Britain's Public Services Are Living Their Best Life On 280-Character Twitter

From “NEE-NAW, NEE-NAW” to "WOKKA-WOKKA" and beyond.
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Twitter’s decision to end its iconic 140-character limit for pretty much everyone went down like a bucket of cold sick. J.K. Rowling perhaps put it more elegantly than that.

Twitter’s destroyed its USP. The whole point, for me, was how inventive people could be within that concise framework. #Twitter280characters

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 8, 2017

That said, some have nailed it. None more so than actor Isiah Whitlock (aka The Wire’s corrupt Senator Clay Davis), who found the capacious 280-character cap was ideal for his character’s catchphrase.

#280characters? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-it!

— Isiah Whitlock Jr. (@IsiahWhitlockJr) November 8, 2017

For better or for worse, some are just going to run with it.

Step forward Britain’s public services, with the charge being led by London Ambulance Service.

NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑#280characters

— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) November 8, 2017

Writing “NEE-NAW, NEE-NAW” until the limit was reached appeared contagious.

Nice, but we prefer NEE-NAW 🚒NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 NEE-NAW 🚒 #280characters #FixedIt 😎😂😏

— Scot Fire and Rescue (@fire_scot) November 8, 2017

But who NEE-NAWs the loudest?! pic.twitter.com/jSqYZ659IU

— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) November 8, 2017

Haringey Police joined the “NEE-NAW” chorus.

Close... but not quite right..😊

NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓NEE-NAW 🚓 #280characters

— MPS Haringey (@MPSHaringey) November 8, 2017

That’s a no from us. We came, we saw, we NEE-NAWed. pic.twitter.com/7nw41lWpHD

— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) November 8, 2017

Better get @LondonFire involved with that....

— MPS Haringey (@MPSHaringey) November 8, 2017

Of course, some are not going to see the funny side.

Probably certain tabloid newspapers who think a tweet or two is a waste of public money, but more immediately there appeared to be a minor scuffle on the twittersphere.

Oh dear, looks like someone has been hacked? Or a very chirpy social media Ambassador? 😂

— Harrow CFRs (@HarrowResponder) November 8, 2017

a chirpy social media ambassador who loves to get involved with a trending hashtag 🙋

— London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) November 8, 2017

That’s good to hear! 😂😂 NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑#280characters

— Harrow CFRs (@HarrowResponder) November 8, 2017

And still they came ...

... from Northern Ireland.

NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑NEE-NAW 🚑#BandWagon #280characters #TheDifference

— St John Ambulance NI (@SJA_NI) November 8, 2017

“NEE-NAW” soon morphed into “CHOO-CHOO, NEE-NAW ...

... the British Transport Police in East Anglia, here, playing with the format.

🚂 CHOO-CHOO 🚔 NEE-NAW
🚔 NEE-NAW 🚂 CHOO-CHOO
🚂 CHOO-CHOO 🚔 NEE-NAW
🚔 NEE-NAW 🚂 CHOO-CHOO
🚂 CHOO-CHOO 🚔 NEE-NAW
🚔 NEE-NAW 🚂 CHOO-CHOO
🚂 CHOO-CHOO 🚔 NEE-NAW
🚔 NEE-NAW 🚂 CHOO-CHOO
🚂 CHOO-CHOO 🚔 NEE-NAW
🚔 NEE-NAW 🚂 CHOO-CHOO#280characters

— BTP East Anglia (@BTPEAnglia) November 8, 2017

And the RNLI has its own nautical interpretation.

📟BEEP📟BEEP📟BEEP📟BEEP🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD🚤🌊THUD 🚤🌊 #280characters

— RNLI (@RNLI) November 9, 2017

While the transport police in London gave a more honest appraisal of life on the beat.

☎️police?🚓neenor🚓neenor🚓neenor🚓neenor🚓neenor🚓neenor🚓neenor🚓🔮↩️↪️➡️↕️⬇️🔃🔄↘️↖️investigate🎉badguy!✒️paperwork✒️paperwork✒️paperwork✒️paperwork✒️paperwork✒️paperwork✒️paperwork✒️paperwork🍩 donut✒️paperwork✒️paperwork #280characters

— BTP London (@BTPLondon) November 9, 2017

Wait, what the National Crime Agency?

We go CLICK-CLICK👩💻 CLICK-CLICK 👩💻 SNEAK-SNEAK🕵️SNEAK-SNEAK🕵️SMASH-SMASH🚪🔨SMASH-SMASH🚪🔨 **NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY STAY WHERE YOU ARE** RUMMAGE-RUMMAGE🔍RUMMAGE-RUMMAGE🔍 SNAP-SNAP📸 SNAP-SNAP📸 SCRIBBLE-SCRIBBLE📓 SCRIBBLE-SCRIBBLE📓 #280characters #ProudToProtect🇬🇧 https://t.co/rQh0jal5LV

— NationalCrimeAgency (@NCA_UK) November 9, 2017

Oh, that’s good London Air Ambulance?

We go WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁****RED BASE HELIMED 27 OVERHEAD IN 2 MINUTES**** WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁WOKKA-WOKKA 🚁#280characters https://t.co/uUqarLTgNH

— London'sAirAmbulance (@LDNairamb) November 8, 2017

Some were (temporarily) excluded from the fun.

#Jel😑 Jel 😑Jel😑 Jel 😑Jel😑 Jel Jel 😑Jel 😑Jel 😑Jel 😑Jel 😑Jel😑 Jel 😑Jel😑 Jel😑Jel😕Jel🙁Jel😐Jel😐Jel😐 Jel😑Jel😐Jel😐Jel😐Jel😐Jel😐Jel#only140characters

— MetTaskforce (@MetTaskforce) November 9, 2017

That's rubbish! #justiceforthe140 We'll put in a good word for you 🙂

— London'sAirAmbulance (@LDNairamb) November 9, 2017

It worked. Up to the 240!! What a time to be alive !!

— MetTaskforce (@MetTaskforce) November 9, 2017

You too Swim Wales?

On your Marks 🚦Get set BEEP 💦💦💦SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM 🏊SWIM🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM 🏊♀️SWIM🏊SWIM🏊♀️ WIN🥇WIN 🥈WIN🥉#280characters

— Swim Wales (@SwimWales) November 9, 2017

And it’s gone global.

Who knew this is how you spelled the ambulance sound in Spanish?

🚑 PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, 🚑 PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, 🚑 PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, 🚑 PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, PANANÁ, 🚑 PANANÁ, PANANÁ, #Spain #280characters

— Emergencias112 (@Emergencias112) November 8, 2017
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