Jump to content

My GPS V was taken from me today.


Recommended Posts

quote:
Originally posted by Johnnyvegas:

BTW- you have not sean our rights being taken away?


 

anyone who hasnt seen that is probably unable to see thru the red,white,blue colored glasses they're wearing. but i digress. i dont want to hijack this thread off topic so i'll shut up about it for now.

 

william

 

alt.gif

 

 

I am not smart enough or witty enough to think of anything worthy of a sig line. As a result I've never had a sig, never will.

 

[This message was edited by Gwho on May 24, 2003 at 08:39 PM.]

Link to comment

I just visited Cedar Point this week, part of a tour of 6 theme parks in 7 days I went on with my family. I didnt bring my GPS (not out of fear of confiscation, I just didnt see a need to) Anyway my wife had asked for a electric wheelchair to be reserved and the one they held as damaged, so they said when one came back in they'd hold it for her.

 

So mid day I'm near Milleniumn Force & can't find a shop to have someone check in for us so I grab a security officer for help. He's real helpful, and as we're walking to a station for him to phone in I notice the gun and immediately this thread came to mind. I notice his sew on patch says Cedar Point Police. (not security, Po-Leese)

 

So I ask him how come Cedar point has its own police, the difference between police & just regular security etc. He explains that on a good day they get 75-100,000 people, it can get REAL rowdy, they often have to make arrest, and thats where the main difference is, they can arrest people, and they are allowed to carry guns.

 

Needless to say, as far as attitude goes he was real nice, probably because I was nice to him. If I'm a total nasty-@$$ he might not have been so helpful. Although there are definit exceptions, I find with law enforcement, you reap what you sew. Nice gets a warning, nasty gets a ticket. And when nice gives you a ticket, (like i got on 480 in Independance, PH) nice gets your court date moved up so you dont have to come back 3 weeks later.

 

william

 

alt.gif

 

Link to comment

Isn't it Private Property?

 

It's a theme park. Like Disneyland.

 

People are going on about government infringement upon our rights, but did any of you think about getting informed (like clicking the link to Cedar Point in one of the first few posts?).

 

If it's private property, then they can ask you to take your GPS back to your car.

 

They can tell you flip-flops are not appropriate shoes. They can (and do) require you to wear a shirt and shoes. If they wanted to ban cellphones and cameras and walkie-talkies, they could.

 

It's private property. It's not subject to guarantee many of your constitutional rights.

 

If you don't like it, you can just avoid patronizing their business. You can go on the news and give them some bad PR (some news shows have a "troubleshooter" segment where they will cal a business for you... often while on the air).

 

You can picket the public sidewalk in front of a business, or print up bumper stickes saying to boycott them.

 

But thay have the right to refuse service.

 

"I'm not Responsible... just ask my wife, She'll confirm it"

Link to comment

Like they said, it's private property and a business just liek the website. They can do what they want. I'm sure they have their reasons. I can see the argument from both sides.

 

AS far as constitutional rights, sure you have some, but there are "buts" and "ifs" included in them as well.

 

Jeremy stated about a knee jerk reaction and that is probably at least partly true. 9/11 changes a lot of things around. Some instantly and some after thoughts. Things are continously changing even today because of it. Was it posted? Some stated no and that even on their website it wasn't. Was it posted on signs at the park or any literature that is available? I would imagine that they may tell you firstly to remove the GPS unit from the park. Perhaps they didn't. Even if they did, there would be some process in getting it returned. But the nice thing about this country is that if you feel wrongly and unfairly treated, that you can handle it legally.

 

As far as terrorism and the gps, yes it can be used. One could be getting coordinates for certain places exactly for a hit. Of course the information is available elsewhere also. If I remember correctly, the coordinates that the terrorists had were taken from a flight simulator program on a computer. You can easily use topo maps and aerial maps on the internet for it. I am really surprised of all the things they do allow. But in reality, you would be flying naked and without any luggage at all if they banned everything that can be used. Anythingg can. For instance, in prison (worked federal and state prison as well as law enforcement jobs for 14 years) we allowed inmates to have pencils and pens. One of the terrorists from the first world trade center bombing back before 9/11,used a pencil and stabbed a Federal Corrections Officer in the eye when he was being transported on foot somewhere. I don't know the outcome of the officer, the last I had heard he was in intensive care.

 

I had a Kubaton (piece of plastic - blunt on both ends about 6" long) taken from me in the Atlanta Airport by their private security. This was back in 1992 and I was a peace officer then. I wasn't even flying, but picking someone up. Of course I could do the same damage with a 30 cent bic pen and probably even more damage at that.

 

A lot of banning and taking away is just to appease the public and some official. They will then say that they are doing all that htey can, when they aren't. Mainly because people will say their constitutional rights are being taken away if they really try to do everything they can to protect.

 

Technology is great in the right persons hand, but it can be devastating in the wrong persons hands.

 

Brian

 

As long as you're going to think anyway, think big. -Donald Trump

Link to comment

I didn't read ALL the posts in this thread so forgive me if I am rehashing something here. We recently (June) took a month long vacation. Went to a number of state, federal and privately owned sites. At most of them all of our bags were searched PRIOR to entry. NONE of them confiscated anything of ours- including PDA, digital camera, 2 way radios and our GPSR. Most of the sites were not top terrorist targets but some were- Disney World, Liberty Hall & Liberty Bell, Lincoln, Jefferson & Washington Monuments among others. So my questions would be, were you searched before entering and why if it was something they did not want in the park why let it in in the first place? I agree that it being private property they had a right to confiscate it but they should have done so at the entrance or told you then that you could not bring it in. I would think that it was a case of someone either over zealous or not sure and erring on the side of caution. I would have talked to the superior of the person first and pleaded my case then complied with what that persons decision was. Of course if they said I would not be able to get my things back they would have to deal with my lawyer.

 

Remember, wherever you go- there you are!

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Mark 42:

 

If you don't like it, you can just avoid patronizing their business. You can go on the news and give them some bad PR (some news shows have a "troubleshooter" segment where they will cal a business for you... often while on the air).

 


 

I guess you didn't read the entire thread. The question was not whether or not they could tell you to take the 'offensive' item back to your vehicle or refuse you entrance, but rather if they may legally take it away from you.

 

If there are no posted restrictions at the gate, and they allow you onto their property, can a member of the staff confiscate your GPSr when they see you with it?

 

Ron/yumitori

 

---

 

Remember what the dormouse said...

Link to comment

I read it, but that wasn't part of what I was considering or commenting on.

 

I knew someone who was at Daytona trying to sell extra tickets to a Nascar race at face value only because he couldn't use them... the (real) police took them away.

 

I told him if it were they would have to have given me a receipt, badge numbers, and a warrant to seize my property, or arrest me.

 

He honestly didn't know that it was illegal to sell them on the Racetrack property. The police could have just told him so, and he would have left, and gone somewhere off of the property with a cardboard sign or something (legal).

 

I would not have forfeited my GPS either. I would have said "okay, I'll take it out and lock it in my car".

 

If that was not adequate, i would have left, and then made a stink about it. If I had a season pass, I would demand a refund, stating that the stipulation "no GPS" was not in the contract implied by the pass, and therefore I want a refund. Perhaps I need it to find my car in the lot, or for some other convenience directly related to my use of the pass... therefore, I cannopt fully enjoy the pass as I (reasonably) expected when I purchased it.

 

"I'm not Responsible... just ask my wife, She'll confirm it"

Link to comment

Supposing I wanted to know the coords of anything at cedar point...

 

Let's say... "Hotel Breakers...

 

Caches Nearby Cedar Point "Hotel Breakers" (Approx 41.4844°N, -82.6829°W)

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?lat=41.4844&lon=-82.6829

 

Cedar Point's map

http://resorts.cedarpoint.com/_upload/pdfs//DrivingMap03.pdf

 

MSN Map

http://makeashorterlink.com/?W225327A5

 

Topo map w/ "X" at approx location of "Hotel Breakers" resort.

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=17&n=4593681&e=359501&size=s&u=1

 

Aerial photos of the park:

http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?w=1&Lat=41.4844&Lon=-82.6829

http://makeashorterlink.com/?X20D364A5

 

Mapquest Cedar Point Map:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?N53E624A5

 

[This message was edited by Mark 42 on August 20, 2003 at 11:06 AM.]

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by General Bracket:

In any case, I actually am curious about that. That part wasn't just goofing.

 

It has also been my experience that cops have little to no sense of humor. No gray area. All by the book. Black and white only. Seriously. I'm not trying to get a rise, this has actually been my observation. Any thoughts?


 

I am sure this was prolly answered already but....

 

Black and White, no grey area attitude is simple... have you seen the way most people treat police / sheriffs / etc...?

 

They lie to them at every opprotunity given to them, don't want them around unless they called them, they always want the officer / deputy to take their side, deny doing anything wrong even when the officer stood there and watched them do it. Not to mention people tend to run from them, shoot at them, physically attack them, etc... (OK same could be said for a lot of school teachers icon_smile.gif )

 

I have to Police officers in my family.

 

Folks just have to remember that 99.9% of the officers are just doing their job. They didn't write the laws, they just enforce them.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by team travel pig:

i'm afraid i probably would have handed mine over too... glad you got it back again.

 

and while i agree it's dumb, mohammed atta did in fact buy a gps unit while in new york to map the tower location.


 

I can go to TerraServer, or quite a few other sites that have online aerial photos and topo maps, from the comfort of my desk and get a very accurate lat/long of any site in the US -- the capital building, the Empire state building, or the Scream Machine at Six Flags in Georgia. Why would anyone think that a GPS is a magical terrorist weapon compare to the information that is available through other means?

 

--

stream of did I lock the front door? consciousness

Link to comment

Here we do not have Park Rangers. We have actual Park Police. I was very against this when it was proposed but it obviously passed. I don't care what anyone says, Police or not, nobody is taking my property. I am sure I would have been arrested for my reaction to the Police trying to steal my property. I don't like cops to begin with. I really don't like people trying to dictate what I can and cannot do either. Rings too much of Orwellian 1984 to me.

 

If it isn't hard, it isn't worth doing right?

Link to comment

I just sent Cedar Point a comment. Here it is:

 

quote:
Just read on the www.geocaching.com FORUM about a guy who had his GPS receiver taken away from him by the park security. All I'll say is that if anyone tried to take my personal property they would end up eating concrete. I think people are getting wayyyyy to carried away with all this 'national security' mumbo jumbo.

 

Don't be foolish, don't try to take the personal property of your patrons. I have thought of visiting Cedar Point at some time in the near future, but after reading about this, I am now thinking my money might be better spent at another park. After all, the guy was just using it to find his way back to his car that evening.


 

If it isn't hard, it isn't worth doing right?

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...