Here in south-central Pennsylvania, there are not many places to do open water swimming. That may seem hard to believe, but most of the rivers/lakes are either on private land or pretty nasty places due to pollution (farm run-off, esp.) The few places that there are to swim are usually in parks and are regulated out the wazoo. (A friend of mine was arrested earlier this year for training out of bounds at one of the state parks.) For those of you who do freshwater training swims, how do you deal with/circumvent the legal issues or do they not apply in your area? I realize that saltwater swimming is a different story, but we are several hours from the nearest saltwater - too far for regular swims.
Or is freshwater training all "Jersey legal" - i.e. legal as long as you don't get caught?
-LBJ
Parents
Former Member
(A friend of mine was arrested earlier this year for training out of bounds at one of the state parks.)
Hi Leonard,
What was the outcome of his case?
I'm interested because the NYC Parks department outlaws swimming at Coney Island after the lifeguards leave their stations which is usually 6pm. Park workers in dune buggies then come along and chase anybody that has ventured back into the water away. The protocol is to get out, let them travel about 50 meters and then go back in. They don't look backwards. I suspect they know how assinine they appear, but they have to go through the motions of doing their job.
I am thinking about requesting the City to officially stop this practice anyway. I don't see why Americans ought to tolerate any Government Agency prohibiting people from using the waters off of public shores.
A couple of summers ago, the Parks people also stopped a group of kayakers I was with from playing in the surf off the Rockaways once in a part where the beach that was totally closed. Unlike at Coney Island, they didn't even allow people on the sand. That really ticked me off, and I may consider instigating a lawsuit in the future against them if that policy continues and if it has any chance of success.
(A friend of mine was arrested earlier this year for training out of bounds at one of the state parks.)
Hi Leonard,
What was the outcome of his case?
I'm interested because the NYC Parks department outlaws swimming at Coney Island after the lifeguards leave their stations which is usually 6pm. Park workers in dune buggies then come along and chase anybody that has ventured back into the water away. The protocol is to get out, let them travel about 50 meters and then go back in. They don't look backwards. I suspect they know how assinine they appear, but they have to go through the motions of doing their job.
I am thinking about requesting the City to officially stop this practice anyway. I don't see why Americans ought to tolerate any Government Agency prohibiting people from using the waters off of public shores.
A couple of summers ago, the Parks people also stopped a group of kayakers I was with from playing in the surf off the Rockaways once in a part where the beach that was totally closed. Unlike at Coney Island, they didn't even allow people on the sand. That really ticked me off, and I may consider instigating a lawsuit in the future against them if that policy continues and if it has any chance of success.
