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couchmaster
climber
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May 30, 2009 - 10:07pm PT
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"wheres the drugs guys"
"Uhhh, Drugstore ranger dude??! " WTF? LOL!
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enjoimx
Big Wall climber
SLO Cal
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May 30, 2009 - 10:11pm PT
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One was called "Sither" or "Strither" or something. Mustache, dark hair...disrespectful and aggro
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The Real Perez Hilton
Social climber
Hollywood, CA
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May 30, 2009 - 10:13pm PT
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Sounds like you were breaking the law, on both occasions.
What's the issue?
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mucci
Trad climber
sf ca
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May 30, 2009 - 10:34pm PT
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Must move through valley more stealthly!
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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May 30, 2009 - 10:49pm PT
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I'm sorry. You didn't get TOOLED. Though your experience was rather annoying I'm sure, you didn't get TOOLED. Did you get busted for something you didn't do? NO. Did they fsck with you because they could.... Not really.
And hell... no seatbelt and no ticket? WTF are you bitchin' about?
Sux though.... sounds biz as usual.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
North of the Owyhees
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May 30, 2009 - 10:51pm PT
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A near miss. Perilous, but it worked out.
No stays at the John Muir Inn.
Whew.
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Mr_T
Trad climber
The 7th Pin Scar on Serentiy Crack
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May 30, 2009 - 11:09pm PT
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You didn't get a seatbelt ticket. And you refused to be searched - think you can do that in China, Russia, or Brazil?
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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May 30, 2009 - 11:15pm PT
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They didn't refuse, but should have.
Seatbelts?
OMG!!!! SAVE ME FROM MYSELF!!!
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
Nowhere
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May 30, 2009 - 11:18pm PT
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You didn't get tooled. He could have ticketed your friend for not wearing a seatbelt and he didn't.
Why do you attract so much attention from the rangers to begin with. This never happens to me in the Valley.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
the greasewood ghetto
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May 31, 2009 - 12:21am PT
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One was called "Sither" or "Strither" or something. Mustache, dark hair...disrespectful and aggro
Now that you have puplicly outed him he should be good n ready to rip you a new ass next time .
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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May 31, 2009 - 12:25am PT
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The Valley = inner-city for white guys.
The Man is lookin' for you. Yeah you!
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burntheman
Trad climber
slt
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May 31, 2009 - 01:30am PT
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to protect and serve.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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May 31, 2009 - 02:26am PT
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i love people who hassle other people.
i want to be their friend!
sure, i take jobs where i inflict unnecessary pain and suffering on my fellow human being.
frequently.
for the kharma, ya know.
it is a lovely thing to look forward every morning, "i get to legally hassle people! Oh Boy"
i hate pricks.
and having them in such as nice place is such a buzz kill, and they know it. they enjoy screwing up your memory of the park.
but let me tell you how i really feel...
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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May 31, 2009 - 07:31am PT
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reread your Hunter S. Thompson:
always be sharp, and get away with whatever you can
HST probably didn't mean, the term 'get away' to mean 'effect a suitable escape from authorities'.
So, another translation could read:
Always be sharp, and do what thou wilt
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noshoesnoshirt
climber
dangling off a wind turbine in a town near you
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May 31, 2009 - 08:59am PT
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...shall be the whole of the law
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 31, 2009 - 09:36am PT
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Drinking beer in or arround a motor vehicle will get you hasseled just about anywhere as will not wearing a seatbelt. Basic common sense.
One of my favorite little sayings.. Life is tough when your stupid;)
Somhow I managed to drink and drive for allmost 30 years without getting a DWI. A good part of that was luck and a good part of it was being smart enough to wear seatbelts, check the lights includeing the license plate light, keep my beer hidden,obey the speed limit, keep my beer hidden, did I say that twice? Etc. Etc.
We all know guys with 3 DWI's who bitch about getting tooled and its never their fault;)
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rincon
Trad climber
SoCal
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May 31, 2009 - 09:45am PT
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Everyone knows rangers in Yosemite are dicks, no suprise. Be careful in Toolsville!
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Ottawa Doug
Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
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May 31, 2009 - 10:15am PT
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Tradman, I hope you've stopped that drinking and driving. Not that we haven't all done it, but....
Rangers have been okay with me in general in the valley, but there is the odd guy out there who needs beef up his own insecurity by pushing other people around.
Ciao,
Doug
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
North of the Owyhees
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May 31, 2009 - 10:19am PT
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Sad to say, Doug, but it's just a matter of time.......
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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May 31, 2009 - 01:50pm PT
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i wanna be a homo ranger.
pad people down.
wear that stupid green hat.
actually, they just want the hooch for themselves, those ranger jobs don't pay sh#t, so thats one way to supplement your income.
sell it in camp 4 at nite.
then go kill some people at cedar lodge.
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paul roehl
Boulder climber
california
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May 31, 2009 - 02:51pm PT
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I don't get it... all this whinning. It's so easy to stay under the radar in the Valley. So many places to park your car legally and sleep without ever being detected.
The Rangers? They're just human and they put up with ignorant crap all day; it's exhausting.
That said there are some famous a**holes who've been rangers in the valley and up at Tuolumne... Tioga as well. For years I would avoid the Tioga gate during the day because you know who gave out some sh*t. Every body I talked to would say how great the guy was but he never failed to say something nasty or condescending.
First rule in the Valley is don't drink and drive and no open containers in the vehicle!
Second is never sleep in your vehicle.
Keep a low profile be discrete and stay for free and stay for months, nobody will care and nobody will notice!
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hooblie
climber
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May 31, 2009 - 03:15pm PT
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ya, what khanom said.
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Robb
Social climber
It's like FoCo in NoCo Daddy-O!
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May 31, 2009 - 03:17pm PT
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Hey Enjoimx
I'd say that this was a cheap and most excellent opportunity to learn a couple of life's basic lessons.Don't waste it.The lessons will continue through out life and can, no make that WILL become bloody expensive if not learned.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 31, 2009 - 03:43pm PT
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Haven't had a drink in allmost 3 yrs;) one of the few people I know who quit without getting nailed by the law first. Not trying to be mean to you and there certainly are bad cops out there but you usually have to do something to get their attention. Smart people learn how NOT to get their attention. I am stupid in many facets of life (thus life is in fact tough) but I have been pretty smart so far when it comes to dealing with cops and staying off their radar.
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seamus mcshane
climber
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May 31, 2009 - 03:49pm PT
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Dicks are dicks are dicks.
John Muir, if he were alive, would get hassled by the man.
You got lucky... get over it.
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spectreman
Trad climber
CO
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May 31, 2009 - 05:19pm PT
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I'd say you are a little baby. The rangers were doing there jobs and you were doing sh#t you shouldn't have been doing. Give me a break.
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seakri
Trad climber
Sierra Crest
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May 31, 2009 - 05:53pm PT
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I have heard almost the same line...
"I can smell the dope guys!"
Turned out to be a long search with the female ranger asking me if I had any sharp objects like needles that would poke her. Full DUI tests including a breathalizer in the camp four parking lot.
The worst part is that my girlfriend and I were fully honest and admitted to having one vodka tonic at the ahwahnee right before we were pulled over. When I was breathalized, I blew a zero... twice... and so did my girlfriend.
Lesson: Don't ever buy a drink from the Ahwahnee, and watch out for those pesky and stealthy bike rangers!!
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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May 31, 2009 - 06:18pm PT
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the point is, the tools shouldn't even be there.
if people would pick up their own trash and handle the bears..
ahh never mind.
the sierra is so big.
no need to have to share it with uniforms.
i mean the whole point of going to the hills is to get away from the grief and strife, no?
there are cool rangers,ya know.
just never met one.
because its the sneakin and peakin from the service that keeps me un hassled.
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mastadon
Trad climber
quaking has-been
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May 31, 2009 - 06:21pm PT
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Spent a few nights in the Yosemite slammer, myself, in the 70's. One time I was in the same cell as Kauk and Worral-we were there for separate incidents.
The courts in Fresno consider most of the cases that end up there, from Yosemite, to be a joke and a majority get dismissed. As I'm not the young, resourceless climber I was in the 70's, if I ever end up in the Yosemite court again, things may turn out differently.
Most of the Valley rangers are decent people. The few "wannabe real cops" give the rest a bad name.
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Dapper Dan
climber
Menlo Park
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May 31, 2009 - 06:53pm PT
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"Lesson: Don't ever buy a drink from the Ahwahnee..."
That's the truth !
$11 bucks for a Jack n Coke !
I was stopped and searched by Hoeflich 2x . Once he found nothing and looked like an idiot (not hard for him to do) , second time he found my used condoms ! eww (and nothing else)!
I think one has to be very careful about drinking , smoking , driving in the valley. Why is that news? Numerous friends have DUI's from the rangers.
Just accpet you have to put up with Rangers in Yosemite , just like you put up with tourists , occasional heat , crowded climbing routes , and the best climbing on Earth !
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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May 31, 2009 - 06:59pm PT
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The Awanhee just got this new thing, you order a Ranger Rick, which is creme de menthe and rock salt.
After you drink one, you get a free straw ranger hat.
the you drive around.
wouldn't that be great if all of a sudden the tourons revolted and started taking yosemite apart limb for lomb?
first to get torched woule be the awahnee.
then the lodge.
the only thing left standing would be the indian museum.
rangers would be strung up in a line over at housekeeping.
keep em swinging for a week, just a reminder, strange fruit.
wat say, sound like a plan?
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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May 31, 2009 - 07:03pm PT
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who here is absolutely fed up with the curry company?
who wants to take back Our park?
my fist duty as sworn in officer of the park will be to put cannibas machines all over the park.
then, the firefall comes back.
then, you get to drive thru the giant tree again.
if you haven't driven thru the big tree in 1960, you ain't sh#t.
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mucci
Trad climber
sf ca
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May 31, 2009 - 07:14pm PT
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Who are the all time great offenders? Top Five who were arrested the most, and who did the most time (cumulatively) In the jail?
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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May 31, 2009 - 07:24pm PT
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Many have heard the "Redfern throws the gun on the roof" story. (I even heard it from Earl himself.)
But was anybody actually there?
Can I have a witness??
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paul roehl
Boulder climber
california
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May 31, 2009 - 07:47pm PT
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This is the absolute truth; LASD was, in the 60s and 70s, an out of control bunch of self righteous gangsters. They ruled West LA like a bunch of brutes. Had my ass kicked down there for absolutely nothing. The rangers in Yosemite are boy scout leaders by comparison.
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Domingo
Trad climber
El Portal, CA
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May 31, 2009 - 07:52pm PT
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"One of my favorite little sayings.. Life is tough when your stupid;)"
hahahahahaha
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Dapper Dan
climber
Menlo Park
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May 31, 2009 - 07:57pm PT
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Hey Dr. Sprock , are you as dumb in real life as you are here on Supertopo ?!
Yikes , your mom must have done a lot of boozing when she was pregnant with you !
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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May 31, 2009 - 09:27pm PT
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i'm a homo.
hey, which ranger does the best cavity search?
i'm jus sayin..
gigidty gigidty!
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
North of the Owyhees
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May 31, 2009 - 10:34pm PT
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Best Tooling I ever saw.....Brits in a rental car, pulled over in front of camp, driver gets out, puts his beer(!) on the roof, & screams, "Well, WTF do you want?"
It was NOT pretty.......
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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May 31, 2009 - 11:29pm PT
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Back in the summer of about 1985 when I was a YNP ranger myself, I had hiked out of the backcountry with the Yosemite trail crew and CCC. We were given a space in the North Pines backpacker's campground to spend the night. Our assigned campsite had bathroom spotlights illuminating our "sleeping" area, so me and my CCC companion headed to a darker spot nearby to bivi, but this spot turned out to be a whopping 6 feet outside of the "designated site." At dawn, we were rousted by mounted and spit-shined valley LEO ranger Collin Campbell. Even though ranger Campbell knew me by first name, he wrote us both a ticket for OB camping without even a second thought. He even called in a "local check" that ended up broadcasting my name and an embarrassing list of other run-ins I had suffered with his cohorts. What a complete __. Almost all park rangers are really great people holding one of the most trusted positions in government, but this appointed representative of the federal organ was not one of them, and regretfully he is not alone.
There was and probably remains a mentality among a these weak NPS LEO rangers that I think originates from the Stoneman Meadow "riots," which were a deliberate over-reaction to the party going on. Many honorable natural resources professionals wanting that rare permanent job are coerced by a few sickening cop-freaks that still apparently infest NPS to enforce laws and regulations no matter what the circumstances are, and to do so with relentless, nit-picky vigor. I've been pulled over for going 26 in a 25 in the valley, red lights and all. What the hell ever happened to the old adage "lowest level of enforcement necessary to gain compliance?"
Back in the 70's, members of congress got involved following doors getting kicked-in by LEO in Boystown hunting down underage drinking (I'll spare the name of the culprit for now). Anyone else remember the Hawaiian shirts? The petty enforcement tactics cited in this thread tell me that the mentality still infects Yosemite. We will never forget.
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
North of the Owyhees
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May 31, 2009 - 11:33pm PT
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We need to hang & talk sometime Jesse.
Maybe go climbin', even......
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east side underground
Trad climber
Hilton crk,ca
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I just don't like the attitudes of Tools, they have a pretty gravy job working in the parks ( almost as gravy as Mammoth cops-what do they do all day?)They should ship all those f@#kers to south central or Oakland!
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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Rokjox, I suppose that's a good rule of thumb to follow if you are unfamiliar with the people around you. There's were a few people whom I never got to know and who never trusted me, and apparently you were one of them. This mistrust came from both sides, by the way. If your reply is meant to insult me, you succeeded.
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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If you got "tooled" by this ranger, you were lucky.
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GDavis
Trad climber
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Onyx
Maybe not drink and type? This is an honest assessment I think.
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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Rokjox, perhaps you are confusing me with the present-day climbing ranger, JesseM. I am not him, and have not worked in the park for 15 years. Owing to this possible confusion, I have considered changing my name here, but haven't done so yet. . . .
I appreciate your point of view of going unnoticed; I too use similar tools to avoid similar contact or attention in my life. I once tracked poachers 15+ miles deep into the northwest corner of the park and found numerous camps and caches they had. This took nerve and stealth I no longer have
I had the great pleasure of working with and getting to know Mead Hargis when he was in Tuolumne. I got to store my computer in the SAR cache in exchange for assembling blitz packs and checking equipment for him. What a great person he was.
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corniss chopper
Mountain climber
san jose, ca
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reminded of the 'Invisible People' in that old movie
'The Emerald Forest (1985)'.
They were just not there when you were standing next to them.
Nice skill to have.
Rok has it right.
Be an invisible touron when anyone looks at you.
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Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Indiana (the other Mideast)
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"Tool me once, shame on you. Tool me twice...uh..you won't get TOOLED again".
-The Who/GW variation
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MisterE
Trad climber
One Step Beyond!
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It's all about respect with any LEO -
show it and it usually is returned.
Don't and get tooled.
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atchafalaya
climber
Babylon
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Every ranger is a bad ranger? I have known several, all good people. They are just like you guys, except employed.
Their job has to suck. Imagine working with mindless droves of climbers/tourons day after day.
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Mr_T
Trad climber
The 7th Pin Scar on Serentiy Crack
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Seatbelt laws protect me (and my insurance co) from you, even if I kill you. And here's why:
Suppose I accidentally run a stop sign (looking up at that cool looking bird in the sky) and hit and kill you in your vehicle. I'm not drunk, just eff up like thousands of people do every year. Now, you aren't wearing a belt and you die. Now supposed a belt would have saved you - perhaps it's a roll-over, you're hit on the side and ejected, get crushed in the roll-over. You're dead and now I'm up for vehicular man slaughter (and my insurance co is on the hook for the bill.) That's why you have to wear a belt, so I (or a soccer mom yapping on her cel phone) can't kill you quite as easily.
I have zero sympathy for anyone popped for a seat belt violation. It's like taking yer hand off a belay w.o a gri-gri, while your partner is in "a safe spot", but not tying them off...
So the rangers pinned you for weed - they went double or nothing asking to search you and lost. You're $100 richer than you could have been.
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Lokesh
Mountain climber
Big Bear California
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My girl friend was a "LEO" in the valley back in the early nineties....a couple seasons with all of the testosterone ended her park service career in Yosemite. I went to a ranger party back then and remember one particular guy who seemed to be brimming with arrogance. A few weeks later my girl friend told me that he'd been shot up in Toulmne. He said that he'd made a routine contact and was shot by a man after dark. A huge manhunt ensued closing the park around the 4th of July, and it even made Time Magazine where there was a Headline: "Are our parks safe anymore?"
The first time I heard the story I said "he probably shot himself" Which was received as total blasphemy among the rangers.
As it turns out, he was packing a concealed 22 (not allowed) and it went off on into his leg, and he concocted the story as a cover up. This eventually unraveled and he was quietly "retired" For such a national story....I can find almost nothing about it on the internet....but until proven otherwise, this sort of attitude is the suspicion I have about any of the Valley rangers until proven otherwise. And yes, there are some great ones...but I think we all know the MO's of the "wannabes" among them.
If you have any more information about this story, please post it.
I think the biggest disappointment was that for the millions of people who were told a shooter was loose in the park...there was almost no followup (if any) about who that shooter really was.
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Mr_T
Trad climber
The 7th Pin Scar on Serentiy Crack
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$100 was a guess. I recall it being $50 when it went into effect in the 90's. Mind you, by forcing *me* to wear that belt, you will pay a far reduced collision insurance rate.
What happens if I screw up, no seat belt, I run a stop sign, I get killed when we collide. But suppose you were speeding and maybe had a baggie of weed in our glove box, so you're partly liable. Suppose I would have survived had I worn a belt, but they're not required. What would have been an bang up, and insurance write off is now going to financial nightmare for you. And what happens when you're sued? You're insured up to $30,000 (minimal CA coverage), but the suit is for $200,000. You're on the hook for $70,000 - the suit settles for $50k, you're out $20k because of some other idiot (me).
That's why we have seatbelt laws - you get screwed $20k, the insurance co gets screwed $50k + legal costs - and it wasn't even your fault.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=573419 seems to refer to the incident mentioned above.
Some of you do seem to lead lives of danger and derring-do, playing cops and robbers or cowboys and Indians or climbers and rangers. The drama! Although as an innocent Canucklehead I perhaps don't quite get the mixture of the libertarian, authoritarian and violent streaks of the U.S. psyche.
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Lokesh
Mountain climber
Big Bear California
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Yep, Mighty hiker, that's the incident.
And from the rangers I knew back then it was an accidental self shooting and cover up...I read the thread, thanks for referencing it, though was amazed that there is still some doubt about what really happened, though no surprise that Kim has resolved to stick with the "annie oakley in the dark" defense. (three shots, three hits) and not admit the truth.
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hooblie
climber
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rokjox, your posting detailing the essence of discretion should be in an owner's manual somewhere. call it intergenerational knowledge transfer, or whatever you want but it represents the keys to the kingdom and it's a shame that it can't be passed painlessly except to the most receptive. i hope you get the credibilty you deserve amongst the rambunctious because i get the idea you're no namby pamby get along.
let it be known that i cherish the outlandish, flamboyant, uncontainable spirits that are disproportionately represented in our tribe, but i honor the artfull that can ply their craft over the long haul by mindfully righttime, rightsizing the outrage
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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RokJox and I agree on the wisdom of discretion, although I'm not much for camouflage clothing. If you're loud and act out a lot, you can only blame yourself for the results, whether it's other campers/climbers, the public, or rangers.
In a crowded place like Yosemite, there are lots of eyes watching and eyes hearing, and less tolerance. Undoubtedly some police/rangers etc are heavy handed or clumsy - I've run into a few myself. A few may be on power trips. But for the most part, imagine that you're in their shoes. Those who insist on being loud if not obnoxious, and who are scofflaws, naturally get the most attention.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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You have a beautiful NP within easy driving distance of 35 million people and most of the beauty is in a narrow 7 mile long valley. The rangers can be over the top, I've had my own experience, but they are under a lot of pressure because of the crowding. YV is a victim of it's own attractiveness. I have had some of my most memorable experiences in the Valley but I rarely go there anymore.
There are a lot of places to go with good climbing and few people. Places where you will hear a coyote's howl instead of a car's horn. I'm not advocating deserting the Valley, but when I see people posting on ST that they have climbed the EBMCR 40 times I wonder why climbers don't explore other venues more. As good as the climbing is in YNP, J-Tree, Tahquitz and Red Rocks, there is a wealth of other fantastic climbing out there. Go explore!
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dickcilley
Social climber
A cova Dos Nenos
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The ranger that shot himself once asked Walt Shipley if I was crazy.Go figure.By the way you guys that repress yourselves just so you won't get noticed by the rangers,you probably dont get noticed by any girls either.God, If I could sell you guys a spine I could make a fortune.My advice is to get out of the US.You would be amazed at the freedom in other countries.But you'll need a spine.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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When in doubt, I just ask myself "WWDCD?". That is, what would suave, debonair Dick Cilley do? Works like a charm with the babes, you understand. Though they're a bit puzzled to discover that 'canning' doesn't relate to making preserves.
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Lokesh
Mountain climber
Big Bear California
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He's related to Dudley Do-right, Eh?
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Lokesh
Mountain climber
Big Bear California
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You see Mighty, As kids we weren't given a positive role model like canadian legend, Warden Do-right; we were given Ranger Smith and Yogi....and guess who we've sided with?
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ron gomez
Trad climber
fallbrook,ca
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dickcilley YOU are CRAZY, if the dang ranger had to ask that...he's even crazier!! Besides look at who he was asking, sure miss Walt! But in all seriousness, what donini and cilley says is THE TRUTH. Dick I miss watching you wonder Hidden Valley CG selling whatever you could, you shoulda sold more spines back in the day!
Peace
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paul roehl
Boulder climber
california
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The turning point in Yosemite law enforcement was no doubt the Stoneman meadow riot. Seems to me things changed dramatically after that. The government reacted partly out of fear and partly out of the real need to control what was becoming an increasing state of anarchy in the Valley. By 1969 C4 looked like a hobo jungle without specific campsights or any hint of regulation. It's really no wonder that what happened did.
It's too bad, because in a sense the focus on LE in the park was predicated on that fear of anarchy that scared so many so long ago.
Perhaps all Rangers should be required to achieve at least a masters degree in biology or some kind of natural history before they get their law enforcement certificate. Maybe they should have a degree in philosophy as well.
Yosemite Valley's great beauty should be at the forefront of everyone's interest. I'm not sure a law enforcement service that practices a kind of zero tolerance absolutism does anything to protect that resource.
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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I'm all for personal freedoms and all....
But I hate to say that you "guys" had this coming.
For proof, re-read your post as if you were an approaching ranger..
hmmm.. climber looking guy sleeping an a car/truck with food in sight....: I know that people fall asleep in there cars all the time, just to catch a wink of shut-eye... But with the sun going down (or so I assume from the post) and it changes things a bit.
The bike cop was completely out of line asking for drugs, but you(your buddy) no wearing the seat belt? That seems to me like a beacon flashing for ranger attention. If you are in Yosemite, you are still in California, and Cali has a really stupid law about wearing your seat belt, or you get a ticket. And they say they are doing this because it saves live or something.
Don't get me wrong, I don't particularly like the sight of Rangers in my general area... but then again I know that they have job to do, and yes, giving climbing bums a little nudge every now again is part of that job.
And I don't like the fact that you feel you got tooled.... But... come on... you kinda brought it to yourself
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crazy horse
Trad climber
seattle, wa
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now you know why i don't climb in the valley anymore
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Paul commented that "Perhaps all Rangers should be required to achieve at least a masters degree in biology or some kind of natural history before they get their law enforcement certificate. Maybe they should have a degree in philosophy as well."
I spent a good part of 3 years participating in a wildlife study in Olympic NP. I got to be good friends with an 'old school' ranger there who did have a wildlife degree. He was very upset at that time by what he considered the takeover of the Park Service by the law enforcement mafia. He valiantly resisted taking LE training and almost quit over being made to pack the heat. He basically only did it because he was close to retirement.
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kev
climber
CA
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So it sucks that you got tooled but I must say shame on you.
I was in the same traffic jam on the same day (prolly around the same time) but I said to myself "Hmmmm this would be a really easy situation for the tool to check people/cars out - and it's a holiday weekend so they're gonna be really aggressive about it."
After that thought, I figured I should be well behaved, so I was. I even put in some mellow music, kept it pretty low... and then I saw the "2-wheeled tool." He was just rolling by, back and forth, looking in every car. I saw him coming in my rear view mirror trying to be all stealthy. Dirty dirty tool.
Anyhow, the point is if you spend much time in the valley you'd better learn to keep a low profile and expect this kinda sh#t. Not that it's ok, but it is the way it is, and we have to deal with it.
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kinnikinik
Trad climber
b.c.c
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in a park in Canada if you have a problem you go find the ranger, in america if you have a problem in a park you found the ranger.
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the Fet
Supercaliyosemistic climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Asleep in a car in the valley at nightfall.
No seatbelt while driving.
Resulting in no tickets and you call that a tooling?
The Rangers have always been cool to me, even when I'm doing something "on the cusp" of being illegal. If they show me respect (which they always have in the valley) I show them respect. If any LEO doesn't show me respect I just give them one word, blank faced answers. I've gotten out of many tickets and sticky situations by just being polite and pleasant. I'm not pretending, that's just the way I am because it makes me happy too.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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In SF, you MIGHT garner the attention of law enforcement if they see you doing a drive by shooting or engaging in a gun fight.
I've been pulled over for going one or two miles an hour over the limit in YNP. I understand why people who want to work for the NPS do the LEO thing, a lot of the fun jobs require it. But I don't understand why someone who really wants to be a cop works in the parks. Seems boring.
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kev
climber
CA
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DMT,
Haha this is similar. A good friend of mine says "Outside the Park" to almost every ranger that walks up in the afternoon or evening (as I do now too). Before they even say anything. They seem to like the fact that we are answering their question (where are you sleeping tonight) with the right answer right away.
kev
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno
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hahaha Great story, Dingus!
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enjoimx
Big Wall climber
SLO Cal
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I wasjust annoyed that he was lying, saying he smelled drugs in the car, when he couldnt have. I would call a lying LEO, a tool. I was tooled. He lied, saying he smelled drugs when he couldnt have, because neither of us had any and the car didnt smell like pot.
When you lie about smelling drugs so that you can scare the uninformed into letting an LEO search your car without probable cause, all on the basis of not wearing a seatbelt, that is a "tooling" , or aka being harrassed for looking like climbers.
All this while I watch tourists making illegal and DANGEROUS pullouts, stops, and running stop signs and they rarely get pulled over if a ranger is pre-occupied in the general vicinty.
I think the rangers in Yos actually target hippies and climbers. There I said it, they target, or profile, certain people and then aggressively and rudely enforce the maximum extent of laws which are overlooked when dealing with cleaner looking people with nicer cars. Thats my hypothesis, or thesis if you will. The only evidence is experiential. I have no quantifiable data. I am not a scientist, im more of a pyschoanalyst.
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Evel
Trad climber
the cliffs of insanity
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Here's my two cents on seat belt laws.
At 16, wearing my belt probably kept me from going through the windshield and over the side of a bridge.
At 35, my girlfriend was decapitated by her seatbelt. [98 Jeep Grand Cherokee]
In the past three years I have been pulled over twice for not wearing my belt. I drive a '73 pick-up that never had shoulder belts, and when the pigs can't see a shoulder belt they pull you over. Both times I was wearing the lap belt. Second event I was stupid enough to invite the pig to look inside the cab to verify that I was buckled-up. "Yep, buckled. I can smell your weed though....." Busted!
Short Version: Seat belt law gives pigs one more reason to pull ya.
PS; More years than I care to admit as an EMT-P I've seen belts save and take lives. The new airbag technology seems to be getting closer to an ideal, but is far from the answer.
Thanks for the rant.........
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enjoimx
Big Wall climber
SLO Cal
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"Hippies deserve it."
No they dont.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Hard to argue with the statistics - seat belts, and now air bags, save lives and reduce injuries, especially if properly adjusted etc. There are undoubtedly cases where they contribute to or cause an injury or death that might not otherwise have occurred, or been less severe, but it's uncommon. Overall, the effect is substantial - and as one way or the other the public and taxpayers end up paying most or all of the related costs, there's a clear public interest in seeing that people use them. It's not as though the government doesn't already make many decisions for the good of the public, even if some may be irksome. Still, usually better that it's government than say corporations. Governments at least are supposed to try to balance all interests, and often do - corporations and other special interest groups have only their interests in mind.
It would save even more lives if all seats except the driver's faced backwards, but I'm not holding my breath on that one.
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The Wedge
Boulder climber
Bishop, CA
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Hey if you are going to BREAK the LAW.....Only break one at a time......you are less likely to get caught.
Is is true that guns are allowed in National Parks...just that is is illegal to discharge your firearm now...WTF. This is like caring a dull knife.
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nez
Social climber
confusion
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Things have changed in the Valley since the days of old. I recall recent seasons with hoedowns and anal inspections. An example spring 2005 comes to mind: the Tool would enter C4 dinnertime and systematically visit me at campsite, demanding names and diapers of all present, matching the names with the registration of the blogosphere, and matching names to bog water. Combined with Impromptu Tool walk throughs after gomba tog waldel with the same checking of IDs and registration. Heavy rectal surveillance and systematic 'gang bangs ' .
Now, one peakcock around in a psychedelic paisley cape and a fluorescent pink codpiece in the name of poonschwang, but if you expect to live in the Valley illegally an entire season, and/or back to back seasons, a high profile will get one gang raped by rangers heavily in the Valley of the 21st century. They be hassling Monkeys aanad toliet paper ace (hard to discern what sparks the increased surveillance and shakedowns). If you decide to take measures and behavior modification to avoid the unpleasantness and anal leakage...well , join the club...you are no longer loud and proud and tooled, but shitfaced drolling darwfs and with an eye on your eight inch Tool
One can go the other direction and bring a dinner , or blazer butt loafers if that's your thing. But anything at the Lodge or C4 is open to being fry in butter, including exiting from the bar wearing a thong. Ahwahnee is a different scene so is a transvestite bar in Fresno. Anyway, the Valley is a t rich environment and condoms should have no impact on scoring. I live in NYC where folks do not 'repress' themselves. Anyone living in contemporary Yos for months on end and wanting to hang with climbers is going to be stripped naked and violated by the Tool and learn to keep a wide berth or spread butt cheeks. If you run a 'Village People' game you'll be on the radar. Parking is systematically squeezed so you have to have your car schemes in place to beat Tool.
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Risk
Mountain climber
Olympia, WA
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One fine morning back in the summer of 1977 (year of the airplane crash), my buddy (Joe D.)and I wandered off to the base of a big Ponderosa pine next to the meadow near the curry ice rink for a smoke break away from the roadside trail but not way out there. A fine view of Royal Arches, etc. As we sat following our smoke, the corner of my eye noticed a mounted ranger slip into the woods behind us near Stoneman Bridge, thinking he was being sneaky. Quickly but casually, we pulverized the last of our paltry stash into the surrounding detritus and pine needles in preparation for our morning visit by john law. We were now freely clean. As expected, he emerged suddenly out of the woods and from behind our fine Ponderosa back stop hang.
With the morning sun glaring above Panorama Cliffs and behind his smokey bear hat so we couldn't really see his face without burning our already bloodshot eyes, he said: "what's up fellas?" "where's the weed?" "I saw you smoking it. . . ."
"honest sir, we don't have any. . . ."
"Let's see some ID from both of you. . . ."
"Giving me false information or concealing evidence is a crime, so let's see what's in your pockets"
I emptied mine, which were a few coins and maybe a Swiss army knife.
Then, my buddy reached into both of his front pants pockets at the same time and said to the ranger: "would you kiss a rabbit between the ears if you could bust me?" And at the same time, he pulled both pockets straight up, inside-out to form the rabbit's ear's.
Then, all three of us broke out laughing. The ranger then said something like: "okay you guy's, if you're gonna smoke pot, smoke it where I can't find or see you. That way you won't get in trouble and I won't have to do my job. Right here is where I can find you and everybody around here can smell it."
Pretty reasonable advise, I would say. Were we tooled? Yes, but we deserved it.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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hah! good one.
hey, ever seen a one eared elephant?
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MZiebell
Social climber
Prescott, AZ
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Bump - for entertainment value.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 27, 2010 - 02:01pm PT
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A new standard for tooling set in the Ukraine.
Poor cop is just doing his job, ya know?
It kinds looks consensual to me.
An Interior Ministry officer restrains a bare-chested activist from the Ukrainian rights organization Femen during a demonstration in front of the Russian Embassy in Kiev. The activists, who painted their breasts blue, said they were showing their support for the so-called "blue bucket protesters," who are demanding that Russian authorities ban the blue strobe lights installed on the cars of officials, which have been blamed in traffic accidents.
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miss.julienne
climber
Capitola, California
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May 27, 2010 - 02:33pm PT
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RULE #1 Don't drive your car in the Valley EVER!!!! Especially this time of year, the traffic BLOWS!!!! Ride your bike, good fitness too!!!!!
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