opp giving tickets to kids jumping off pier !

[growler]

on cd98.9 s forum there are a lots of comments about the "ontario party poopers" (opp) ticketing youths that are jumping of the pier and into the water, for swimming in dover !
some feel as it is a law that it's not to be done(possole injury's) and it i right to enforce it,
but others say they've been doing it for years and it has never been troublesome or enforced before and now that the opp are using their (really OUR) boat more it's just another thing they are doing to justify their paycheques !
i don't feel it needs to be vigorously enforced, but others do !
so what do you think ?

[Spidubic]

i don't feel it needs to be vigorously enforced, but others do !

They don't need to be ticketed but a warning would definitely help. One day a kid will jump in and get killed or paralyzed and then what? Just because we did something 30 years ago done not mean it was safe. Only that we were lucky to have lived. I fell off my bike and smacked my head a few times as a kid wearing no helmet. I would say I am lucky to have most of my faculties. And look at it this way, how would you feel if you were driving a boat and hit one of those kids? Maybe not your fault but you still have to live with that.

Either that or we just get rid of human laws and let the laws of nature take over. Survival of the fittest and only the strong survive. We have too many people on earth now, might as well lower the number a bit.

[obofthehumcon]

I think its a law that needs to be enforced, even though I realize its been let go in the past for many years. The problem as I see it is one of liability...while there have not been injuries or deaths in the past doesnt change the fact that they can still occur, and if a kid is injured or killed, even through his own 'illegal' actions, you can still expect that his family will end up suing the municipal, provincial or federal government for not enforcing the law.

[growler]

well as i have said on the other forum, we used to do this plus a lot of other questionable things in the past, which even spid admits to !
but this is only one of many things we did in times gone by !
but as with many other things we did, we did have things to do.
but by continually stoping the young from doing this is it wise ?
they then have nothing left to do. so some become couch potatoes, overweight,out of shape (physically)and criticised for being that way,but safer,if we find a cure for obesity (as they claim it shortens the life span).
but responsible parent can order them outdoors to get doing something so then they go and find a "buddy" that tells them how much fun it is to grab a car/truck and drive fast,or go 4wheeling with it (its easy to "borrow" one by hotwiring it,here i'll show ya!) but some won't be wanting to try all that driving but for getting the right stuff out of a car/truck they can make money to buy some neat drug type stuff, and that will be fun,and they won't get hurt like they will jumping off a dock !

so maybe they should enforce and stop all that reckless type activety, after all it could be dangerous !

[Spidubic]

Idle hands do the devils work.

[Ruby Tuesday]

I really see the concern here, in regards to taking away fun outdoor time. Just all around fun that kids should be having. However, the last time I was down there I do believe that I did see signs indicating that you weren't to dive or jump from the pier (something along that line). So, although it is fun, it also sounds like it's considered dangerous to some degree.

That said, they have the right to protect the public and uphold the law. What is the matter with using the beach entrance instead of jumping? People drown in calm shallow waters, we don't need them jumping off piers and getting hit by boats - that's what the channel is for!

[growler]

oh i realize it is for the greater good of people RT.
but it is likeley more dangerous for kids to ride their bikes than to walk, and even safer yet to make them stay in the yard of where they live than to walk !
but do we have the police watch every bike, and if they wobble a little when slowing or speeding up,stop them and ticket them for doing somthing dangerous ?
i feel with the recent increase in crime around and in norfolk that the police would be far better investigating crime and catching true criminals than building a bad reputation in young peoples minds !
once they ticket a young person for doing somthing they enjoy, that youngster will begin thinking of the police as an enemy, rather than a freind !
so i think if they happen to be there doing other work,that they should go and talk to them,and say they are doing something that is against the law and could be dangerous, but to patrol the pier and ticket kids just having fun is not what should be done .
:I'm sorry:

[Ruby Tuesday]

I do agree that it shouldn't be patrolled. Waste of money. BUT, if they are there and found by chance - they shouldn't ignore it - that's all.

[observer]

If you want to talk about waste of money with the OPP - you ought to attend Pottahwak Piss up day. At least 14 OPP boats that were counted launched in Turkey Point that day - and that doesn't count those that were already in the water - and the sea-doos etc. etc.

I have NO idea why there's no uproar about the cost to the taxpayer about this unnecessary OPP cost of patrolling an event which had NO fatalities for all the previous 25 years when it wasn't patrolled by more than the normal, one boat OPP presence that used to be there.

NO boat had less than 2 officers aboard. Some had 6!!! Most of these guys are from out of the area - off duty - being paid 4 times their hourly rates.

It's actually scandalous - but we accept it - because we're Canadian - and "if it saves one life, it's worth it!" And because they report in the papers and on the news what wonders they've accomplished by being there. And then , they also have a dozen or so firefighters etc. on duty at the TP Marina - sitting there. OK - tell me - if there's a fire on a boat out at Pottahawk - what are they going to do? It's 25 minutes away?

And, they have a portable jail set up at the marina.

Come on guys!!! Let's wake up. If I were an OPP I'd be trolling for this job! As funders of this non-essential job, we shouldn't be so complacent.

[growler]

i agree with you ob !
not only what you have mentioned but all the opp reports about vehicles beig broken into because of leaving things laying out in sight of potentil crooks, and blaming the victims for causing the theft !
i guess they feel it is "safer" to make the victim feel bad than to actually persue the criminal !
not only that send a "team"of officers to investigate how many cars/trucks are parked inthe norfolk/wal-mart mall that are not locked, then give the numbers out in a news release !
why not just tie a red ribbon on each vehicle so the crooks don't have to go hunt them up, as they already toldthem what lot they are parked on ! !
and then to have an officer dispatched to do speed checks on the busy road in st.williams (near the 4 way stop) for 4 days per week !
but as they are in a dangerous proffesion stopping traffic violaters, and only making a paltry $95,000. per year, with a pension that is near $5000. per month (tied to inflation,if it go's up, but not if it go's down)after 25 years of service !
you know some people in norfolk could have qualified for pension twice on a deal like that !
and almost anyone could write tickets to kids swimming !
but then like you say it's a tough job,working on weekends watching young girls in bikinni's !

[retired2]

Isn't that like saying women get raped because of what they wear????
Talking about hiding stuff in your car.

[observer]

Yes - sorta like if you didn't own it in the first place, nobody could or would take it from you!

[growler]

no i like the part about blaming them women for the clothes they weren't wearing !

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