For the protection and privacy...

[a 1 player]

of our patrons, video recording equipment and cameras are not allowed on this premises without written consent.

I took my kids ice skating for the first time over the holidays, and as any proud father would do, I thought it would be great to get a photo of their first time on ice skates. As they came around the rink, I shot a quick couple of shots of them, they were no farther than 10 feet from me at the time. Immediately the skating guard (the 16 year old kid who wears the vest and skates around the rink) comes to me and says that pictures are not allowed, and could I please put my camera away. I said of course I would, and I was not aware of the rules, and I apologized. Mature of me eh?

I go to the front office and ask to speak to the manager. I tell her that I would like written consent to shoot a couple of pictures of my kids as it is their first time on skates, and I would like to keep the memories.

Her: No.
Me: Why? Could you please explain your reason for denying my request?
Her: Read the rules again.
Me: I understand the rules very well, that is why I am here asking for written permission.
Her: How do I know you are not going to take pictures of other people for other motives?
Me: (Can't believe what I am hearing), I could understand if this were a swimming pool, or a locker room and people were in a state of undress, but everyone in here is wearing at least a sweater, if not a coat as it is freezing. So, may I have a permission slip? I will do my best to ensure that there is no one else in the photographs.
Her: Give me your camera.
Me: I don't think so, it is packed in my camera bag as you can see and it will remain there. What is your name please? I would like it so I can talk to someone at the city so I may get some resolve and a permit for future use.
Her: Get out now, we don't need 'your kind' in here.
Me: If that is the way you want it fine, I'm going to get my kids. And what exactly is 'my kind'?
Her: No you are not, I'll have someone send them out, what do they look like and what are they wearing?
Me: (Now I'm frigging fuming), listen now, I don't know who the hell you think you are, all I did was come here for permission to take a picture, and in less than a minute your shitty attitude has turned this into a war that I really don't think you want to be in. I suggest you grow the hell up and start treating people with respect, I have done nothing wrong here. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to get my kids.

She reaches out from behind the counter to grab for my camera bag and all of a sudden this big hand comes out from the person behind me and blocks her hand. Then I hear a voice...

"Maam, what you are about to do is called assault, I have heard the whole conversation and this man has done nothing wrong. I am officer XXX from XXX and it is my suggestion that you allow him back in the arena to watch his kids skate". The gentleman then produces a badge, (he was off duty at the time). "Sir, if you need a witness as to what has transpired here, please feel free to give me a call, I would be quite happy to verify your story". He gives me a card, I thank him and I am on my way back into the arena to watch my kids skate for the next little while.

You should have seen the glare I got while I was leaving.

So, now I will type a letter to the city to explain what happened, and thanks to the off duty officer as I will be using him as a witness. But what a crappy way to start off the New Year.

I swear to god, there are just some people who should not be put in a position of athourity. The woman behind the desk I would guess to be in her 50's, so one would think that she should have some level of maturity. I can't wait for the reply I get.

 

[landscaper]

the nanny state with a vengence.

 

[drlove]

Some people...

Serves that bitch right. It's too bad that the cop didn't wait until AFTER she grabbed you. If that was the case, you could have had her charged, and possibly sued. If it was me, I'd make sure I had her head on a platter, no question about it.

 

[Angela@Mirage]

of our patrons, video recording equipment and cameras are not allowed on this premises without written consent.

I took my kids ice skating for the first time over the holidays, and as any proud father would do, I thought it would be great to get a photo of their first time on ice skates. As they came around the rink, I shot a quick couple of shots of them, they were no farther than 10 feet from me at the time. Immediately the skating guard (the 16 year old kid who wears the vest and skates around the rink) comes to me and says that pictures are not allowed, and could I please put my camera away. I said of course I would, and I was not aware of the rules, and I apologized. Mature of me eh?

I go to the front office and ask to speak to the manager. I tell her that I would like written consent to shoot a couple of pictures of my kids as it is their first time on skates, and I would like to keep the memories.

Her: No.
Me: Why? Could you please explain your reason for denying my request?
Her: Read the rules again.
Me: I understand the rules very well, that is why I am here asking for written permission.
Her: How do I know you are not going to take pictures of other people for other motives?
Me: (Can't believe what I am hearing), I could understand if this were a swimming pool, or a locker room and people were in a state of undress, but everyone in here is wearing at least a sweater, if not a coat as it is freezing. So, may I have a permission slip? I will do my best to ensure that there is no one else in the photographs.
Her: Give me your camera.
Me: I don't think so, it is packed in my camera bag as you can see and it will remain there. What is your name please? I would like it so I can talk to someone at the city so I may get some resolve and a permit for future use.
Her: Get out now, we don't need 'your kind' in here.
Me: If that is the way you want it fine, I'm going to get my kids. And what exactly is 'my kind'?
Her: No you are not, I'll have someone send them out, what do they look like and what are they wearing?
Me: (Now I'm frigging fuming), listen now, I don't know who the hell you think you are, all I did was come here for permission to take a picture, and in less than a minute your shitty attitude has turned this into a war that I really don't think you want to be in. I suggest you grow the hell up and start treating people with respect, I have done nothing wrong here. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to get my kids.

She reaches out from behind the counter to grab for my camera bag and all of a sudden this big hand comes out from the person behind me and blocks her hand. Then I hear a voice...

"Maam, what you are about to do is called assault, I have heard the whole conversation and this man has done nothing wrong. I am officer XXX from XXX and it is my suggestion that you allow him back in the arena to watch his kids skate". The gentleman then produces a badge, (he was off duty at the time). "Sir, if you need a witness as to what has transpired here, please feel free to give me a call, I would be quite happy to verify your story". He gives me a card, I thank him and I am on my way back into the arena to watch my kids skate for the next little while.

You should have seen the glare I got while I was leaving.

So, now I will type a letter to the city to explain what happened, and thanks to the off duty officer as I will be using him as a witness. But what a crappy way to start off the New Year.

I swear to god, there are just some people who should not be put in a position of athourity. The woman behind the desk I would guess to be in her 50's, so one would think that she should have some level of maturity. I can't wait for the reply I get.

That is so unfortunate. She should have explained to you the policies in place due to creeps who endanger children. She was way out of line.

 

[torontojohn]

I especially love the "without written consent" on the sign when they obviously have no intention of granting it.

I'd be tempted to just take the photos despite the sign - as best I understand it, that's violating the rules established for access to the property meaning you're liable to being treated as a trespasser. Show me the cop who will be thrilled with the idiot who calls them out to hassle a guy taking pictures of his own kid.

 

[drlove]

I think it's pathetic that a father cannot take pictures of his own children ice skating without being branded a perv. When I was kid growing up in the 70's, no one would have even batted an eyelash. Speaks volumes about our society as a whole, doesn't it?

 

[drlove]

I especially love the "without written consent" on the sign when they obviously have no intention of granting it.

I'd be tempted to just take the photos despite the sign - as best I understand it, that's violating the rules established for access to the property meaning you're liable to being treated as a trespasser. Show me the cop who will be thrilled with the idiot who calls them out to hassle a guy taking pictures of his own kid.

The media would have a field day with this.

 

[tboy]

I think it's pathetic that a father cannot take pictures of his own children ice skating without being branded a perv. When I was kid growing up in the 70's, no one would have even batted an eyelash. Speaks volumes about our society as a whole, doesn't it?

Blame the sick fucks in our society for that.......

Now let me pose a question for da player:

How did she know that a) you actually had kids there and b) were not some perv who was shooting kids without their parent's knowledge?

Just for a second think "what if you WERE a perv"? The cop just protected a pedophile.......

 

[Cycleguy007]

I commend you A1P for having such a cool head about the whole thing... lucky the LE was on hand to back you up.

Me, I don't think I would have been so "nice". I likely would have ignored the 16 year old skate patrol kid... & if he persisted, I would likely have responded with "they are my own children... try and stop me" And would have gone about my way enjoying the moment.

I have 3 kids of my own, and I take pics of them everywhere we go, and I have NEVER been told to refrain from doing so, save for 1 time. We were vacationing in the Caribbean and I took some pics of them standing next to a bunch of parrots, and the lady politely asked me not to, because her business was selling pics of her birds... fair enough... I put the camera away and bought a couple pics from her.

I think Landscaper nailed it... this is simply a product of the nanny state we have created for ourselves...

 

[gramage]

Why couldn't I have ever dealt with people as reasonable as you were when I had to stop people from using cameras? back when I was an usher and I asked a guy not to photograph the kids play he said "I don't think your big enough to make me so fuck off."

Why do the civil people never get to deal with each other?

 

[Anynym]

Decades of "activism" (there are other words, but this isn't the place to enflame others unnecessarily) have led to situations where local managers are speficially instructed that they are to follow the written rules without exception, and without exercising any judgment of their own.

Common sense gets removed, and we're left fuming. But the social agitators (er, activists) proclaim how they've protected youth in thousands of instances every year.

 

[a 1 player]

Blame the sick fucks in our society for that.......

Now let me pose a question for da player:

How did she know that a) you actually had kids there and b) were not some perv who was shooting kids without their parent's knowledge?

Just for a second think "what if you WERE a perv"? The cop just protected a pedophile.......

To answer...

a) Come with me for a 100 foot walk and listen to my kids yell "Daddy, I'm skating"! or verify with the photographs in my wallet.

b) As opposed to a photo journalist doing an article on free skating in Toronto?

And further, if I were a pedophile, still where have I broken the law? There is no nudity, no sexual intent, no explicit poses...

Fuck sakes, concentrate on the people hiding in the bushes on a nude beach, not the guy out in the open shooting pictures of a family member who is wearing a snow suit and a hockey helmet. If anyone cannot see the difference in those situations, they should be living in a supervised group home for the incompetent.

I can say this without a doubt, if there were a person using a zoom lens shooting pictures of MY kids, I would be there in a heartbeat confronting the situation, at least figuring out what his/her intentions were. As a parent, that is MY responsibility.

Like I stated earlier, one has to look at the entire situation. I could understand if it were a pool, in a locker room, or the like. Hell, if anyone has ever gone to one of their kids school Christmas concerts, you could be blinded by the flashes. The problem is that common sense has gone the way of the Dodo.

 

[Cycleguy007]

The problem

A1P,

The problem is that common sense has gone the way of the Dodo.

Is that "common sense" is a misnomer... There really isn't anything common about it... (unfortunately!)

 

[RTRD]

See...

...this is how I know there is a God, because these things keep happening to you, and not me.

Because if it were ME, things would have taken a really, really bad turn at the point when she said I couldn't go back to get my kid. And after all that, I might have let her reach for the camera bag in order to bring her that much more closer to me, so that I could explain my perspective in a language more plain that I am sure she'd understand....

 

[a 1 player]

If starting to think I was Stalin in a previous life.

Besides, it will give me more pleasure to see her terminated from employment then from me fighting an assault charge.

 

[RayFinkel]

If starting to think I was Stalin in a previous life.

Besides, it will give me more pleasure to see her terminated from employment then from me fighting an assault charge.

Cheer up a 1, this is for you big fella!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRkDZPmkqi4

 

[snowleopard]

Cheer up a 1, this is for you big fella!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRkDZPmkqi4

lol ... do you think he took dancing lessons from Elaine Benis?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xi4O1yi6b0

 

[tboy]

Player: I'm not saying she was correct, but as Kyra said in another thread: try to see things from someone else's persepctive which I am.

As you say, it isn't a locker room/pool or whathaveyou but no matter where it is, someone shooting kids without permission is a big no no. (and FYI: a telephoto lens isn't a determining factor).

As for your kids calling out "hey daddy", was she there? Do you know for a fact that she heard the kids and saw the situation? I bet not....

As for the "why" in our society everyone is looking to blame someone else. Should a photo of kids (heaven forbid) show up on a questionable site, I can bet you that the parents would be screaming blue murder at the rink operators for not preventing it.

Before you go jumping on the lawsuit wagon remember we are a common law society: YOU don't press charges, the police agencies do and if there was a charge to be laid, the officer involved would have done it.

I for one would be thankful that the manager in question was so exuberant in protecting your kid's privacy......

 

[wetnose]

In the eyes of the nanny state, any man is suspect. When did we all become potential criminals

 

[hickorysticks]

Player: I'm not saying she was correct, but as Kyra said in another thread: try to see things from someone else's persepctive which I am.

As you say, it isn't a locker room/pool or whathaveyou but no matter where it is, someone shooting kids without permission is a big no no. (and FYI: a telephoto lens isn't a determining factor).

As for your kids calling out "hey daddy", was she there? Do you know for a fact that she heard the kids and saw the situation? I bet not....

As for the "why" in our society everyone is looking to blame someone else. Should a photo of kids (heaven forbid) show up on a questionable site, I can bet you that the parents would be screaming blue murder at the rink operators for not preventing it.

Before you go jumping on the lawsuit wagon remember we are a common law society: YOU don't press charges, the police agencies do and if there was a charge to be laid, the officer involved would have done it.

I for one would be thankful that the manager in question was so exuberant in protecting your kid's privacy......

I respectfully disagree with you. I don't think it's normal for our society to be so overwraught with caution as it gives the true perverts more room to be creative in their attempts to exploit children. Who, if they had a perversion would actually go to a skating rink (where kids are with their families, etc, and are all bundled up with winter gear on)? This is just another example of the silly policies by those who've gone overboard have set in place. Especially as A1 Player went up asking for permission rather than just taking pictures from a creepy hiding spot. Again, not many perverts are going to make their interests known to someone in authority.

So while, it's good that we have a close watch on our kids, it is also important to not infect our society/children with such a fear of perversion, that we have to explain to them why mommy or daddy couldn't take pics of their first skating trip.