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The park itself was gorgeous, we went on the boat ride and enjoyed walking the trail. However, every so often we encountered rowdy youth. I know it's Brooklyn and it shouldn't be surprising but even when we were on the boatride they shouted profanity at us from the bridge(?) above us.
We were told to take the 41 bus and the ride through Flatbush was not pleasant.
Upon returning, on the walk to the Q train to get back (did NOT want to repeat the bus ride fiasco), the surrounding area by the Prospect Park train station looked like a dump.
I took the children to a playground called Lincoln, I thought "Hey this is Prospect near Park Slope, the playgrounds must be lovely filled with respectable families. Boy was I in for a surprised. Loud obnoxious and scary looking people. Some people wear their attitude on their sleeve and are not approachable. But I stayed there smiling feigning a good mood while all the while thinking "Why do people want to live in Park Slope if it's next door to this type of atmosphere?"
The other playground was just as bad with undesirables (loud vulgarities being tossed here and there) barbecuing etc..
Is every nice part of Brooklyn surrounded by a pocket of this? Marine Park is changing too.
Protip: Nassau has less of those folks you don't like. HTH
I think it is a national problem, but civility in general has gone the way of the typewriter (lol).
To be fair, I see some of the same sense of entitlement when I enter the "civilized santuary" of the NY Botanical Gardens...in fact more of it in a way.
There's lots of boisterous people in my area of the Bx but most of them are careful not to step on each others' toes, literally and figuratively...or else there would probably be riots all the time.
I've heard that in Japan, or Tokyo, which is very densely populated, people must be very polite as a survival technique since they exist cheek to jowl.
I hear a lot of stuff that amuses me (everyone calling themselves the n word endlessly, etc, talking very loud as if they exist on their own planet) but surprisingly little in the way of outright impolite behavior. But young folks in general today...tsk tsk...where's the father figures?
I'm pretty tolerant except when someone bothers me personally. I often find when I go back into the City that the aura of oblivious entitlement annoys me much more than the street scene here.
I think it is a national problem, but civility in general has gone the way of the typewriter (lol).
To be fair, I see some of the same sense of entitlement when I enter the "civilized santuary" of the NY Botanical Gardens...in fact more of it in a way.
There's lots of boisterous people in my area of the Bx but most of them are careful not to step on each others' toes, literally and figuratively...or else there would probably be riots all the time.
I've heard that in Japan, or Tokyo, which is very densely populated, people must be very polite as a survival technique since they exist cheek to jowl.
I hear a lot of stuff that amuses me (everyone calling themselves the n word endlessly, etc, talking very loud as if they exist on their own planet) but surprisingly little in the way of outright impolite behavior. But young folks in general today...tsk tsk...where's the father figures?
I'm pretty tolerant except when someone bothers me personally. I often find when I go back into the City that the aura of oblivious entitlement annoys me much more than the street scene here.
Agreed. To each their own. The more things change the more they stay the same..
Are you from out of town? NY has always been rough and tumble, even in the nicer parts you can't compare them to Mayberry USA. Many good neighborhoods in NYC are bordered by several bad ones. Often the difference between a good and bad neighborhood can be a block or two in any direction. Parks and playgrounds attract people from all over, not just the local populace. Especially big parks like Prospect Park. Someone got beat to death there not too long ago, and there have been several muggings that have made the news in recent years.
Hi Coolhand, no I'm actually not from out of town. I live in Marine Park, Brooklyn. I don't often frequent Prospect Park but I suppose I didn't expect it to be that much of a "class distinction". I hope I don't offend anyone, I'm tired and maybe I'm not utilizing the appropriate terminology but it was a nightmare commute to and from. I was just wondering as to "WHY" Park Slope is such a desirable area when it's borders are pretty 'rough' and I didn't feel particulary safe nor welcome.
Hi Coolhand, no I'm actually not from out of town. I live in Marine Park, Brooklyn. I don't often frequent Prospect Park but I suppose I didn't expect it to be that much of a "class distinction". I hope I don't offend anyone, I'm tired and maybe I'm not utilizing the appropriate terminology but it was a nightmare commute to and from. I was just wondering as to "WHY" Park Slope is such a desirable area when it's borders are pretty 'rough' and I didn't feel particulary safe nor welcome.
Park Slope is a nice area, but Prospect Park attracts people from all over Brooklyn, so more than likely you are getting the garbage from other neighborhoods that are causing the trouble in the park.
I used to date a girl in Marine Park many years ago. There was a good diner down there on Quenton Rd at around 32nd St I believe, great burgers! Actually there were several really good diners in Marine Park. Some friends and I used to go to the batting cages down there too. I think I recall a park over there where Son of Sam murdered one of his victims, my ex pointed it out to me.
Really? Frankly I'm dismayed when people describe others as being undesirable. And may I ask how is it that the people were "scary"
Difficult topic because of the unavoidable link to race (cultural trands do that), but it is really quite simple.
When popular culture swings towards outfitting yourself to be visible AND formidable, you will project an air of conflict. "gangsta" does not mean you deliver cookies to shut-ins on weekends, no more than "punk" meant volunteer work at the orphanage.
When people go swaggering around, with their friends, trying to look tough, it does not help the image to smile, say hello, and refrain from calling out "yo mother" when there are little ones about. And making cutsey faces is RIGHT OUT.
So by "threating", to sidestep your implication of racism, I believe he meant that they were not exactly coming up and saying "hi" to the kids, or smiling at the beautiful weather.
When you WANT to project a vibe, other people WILL read it. Being "bad" can sometimes really be bad.
Don't you find it interesting that these "undesirables" are having a really good time with their loud, rowdy, aggressive, etc. cookout-picnics, while you're unable to enjoy yourself because the park is filled with the spawn of the unwashed?
that is a tough one.
First, unwashed is a loaded gun. You are baiting and putting words into peoples mouths.
The only thing I have hated is seeing these groups come in, party like crazy, and then leave their mess for someone else to clean up (aluminum foil, paper cups, paper towels, etc, ALL OVER!)
The only other thing is that no matter WHO the partiers are, people have a tendency to feel excluded and pushed out when someone has an event and they are not invited. Exclusion is never a positive thing.
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This is New York City, we encourage this kind of behavior in public areas as, well, one shouldn't impose one's values, should one? We tolerate vulgar behavior in New York City; the reason? I don't know.
Actually, we tollerate it because we have to. What good will it be to get into a fight with someone cursing at us from a brdge? What would that solve? WOuld it waylay tensions and make everyone stop cursing? Nope.
But it does have an effect. Hell, playing softball at Morningside Park the other day some kids were throwing rocks at us from the brick thingamajigger by 110th street. Should we "tolerate" that as well? Were we wrong for being insulted?
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On another note, there are plenty of very nice places that charge an entrance fee and thus discourage the "undesirables" from showing up. The zoos are nice, Wave Hill is very nice, etc.
You are really looking to have a fight, aren't you? You are trying your best to turn it racist, and feel like the person is out of line for not liking people cursing at him.
It is one thing to have to bear a cross. It is another to gather whatever you can around you, make a cross yourself, and shout to everyone "look at me". C'mahn!!!!! If you are so worried about racism, why are you trying to turn the conversation towards it rather than away from it?
BTW, these are rhetorical questions, intended to get you to think. I am really not looking for combative answers. I just wish you would not feel that everyone is as bad as you seem to think......
Hi Coolhand, no I'm actually not from out of town. I live in Marine Park, Brooklyn. I don't often frequent Prospect Park but I suppose I didn't expect it to be that much of a "class distinction". I hope I don't offend anyone, I'm tired and maybe I'm not utilizing the appropriate terminology but it was a nightmare commute to and from. I was just wondering as to "WHY" Park Slope is such a desirable area when it's borders are pretty 'rough' and I didn't feel particulary safe nor welcome.
You were on the east side of the park. Which is on the side of some really undersireable neighborhoods. (I thought otherwise until I decided to venture out near Church avenue on the Q line on east 18th and east 19th street)
Now Park Slope is on the West side of the park. And it's borders (windsor terrace/kensington) are nowhere near rough. You were just in a completely different area of the park.
Difficult topic because of the unavoidable link to race (cultural trands do that), but it is really quite simple.
When popular culture swings towards outfitting yourself to be visible AND formidable, you will project an air of conflict. "gangsta" does not mean you deliver cookies to shut-ins on weekends, no more than "punk" meant volunteer work at the orphanage.
When people go swaggering around, with their friends, trying to look tough, it does not help the image to smile, say hello, and refrain from calling out "yo mother" when there are little ones about. And making cutsey faces is RIGHT OUT.
So by "threating", to sidestep your implication of racism, I believe he meant that they were not exactly coming up and saying "hi" to the kids, or smiling at the beautiful weather.
When you WANT to project a vibe, other people WILL read it. Being "bad" can sometimes really be bad.
*applause*
BOTH this post and the subsequent one you wrote were spot on. Thank you. I could've been in a shady area of France or Australia, it's not about race (it just so happens this particular area of Prospect Park has a majority of one race) but it was the aura of the "gangsta" attitude that was "scary" to me. What makes you think I "should" have felt safe there?
As an aside, I grew up in the projects of ENY Brooklyn. I'm a latin woman in my thirties married to a latin man. People think we're interacial b/c he's darker skinned and I'm fair skinned and many people wonder why this ghetto attitude bothers me so much when I grew up surrounded by it. Well, frankly, this lack of manners, loudness and style of wear (pants worn literally below undergarments) is something I don't want my children to be pressured or inspired into. I grew up in a very rough less than formidable environment but neither myself nor my siblings subscribe to that type of ghetto attitude as the adults we are today. Must've been our parents, they never let us go anywhere!
Was it any better in the 60's or 70's?
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