Six words on a Boardwalk Bench with Bill Quain
A lot has happened over the past few weeks in America’s Favorite Family Resort, and most people think it’s about time. A few years ago, Governor Phil Murphy passed a law that greatly restricted police forces’ interaction with young people. The Governor’s intent was to keep young people from receiving criminal records for smaller offenses. But, as so often happens with these efforts, there were many unintended consequences. One of the most alarming, at least to residents, visitors, and business owners in New Jersey shore communities, was an almost riotous congregation of out-of-control teenagers on the beaches and boardwalks.
Summer 2021:
Bikers on the Boards
Trouble first began to flare up in the summer of 2021, when large groups of teenagers swept the Boardwalk, disrupting families, swerving in and out of traffic, and endangering and frightening pedestrians. In addition, large groups of young people began roaming the Boards, scattering everyone in their paths. Where did these kids come from? Using social media tools, they would “call” each other to a certain spot. As more kids arrived, the call for even more teens went “viral.” Once the party (or dangerous mob – depending on your age and sensibility) gained momentum, it was difficult to stop. And, once the teens discovered that police were not allowed (under State edict) to interfere, well… that was big news on social media as well!
Ocean City’s Beaches
are Now Open
In the classic movie “Jaws,” the mayor of Amity, wearing a wild sports jacket and a big smile, tells the television camera crew that despite the hungry shark devouring tourists, “The Beaches of Amity are Open.” And, while the mayors of Jersey Shore towns were not making that declaration, the State’s policies regarding police intervention were certainly spreading the word. On any given night, large groups of beer-drinking teenagers seized control of Ocean City’s beaches. With their backpacks filled with alcohol, and with raging hormones, the parties spun out of control. And later, the inventive and uncontrolled kids discovered a convenient place to get some privacy, as they began to use the newly built bathrooms for – well, we can only imagine. This mayhem continued, and steadily escalated, for several summers.
Come Down and Claim Your Kid
At an Ocean City Ward 2 meeting a couple of months ago, a police officer told a group of residents that the police were doing their best under the state’s restrictions. One of the policies they employed was to detain the more flagrant violators, and then call their parents to come down and pick up their wayward kids. This had some impact, as it forced parents to make the long drive down from Philadelphia (or wherever they were from). Of course, some parents weren’t too interested in being inconvenienced like this. As one city official put it, some parents asked the police to “call an Uber” for their children. This parental attitude is an indication of just where the unruly behavior of the kids comes from!
Waking Up From a Bad Dream
Did you ever wake up from a bad dream, relieved to find it was over? Well… June 15, 2023 might be remembered as the day we all woke up. After several years of craziness, we may be taking back our beaches and Boardwalk. When Mayor Jay Gillian announced the beach curfew, the new “under 18” curfew, and the Boardwalk evening backpack ban, many of us wondered just how they were going to enforce the policy. Apparently, the administration was also thinking about this. One of the most noticeable tools are the sliding barricades at beach entrances on the Boardwalk, used to “close” the beaches at 8pm. These barriers are more than just tools, they are an announcement that the City is serious. Of course, the barriers alone won’t stop the kids, but it’s nice to see visible and tangible signs that the City is claiming our beaches back.
But What About Mothers
with Backpacks?
I began this column with the six-word statement, “Whose Back is the Pack On?” When Mayor Gillian announced the “backpack ban,” there was a flurry of protests from non-teenage people, stating that they needed their backpacks for carrying diapers, medicine, essentials, etc. Well, the new rules are a “work in progress.” Reportedly, exceptions to the ban will be made for parents using backpacks as diaper bags, people with medical devices, police officers, members of the media, and fishermen on the beach. Yes, the ban still might cause some inconvenience. But in the end, we’ll have a set of workable rules, and more importantly, a more comfortable, safer community. Ironically, as I was writing this last paragraph, I received a notice that a new post was made on Facebook to Ocean City Chatters. Someone stated that his daughter needed a backpack for her ten-month old twins’ diapers. Others quickly commented with a link to an article that describes the already-approved exceptions.
But, don’t stop
interacting on this
Here is more irony. It was social media that started the “crazy teenagers” syndrome that has gripped our resort. It will be through social media and newspapers like Shore Local that we will help Ocean City “tweak” the practical tactics needed to reclaim the sanity of the City. Let’s work it out together. And remember, if you have a Six-Word comment, just email me at bill@quain.com. We’ll get your comment on our community’s Boardwalk Bench. And, as I say each week…
I’ll see ya in the papers!
Bill is a Professor in Stockton University’s Hospitality Management Program. He is the author of 27 books, and a highly-respected speaker. Even though he is almost totally blind, Bill is a long-distance runner and runs the Ocean City Half Marathon each year. He lives in Ocean City with his wife Jeanne, and his Guide Dog Trudy. Visit www.billquain.com or email him at bill@quain.com.
