Being Opressed sucks.

[Into the blue]

"Help! Help! I'm being oppressed!"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071853/

[Eddbmxdude]

Something like this happened to me lately.

Leo, Tom and I decided to go and ride some trials and street whilst the England footbal game was on, that way no-one would be around and we wouldn't get any hassle. WRONG! The only people that were about were the police!
We rode a weird monument thing for about half an hour, there was a police van sitting outside the pub. The police men (and women) watched us the whole time, but didn't say a word.

Then we rode down the road a bit and started trying to gap a different coloured stripe in the pavement, within 30 seconds there was a "community support officer" on our backs! He said "Can you jump of of that!". At first we thought he was interested and was asking what we could do on the unicycles. But he was being SERIOUS! I couldn't beleive it!

We asked him why and he told us that you weren't aloud to ride or skate in the town centre. Then Tom helpfully pointed out that there was no-one about, so surely we weren't being a nuicence. He told us that there was a skatepark round the corner for riding in.

Then we told him that his mates had just been watching us ride the monument for at least half an hour and didn't seem to have a problem with it. This comment pissed him off a bit because his face started going red. He then told us that people coming out of the pubs could throw our unicycles through a shop window and cause criminal damage.

People can also throw bricks, beer bottles, other people aswell as him through shop windows, I think a unicycle would be pretty low down on the list!

At this point we decided to leave, thinking we had pushed our luck somewhat. Mind you, he couldn't have arrested us anyway as he was only a "Community support officer".

Gave us a giggle!

Rock on!
Edd

[TrialsUni]

Originally Posted by lucky_8

cops never do their job all they want to do is to give you a ticket

Yeah...well, when they've got quota's to meet, they'll pick on just about anybody for just about anything...haha.

Glad I haven't had any problems with cops...yet...[knocks on wood].

Owen, it seems like they'd rather have you being one of the drug pushers, rather than being a physically active member of your community. One thing though...Don't give them an attitude. All it does is bolster their ego, and make them think they're getting one more 'rebellious youth' or 'juvenile delinquint' off their 'precious' streets (it's all about 'image' so they can tract in more money to increase the local economy). Instead, you could've enthusiastically educated those cops about your unique sport. "What am I doing? I'll tell you." I feel your frustration, but just be overly positive to them, almost to the point of being cheeky.

And as far as your observations about the bigotry of the bourgeoisie, I totally agree. It's all about the money. It's sad when systems value money more than human lives. Sometimes it seems that some of the older generations have seriuosly forgotten what it's like to dream, or to be a kid. And history has always enjoyed the story of the 'underdog' or eccentrics like Einstein--but in everyday reality westernized un-culture seems to be intolerant toward anything 'different' or 'unique' or 'eccentric.' People are so busy watching the clock, and staying ahead of the competition that they don't have the time to stop and understand anything out of the norm of their lives that are defined by mindless routines. They're so busy worrying about scrimping and saving, so that the bills get paid, that they must just see this world as a cold dead place, and all they have to satisfy it with the little time most have away from the work place are empty material goods that they don't need in the first place, but somehow 'affirm' their social standings in an impersonally greedy society. I blame the corporations for this...by setting levels of perfection that they purposely know no human can ever attain, so they'll keep buying more and more and "new" and "improved" and "better" and "bigger" and "faster faster FASTER!" and "state of the art" and "high tech" and you don't want to get left behind because you'll look mediocre and out-dated to the next guy--It really has no room left for nostalgia. Sure, I'm exaggerating slightly. But, sometimes you can feel it in the air in all of the urban sprawl of suburbia, especially. I have to wonder, if that brand of competitive Westernized homogeniety born out of nationalistic pride and traditional iron girded super power ingenuity, is really good to sell to the world. After all, all that competition is just a race to an unattainable finish line.

If they want to 'keep kids out of trouble,' they should be pushing these kinds of creative and active things, and new ideas. Maybe then, Michigan for one, wouldn't have the enormous (61% I think) level of obescity that it does.

Ugh, sorry if I got carried away in that rant.

[swarbrim]

Originally Posted by lucky_8

that has to suck. It is the same way where I live except i know cops so it helps. one of my friends got her skate board took and got a ticket for walking down town holding her skate board. cops never do their job all they want to do is to give you a ticket

Yes, I agree with everything this guy has said. All policemen are the same, I mean, come on! Look, we just heard lucky's side to the story, Im sure thats the whole truth. I'm sure thats what ALL police want to do. Psshhh, think about what your saying.

Im sorry Owen, it must suck for that to happen, just remember, policemen arent all the same.

Mike

[Mullethunter]

Keep on fighting! I'm going to go ride on the stairs right out side the police department. See if I can get any crap from pass-er-by-ers.

[Murde Mental]

Originally Posted by ThisGuyIKnow

My question is why do you feel that it's necesary for the city to provide you an area to practice your sport?

People out street racing on the freeway could make the same arguemnt, when they get tickets for speeding and wreckless driving. Since you didn't provide us with a facility for auto racing we had to use the public freeway and therefore you can't ticket us, despite our activity being against the rules.

Also if you ever expect authority to change their ideas about certian groups, i.e. teenagers, you need to show them through your behavior that their ideas are clearly not accurate. Your behavior in this incident has simply reinforced their stereotypes. Good Job Owen.

Excuse me?

First off, seeing as how they don't provide me with a proper area I am (according to them) in constant infraction of their by-law.

This is a similar activity than that of skate-boarding and the town has made sure that skate-boarders and bikers alike have an area to practise and so, when they tell me that I can't do this here, it is their duty to tell me where I can.

Your second argument relies on a faulty analogy; an analogy that has no moral equivalence to my case. You're talking about wreckless driving on a public street. An activity that is blatantly dangerous, and, BECAUSE of this, made illegal.

We're talking about unicycling in a grassy area of a park ... think about that for a second.

And as for reinforcing the stereotype by talking back and "acting smart"? Brother, I AM smart. And if it so happens that I express my thoughts in an upset tone of voice... well maybe that might be because I happen to be upset. Yeah?

Good job? Yes, I think so too.

I bet you've got something to say against the ride I plan on organising in my town huh?

Too "radical"? Would I yet again be reinforcing the stereotype by "looking for trouble"?

I know when I'm in my rights.

[Murde Mental]

Originally Posted by swarbrim

Yes, I agree with everything this guy has said. All policemen are the same, I mean, come on! Look, we just heard lucky's side to the story, Im sure thats the whole truth. I'm sure thats what ALL police want to do. Psshhh, think about what your saying.

Im sorry Owen, it must suck for that to happen, just remember, policemen arent all the same.

Mike

Did I say they were?

But think about it for a second. The job of being a policeperson implies power over others, the right to bear arms and in some cases, the right to use force upon a civilian.

Does it not make sense then that some people would be attracted to this job simply for those reasons?

All I'm saying is that I don't trust the type of people who are attracted to this line of work.

[swarbrim]

No, I ment what Lucky_8 said.

I can see your points but all I said is they arent all the same. It wasnt directed at you.

Mike

[Murde Mental]

no worries man, just saw a good oppurtunity to bring that onto the table :P

[ThisGuyIKnow]

Originally Posted by Murde Mental

it is their duty to tell me where I can.

No it's not. You can always practice your sport on your own property. To assume something is allowable anywhere on public property simply because there is no designated area for it does not mean that you can do it wherever you like.

It's exactly the same as the street racing analogy I made. The only difference is that you feel that their activity is more dangerous than yours.

Your argument is "They haven't designated any public property for to practice said sport, therefore I have the right to practice said sport on whatever public property I so desire" By that saming reasoning it's completly justified for peopel to race their autos at high speeds on the freeways, since there is no public property designated for this purpose. Do you not see the serious flaw in your own reasoning.

Obviously you are NOT smart. Being a jerk to cops is NOT smart. Reinforcing the stereotypes of teenages being troublemakers by copping attitude with authority is NOT smart.

[swarbrim]

Its cool.

I can see what you mean about them having more rights, but without those rights the job of the police man wouldbe next to useless. Its a tough call, and I'm sure in a handfull of policemen you could get one bad egg. This bad egg could cause problems to you and others, just dont let this get you down. Stand up for what you believe in, everyones different.

Mike

[ThisGuyIKnow]

Originally Posted by Murde Mental

Did I say they were?

But think about it for a second. The job of being a policeperson implies power over others, the right to bear arms and in some cases, the right to use force upon a civilian.

Does it not make sense then that some people would be attracted to this job simply for those reasons?

All I'm saying is that I don't trust the type of people who are attracted to this line of work.

I think it's your attitude with cops that makes them treat you like they do. I've only ever heard stories like yours from people who have bad attitudes about cops and authority. As soon she started approaching you she say in your body language and demeanor that you were going to be a jerk to her, so she treated you the way she expected to be treated by you. And you know what you treated her exactly as she expected. Go figure. I'd be willing to bet that if you didn't hold a general grudge against authority in situations like this nothing would come of it but a pleasant conversation. You and your attitude are the biggest part of the problem here, and why the situation escalated like it did. You had a great opportunity to prove her wrong and show her what teenagers are really about and that they have positive things to contribute. Unfortunately you didn't. You ruined the opportunity because you felt like you had something to prove. You acted exactly the way you like to think ALL cops act. Typically when a cop approachs someone they let the civilian lead on how the incident is going to run. if you'd smiled at her instead of giving her an "I hate cops" scowl, i bet you the whole thing would have run much more smoothly and would have ended much more in your favor.

[ThisGuyIKnow]

Originally Posted by swarbrim

Its cool.
Stand up for what you believe in, everyones different.

Mike

Stand up fro what you believe in, but do so in a polite and curteous manner. You'll find that method much more effective.

[dinmamma]

I'm not saying you're unintelligent, but I am saying that you're immature. Also, you sure love to feel prosecuted.

[Murde Mental]

Originally Posted by ThisGuyIKnow

No it's not. You can always practice your sport on your own property. To assume something is allowable anywhere on public property simply because there is no designated area for it does not mean that you can do it wherever you like.

It's exactly the same as the street racing analogy I made. The only difference is that you feel that their activity is more dangerous than yours.

Your argument is "They haven't designated any public property for to practice said sport, therefore I have the right to practice said sport on whatever public property I so desire" By that saming reasoning it's completly justified for peopel to race their autos at high speeds on the freeways, since there is no public property designated for this purpose. Do you not see the serious flaw in your own reasoning.

Obviously you are NOT smart. Being a jerk to cops is NOT smart. Reinforcing the stereotypes of teenages being troublemakers by copping attitude with authority is NOT smart.

Man, don't make me start off the same way.

Excuse me?

I'm not assuming anything in this case. Remember that I've been to court for the same thing last year and won my case. Assuming that something is permissable on private property because there are no specific areas for it makes complete sense. Don't make me bust out the charter of rights man.

" 1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society."

Shall I paraphrase?

Unless it is specifically stated that said activity is legal, I am allowed to do it.
Laws tell us what we CAN'T do. Not what we can.

Is that my argument? Have you been reading the same thread?

"The only difference is that [I] feel that my activity is less dangerous[...]" (says you) Well that's just being plain silly isn't it? (replies Owen)

My argument is that I shouldn't HAVE to argue. They are applying this by-law so loosely that it is no longer relevent.

Arguments to back up the above statement have already been made in a previous thread.



The last paragraph made me blush. Keep it up.