400 arrests at Gasparilla (Tampa: to buy, live, legal) - Tampa Bay - Florida (FL) -Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater - Page 5 - City-Data Forum

JudiPatooti · 02-05-2010, 10:10 PM

Stop the world I want to get off!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe reading this thread. Are there really so many people in Tampa that would defend a person's right to do such disgusting and illegal things anywhere in public much less on other people's lawns? That's insane! And the obvious jealousy of anyone who lives on Davis Island is sad. You people who are defending this behavior as though it's a right need to get out of the sun or something! You've lost your minds!!!

MAniacTHW · 02-06-2010, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudiPatooti

Stop the world I want to get off!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe reading this thread. Are there really so many people in Tampa that would defend a person's right to do such disgusting and illegal things anywhere in public much less on other people's lawns? That's insane! And the obvious jealousy of anyone who lives on Davis Island is sad. You people who are defending this behavior as though it's a right need to get out of the sun or something! You've lost your minds!!!

I think the people "defending the rights" of public urination are just fed up with the people of South Tampa in general. It seems that ALL they do is complain (read TBO some time, I'm sure you'll find a story). However, I WILL say that anyone who moves/d there, KNEW what they were getting into. That's like moving into the ghetto and being surprised your car got broken into, moving to a big city and being surprised you're stuck in traffic, or going to an Italian restaurant and being amazed that they don't serve Mexican. Gasparilla is nothing new, and neither are the illegal activities that come along with it.

tampaguy03 · 02-07-2010, 09:08 AM

s early AniacTHW;12787669] Gasparilla is nothing new, and neither are the illegal activities that come along with it.[/quote]

For someone who has lived in the area over 20 years (3 of those years in Hyde Park), and who has friends and co-workers that have lived in the Parade area along Bayshore all their lives, what IS NEW is the amount of total lack of RESPECT amongst drinkers and the property owners....this type of behavior DID NOT go on like this for all over 100 years that it has recently in the past.
We started noticing a difference in late 90s early 2000 when they extended the parade south, starting the from Bay to Bay Blvds instead of from Howard Ave.
So yes there has been a parade along Bayshore for quite some time, but the rowdiness, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, lack of total respect for property did not occur until recently.

macinhd · 02-08-2010, 03:22 PM

It doesn't matter if the rowdiness started in 1900 or 2000. If you don't like it rowdy, then move somewhere else. Why should thousands (hundreds of thousands) who enjoy Gaspa every year have it ruined because a bunch of notinmybackyard types can't stand to have the common folk in their yards for one day?

Crane's Rooster · 02-08-2010, 10:30 PM

I'm not from Tampa nor did I go to Gasparilla (was supposed to but plans fell through last minute) but based on what I read here's my guess. The majority of "arrest" were for minor violations (open container, public urination, public intoxication, etc) and were notices to appear (basically a ticket) instead of actual custodial arrest (handcuffed and taken to jail). In my opinion, in these time of budget cuts, 400 arrest X $250 fine + court costs is a fairly good plan to make up for the budget shortfalls.

Kathleen1971 · 02-09-2010, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macinhd

It doesn't matter if the rowdiness started in 1900 or 2000. If you don't like it rowdy, then move somewhere else. Why should thousands (hundreds of thousands) who enjoy Gaspa every year have it ruined because a bunch of notinmybackyard types can't stand to have the common folk in their yards for one day?

Why can't those thousands enjoy Gaspa without becoming so drunk they can't figure out the difference between a toilet and a front lawn?

captaincatfish · 02-09-2010, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macinhd

It doesn't matter if the rowdiness started in 1900 or 2000. If you don't like it rowdy, then move somewhere else. Why should thousands (hundreds of thousands) who enjoy Gaspa every year have it ruined because a bunch of notinmybackyard types can't stand to have the common folk in their yards for one day?

Like a few other posters here, I'm not a Tampa resident (I'm in SW Ohio), but after reading the general tone of posts here, I decided to offer my '2 cents'...

I and a lot of others DON"T like it rowdy, and will be damned if we'll be told to move somewhere else...I get sick and tired of people who whine because somebody actually has the nerve to have enough backbone to tell them to go somewhere else and act like a drunken, bb-brained numbnuts...

Listen up---you will NOT pee in my yard, you will NOT do the 'Horizontal Macarena' in my yard, you will NOT drop Number 2 in my yard, and if I am paying property taxes and am responsible for the UPKEEP of said yard, then I will by-god SAY WHAT GOES ON in my yard...

Now, should people want to press the issue, then they will be greeted by an amazing sight---me, sitting on my front porch/stairs, with a Remington 12-gauge pump at port arms...they get one verbal warning, then they will get an audible one---the sound of a shell being racked...should things escalate from there, then I would fire a warning shot into the air, and Mr and Mrs Buckshot and all their children will fly happily into the sky...

That last part may sound a bit forceful to some people (and it's pure speculation, seeing as I don't OWN a gun) but it was merely to illustrate a point---that my home and yard are MY HOME AND YARD, and I wll not put up with any alcohol-fueled punk stuff, just because somebody wants to get 'rowdy'...time out for that noise

MAniacTHW · 02-09-2010, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by captaincatfish

Now, should people want to press the issue, then they will be greeted by an amazing sight---me, sitting on my front porch/stairs, with a Remington 12-gauge pump at port arms...they get one verbal warning, then they will get an audible one---the sound of a shell being racked...should things escalate from there, then I would fire a warning shot into the air, and Mr and Mrs Buckshot and all their children will fly happily into the sky...

That last part may sound a bit forceful to some people (and it's pure speculation, seeing as I don't OWN a gun) but it was merely to illustrate a point---that my home and yard are MY HOME AND YARD, and I wll not put up with any alcohol-fueled punk stuff, just because somebody wants to get 'rowdy'...time out for that noise

You must really think we're some backwoods imbreds down here. Not only does it sound forceful, it also sounds illegal (as you can't fire a "warning shot" and you can only pull or use a gun if you feel your life is in danger). Take my advice, stay in Ohio. And don't comment on Florida, you clearly know nothing about it.

FloridaKash · 02-09-2010, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

Not only does it sound forceful, it also sounds illegal (as you can't fire a "warning shot" and you can only pull or use a gun if you feel your life is in danger).

Are you sure its only legal if your Life is in danger? In most communities you are allowed to use a gun if you feel your life and/or property are in danger....

I see where both sides are coming from. I would be more than happy to deal with people walking on my property, camping out on my lawn to watch the parade having a few beers. I would not tolerate people using my lawn as a bathroom, destroying my property and being blacked out. I suppose Tampa could increase the Alcohol Tax for that day and use the extra funds to have city workers clean up yards along this route and fix any damaged property...HAHAHA.

Frankly, really drunk people can get scary. They may have a gun on them, make irrational/stupid decisions and put my family in harms way. You better believe I would have my gun out on the day of Gasparilla, if I lived along Bayshore.

So, let's play what if. What if a drunken fight occurred in my front yard and a weapon is drawn. The person with the gun is pointing it at a person who is facing him with his back facing my home. What am I to do? Allow it to happen? Hope he hits the guy so a stray bullet doesn't fly into my house potentially harming my family or property not to mention having a cold blooded murder occur on my property? If I shot the guy that had his gun drawn would I be a hero or would I be going to jail for murder? Who knows? One thing would be for sure, I would be spending my life savings on a lawyer because some people think should be ok for completely wasted fools to think they can do what they want on my property.

Frankly, people should be allowed to have canned beers along the Parade Route, no glass. They should not be allowed to have hard alcohol. If you are stumbling, puking, peeing, pooping, streaking or about to pass out you should be arrested. If you have glass or hard alcohol it should be dumped out, properly disposed of and a citation given.

Of course I am not a resident of Tampa, so I understand how this could offend people. I will be a resident this summer and am looking forward to attending this event. I do like to party.... responsibly.

saltzman143 · 02-09-2010, 12:20 PM

I think the only solution to this is to move the parade. Clearly the people who live near the parade don't want the activity associated with it, and clearly the people who go to the parade and get drunk are not gonna stop doing that, and with ever-increasing numbers every year, it's only bound to get worse.

Where should it be moved to?