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Move over, Clementine Lee, the Parks Department has a new Public Enemy #1: The older Russian women enjoying a swim at Brighton Beach—and yesterday a few of them were handed $250 tickets for cooling off in the water. A tipster writes in: "I guess there's a sign somewhere on the boardwalk that says swimming is not allowed 6 p.m. to 10 a.m., but I never noticed it. It's hot, it's August, and some people have to work during official swim hours."
Allegedly when the lifeguards went off duty, they simply left, not alerting anyone to get out of the water. (Sigh, lifeguards.) But maybe it was a part of a sting operation, because shortly after, around 6:30 p.m., "some jerks drive up on their mini John Deeres and start yelling. They are wearing green golf shirts with Parks Security on the back ... [they] are not being very communicative, or at all polite. They call in reinforcements—white shirts with Parks Enforcement on the back. They start writing tickets to a bunch of middle aged Russian ladies trying to get a little swim after work. Some of the ladies run home, and the jerks on the John Deeres chase them to the boardwalk."
After demanding I.D. from the women, who were wearing bathing caps and suits, "they make cracks about the potential illegal immigration status that will be uncovered when they take the swimmers to jail. When an onlooker objects and points to the other hundreds of swimmers down the beach the two uniformed guys stalk off."
We have contacted the Parks Department, as well as the outlaw swimmers, and will update with any quotes when we get them.
UPDATE: Philip Abramson from the Parks Department has sent us the following statement.
"New Yorkers may only swim between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. where lifeguards are on duty and signs are posted throughout our 14 miles of beaches to alert the public. New York State law does not allow “swim at your own risk.” As evident by the six drownings this year that happened after hours, swimmers should never go in the water if there is no lifeguard on duty. In order to protect public safety, the Parks Department works diligently to ensure that swimmers exit the water after hours. In this case, summonses were issued at 6:45 p.m. - 45 minutes after beaches close - and only after swimmers failed to comply with instructions to exit the water. If the constituent believes that our PEP officer used inappropriate language, we encourage her to file a claim with our Parks Advocate office."
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first its little girl lemonade vendors now this, Great job parks dept! How bout giving fines for littering you jerks!
"Because the the guy with all the muscles and neck tattoos carelessly chucking his 40 oz. into the wind is scarry, and approaching said criminal in your oversized boy scout uniform will make you feel vulnerable and maybe wet your pants a little."
- Parks Department
great comment -- in the top 10!
Was referring to this one:
Clarice City replied to comment from BrooklyniteMike
"Because the the guy with all the muscles and neck tattoos carelessly chucking his 40 oz. into the wind is scarry, and approaching said criminal in your oversized boy scout uniform will make you feel vulnerable and maybe wet your pants a little."
- Parks Department
Love the Curbed software!
I don't quite know what to say regarding those ladies with their "assets" nearly covered.
In my country we always swims at night. It makes us look younger and thinner. Tell me sergeant woman, you look like you spend much time in sun. Why you not try night swim? Also I have friend in Russian Organization that will make plenty hard times for yous twos.
Random enforcement of illogical laws? Hey, maybe the Parks Department is just trying to give them a little taste of home.
Glad the Parks Department are ticketing these scofflaws and not scumbags who leave their garbage in the sand at Brighton (which happens all the fucking time)
I agree with you & everyone else, @ Coney Island they drive around in SUV's until they run someone over, God Forbid, & then never ticket people for littering, give me a break !!
"M-ARL"ILF
I love when the cops drive their SUV's down the beach every 15 minutes after 6, for our protection. As in, I don't love it. There oughtta be a law against trucks on a beach.
So far this week I'v seen 2 crazy angry dogs off their leashes, one kid peeing in a flower bed (his father was encouraging it, no less) and at least three people fishing their damned food out of the Hudson River (not in the permitted area- like, where people sunbathe).
How do you ticket a lady that looks like your mom, in a bathing cap and flowery print bathing suit? These guys are pussies for not rounding up the snarling dog and the homeless dude pooping where you're about to have a picnic.
You know how?... cause their pricks and they target people who they KNWO won't put up a fight, probably had little english in their dictionary either, to the parks dept. they're known as 2 things
#1- Easy Target
#2- Bank!
It's a shame and i guarantee it happens far more often then reported. I ALWAYS see the cops harassing the people they know can't or won't argue. I bet if it hadn't been for the "Onlooker" who stepped up and defended the situation they would have continued on with their pathetic little ticketing scams.
In Mother Russia...
Getting a $250 ticket isn't cheap especially nowadays. It's a bit excessive really.
"swimming is not allowed 6 p.m. to 10 a.m."
the ocean closes at 6? who the hell comes up with these laws? oh right, the agency that profits from its enforcement. silly me.
this comes straight from the top, Bloomberg's administration. so much for helping the middle class.
Vote his honky ass out in the next election, then!
Why not just a "SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK" sign and let us citizens make our own choices.
Seems like the city is just looking for a few extra bucks.
Because when people go swimming on beaches where the lifeguards have gone off-duty then get in trouble, it then becomes an expensive, complicated and often risky search and rescue operation. And if the city won't mount such an operation because it's "swim at your own risk," the Post would be all too happy to print an article about how the city doesn't care about peole.
From where did these ladies produce their ID's? Here's the way to deal with these "Enforcement" agents:
What's your name?
Fuck you.
Where do you live?
Fuck you.
What's your --?
Didn't you hear me? [walk away]
Theey have no gun, no real badge. NYPD doesn't take them seriously. Walk away and they won't chase. They have a radio but the only people lazier than them are their superiors.
Yeah, good luck with that one, tough guy.
they are the best part of the beach!!!! don't throw out the Russians!
Better than "Fuck you," and "Didn't you hear me?" Look confused. Say, "Hey man, I don't know you"
But you'll still get arrested/ticketed.
Better than "Fuck you," and "Didn't you hear me?" Look confused. Say, "Hey man, I don't know you"
You'll still get arrested/ticketed, but the look on the guy's face will be of some comfort.
Better than "Fuck you," and "Didn't you hear me?" Look confused. Say, "Hey man, I don't know you"
You'll still get arrested/ticketed, but the look on the guy's face will be of some comfort.
That was supposed to be under Brooklyn's comment (above). Not sure why it winded up here - sorry about that.
Forgive me, I am adjusting to the vagaries of internet commenting technemolgies. But it ended up in the right place, after momentarily appearing under BongoBoy's comment (55).
ok thats going to work. the nypd is one radio call away. then what.
I'd rather have the city bringing in $ then spending it on an expensive search and rescue/ recovery (nypd helicopter, boats & divers, coast guard boats, fdny ems etc..).
Are people forgetting how many people have died this summer?
Swim at your own risk would never work!!! Families will always bring some type of bs lawsuit against the city saying there were no signs (or only in english) or there should be more enforcement of the rules.
how about all the money the city wastes on investigating car accidents? they should just ban driving and collect $ from people violating the new driving ban between 12am and midnight.
I had this job when I was 16 and living in Chicago. I went home every night feeling like a giant douche b/c I had to kick people out of Lake Michigan in 90 degree + heat. At the end of the day though the folks who get paid to do this really don't have a say as to the enforcement of the park rules they just have to do their job. Oh, and if someone drowns b/c there are no lifeguards on duty you get named in the civil suit. And post (16) you are right - that is the most effective way to deal with aquatic rent-a-cops.
They *did* chase. They threatened arrest if correct info wasn't given, and they made that lady stand there for 20 minutes while they called in her info. Big guys with nightsticks...
what would happen in the following scenario:
they ask you for your name. you give them fake name. they ask for ID. you say i don't have ID just my metrocard and housekeys. they ask where you live, you say "Astoria".
What then? would they follow you back to your house to get your id?
this seems stupid, but rules are rules. We probably never read about the other hundred days this summer when parks department guys just looked the other way or simply told people to get out of the water and let them walk. they have to do their job (write tickets) at some point, and that's when people take pictures and post them on gothamist.
They kind of gave up on Rockaway beach last weekend.
Closing the beach at 6pm in the summer is ridiculous.
The worst people are stupid people with "power"... beach closing at 6?!? Try that in any other country. Didn't the US stand for "Freedom"? What a joke has this country turned into.
They should organize a swim-in at 6:05 to protest this stupid laws.
You got to love government. Let's grow it even bigger and see what new, asinine law they can come up with next!
To play Devil's Advocate for a moment:
It's all well and good to say, "Swim at your own risk", up until the time someone goes in after 6pm and drowns. Then it's chest beating and tears on the local news (probably Fox 5), bullshit about how "he was an honor student" and lawyers dripping out of the woodwork to sue the city.
Doesn't "Swim at your own risk" mean it's your own fault if you drown?
Gee. Lots of irate comments. Only one person recognizes the liability issue. That is the simple reason that allowing people to "cool off in the water" where numerous people have drowned recently is not a great idea when no lifeguards are on duty. Duh! I know we've read about lifeguards listening to ipods and not paying attention but still.
Up until I came to the US, I had never been at a beach with lifeguards. Did I drown? No. Did I know anybody who drowned? No. Do I know anybody who knew somebody who drowned? No.
If you don't know how to swim and go into the ocean and drown, you're stupid. Liability? People should stop passing the blame of their own stupidity...
I don't understand how the city is liable if someone drowns? NY beaches are the only beaches I've been to in the US that have these silly rules. Constant supervision is not the answer. If people don't possess good enough survival instincts to recognize that they are in a potentially dangerous situation, then they need to hire someone to follow them around to make sure they don't die. But don't ruin the freedoms of the rest of us normal, intelligent people. As for the parks dept, if their concern is really for the well being of New Yorkers, then why don't they just keep the lifeguards on longer then? Because after they leave and they close the water to swimmers, cops then patrol up and down the beaches for the next few hours anyway. Spending tax dollars either way.
Anything for a buck, right Mayor?
The gall of these people, enforcing the law & not letting people swim un-lifeguarded. "But they are cute old ladies!"
When an onlooker objects and points to the other hundreds of swimmers down the beach the two uniformed guys stalk off.
There is something wrong here. If it were a matter of liability, they would have cleared the entire beach. Something here stinks and it looks like it's the Parks Department.
This country is so stupid sometimes!
YES, surely this is a national concern. BOO USA!
And when they drown in the riptide caused by TS Danny, their families will sue. Sorry, no sympathy from this quarter.
If there's lightning they'll close and clear the beach. It happened several times this summer. Posting a sign that it's "Swim at your own risk" unfortunately will not prevent anyone from suing the city if someone drowns. And wasting your tax money.
On the garbage point, people need to have some personal responsibility. Sadly, they will not pick up their garbage no matter how many uniformed folks politely ask. The next step after politely asking, writing tickets for small offenses, gets judgmental press like this. Where's the middle ground where everyone's generally happy with the parks department?
The problem isn't the enforcement, it's the people.
Another thing I've always wondered: If the city is going to pay someone to be at the beach, wouldn't it cost less to have the lifeguards stay longer, and the parks enforcement come later on? After all, the lifeguards don't have a union.
Bloomberg would rather pave over the water and let his developer friends build some luxury apartments.
Unfortunately government has been taken over by bleeding hearts. Do you think anybody bothered to stop swimmers in the 1920s. No! Back then a "Swim at your own risk" sign meant just what it said. Unfortunately today's judges are bleeding hearts and will hear liability cases and award huge amounts of money for stupidity when they should be saying "Sorry, you're on your own."
I'm amazed at how much of a Nanny state our government has become. Posting calorie information in a fast food restaurant? No smoking in bars? Wake up people. Your freedom is being taken from you and the great city of New York is becoming a police state.
How is providing calorie info taking away our freedoms? I think I deserve to know that a Big Mac has 600 calories and use that info to possibly pick something else on the menu.
It's not New York City's money that is being used to buy a Big Mac; and NYC did not create the Big Mac.
If you can't grasp this, you really don't understand what freedom is.
Yes, maybe you do deserve to know. But you don't create laws to get the answer.
you heard it here first folks:
"freedom is a big mac with mysterious calories."
So one's understanding of true freedom is tied directly to one's ability to grasp utterly innane, nonsensical statements?
In no way does the calorie count law impinge individual freedoms. Forcing a corporation to divulge basic facts about their products is not anathema to liberty. What the hell were you talking about?
"In no way does the calorie count law impinge individual freedoms."
Calorie information has been available in fast food places for many years. You just had to ask and they would provide a brochure.
You may think it's laughable that this is an erosion of freedom, but your freedom is slowly eroding. Nanny Bloomberg is forcing you into a certain lifestyle. No smoking, no trans-fat, no fast food, tax on soda. Having all of these laws is how the erosion of freedom begins. They will legislate you to death.
Yes, they will legislate you to death by discouraging you from smoking, eating trans fats and fast food, and drinking soda.
"Yes, they will legislate you to death by discouraging you from smoking, eating trans fats and fast food, and drinking soda."
You may not think that this matters, but eventually they will hit on some regulation that affects you. Whoever thought in the 1950s that government would be legislating food?
The federal government has been regulating the food industry since 1938, and frankly, I'm glad to not have the botulism.
Because there's no way we would have prevented botulism without the glorious, all-knowing federal government, right?
* The govt should not demand manufacturers to disclose the ingredients in their food! As long as it tastes yummy oh so yummy mmmm so good, I don't care if it rots my kidneys in 5 months! I want my freedom of choice!
* The govt should not demand that my microwave shouldn't explode. I prefer to choose the microwave that is the cheapest and that can boil water in 5 seconds. I want my freedom!
* The govt should not make people wear seatbelts. I weight 500 lbs ... do you know how uncomfortable seatbelts are for me? I don't care about some hypothetical future event. I want the choice to feel comfortable NOW!
* The govt should not demand that kids go to school! I want my kids illiterate so I can control them completely and indoctrinate them with my new religion. Where is my freedom to do this??
Conclusion, America is becoming a bunch of pink commie-wanna-be's. V for Vendetta, baby, that's all I have to say.
What's hard to understand?
You said it yourself: They're using force. Under the threat of a monetary fine, you're forcing companies to alter their business practices.
My individual freedom is also impinged as the costs of these laws must be passed on someone. Those new signs with calorie counts don't build themselves. So, granted it's a fraction of a cent, but the costs are passed on to me, the consumer. My natural right to negotiate/barter for a good has been impeded by onerous regulation.
As long as we're not harming anyone else, the government has no right to regulate our negotiations, basically.
I suspect that to many of us in this thread, HymietownHero, your sentiments are considered inane and nonsensical.
The don't carry guns, but they are NYS peace officers so have authority to make arrests and to use physical and deadly force. That is, the ones who were called, with the "Enforcement" shirts; the Parks Enforcement Patrol.
That was supposed to be in reply to the "Theey have no gun, no real badge. NYPD doesn't take them seriously. Walk away and they won't chase" bad advice above.
those idiots better hope those old ladies aren't "connected"
Yeah, thios incident could spark a crimean wave.
These are the same idiots who allow people to illegally drink, spread charcoal and trash all over Prospect Park, but will issue a ticket to some dog walker who has their mutt off a leash 2 seconds past allotted free time. Lazy bastards.
It's interesting that it took two sergeants to arrest these illegals. It's a wonder they didn't call in there local Lt. Colonel to clarify the rules.
Is that sergeant park squad guy taking a dump on the sand in the second picture? It sure looks like it.
According to the quote from the parks department, there were 6 drownings. More people died this year from airplane on helicopter collisions than drownings and there were millions of swimmers almost daily at the beach. Give me a break, liability people.
They don't look black, or hispanic to me . So then the question is why did they get the tickets ? Somebody snitched in Brighten Beach .