Peckham Common Annoyances

[ilondoner]

Went for my daily walk around Peckham Rye Common early Saturday morning and found it more stressful than usual. Lots of rubbish littering the grass, lots of dogs crapping on the grass (whilst their owners chatted on mobile phones or walked 30 yards ahead) and the outdoor gym was over-run with screaming toddlers climbing all over the equipment.

Isn?t there an age limit for use of the outdoor gym? I felt it too dangerous to use some of the equipment whilst small children ran around unsupervised.

[the-e-dealer]

Why is it that every Park user group thinks no one in any other user group should be allowed to use it? Its a fliipin Public Park Not A dog walking park or a Bowls playing Park or an adults only Gym Park or A footballers park its shared facility. Abuse it and you may lose it!

[ilondoner]

Whilst happy for the rest of humanity (and their pets) to use the park. I still reserve the right to moan when dogs crap on the grass and children between the ages of 4-6 run around the outdoor gym unsupervised. I'm sure the parents of said children would have plenty to say if unsupervised adults (any adult unaccompnied by a small child) entered the childrens' playground and hogged the swings and slides.

[buggie]

While I agree on the whole with your points e-dealer, the outdoor gym equipment IS designed for adults & children playing on it is a bugbear of mine have looked after plenty of children who've ended up in A&E with injuries after playing on it even when *supervised*. Similarly, am sure you'd be annoyed if your children couldn't get on the swings/climbing frames for adults playing on them.

[zeban]

That's why I hate summer in London! go next saturday and it'll be back to normal trust me. People seem to lose all civility when the sun comes out!

[chantelle]

young children just want to try out the equipment. They should be supervised and quickly ferried away if there are adult users waiting.

[puzzled]

how very predictable. hardly a week goes by without the peckham rye park vigilante cohort feel the need to moan about loads of life's little irritants - but it inevitably always distills down to dog poo. you would think the place was knee deep in crap. I think all you dog haters should remember to take your medication at the prescribed times.

[nununoolio]

Some questions Puzzled.

Who said they hated dogs?

Are you suggesting the amount of dog mess in Peckham Rye, or any other park for that matter, is acceptable?

My 7 year old daughter has an irrational fear of dogs and says she hates them. What medication would you suggest?

Are dog haters, real or imagined, one of your little irritants?

Are you on any meds? If not, perhaps you should book an appointment. I detected a hint of tension/stress/hysteria in your posting.

Or are you just a WUM?

Ilondoner made a valid point that there are many dog owners not paying attention to what their pets are doing, resulting in, among other things, rather a lot of turds littering the park. I witness this on a daily basis. I also see parents not watching over their children properly and people of all types treating the park and it's users with a distinct lack of respect. I like to have a polite word with them about it, which often does the trick.

Fortunately I also notice the vast majority of park users, including dog walkers, behaving rather wonderfully. The-e-dealer was right in saying the park is for everyone. It's a valuable space in a densly populated London borough for all sorts of people.

I would suggest a bit of give and take with minor irritants such as kids on the gym equipment (maybe a polite word with their parents). As for littering, dog fouling, vandalism, thretening behaviour etc...... if you witness it, report it to the police/wardens.

[ilondoner]

Puzzled (you?re not the only one) I am not a dog hater. In fact, I believe that I react with uncommon restraint when faced with unruly pets and their owners, or do I mean unruly owners and their pets. For example whilst out jogging I was charged at by a dog who then proceeded to dance around my feet barking, snapping and tugging at my tracksuit. The owner apologised ? by assuring me that his pet was still a puppy and just wanted to play. He called to his puppy (who totally ignored him) but made no attempt to restrain him. I smiled politely and proceeded on my way. (Not, I think, the actions of rabid dog hater.)

[puzzled]

what on earth is a WUM? I am not suffering any stress... I am merely taking the piss out of many posters who seem to have their heads burrowed deep in their botties.

[vivienne]

mmmmh "but it inevitably always distills down to dog poo." and what does dog poo distil down into?....blindness I think ....is there any medication for that?

::o

[vivienne]

Well said sensible person who suggested quiet words and police wardens:)

[vivienne]

"I am merely taking the piss out of many posters who seem to have their heads burrowed deep in their botties." No wonder you're puzzled, I think you'll find it is dogs that do that....bury their heads up each others botties as you so sweetly say!>:D<

!

[LadyDeliah]

Aren't there enough threads on here ranting on about dogs and dog pooh already?

[ilondoner]

Just to prove that my head is no where near my or anyone else?s bottom. I will spend Saturday morning chasing small friendly dogs around Peckham common (waving my arms about and screeching at top of my voice so they'll know that I just want to play).

Then I?ll head for the children?s playground, where I'll hog swings and slides for at least half an hour at a time, whilst small children (accompanied by sensible adults) wait patiently for their turn.

[taper]

As long as you don't dawdle on the paths, slowing us saturday morning runners up, I don't give a damn.

Why is it people walk so damn slowly. Some of us are trying to get fit and you're not helping.

And any other runners on Peckham rye tomorrow: don't smile at me. I'm not there to socialise and exchange pleasantries I am there to fulfill my middle life obsession with cracking two hours for the half marathon.

So nick off the lot of you.