Rules of the Road

They′re called "Tinkers" - occasionally Gypsies or Travellers. The Tinkers of Ireland are fervent Catholics, and perform itinerant chores others find beneath their dignity. One market niche they′ve discovered is the "recycling" of cables.

After acid strips away the worthless cable mantling, the inner conductors can be sold to dealers as scrap. This is a health endangering effort as most of the Tinkers burn away the PVC covering and therefore inhale the toxic dioxin fumes released. Although the Tinkers have not learned any trade, often can neither read nor write, over the years they have evolved specific living ans survival strategies: as nomads of the industrial age they travel the same cross country circuit year in, year out. Most Tinkers spend the winter in Ireland and travel across England during the summer.

Source: German films Service & Marketing GmbH