REALITY and common sense come into focus with regard to the recent "hoodie" furore (Branded a hoodie - aged two, The Press, January 21). You can find fault on both sides, irrespective of age or reason. If there is a ruling, no matter how ridiculous it may seem, the lowering or removal of a hood rests with the parent or individual in any given situation.

By the same token, staff employed at any venue should be guided by their employer who, in turn, should emphasise and direct common sense values, which appear to be lacking in every direction these days. Hence a stalemate transpires. Many miscellaneous statutory by-laws were passed, especially between 1824 and 1829, to meet situations such as this, for example, against beating a carpet between certain hours; playing outdoor games, such as rolling hoops on the highway and the flying of kites.

These have been amended or dispensed with to meet modern-day requirements and give our hard-pressed police forces less of a headache.

As for the police becoming involved in trivial cases, there is no, and never will be any, substitute for the local policeman or woman to nip this kind of case in the bud.

Knowing and understanding human frailties is the key to solving 90 per cent of local disputes without having to resort to heavy-handed procedures and time-wasters in our courts of law.

Kenneth Bowker, Vesper Lane, Huntington, York.