Police should be diverting traffic, not stopping people from playing.

"police have just stopped because of your reporting..." huh? I don't understand the problem... they stopped doing what?

Perhaps she likes to get the attention? I dunno, maybe she doesn't like brunettes.

I'm guessing this -hey let's toboggan down a city street during the first snow, is a "decade long tradition" the woman says to the reporter. Because the news channel needed a story they decided to run the "Lives in peril! Stay inside!" News spin, which brought the cops and a general downer on all the fun.

Of course I'm just guessing... this is the only explanation I could think of that defends the tobogganer... cuz I hate the media.

Upvote for my home town! =oD

>> ^visionep:

Police should be diverting traffic, not stopping people from playing.

Police should be stopping people from tobogganing into traffic, though, right?

>> ^FlowersInHisHair:

>> ^visionep:
Police should be diverting traffic, not stopping people from playing.

Police should be stopping people from tobogganing into traffic, though, right?


In general I believe people should be responsible for their own actions as long as they aren't hurting anyone else.

My initial reaction to your challenge is that "No they should be able to kill themselves in traffic if they want" but upon further review I think you could pretty easily make a case that people tobogganing into traffic presents a risk to regular traffic since it could cause an accident.

So to maintain the peace an officer should take some action, now the question is:

"Should they help support a tradition of having fun and encouraging a happy go lucky attitude in their community? Or should they strickly enforce the existing norm of only having cars in the roadway unless there was a proper permit filed with the city to shut down the roadway for a predefined amount of time?"

I vote for the police encouraging a community spirit and building a repor with the locals in their community for this spontaneous event instead of showing people that they are in control and stopping everyones fun.

>> ^visionep:

In general I believe people should be responsible for their own actions as long as they aren't hurting anyone else.
My initial reaction to your challenge is that "No they should be able to kill themselves in traffic if they want" but upon further review I think you could pretty easily make a case that people tobogganing into traffic presents a risk to regular traffic since it could cause an accident.
So to maintain the peace an officer should take some action, now the question is:
"Should they help support a tradition of having fun and encouraging a happy go lucky attitude in their community? Or should they strickly enforce the existing norm of only having cars in the roadway unless there was a proper permit filed with the city to shut down the roadway for a predefined amount of time?"
I vote for the police encouraging a community spirit and building a repor with the locals in their community for this spontaneous event instead of showing people that they are in control and stopping everyones fun.

That was my point. Nobody wants to stop people having a good time, but there was a danger there, as had been established, and a number of close calls already.


It's seldom the police's responsibility to make sure everyone is having a good time: I imagine the police were tasked with assisting in re-opening the roads and keeping things safe. There are other places to toboggan, I'm sure, that don't involve the risk of getting hit by a bus (and there are other people who make their livings by making sure people enjoy themselves). And if an accident had happened then people would be asking the police why they hadn't taken steps to prevent it! It's lose-lose for the cops in situations like this.