Anyone ever look into school grounds use after Dark... laws, regulations?

Good question isn't the whole point of our country you're free to do what you want to as long as you're not harming anyone else. Don't see how exercising at a public school after dark is going to harm anyone.

Yeah I've had the same thing happened. People act like it's crazy to be exercising after Dark. But if you're out drinking or smoking or burning up gasoline , it's good old-fashioned fun. You're right there's no way the school is going to say yeah feel free to jog at night. but just keep letting them know it makes no sense to be hating on a brother who's just trying to get some exercising isn't bothering anyone

i am in new york state and I have worked out at plenty of high school tracks past dark. if the gate isn't locked, i assume it is open.

places with a security guard are a different kind of matter that I am not familiar with

When I go back to home town, I'll scale tall fences to run track early or late. I'll get some stares but no one booted me yet.

It's all about safety and more importantly, liability. If the track is on school property, of course they don't want you to run on it after dark, there is a much greater chance that you could stumble or fall and get hurt, and then you could sue the school for not having proper lighting. In my case, kids have gotten onto our track at night and caused mischief and destruction.

In Florida there is a law requiring public schools make tracks available to everyday citizens. Hillsborough county (Tampa Area) school board has not been doing it. I found out fro ma group going after the school board to have the tracks open. It’s a state law that public schools paid for by tax payer money open their tracks for public use. I wish I had a copy of the law that was posted in the group but things are about to get very crazy in Hillsborough county.

This never seemed to be much of an issue before the days of expensive synthetic tracks. Now, you might be lucky to get out there any time, day or night. Given the idiocrasy of people these days, who can blame them. Vandalism is "cool".

For me, my only reliable track is the one on a nearby military base (I have access). And there are lights, too. And no hoodlums. Probably the safest place for an old guy to run.

It has gotten to the point for me where safety is the most important issue. If anything, I want them to find my body quickly should I keel over!

The last time that I went for a run on one of the local greenways, the parking lot seemed to be a gathering spot for teens. Given the times that we are in, I did not have a good feeling about that.

Once actually visited Hillsborough and had to hop a fence to get to the track. The staff told me just to knock on the door next time and they'd let me in through the building. I did that next time, but no one was there so I hopped the fence and worked out. I actually set an intruder alarm, the students probably all had to duck under their desks or something. Yikes.

At home, the local school track is open to everyone with no fences at all. During the height of COVID you'd find a few dozen people at the school field doing something.

It is easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

MidFootStriker wrote:

Good question isn't the whole point of our country you're free to do what you want to as long as you're not harming anyone else. Don't see how exercising at a public school after dark is going to harm anyone.

Actually hilarious take but congrats to you for drinking the kool aid

How is this a question? If you can get onto the track then go use it you big pansy. I’ve been running on dark tracks for years. How else would I do track workouts in the winter.

If you're among the 25% of LRCers on the sex offender registry, just stay a mile away from any school grounds.

Until I retired, I did it all the time. Only once was I told I couldn't. There was a cop (not a school employee) in the parking lot and he stopped me. I didn't argue. But the next night I was back. Our track is always unlocked.

Masters_Runner11 wrote:

In Florida there is a law requiring public schools make tracks available to everyday citizens. Hillsborough county (Tampa Area) school board has not been doing it. I found out fro ma group going after the school board to have the tracks open. It’s a state law that public schools paid for by tax payer money open their tracks for public use. I wish I had a copy of the law that was posted in the group but things are about to get very crazy in Hillsborough county.

I am skeptical such a law exists. I did a quick search and could not find it. It also seems an odd thing since liability and wear and tear would be issues.

Just because taxpayers pay for something does not mean anyone can use it. Can I take a ride in a F18? Can I go in and use the high school chemistry lab?

tough choices wrote:

Yeah I've had the same thing happened. People act like it's crazy to be exercising after Dark. But if you're out drinking or smoking or burning up gasoline , it's good old-fashioned fun. You're right there's no way the school is going to say yeah feel free to jog at night. but just keep letting them know it makes no sense to be hating on a brother who's just trying to get some exercising isn't bothering anyone

Not one person "acts like it's crazy to be exercising after dark".

In some areas they might not want randos on school property after dark because that happens to be when vandals, criminal and hooligans tear s#it up. Surely you are not as dumb as your post would indicate. I hope not.

If it's fences up, you're definitely trespassing if you climb over to get in.

That's nuts. Our school track was NOT built by taxpayer money, we had private donors fundraise for the majority of it. It is on school property, but it's a community track. It's never locked - got one of those gates to keep out bicycles - but there are no lights so I wouldn't want people out there after dark.

i ok sch wrote:

How is this a question? If you can get onto the track then go use it you big pansy. I’ve been running on dark tracks for years. How else would I do track workouts in the winter.

This has always been true for me as well. Never even gave it a second thought. During months of the year when daylight hours are short and it gets dark about the time I get off work, running in the dark is just a regular thing, and if a track is open, have never considered it to be a problem.

BTW, you would be surprised at how well your eyes adjust to running in the dark and how well you can see. It's not all that bad. Especially on a track where the white lines are quite visible in the dark.

Couple other things I have wondered about...bicycles on a track...does that really hurt anything? Seems like rubber tires couldn't do much damage. Especially since it probably would be kids most often doing it...and likely kids of a person using the track at the time.

Also, locking tracks to protect against vandals always seemed odd to me. If someone wants to vandalize a track, do you think it being locked will stop them? If they really want to do damage, they will find their way in one way or another. ? So maybe the only people you are keeping out are the harmless people who just want to run.