Loitering

[Bijo]

Youngsters who loiter on the streets, near playgrounds, and so on, or anybody who is loitering and acting tough. I find it amusing to some extent.

I was just walking outside to quickly do something and took a shortcut through a playground nearby. There was a small group of young males hanging around (in their teen years). One was slowly riding his bike, some were sitting elsewhere or standing.

I proceed to walk through the pathway leading to the playground. One of them who was in direct view saw me and looked at me with a smug face, as I walked and took a cigarette which I wanted to light up. The kind of smug face that says "Hey, we's hanging out 'round here, we the boss. We're cool, just look at us. We are loitering and we're being cool. We are such young fools and we compensate our ignorance by satisfying our egos that control us weak fools."

Then when I entered the playground itself there were of course more in direct view. You know how it goes: peer pressure and stuff. One infects the other, and they all infect each other. Before you know it you got a whole small group of young simpletons that is trying to act tough and look cool and tries to intimidate to heighten their egos.

Of course, you understand I don't REALLY give that much of a flying **** because I know they are inferior in many ways. It's just that I found it necessary to share this with you and because I want to know how it is in your country, and whatever you can tell about it.

What do you think of such youths -- or any group of any age that loiters and acts tough -- while in essence they are hardly worth anything and they hardly KNOW anything? You know what I think? I think they must be re-educated or they must perish. Come, come my brothers! Let us assemble and go forth to destroy them all! [/preach mode off]

[Fragony]

I think they are dangerous, best is you don't do that again.

[doc_bean]

Meh they're kids being kids.

Also, smoking doesn't seem like a thing for you to do.

[Ronin]

they are just what they look like for the most part....idiots trying to look cool...

I wouldn´t propose to do anything about it because I don´t care either really....

the only time I had a serious problem with such wastes of oxygen I was with 2 friends of mine when a group of 4 or 5 of these types tried to start trouble with us....well....after a bit of hard shoving back and forth (that they started) and one of them yelling in my face that he was gonna kick my ass I decided that enough was enough and head butted him right in the nose......

his friends were gone before his ass had even hit the floor.....he soon followed.

now...looking back at this it sure wasn´t the smart thing to do....and I wouldn´t do it again....you never know what a situation like that can turn into.

but I admit that me and my friends laughed about that one for quite some time....1 second there they were..standing all proud and tough and stuff....2 seconds latter they were running down the street calling for mommy....

pathetic really.

[Scurvy]

the only time I had a serious problem with such wastes of oxygen I was with 2 friends of mine when a group of 4 or 5 of these types tried to start trouble with us....well....after a bit of hard shoving back and forth (that they started) and one of them yelling in my face that he was gonna kick my ass I decided that enough was enough and head butted him right in the nose......

his friends were gone before his ass had even hit the floor.....he soon followed.

I had a similar experience (used elbow, not head) but then legged it, just about escaped

we get "loiterers" a fair bit around here, i think it stems partly from the lack of community stuff aimed at young people etc.

[Adrian II]

Dear God, what are we coming to?

Look, this phenomenon is as old as mankind. Only fifty years ago, nobody would have been even surprised to find a youthful 'neighbourhood watch' in any barrio, loitering and pestering all those who don't 'belong'. It comes with every territory where hard-working (or hard-drinking) people have kids. In the old days such groups used to fight groups from other neighbourhoods, just for the heck of it. West Side Story, anyone? I remember when I was a history student, I read medieval texts about rural fairs and markets where youngsters would behave in the exact same manner.

These days people in the West take offense at anything, are afraid of every stranger, and know nothing about even slightly different social groups living in the next block in the same town.

[Vladimir]

I think I would have stayed and talked to them then. It's amazing what great friends you can make by simply stopping and talking to strangers. Once they realize you're not a threat they usually open up. A touch of military bearing helps too (and beer). I was a white "army of one" for two years; met some good people, had some great BBQs.

[Odin]

Youngsters who loiter on the streets, near playgrounds, and so on, or anybody who is loitering and acting tough. I find it amusing to some extent.

I was just walking outside to quickly do something and took a shortcut through a playground nearby. There was a small group of young males hanging around (in their teen years). One was slowly riding his bike, some were sitting elsewhere or standing.

I proceed to walk through the pathway leading to the playground. One of them who was in direct view saw me and looked at me with a smug face, as I walked and took a cigarette which I wanted to light up. The kind of smug face that says "Hey, we's hanging out 'round here, we the boss. We're cool, just look at us. We are loitering and we're being cool. We are such young fools and we compensate our ignorance by satisfying our egos that control us weak fools."

Then when I entered the playground itself there were of course more in direct view. You know how it goes: peer pressure and stuff. One infects the other, and they all infect each other. Before you know it you got a whole small group of young simpletons that is trying to act tough and look cool and tries to intimidate to heighten their egos.

Of course, you understand I don't REALLY give that much of a flying **** because I know they are inferior in many ways. It's just that I found it necessary to share this with you and because I want to know how it is in your country, and whatever you can tell about it.

What do you think of such youths -- or any group of any age that loiters and acts tough -- while in essence they are hardly worth anything and they hardly KNOW anything? You know what I think? I think they must be re-educated or they must perish. Come, come my brothers! Let us assemble and go forth to destroy them all! [/preach mode off]

What do i think? I used to be one of those youths. Here is the rub Bijo you got lucky because in some places your the one who would have been re educated. (ever been to LA? the street kids there are real gems)

Your better off avoiding that situation. Of course when i was hanging out and causing trouble none of us had firearms, today its a whole different ball game. Have your smoke somewhere else the next time.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Before you have a family, stand up for principal 100% of the time.

If they are crowding the street and harrassing people, call the policia OR get a few friends and just start hitting. It has worked every time I've needed to get it done.
If you really feel threatened definitely call the authorities, but I would suggest that young people fight before that because you can get away with more in terms of assault when you are wee lads. You also heal faster and don't usually have a job that you need to go to.

[Somebody Else]

I occasionally have nightmares about situations like this... wandering along, and confronted by a gang of little thugs.

...

I don't like the thought of getting blood on my clothes and being arrested for multiple murders...

[Vladimir]

Say it with me: "I was in fear for my life."

[PanzerJaeger]

It's just that I found it necessary to share this with you and because I want to know how it is in your country, and whatever you can tell about it.

{temporarily withdrawn, pending staff review}

[KukriKhan]

Just a thought: Is not what we do here, in the backroom, the off-off-topic subforum of an internet game-fan site, also:

"Hey, we's hanging out 'round here, we the boss. We're cool, just look at us. We are loitering and we're being cool. We are such young fools and we compensate our ignorance by satisfying our egos that control us weak fools."

?

I mean, do we not loiter here, seeking to impress each other with our own definition of coolness?

That said, taking the property of another (snatching a cigarette) is obviously wrong, and in some neighborhoods I've lived in, could lead to some serious consequences, from a shouting match, to a knife-fight, to gunplay, depending on the seriousness of the perceived insult.

Outnumbered, on foreign turf, with no backup, if some kid snatched my ciggie... I'd probably pull out another for myself, offer to pass around the pack to the group, and ask if they had a light.

Killing/hurting kids over tobacco is a waste, so no need to get all Rambo on them. Better to make allies for later. At least then I've settled the cost of passage through their territory.

If I know I'm superior to them, why must I prove it on their terms? Better, IMO, to reset the terms to my own, grownup ones. They're kids, afterall; teachable, malleable, moldable. Basically begging for adult leadership. So provide it, sez I, humbly.

[Husar]

Just a thought: Is not what we do here, in the backroom, the off-off-topic subforum of an internet game-fan site, also:

?

I mean, do we not loiter here, seeking to impress each other with our own definition of coolness?

And I'm obviously the coolest kid in the park.

That said, taking the property of another (snatching a cigarette) is obviously wrong, and in some neighborhoods I've lived in, could lead to some serious consequences, from a shouting match, to a knife-fight, to gunplay, depending on the seriousness of the perceived insult.

Just curious but where did you get that from?
If it's from this quote:

One of them who was in direct view saw me and looked at me with a smug face, as I walked and took a cigarette which I wanted to light up.

I got that as

One of them who was in direct view saw me and looked at me with a smug face, as I walked and [ I ] took a cigarette which I wanted to light up.

otherwise it should be

One of them who was in direct view saw me and looked at me with a smug face, as I walked [ , ] and took a cigarette which I wanted to light up.

If it's version 2 and the guy took a cigarette out of Bijo's mouth/hand, that gives the whole thread a very different meaning.
I took it for version 1 actually which sounds like he's just enraged about loitering as the thread title suggests but version 2 adds an exciting aspect of physical violence and danger with a missing application of the second amendment that unfortunately doesn't exist in the Netherlands.

A cigarette isn't worth a lot, but where do you draw the line? When they take your 300€ cellphone or your 10000€ car?
In caveman terms the guy clearly showed that he's superior in version 2, he can take your property and you do nothing, that's why I'm not yet ready to assume version 2 is true since you need to tell us in that case, whether you blushed or not, Bijo.

[Bijo]

Eh, well... I was simply complaining about people loitering on the streets and acting cool and tough. Husar seems to be correct as it was I who took my own cigarette and was about to light it up. What people did was they were just hanging around and trying to act tough or cool There was no physical aggression or anything of the like nor was my property taken, just people loitering and trying to intimidate bypassing persons like they're a bunch of fools who -- more or less -- live solely on egos and emotions. I perceive them as animals, nothing more, who should be put against the wall

EDIT: I was just passing through, by the way. I lighted and smoked the cigarette as I was underway: I was not maintaining my presence in that area as I needed to be somewhere else and this route seemed the quickest. And this neighbourhood is not a bad one. These kids were just a bunch of youngsters who were trying to act cool, but in essence they're just a couple of schmucks

I wonder what PJ had to say, heheh!

[ICantSpellDawg]

Eh, well... I was simply complaining about people loitering on the streets and acting cool and tough. Husar seems to be correct as it was I who took my own cigarette and was about to light it up. What people did was they were just hanging around and trying to act tough or cool There was no physical aggression or anything of the like nor was my property taken, just people loitering and trying to intimidate bypassing persons like they're a bunch of fools who -- more or less -- live solely on egos and emotions. I perceive them as animals, nothing more, who should be put against the wall

EDIT: I was just passing through, by the way. I lighted and smoked the cigarette as I was underway: I was not maintaining my presence in that area as I needed to be somewhere else and this route seemed the quickest. And this neighbourhood is not a bad one. These kids were just a bunch of youngsters who were trying to act cool, but in essence they're just a couple of schmucks

I wonder what PJ had to say, heheh!

OOOOH it sounded like they took your cigarette. In that case avoid them. But the second they touch your stuff, find an avenue for revenge and punishement. It's the American way.

[PanzerJaeger]

I wonder what PJ had to say, heheh!

I gave an accurate portrayal of the street trash in my city. I mentioned race, which must have prompted the deletion.

[spmetla]

It is funny though how people try to act tough in a playground or something like that.

I seem to not have problems with 'punks' at all, I keep to myself but unless I know the area I take the bus or drive my car instead of walking. Hawaii's pretty mellow anyhow, at least for the most part. Been to a few places where "haoles" such as myself are certainly not welcome but then those places tend to have people that are more likely crack/iceheads instead of merely loitering so avoiding said area is important. I hate the idea of the raving mad drug addict trying to start something with me, had one crazy yelling as he went down the street but he just seemed to be yelling out of lunacy instead of at someone.

I imagine if young punks start to feel their oats and try to push people around then the real thugs of the area would put them in their place after a few days.