As all of you know, I love to go for walks. My feeling is God gave me this body and I need to take care of it. I do try to exercise when I can but I do enjoy going for walks at night and going for bike rides. One of my favorite places to go is Sunken Meadow State Park. I love the smell of the ocean, being out in the sun and breathing fresh air. There is a boardwalk there that I frequent when I can. After 4 pm on weekdays the toll is free so I always try to get there when I can. I also worked there during my college years and have fond memories of picking up garbage...well not really but I did return to college with an awesome tan!
At the entrance of the East Parking lot I have always noticed this sign pictured above. I have to say that out of all the things I read on those signs, every rule is broken but two. I never see a whole lot of drones and rarely do you see people smoking. I do however see people roller skating, rollerblading, skateboarding, adults, teens and kids on scooters, people of all ages on bikes and pets all the time on the boardwalk. This got my crazy brain to start thinking. Let me go back in time to the 1960's! When you watch television in the 1960's, the kids on TV shows were all respectful. Beaver Cleaver's friends were always respectful to Mr. & Mrs. Cleaver. On other shows whenever you saw a police officer they were always shown respect. Nobody wanted to break rules. Now I realize that is Hollywood and not reality but still I ask myself this question (as I fast forward to 2023) "What gives people the right to break a rule that is posted on a sign?" I look at that older couple on the boardwalk walking their dog and smiling like they are doing nothing wrong. They are enjoying the beach and the sun like me. But what would happen if Sunken Meadow hired a "Boardwalk Policeman or Policewoman" that handed them a summons for breaking a park rule. Do you think that couple would be happy? Or how about that teenaged boy who is riding his bike on the boardwalk after the times designated on the sign. Do you think he would understand or start arguing with the officer? Or how about that parent who has three kids all on scooters with their helmets and knee pads on racing up and down the boardwalk. Do you think that parent would say, "No problem officer. I'll tell my kids to stop. We understand!"
I often wonder why people feel rules don't apply to them. I'm sure the State Parks Department has those signs up in case of a lawsuit, God forbid. I'm sure there has been casualties. But I still wonder how we feel that rules don't apply to us. Why is it that in this great country of America people still believe rules were meant to be broken. All I know is that I see a lot of entitlement everywhere I go. Whenever I drive on the Long Island Expressway, you always see some crazy person driving well past the speed limit weaving in and out of traffic trying desperately to beat everyone to wherever they are going. The sinister side of Dave Harff is whenever you see them pulled over on the side of the road you always want to yell out the window, "I'm so glad you caught them, Officer!!!"
So in a nutshell friends and family, let's obey the rules wherever we are and please be safe!!
HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!
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