his class.

These were outrageous then, never mind now. But they were also socially acceptable in most circles hence I remain unsurprised that some older people on this thread see no problem with voicing the prejudice that formed part of their background and experience. No difference between that and other cultures teaching that infidel women are expendable. Some are shallow enough to believe it, most are mature enough to see through it.

DtG mentions being stopped a lot when younger. Many years ago, I worked night shift but a Friday night was always 5.30pm till 12.45am, in order not to bugger up your weekend. So, as a young lad driving through the town centre at 1.30am on a Saturday morning, I was constantly stopped and breathalysed. Profiling does happen, and it is based on risk. Funnily enough, I was sometimes stopped, but once they saw the wet hair and "eye liner" asked if I worked at the pit and apologised for stopping me..... Most of my older colleagues rarely got stopped.

Stephen Lawrence's brother, a teacher in his '30s, said last week that he gets stopped and questioned at least monthly for no reason. Makes you think, it really does...

Not that agreeing with Bridge was ever part of my agenda you understand.