<p>Hunt wrote:</p>
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<p>I think this pretty much sums it up for many who are posting on this thread.</p>
<p>Bay, re: post #39, do you really think that those who have sex outdoors are all “criminal-types”? I’m not into public sex that others can observe. But I honestly don’t think that those who have sex outdoors in discreet places are criminal types.</p>
<p>“These men are not dressed for hiking on dirt trails - they are wearing sandals or street shoes and non-hiking attire, and seem not to be moving in hiking mode. I know their attire is not necessarily indicative of anything, but nature gave us our intuition for a reason, and my antennae go up when I see them. It actually never occurred to me that they might be gay, I was more fearful for my Ds hiking alone there. Now I won’t let my S go alone, either!”</p>
<p>Hiking alone is not a good idea for anyone even people who hike with large dogs.</p>
<p>I know a guy who was almost shot while camping alone in a park. Apparently, he was hiking near someone’s marijuana , and the grower thought my friend was coming to steal his crop. Friend noticed the guy and felt in danger, so my friend – who was weaponless and a Buddhist-- offered the man a cup of coffee.</p>
<p>The man stayed, chatted, and as he was leaving, friend asked if the man had had violent intentions toward him. The man acknowledged that he had, and would have shot my friend if my friend hadn’t offered him the coffee. The man said something like, “If I had killed you, no one would have found you here.”</p>
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<p>No, I was talking about having sex in “public places,” not just outdoors. I don’t have a problem with people having sex outdoors if they are on private property, away from public view. I also think I understand where you are coming from - but I think there is a huge difference between having sex way out in the middle of nowhere with no one around, and having sex in a popular area of a public park, no matter how “discreet” one might think s/he is.</p>
<p>Btw, I would think carefully before having sex in any public place, unless I knew for sure that being caught and prosecuted wouldn’t result in being classified as a “sex offender.” I don’t know the answer to this.</p>
<p>Back when I lived in Boston–female, 5’3", slender (then)–in the mid-70s, I regularly went running in the Fens, known then as a place of much illicit sexual activity, most of it male-male. On several occasions when a man (presumably straight) hassled me while I was running, one of the male regulars (presumably not straight) made sure the guy left me alone. </p>
<p>The same thing occurred several times when I was a regular swimmer at Venice Beach in the early '70s (when it was a nude beach primarily frequented by men). I swam there early in the morning because I was house-sitting a few blocks away. </p>
<p>I think regular habituees of any place, whether gay or straight, add a great deal of safety to a place.</p>
<p>And, if you don’t want to see men having sex in the bushes–don’t go in the bushes.</p>
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<p>Pragmatist!</p>
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<p>Many people have sex outdoors on property that is not private property, though discreetly. </p>
<p>In any case, I do not think they are arrested or classified as “sex offenders.” If arrested at all, it would likely be for public lewdness.</p>
<p>As a single male, I long learnt not to go into a popular restaurant for it would be a long time before I would be seated. It would seem that my other favorite activity, i.,e., hiking alone, should better be curtailed less I may give fright to others.</p>
<p>This is a strange thread…I am still trying to figure out why a person would want to call the police because gay people might be present or looking for other gay people. Straight people go to all sorts of places to meet potential partners and I don’t think anyone would think of calling the police. I could see if there was some type of offensive behavior going on but just because single men were seen there seems a bit homophobic.</p>
<p>re post #49 - okay, I’ll 'fess up - and I was even old enough to have known better!! Guess it wasn’t as private as we thought ;)</p>
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<p>I’m trying to imagine how this one would work.</p>
<p>"It was actually my H who first mentioned that he thought something was up (no pun intended.) I didn’t even think anything when we passed the first guy on the path. He was wearing purple satin drawstring pants, no top, had pierced nipples and streaked blond hair. I just thought–“Not something I’d wear to go hiking.” "</p>
<p>Wha, your hubby would have gone with magenta pants?</p>
<p>“The Philadelphia Art Museum was known as a place for gay men to go at night. Kind of strange, but apparently they would do their thing in the bushes. We went there on a class trip in 8th grade and were forced to eat lunch in the lawn and I remember seeing condoms all over on the ground right where our class was sitting to eat.”</p>
<p>I hope the museum posted some signs saying, “Attention Children: If you drop your sandwich while eating here, the 5-Second Rule is NOT in effect.”</p>
<p>I do because when I was walking down the street at age 10, a man pulled over, rolled down his window</p>
<p>I know it is hard to believe :rolleyes: but gay men are not pedophiles.</p>
<p>My elementary school was bordered by a powerline road- the playground was huge, and I walked to school the back way, along with other kids from our development.
It was common, for a man in a car to be parked where we entered the playground. He often had his door open and was masturbating.
As far as I know, he was never apprehended because for one, many of us probably didn’t realize what he was doing, and if we did tell someone, they wouldn’t believe us anyway because it was " a nice neighborhood".</p>
<p>It didn’t scare me away from cars, or walking or even men.
( or elementary schools)
I was however, alert, when I would take my kids to a playground and noticed men hanging out staring at the kids.</p>
<p>I think it is a mistake for families to stop going to parks such as these. It’s like the school system issue - if all the upper-middle-class folk pull their kids out of public school, then the school system no longer has an important section of the community. Same with parks - if it is, in fact, a place where gay men are having sex in the bushes, what would reduce this behavior? All families and women avoiding the park completely, or families and women frequenting the park more often? Its a bit of a catch 22, isn’t it?
Just FWIW, my kids’ afterschool care program used to walk the kids down to a park that had a certain reputation. (And yes, there were some condoms…) I asked the staff to make sure and check the bathrooms before they sent any of the boys or girls in, and they did.</p>
<p>There’s a very disturbingly sexist tone to this thread. Men are blamed for EVERYTHING. Doesn’t anybody have a story of walking to school and having a masturbating female drive by? (Preferably a brunette with green eyes and a pageboy haircut.)</p>
<p>@Emerald Yeah, that ticked me off too, I read that and thought “Oh great, another person who thinks we gays are all pedos, lovely”</p>
<p>If everyone fears going to the park and stops going, the strange activity will increase. If more people and families use the park, they will go elsewhere to do shady activity. It is less likely you will get attacked in a park if there are more families nearby or if you go with someone else. I would never let my children visit any park or unfamiliar area by themselves. Instead of going around to everyone you know and warning them about the activity and not to use the park, get some mace or a gun, and invite them to go with you.</p>
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<p>Oh sure, now the gays who frequent this park are not only pedophiles but also violent criminals intent on attacking anyone else visiting the park…</p>
<p>Seriously why would any sane person, let only families with small children, CHOOSE to enter a recreational area where they felt they needed a gun??!!</p>
<p>" Instead of going around to everyone you know and warning them about the activity and not to use the park, get some mace or a gun, and invite them to go with you."</p>
<p>I’d be more frightened of you than gay men looking to have rendezvous.</p>