Thursday, January 21, 2010

Park cops make up rules as they go along


From the Daily News:

That's totally bogus!

That was the reaction of a snowboarder and his pals after park rangers booted them from Fort Greene Park for riding their boards on a steep hill after a heavy snowstorm before Christmas.

But after the incident was captured on video and became a YouTube sensation, red-faced Parks Department officials were forced to admit there are in fact no rules barring snowboarding in city parks.

14 comments:

Helen said...

First time (for me anyway) to see snow-boarders in Brooklyn. What a beautiful use of a snow-covered hill! AND the older young men teaching the younger ones is even better, God Bless these young people!

Aside to the mayor and the park police~ WHO are these parks FOR, if not for young people and some harmless recreation?

Anonymous said...

Those young men have more brains and class than the park police or the Mayor. My blessings to those young men also.

georgetheatheist said...

Seemed to me the cops just banned the built-up ramps, not the snowboarding. And who's responsible when a kid breaks his leg or has a concussion?

Anonymous said...

Go Blackops. These Parks peeps were obviously people with a job and no job to do.

The atheist is for govt regulation of snow ramps? Huh?

"And who's responsible when a kid breaks his leg or has a concussion?"

The kid, his/her parents. and whomever encouraged them to do it. If it is Blackops, they are subject to civil litigation.

I have seen 7 yr olds zip by me on a ski slope. When I was 5, I broke my collar bone by someone who accidentally kicked me while on a swing in a public school playground.

Now, its ok for the govt to take away someone's personal property, to destroy a little snow ramp and threaten them with extortion.

Who is on their side? - The Atheist, maybe the confused Atheist.

Anonymous said...

Their responsible for themselves just as they would be if they were on a sled. Unless the park cops do something dumb and run them over which wouldn't be a surprise.

Babs said...

Great video!

The Parks Department obviously needs to be reminded just WHO owns parkland in our country - US!

"This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me"
Woody Guthrie 1940

Anonymous said...

ALL cops make up rules as they go along.

linda said...

Wow I loved the video and I think it's great to see someone out there giving back to the community in a postive way!! I hope they keep doing it and yes I think they should fight the city on this.. Parks dept SUCK!

Klink Cannoli said...

That looks like it was staged by the Blk Ops. They've been snowboarding in the park for the past 5 years. The Ranger states we've broken up ramps before. So I'm sure they knew if they built a ramp with park property, the Ranger would be by to break it down and be caught on tape. Throw some children in the picture and you have a very nice piece of propaganda.

"I'm black and I'm proud" comes to mind when I watch this video and the Blk Ops leader's attitude.

The Park Ranger's attitude ("Look at my garbage can...") is indicative of my experiences with other Park Rangers. It's their Park and how dare you infringe on its contents if it doesn't jive with my standards of use. It's a flagrant abuse of power and authority for a position that holds no real power or authority accept in the mind of the person wearing the uniform. And I may get a beat down for saying this, but it appears this attitude is more prevalent with women Park Rangers. Read possible misandry.

Anonymous said...

If anyone does anything even slightly different from someone else (in this case, snowboarding while everyone else just sits around and feed the birds from a park bench), pigs get all lightheaded trying to use judgment.

They really dont know how to handle new thoughts, ideas, or experiences.

See, if they weren't born with the ability to make decisions, and many of them were not, they are trained by NYPD to act first, think second. When in doubt, cuff 'em. Your job isn't to think, its to control the masses.

Babs said...

"That looks like it was staged by the Blk Ops. They've been snowboarding in the park for the past 5 years."

5 years of snow? . . . . . this is Brooklyn New York not the Austrian ALPS!

I'm certain they've run into the rangers before - everyone does sooner or later when trying to have a little fun skating, snowboarding or sledding during the winter months in all our parks. There is a big difference though between being PREPARED and "STAGED" - I think he (they) was making a "How to" video when the rangers interrupted.

Klink Cannoli said...

Come on Babs, are you saying in the past five years it's never snowed in NYC?

Prepared/staged, I see no difference in coining either term. Motivation is what I look at to determine someone's true intentions. There are other cues involved in dissecting motivational factors. Body and language poster being a couple. Without spending too much time studying this trite event, I get the overall impression the Blk Ops are making an issue of entitlement where there doesn't need to be.

Hey, listen. I support this guy's right to snowboard in the park. Except, don't be an ass and use public property to build a ramp. Build your own ramp and use the park in a respectful manor.

georgetheatheist said...

"The atheist is for gov't regulation of snow ramps. Huh?"

Not on PRIVATE property. Try diverting a waterfall at Yosemite NP or the Colorado River at the Grand Canyon and see how fast your ass gets handed to you.

Babs said...

Klink said: "Hey, listen. I support this guy's right to snowboard in the park. Except, don't be an ass and use public property to build a ramp. Build your own ramp and use the park in a respectful manor."

Well I agree that everyone should use our parks in a respectful manner - I don't agree I guess with you on what that IS.

I see these young men as being respectful - the ramps were small, and they weren't competing with those on sleds for space.

The snow has melted - the "problem" is most likely over with until next year - if of course it snows hard enough or if at all.

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