XC Teams Are Banned From Public Park - Please sign petition if you agree

Any Which Way But Loose wrote:

1. You live in Rhode Island... how oppressed could you possibly be?

2. The parks are for everyone. This include runners, equestrians, walkers, those on a picnic, bird watchers, etc. Don't think you have a right that precludes others.

3. WHY are they apposed to the X-C teams? Is it the running? Or, is it the fact that you have dozens of high school kids running all over the park (possibly) making tons of noise, and leaving trash to be cleaned up.

For someone to make a rule such as this, there must have been a complaint or complaints about some activity.

Someone that uses the park, thinks that the teams are a problem.

The part of the story we are not getting.

E-rosion wrote:

adsfadsfdf wrote:

Also, the damage done is proportional to the square of the mass, so horses + riders do a lot more damage than runners.

Except that 8, or so, runners out weight a horse (~1000 lbs), and they hit the trail more often.

It's ok. Math operations above addition and subtraction are hard.

Stoppit Smith wrote:

I hate to say this because I did run in high school XC but the truth is that a rule is a rule is a rule.

One trail at one park is not going to damage a runner or a season.

We are starting to act too entitled, even for our kids.

Cyclists want the whole lane.

Some runners want to be able to be free to run through golf courses, cemeteries and closed roads.

Some cars breeze along the shoulder to avoid the traffic, then cut in sharply,

inconveniencing or scaring another driver

No.

A rule is a rule.

You note it and find another place.

That is what good people do. And what has always separated runners from other rougher sports is that many are good people.

Let's keep that.

WTF. Rolling over for government bureaucracy doesn't make you a good person.

Also the law in most places is that cyclists get the whole lane.

Good rules are rules. Bad rules need to be changed.

Aside from the racist threads, this is one of the most dispiriting threads I've read on letsrun.com. Why is there the need to attack an attempt (an extremely non-aggressive attempt at that) to re-open a public park to high school runners? Jesus. People on here will get nasty about anything.

For those not familiar, this is a park with about 4-5 miles of trails in the woods outside Providence. For reasons unknown, the park authorities have sided with a small number of horseback riders who don't like runners spooking their horses and have banned groups from running on the trails. At most there are 3-5 horses on the trails at one time, and they are shutting out literally hundreds of high school and middle school runners.

Erosion has zero to do with it. The park does abut the bay, but the wooded trails used by runners are not close to the shore.

But the bottom line is that these are trails in a public park, not private bridle trails. Imagine if Forest Park in Portland, or Rockefeller State Park in NY, or Rock Creek Park in DC, or the Arboretum in Madison were suddenly closed to runners so a small handful of horse enthusiasts could have the place to themselves. That's what has happened in Rhode Island's best running spot. Please consider signing the petition. I think it will make a difference when the park authorities are approached again.

I agree with what you wrote here. I could kind of see if the park wanted to deny the XC teams from practicing without a permit, since they are clearly an "organized activity," and I'm assuming they have a requirement to get a permit for any organized activity. But, they denied their request for a permit without any explanation of why, so that is out.

I would be curious to see the videos they reference in the petition.

I would also be curious to know if the coach fought the citation or just paid it.

" For reasons unknown, the park authorities have sided with a small number of horseback riders who don't like runners spooking their horses and have banned groups from running on the trails."

A spooked horse can kill it's rider, and whoever spooks it. So runners and horses don't mix. If the authorities sided with the riders, it is probably because that was the original purpose of the trails.

Der gutless acquiescent toadie: it's NOT a real "rule", it's a made-up scam but $$$ horse creeps who don't want their phony 'get back to nature shuck' disturbed by proles or kids; especially since the dessicated twats usually behind such prohibitions haven't seen natural moisture in decades.

That a PUBLIC PARK is open to horse$hit is the bigger issue, or should be. Clowns who have that $$$ for something that's nothing but a personal luxury can damn well well afford to ride at an equastrian center or on their own "estate," hah hah.

LetsRun posters are among the most vile, feckless people in the world but I'm hoping some smarter, more connected readers help out here.

@I have run and others wrote:

" For reasons unknown, the park authorities have sided with a small number of horseback riders who don't like runners spooking their horses and have banned groups from running on the trails."

A spooked horse can kill it's rider, and whoever spooks it. So runners and horses don't mix. If the authorities sided with the riders, it is probably because that was the original purpose of the trails.

yeah, and who owns horses in urban America? rich people and wannabes; THEY are the cretins making this issue, not hikers, runners, pedestrians etc.

Follow the money - and influence. Equestrian owners likely have a lot more of it than lowly runners, as far as the politicians are concerned.

Easy fix example:

10:00 am - 1:00 pm = horses & walkers only on trails

All other times = mountain bikes, runners, walkers, horses "if" they feel comfortable being there and sharing with the others. If horses are not comfortable with runners and mountain bikes, please stay in the barn during this time.

Any Which Way But Loose wrote:

1. You live in Rhode Island... how oppressed could you possibly be?

2. The parks are for everyone. This include runners, equestrians, walkers, those on a picnic, bird watchers, etc. Don't think you have a right that precludes others.

3. WHY are they apposed to the X-C teams? Is it the running? Or, is it the fact that you have dozens of high school kids running all over the park (possibly) making tons of noise, and leaving trash to be cleaned up.

For someone to make a rule such as this, there must have been a complaint or complaints about some activity.

Someone that uses the park, thinks that the teams are a problem.

You clearly don't know Rhode Island, its among the most corrupt places in the country. Its pretty obvious whats going on. The people who own the stables (a private company) that use the park, or some of the members of said stables have clout with park management or the upper levels of DEM and had this done as a favor or 'you scratch my back, i'll scratch yours' scenario.

2. I'm not sure what #2 is even trying to say. The petition is not asking to kick anyone out of the park, its asking for middle and high school teams to be able to use and share the park with everyone else, quite literally asking for exactly what you describe.

3. They're opposed to XC teams because they represent large groups going down trails at once, which can be a problem when they encounter horses, who are sometimes spooked by large fast moving groups. The park is still open to individuals, and I would guess trash and noise are a much bigger problem from young unattached kids coming to the park (which is also an oceanfront beach) with no supervision than an XC team with a team area and coach supervising (and responsible for their actions). Since this is Rhode Island, rather than set up a system where teams are allowed at certain times or where certain trails are closed to runners or horses so everyone can continue to enjoy what the park has to offer, cronyism instead wins the day.

Horses on week 1, runners on week 2. Snowmobilers on week 1, cross-country skiers on week 2. Mountain bikers on Week 1, non A-holes on week 2.

Pack of runners wrote:

M.C. Confusing wrote:

But horses do FAR FAR more damage to trails than hikers, runners, or mountainbikers.

Not than a pack of runners.

1 horse > 100 runners > 10,000 mice

It isn't just the amount of traffic, it is the weight (and sharpness of foot/hoof, i would imagine) concentrated on each step.

The Oliveiras of C&L Stables probably have friends in high places. It is Mob Island after all. Good luck with the struggle. Signed.

Solomon's wisdom wrote:

Horses on week 1, runners on week 2. Snowmobilers on week 1, cross-country skiers on week 2. Mountain bikers on Week 1, non A-holes on week 2.

ex-Iowan & Minnesotan here, snowmobilers and non A-holes are mutually exclusive categories

Plus Rhode Island doesn't have snowmobilers, which is one if its positive qualities.

the big money horse lobby is evil and there's almost no doubt they bought their easily corrpupted local government here.

I'm not saying this is fair at all, but trails with runners and horses do not mix well. Riverside State Park outside Spokane has trails with both, and I've seen some near catastrophic spooking incidents. And sometimes, runners have acted like they own the trail (the same with many of the riders).

Knacker wrote:

The Oliveiras of C&L Stables probably have friends in high places. It is Mob Island after all. Good luck with the struggle. Signed.

horse meat hoagie wrote:

@I have run and others wrote:

" For reasons unknown, the park authorities have sided with a small number of horseback riders who don't like runners spooking their horses and have banned groups from running on the trails."

A spooked horse can kill it's rider, and whoever spooks it. So runners and horses don't mix. If the authorities sided with the riders, it is probably because that was the original purpose of the trails.

yeah, and who owns horses in urban America? rich people and wannabes; THEY are the cretins making this issue, not hikers, runners, pedestrians etc.

yeah, and who runs XC? rich kids and wannabes

Bring this up with your local news agency. Call them and post on their facebook page and have all the athletes affected do the same to get attention to the matter. I know our local news agency digs into stuff like this often.