Man with no kids at playground

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go up and talk to him. Why engage the police when you can simply say a hello?

Sure that always works well, trying to reason with a grown a*s adult who is too clueless to realize he is making women and children have to feel guarded.

Why are women always second class citizens who are always expected to make way for men?

There is nothing to talk about. He needs to leave because playgrounds are for kids. Go walk anywhere else in the park.

The man didn't do anything illegal.

This reminds me of an all white neighborhood where a black person visits, and everyone is up in arms. Do you call the police then, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go up and talk to him. Why engage the police when you can simply say a hello?

Sure that always works well, trying to reason with a grown a*s adult who is too clueless to realize he is making women and children have to feel guarded.

Why are women always second class citizens who are always expected to make way for men?

There is nothing to talk about. He needs to leave because playgrounds are for kids. Go walk anywhere else in the park.

Playgrounds are not only for kids yoy gate keeping cloenn

Oh sure now playgrounds are for everyone. Yeah! It’s so awesome everyone feels included at playgrounds including drug addicts, alcoholics with glass bottles, dogs, pedophiles, homeless camping under play structures, weird adult men who like to walk in tight circles, etc. since everyone has a right to be there. That’s exactly why public playgrounds were created and supported by tax dollars. Children were just an afterthought. They need to learn to share, right?

Playgrounds for all! What a fantastic way to get popular support for new playgrounds or to get support to use tax dollars to maintain and upgrade playgrounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How would you handle this situation?

On a daily basis there is a man with no kids who walks in circles around the local playground for a LONG time. Like literally around the equipment not like on a path or something.

It is super creepy and makes us avoid going, which feels unfair to my children. Should I reach out to 311? How would you handle?

I agree that this is likely behavior related to neurodiversity, and that it is unfair to your kids to have a parent who is intolerant of neurodiversity to the point that they restrict healthy outdoor activity.

What to do? Go to the park.

Bingo. OP, it seems that you are the problem here. In case you didn't know, people who prey on children are often the most socially-savvy and pleasant people you meet. They develop that persona to lull you into a false sense of security so you give them access to your kids. Often they're coaches or volunteers.

Dp. I understand why op is concerned. While he likely isn't a predator, his behavior is unusual. Even if he is autistic and this loop of the equipment is part of his routine, none of us can tell op how he would react if he were approached by a child or adult. We don't know if he might behave in a way which may upset a child. Also, if he is on the spectrum or otherwise cognitively disabled, why is he not accompanied or supervised by another adult?

Sorry, but there is no guarantee in a public setting that your child will not be "upset." If you don't like that, don't take your child to a public park. And many, many (most?) adults with autism are fully functional without supervision.

OP, this is one of those things that you have to accept as the price of living in community and in society. He has just as much right to be there as you do.

LOL - No, childrens' playgrounds are not build for cognitively disabled adult men to circle. They do not have a socially acceptable right to be there, even if it is not against the law. You are insane.

No, you are very wrong. Public parks are exactly that. I can go eat my lunch in a public park, for example, whether you consider it to be "socially acceptable" or not. People like you are not the arbiters of who goes where.

Did you even read the original post? OP said "literally around the [children's] equipment". This is not about some random person minding their own business in a "park". Playgrounds are for kids, not loner weirdo adults! Insane that I have to spell this out for you.

Unless there are posted signs specifically stating this, you have no basis for this claim

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go up and talk to him. Why engage the police when you can simply say a hello?

Sure that always works well, trying to reason with a grown a*s adult who is too clueless to realize he is making women and children have to feel guarded.

Why are women always second class citizens who are always expected to make way for men?

There is nothing to talk about. He needs to leave because playgrounds are for kids. Go walk anywhere else in the park.

The man didn't do anything illegal.

This reminds me of an all white neighborhood where a black person visits, and everyone is up in arms. Do you call the police then, too?

OF COURSE THEY DO. Then when you point that out they get mad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This sums up what is so frustrating with our society. There used to be some semblance of a common good where one individual didn’t get to take over a space that was intended for another group.

A public playground is for kids plain and simple. There are plenty of places a grown man can circle around without making parents nervous. By being there he is sucking out the pleasurable enjoyment of the playground for many parents and kids because everyone is on edge. Same for people with big dogs who think it is cute to bring the dog in and use the playground equipment and drug addicts using be playgrounds.

This really affects poor and middle class families who can’t afford to pay for indoor play experiences and /or who don’t have backyards.

You think this didn’t happen 30 years ago? Hahahahhahaha

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go up and talk to him. Why engage the police when you can simply say a hello?

Sure that always works well, trying to reason with a grown a*s adult who is too clueless to realize he is making women and children have to feel guarded.

Why are women always second class citizens who are always expected to make way for men?

There is nothing to talk about. He needs to leave because playgrounds are for kids. Go walk anywhere else in the park.

The man didn't do anything illegal.

This reminds me of an all white neighborhood where a black person visits, and everyone is up in arms. Do you call the police then, too?

+1000

OP, get over yourself. And go back to the fact that this is a PUBLIC facility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go up and talk to him. Why engage the police when you can simply say a hello?

Sure that always works well, trying to reason with a grown a*s adult who is too clueless to realize he is making women and children have to feel guarded.

Why are women always second class citizens who are always expected to make way for men?

There is nothing to talk about. He needs to leave because playgrounds are for kids. Go walk anywhere else in the park.

Playgrounds are not only for kids yoy gate keeping cloenn

Oh sure now playgrounds are for everyone. Yeah! It’s so awesome everyone feels included at playgrounds including drug addicts, alcoholics with glass bottles, dogs, pedophiles, homeless camping under play structures, weird adult men who like to walk in tight circles, etc. since everyone has a right to be there. That’s exactly why public playgrounds were created and supported by tax dollars. Children were just an afterthought. They need to learn to share, right?

Playgrounds for all! What a fantastic way to get popular support for new playgrounds or to get support to use tax dollars to maintain and upgrade playgrounds.

LOL. NP here & yes, completely agree with you, and some people here are insane! Playgrounds are for kids and their caregivers, period. I sometimes see adults without kids using the equipment, such as using the bars to stretch. That is totally fine, but once kids come over, the adults need to make way.

An adult making a tight circle around the playground is going to interfere with kids playing there. Same reasoning as above, if an adult is using the playground for walks and sees a kid coming over, they need to leave.

In NYC where I’m from, the playgrounds have posted signs that adults without children are NOT ALLOWED. I get that this bright line rule does not exist in most places, but the reason for it does.

[Anonymous]

Is is OP — wow, did not realize this thread would become a debate around whether this was acceptable behavior or not and absolutely wouldn’t have guessed it would result in me being called a racist, a nazi, or the type of person who would join a lynch mob. I’m hoping that you all are just a bunch of trolls because those accusations are absolutely unhinged and couldn’t be further from the truth.

It’s honestly shocking that it’s so controversial that a mom going to a playground alone with her young children would feel uncomfortable when literally any adult man was there by themselves circling the children’s playground equipment. Even though it’s probably not dangerous, it’s undeniably socially weird behavior and I’m not going to put myself or my children in a situation where there is any chance of a threat to their safety.

To everyone who is normal and validated that calling 311 makes sense, thank you. I will be doing that next time I see this happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is is OP — wow, did not realize this thread would become a debate around whether this was acceptable behavior or not and absolutely wouldn’t have guessed it would result in me being called a racist, a nazi, or the type of person who would join a lynch mob. I’m hoping that you all are just a bunch of trolls because those accusations are absolutely unhinged and couldn’t be further from the truth.

It’s honestly shocking that it’s so controversial that a mom going to a playground alone with her young children would feel uncomfortable when literally any adult man was there by themselves circling the children’s playground equipment. Even though it’s probably not dangerous, it’s undeniably socially weird behavior and I’m not going to put myself or my children in a situation where there is any chance of a threat to their safety.

To everyone who is normal and validated that calling 311 makes sense, thank you. I will be doing that next time I see this happening.

You do that and we’ll laugh at you Karen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is is OP — wow, did not realize this thread would become a debate around whether this was acceptable behavior or not and absolutely wouldn’t have guessed it would result in me being called a racist, a nazi, or the type of person who would join a lynch mob. I’m hoping that you all are just a bunch of trolls because those accusations are absolutely unhinged and couldn’t be further from the truth.

It’s honestly shocking that it’s so controversial that a mom going to a playground alone with her young children would feel uncomfortable when literally any adult man was there by themselves circling the children’s playground equipment. Even though it’s probably not dangerous, it’s undeniably socially weird behavior and I’m not going to put myself or my children in a situation where there is any chance of a threat to their safety.

To everyone who is normal and validated that calling 311 makes sense, thank you. I will be doing that next time I see this happening.

"Everyone who disagrees with me must be a troll" is a dumb way to go through life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go up and talk to him. Why engage the police when you can simply say a hello?

Sure that always works well, trying to reason with a grown a*s adult who is too clueless to realize he is making women and children have to feel guarded.

Why are women always second class citizens who are always expected to make way for men?

There is nothing to talk about. He needs to leave because playgrounds are for kids. Go walk anywhere else in the park.

Playgrounds are not only for kids yoy gate keeping cloenn

Oh sure now playgrounds are for everyone. Yeah! It’s so awesome everyone feels included at playgrounds including drug addicts, alcoholics with glass bottles, dogs, pedophiles, homeless camping under play structures, weird adult men who like to walk in tight circles, etc. since everyone has a right to be there. That’s exactly why public playgrounds were created and supported by tax dollars. Children were just an afterthought. They need to learn to share, right?

Playgrounds for all! What a fantastic way to get popular support for new playgrounds or to get support to use tax dollars to maintain and upgrade playgrounds.

Did you just compare people with developmental disabilities to pedophiles, dogs and broken glass?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go up and talk to him. Why engage the police when you can simply say a hello?

Sure that always works well, trying to reason with a grown a*s adult who is too clueless to realize he is making women and children have to feel guarded.

Why are women always second class citizens who are always expected to make way for men?

There is nothing to talk about. He needs to leave because playgrounds are for kids. Go walk anywhere else in the park.

Playgrounds are not only for kids yoy gate keeping cloenn

Oh sure now playgrounds are for everyone. Yeah! It’s so awesome everyone feels included at playgrounds including drug addicts, alcoholics with glass bottles, dogs, pedophiles, homeless camping under play structures, weird adult men who like to walk in tight circles, etc. since everyone has a right to be there. That’s exactly why public playgrounds were created and supported by tax dollars. Children were just an afterthought. They need to learn to share, right?

Playgrounds for all! What a fantastic way to get popular support for new playgrounds or to get support to use tax dollars to maintain and upgrade playgrounds.

LOL. NP here & yes, completely agree with you, and some people here are insane! Playgrounds are for kids and their caregivers, period. I sometimes see adults without kids using the equipment, such as using the bars to stretch. That is totally fine, but once kids come over, the adults need to make way.

An adult making a tight circle around the playground is going to interfere with kids playing there. Same reasoning as above, if an adult is using the playground for walks and sees a kid coming over, they need to leave.

In NYC where I’m from, the playgrounds have posted signs that adults without children are NOT ALLOWED. I get that this bright line rule does not exist in most places, but the reason for it does.

Yup. That is the law in NYC and it is backed up by court decisions. The vast majority of the park is open to all. It’s setting aside a tiny part for children. Just like cities can set aside part of a park for dogs or senior citizens.

[Anonymous]

My mom taught elementary school, and they had a guy who would come and do his “exercises” at the playground during recess. Turns out he was a sex offender. Just call the police if something feels off. They are trained to handle someone who might just be autistic, and can easily distinguish from a creeper. They also had issues with some of the local developmentally disabled guys coming to the playground at my mom’s school, and they ended up working with the group home to explain to them that they couldn’t be there during school hours.

[Anonymous]

I've seen a developmentally disabled adult with a caregiver at the local playground. He was yelling having fun and other parents called the police and complained. It was sad but I understand confusing and maybe scary for the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See something, say something

Except there’s nothing to see. Is it a public playground? Is he doing anything illegal?

A man pacing around a playground? That is something to see. Whether he is "doing anything illegal" or not. Report it, OP. Let the police decide how to handle it.