What can kill a deal for expansion of a movie theater as fast as anything? Or of any business on the Square?
Rowdy teenagers loitering. Keyword: rowdy.
How about kids hanging out on the sidewalks, sitting and blocking the entire sidewalk with feet and bikes?
How about kids on bikes tearing down a crowded sidewalk on bikes and skateboards?
How about the heavy kid who ran out in front of a car on Main Street Tuesday afternoon? He obviously knew the driver, because he jumped on the car's hood. Then he ran to a back car door, opened it and got partially into the car before the driver started up and drove on up Main Street with the back door open and the kid hanging out of the car?
Is this the kind of behavior we are willing to tolerate in Woodstock? I say, NO.
We can ask the police to enforce traffic laws. This usually means writing a ticket. A monetary fine may get a kid's attention, whereas a little, polite, sidewalk "counseling" will probably only result in smirks, laughter and a rude gesture as soon as the cop's back is turned.
The Square and the sidewalks need to be places where all are welcome. Kids are welcome, as long as they are polite and respectful to all others. When they move down the sidewalk in a herd and refuse to yield half of the sidewalk to those walking in the opposite direction, they need to be confronted by the police about this. When they ride the bikes and skateboards in the Square itself, same thing. When they jaywalk slowly across Main Street and malinger in front of oncoming cars, they need to be confronted - by the police. That's what we pay the police for - enforcing the laws.
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
11 comments:
I thank the good Lord that we live in a city where this is the biggest complaint the public feels the police have to deal with. Get a job Gus.
Why doesn't some business person develop a positive place for these kids to hang out? What would it take? Would they even go?
Why doesn't Gus make them junior nit-pickers I might make some comment about Hitler youth if I was less sensitive.
To anon. #1-- It's not the biggest complaint, but it's a legitimate one.
To anon. #2-- Of course they would not go! If it's a business, it would presumably cost them. They have been taught since infancy, by their parents and the school system, that they are, by virtue of being born, "special," and immune from the consequences of their decisions. It could not occur to them that paying for a place to hang out might be preferable-- and safer-- than skateboarding in the path of an SUV.
To Anon. #3-- Huh? Let me introduce you to the "period." These days, It's usually called "dot," as in "dot.com," but way back when, it meant, "this is the ending of the sentence." If I understand your posting-- and I am not at all sure I understand I do-- one of these should have come after "nit-pickers."
My suggestion is that you read and absorb "The Elements of Style" by Strunk & White.
Gus-call the grammar police! Never mind it was just an equipment failure that I have evidence of being repetitive and recent. Have you read some of the other posts? How about asking people to not post and drink!
Somebody missed a period. Somebody else sounds like they are right in the middle of one. As long as we are trying to fix everything what about the time stamp of comments?
I have no idea where the time-stamp comes from, but I'll see if I can find out. Many thanks to "tulsa." I had a copy of the Gregg Reference Manual - 9th Edition sometime back. I read it, instead of watching TV. Speaking of watching TV... I don't.
It would probably intrude on your little world anyway.
Leave my grammar and gramper out of this!
Maybe woodstock needs to give Gus a token ordinance. Maybe he will then become like the councilman who got unwarranted stop signs placed-and moved out of town or the minister who got the city to ban alcohol in the parks-and then moved away. If you don't have a dream how can you have a dream come true?
This blog is like porn or many other "soft" addictions. The best way to deal with it is to stay away. The best way to do that is cold turkey.
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