Skatepark scumbags, pass me that shotgun! Options

[stewiegriffin]

Was walking through Victoria park earlier, making the most of the nice weather. Near the bandstand were 4 teenagers kicking rubbish around and throwing tin cans about the place, shouting and swearing like the big tough guys they so obviously were not. Garbage playing with garbage you might say. They couldn't have cared less that they were frightening off the pensioners sitting on the nearby benches, ruining the afternoon for everyone else.

I really do get sick of seeing these little sumbags ruining things for everybody else. Apparently it's not enough that we spend thousands on the skate park to keep them occupied. Their parents must be so proud. Sadly I couldn't find a CSO or policeman anywhere in town. I would have enjoyed ruining their afternoon just as they were ruining everyone elses.

Rant over!

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

Pentioners and young people generally never mix. You know, the whole "Back in my day we'd have had our genitils fed to us for so much as talking out of turn..."

I must say that most of the time, most of the kids at the skatepark keep themselves to themselves. Unfortunately some take the actions of a few and brand an entire generation with the same brush.

I'm not excusing them, unfortunately one of my friends younger brother (he's about 14) is quite mouthy, I'm not sure what he's like when he's out and about but he swears more than me in and around the house! And I swear alot..... I don't think that them shouting around and swearing is really acceptable at such a young age. But there's a whole taboo about swearing in public. Swearing is commonly becoming words and phrases many of us use in every day life, it's just evolution of language and arguing with it is like trying to argue with a tidal wave. "You will bloody well not....."SPLASH!".

Also the whole "we pay thousands on a skate park", you don't pay thousands. You pay a nominal amount, out of say £1000 in council tax, probably about £0.20 went on the skatepark, so complain about the 20p instead.

The council/local agencies paid. Reporting them out of spite is not the thing to do, either. (the whole, well they are ruining someones day, so I'll try to ruin theirs).
Report them because they are doing things wrong, not because you want to get back at them. If you actually went through Newbury purposefully looking for a PCSO or a copper then more fool you, tbh. There is a police station near Sainsburys so if you felt that determined to report them, why didn't you go there?

[cornflake]

Maybe they don't skate?
There's not exactly an abundance of options for young people who have no money.

The skatepark is often packed full of people, especially on lovely days such as this so I don't think that was a waste of money at all.

What would you suggest they be doing? Fair enough they should learn a bit of respect for others and not be sswearing loudly and throwing rubbish about but they will learn as they get older that it is unacceptable. If they had something else to concentrate on, however, they might not be doing it.

[stewiegriffin]

Also the whole "we pay thousands on a skate park", you don't pay thousands. You pay a nominal amount, out of say £1000 in council tax, probably about £0.20 went on the skatepark, so complain about the 20p instead.

The council/local agencies paid. Reporting them out of spite is not the thing to do, either. (the whole, well they are ruining someones day, so I'll try to ruin theirs).
Report them because they are doing things wrong, not because you want to get back at them. If you actually went through Newbury purposefully looking for a PCSO or a copper then more fool you, tbh. There is a police station near Sainsburys so if you felt that determined to report them, why didn't you go there?

Well, maybe I should have been clearer. Collectively we paid thousands. Better?

And no, I didn't purposely trawl the town looking for a policeman. And as for not reporting them, is it better to just let them get away with behaving like that? Maybe we should all just ignore petty lawlesness, I'm sure that would make the town a much nicer place.

[stewiegriffin]

Maybe they don't skate?
There's not exactly an abundance of options for young people who have no money.

The skatepark is often packed full of people, especially on lovely days such as this so I don't think that was a waste of money at all.

What would you suggest they be doing? Fair enough they should learn a bit of respect for others and not be sswearing loudly and throwing rubbish about but they will learn as they get older that it is unacceptable. If they had something else to concentrate on, however, they might not be doing it.

What would I suggest they be doing? Really? How about not littering the place and making a group of pensioners leave the park. That would do for a start.

There are endless amounts of things they could be doing. Even if there were no options, would that excuse them somehow? And somehow I doubt they will learn as they get older. Rubbish like that rarely does.

[cornflake]

Saying this, I am put off with going into places such as McDonalds if I see there are a lot of younguns hanging about being rowdy.

The amount of times I've suffered abuse because they are bored is horrendous, things like name calling and I've even had a nearly empty can thrown at me which was revolting.

More respect does need to be achieved somehow, I think the fear of what will happen has lessened. Being "told off" by someone will do nothing nowerdays. They need a smack around the face for really offensive behaviour.
It just doesn't seem that these people were being so very offensive to others though, just a bit rowdy.

Edit - It doesn't excuse the behaviour at all, I'm just saying if there was something for them to do or a place that they could go specifically for them it might make a difference. Would they really hang out where all the other people do if there was a place designed for them to hang out?

[Sidney]

How are they "Skatepark Scumbags" if they were by the bandstand ??

[stewiegriffin]

How are they "Skatepark Scumbags" if they were by the bandstand ??

The skateboards they all had were a bit of a giveaway!

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

I don't think "Handbag scumbags" would carry the same weight nor be fair so how about rephrasing everything and focusing on the fact these kids were/are being a bit daft, being a skater has nothing to do with it.

[stewiegriffin]

focusing on the fact these kids were/are being a bit daft

That's what I did focus on. And they had skateboards. And they'd just come from the skatepark. And I liked the alliterative potential.

And they're scumbags. And skateparks tend to attract a lot of them. The one in Thatcham is the same. Yes, not every skater behaves like that, but a significant minority of skatepark patrons do.

And they were being more than just a bit daft. They were being scumbags.

[Turin Machine]

And like feral dogs these revolting. pathetic specimens always hunt in packs, so they can "big it up" presumably

[Guest_xjay1337_*]

And they're scumbags. And skateparks tend to attract a lot of them. The one in Thatcham is the same. Yes, not every skater behaves like that, but a significant minority of skatepark patrons do.

You cannot have a significant minority. That's like saying my gentlemans sausage is massively small. The one in Thatcham is worse, the one in Newbury is generally much better. I can't take your opinion and judge them as scumbags as I wasn't there. I know people who call kids who play music from their mobile phones on buses "scum" or "yobs". These would be kids who actually have an education but left their earphones at home so play music quietly at the back of a bus. Equally I know people who consider thieving children to not be scum so...depends where you are on the scale, doesn't it? Your thread title sounds exactly like a headline from the Daily Mail.

Saying that a significant minority of skateboard patrons are scumbags is exactly the same as saying that a significant minority of black people are all thiefs. That wouldn't be an acceptable thing to do. Yet it's socially acceptable to tar a bunch of kids who you don't even know (You sound quite old so imagine you have no idea what it's like growing up with 'naff all to do)

[Turin Machine]

I've been past a few times and generally speaking they have all been using the facility for what is was intended, you will always get a few who thing its hard to frighten the others off though. A good clip round the ear'ole !

[Strafin]

Did you say anything to them? If not then perhaps that would have been a start, everyone complains that kids have no discipline these days but nobody wants to help with the guidance.

XJay, I think a significant minority is possible, say 49% of a group for example would be a lot, but not quite a majority.

[Turin Machine]

Thats cos no one wants a 4" kitchen knife in the ribs for their trouble.

[stewiegriffin]

You cannot have a significant minority. That's like saying my gentlemans sausage is massively small. The one in Thatcham is worse, the one in Newbury is generally much better. I can't take your opinion and judge them as scumbags as I wasn't there. I know people who call kids who play music from their mobile phones on buses "scum" or "yobs". These would be kids who actually have an education but left their earphones at home so play music quietly at the back of a bus. Equally I know people who consider thieving children to not be scum so...depends where you are on the scale, doesn't it? Your thread title sounds exactly like a headline from the Daily Mail.

Saying that a significant minority of skateboard patrons are scumbags is exactly the same as saying that a significant minority of black people are all thiefs. That wouldn't be an acceptable thing to do. Yet it's socially acceptable to tar a bunch of kids who you don't even know (You sound quite old so imagine you have no idea what it's like growing up with 'naff all to do)

Yes you absolutely can have a significant minority. It's a very common phrase used to describe a minority who nevertheless have a noticeable impact.

I don't read the Daily Mail, nor would I wipe my bum with it.

I'm not old.

I know what it's like to grow up with not much to do. Unlike the current generation of teenagers, for whom there has never been so many choices of leisure time activities (such as a skatepark about 50 yards from the scene of their scumbag behaviour). However, even if they did have nothing to do, it would be neither an excuse or justification for their behaviour.

Apart from that you're spot on.

[stewiegriffin]

Thats cos no one wants a 4" kitchen knife in the ribs for their trouble.

Quite so!

[Biker1]

I get sick to death of hearing the "they've got nothing to do" argument.
Unfortunately we as a society seem to have come to accept scum-bag behaviour.

As you say, perhaps acceptance is better than the kitchen knife treatment.

[Sidney]

That's what I did focus on. And they had skateboards. And they'd just come from the skatepark. And I liked the alliterative potential.

And they're scumbags. And skateparks tend to attract a lot of them. The one in Thatcham is the same. Yes, not every skater behaves like that, but a significant minority of skatepark patrons do.

And they were being more than just a bit daft. They were being scumbags.

The one in Thatcham is the same ??? Funny that, because I live VERY close to it and wouldn't consider the children (yes, that's right children !) most of whom are aged around 11 or 12 to be remotely anything like "scummy".

As for your 4" blade -I think you will find the most hazardous thing they carry is a can of Pepsi. What is harmful to society it narrow minded party-poopers who haven't got the balls to ask some kid to pick a crisp packet up, but will look for a policeman to tell them off - like it's the most important thing they have to do !

[Biker1]

As for your 4" blade -I think you will find the most hazardous thing they carry is a can of Pepsi.

What??

What is harmful to society it narrow minded party-poopers who haven't got the balls to ask some kid to pick a crisp packet up, but will look for a policeman to tell them off

What??

Good luck with both of those.

99% of the time you may be right - but I won't take the risk!