Harassed by the Private Fuzz

[Tuckervill]

Hi, Pardes! Congratulations on all that commuting. You're an inspiration!

I suggest you comb the hospital's website for all the "healthy lifestyle" advice they give, and the free programs they provide for the community that might relate to cycling. You know how all the hospitals have banned smoking and crow about it? I'm sure they're crowing about some exercise program or another. Maybe they're even bragging about "going green". You might find many opportunities to poke them a little, and get the hospital to at least make a public decision about bikes on their roadway.

Welcome back!
Karen

[snapdragen]

Welcome back!

I'd be pizzed off too. I work on a hospital campus, they encourage bike riding. We even have a shiny new rack outside my office. Certified full time bike commuters have the option of using special bike lockers.


I've also had to deal with overly puffed up hospital security guards. Thankfully the really arrogant ones have been let go, only the good guys remain. I'd raise polite hell with the hospital admins.

[Blueberry]

Welcome back!!

Is DART the public transit where you are?? Start there. I expect there might be some leverage there. It's truly ridiculous. But good for you for all the commuting!!

[pardes]

Hi, Pardes! Congratulations on all that commuting. You're an inspiration!

I suggest you comb the hospital's website for all the "healthy lifestyle" advice they give, and the free programs they provide for the community that might relate to cycling. You know how all the hospitals have banned smoking and crow about it? I'm sure they're crowing about some exercise program or another. Maybe they're even bragging about "going green". You might find many opportunities to poke them a little, and get the hospital to at least make a public decision about bikes on their roadway.

Welcome back!
Karen

I feel an epistle coming on and you all KNOW how I love to write.

Lordy have I been combing the websites.....

It seems that in 2006 these particular security guards won the national "best dressed officer" contest.....

From Christiana Care mission statement:

Caring for Our Neighbors
Building a healthy community.
Christiana Care exists to take care of our neighbors in our community.

I guess that includes intimidating and harassing seniors on bicycles.

Ironically, it was this very hospital that inspired me to take bicycling seriously as a way to reclaim my failing heath 14 months ago. They have a "heart walk" around the perimeter of the hospital and it's a pleasant walk around ponds and geese and away from traffic.

But alas, with severe arthritis I couldn't walk it. But magically there was a bicycle store across the road and the rest is history.

So that is one reason this all upset me so much. I LOVE the hospital grounds and have spent a lot of time on the MUP "heart walk" gaining biking strength which led to ditching the car and being very healthy these days.

I will be sure to add this to the letter of complaint as well about the fact that I frequently stop at the outside memorial wall for newborn babies that died. On the other side of the pond from the memorial wall is the new Helen Graham Cancer Center and I've often stopped to say a Rosary for the babies and those fighting their way through cancer.

You may remember a post I put here with photos about the memorial wall.

Can you imagine the CEO of the hospital reading about a gray-haired lady on a bike saying Rosaries for patients and THEN being harassed by their security guard. Now that's a media nightmare.

I love it. And I'll pile it on VERY thick. SHAME on them!

[channlluv]

That security guard stands no chance with a letter like that. He probably ought to dust off his resume. Write on! And welcome back, too!

Roxy

[jobob]

Certified full time bike commuters

Certified ?

[snapdragen]

Certified ?

Yeah. They have to prove they commute a certain percentage of the time by bike. You must remember, my employer is the one that banned open toed shoes without stockings.......at least we got that one repealed.


Go get 'em Pardes!

[Tri Girl]

You're a writing machine. When you finish that letter, would you so kindly post it so we can all read the magical words that flow from your fingertips? I love to read your writings, and this would be no exception. Type away, my wonderfully wordy friend!

"Can you imagine the CEO of the hospital reading about a gray-haired lady on a bike saying Rosaries for patients and THEN being harassed by their security guard. Now that's a media nightmare.:
AWESOME!

Good to see you again!

[smilingcat]

I pedalled out and across the street to the Christiana Hospital where I was
going to catch the DART 33 bus. (It originates at the Christiana Hospital on
Sundays).

I was almost to the front entrance of the hospital on the circular drive when
the Christiana Hospital Security car stopped me and informed me that bicycles
are banned from Christiana Hospital Grounds since it's private property. He
added that "what if you are in an accident?" I could make NO sense of this
since it seemed to also apply to motorists and not just bicyclists.

So let me understand something clearly here... The security guard stopped you on a private property and you could not access a public transportation which originated from the private property??

Well this should be quite interesting reading a headline from a local paper, "A 60+ year old woman was denied acccess to public transportation by a security guard at such and such hospital". What a great PR that will be for the hospital.

I think a peaceful demonstration at the hospital is in order.

Even though it may have occured on a private property, the fact is that the public transportation system is using the said property as a public stop. This would indicate a de facto public access and not withstanding the rights of the private property...

If you don't get a nice apology from the hospital administration, I think a call to a lawyer may prove quite interesting.

yes be mad!! GET EVEN!!!

[crazycanuck]

*waves* PARDES!! Yooooo Yooooo!!!

I hope the private sec fuzz dude gets a slap accross the head!

[Selkie]

Sounds like a cop wannabe asserting his perceived "authority." I have nothing against private security guards and there are a lot of good folks in that line of work. However, I've seen this sort of attitude before on the part of a handful of them.

Sorry you happened across this person.

Welcome back. I've missed you!

[Mr. Bloom]

Pardes:
Robert J. Laskowski, President and Chief Executive Officer 302-733-1580.

I dialed the number a minute ago and it is the President's Office.

Call it. Be prepared to limit your complaint to 2 minutes on the phone with someone in the office and stick to the facts, but I bet it will get a response.

He's also the United Way Chairman for Delaware...imagine the PR implications...

And Pardes, for the record, my response would have been "Sir, I am riding my bike to that bus stop to legally catch that bus. Now, if you want to stop me from doing that, then I suggest you call the police and tell them to come here and arrest me. Now, do you want to take responsibility for having a 63 year old woman arrested for trying to catch a bus?"

[witeowl]

Ironically, it was this very hospital that inspired me to take bicycling seriously as a way to reclaim my failing heath 14 months ago. They have a "heart walk" around the perimeter of the hospital and it's a pleasant walk around ponds and geese and away from traffic.

Yeah, I was just thinking that you should push this point. When you write a letter to your newspaper and/or contact the local news station, make sure that you point out that this hospital, which should be promoting healthful lifestyles, is not bike-friendly.

I can hear the soundbite now. Cue music and anchorperson:
"Is your hospital trying to drum up business by preventing local citizens from living healthy lives?"

[Becky]

This would be the hospital with the giant signs at each driveway, proclaiming that their campus is smoke-free as a means of promoting better health

On one hand, it is private property, and they can do what they please. On the other hand, it contains a public bus stop, and said buses have bike racks on them....ergo.... I have appointments and meetings at that hospital, and it irritates me that they would deny me the right to ride my bike there should I ever choose to. Though it may explain why I've never found a bike rack there.

I do have to wonder if in fact it's a hospital policy, or if the guard was mistaken. I think I'd ask to see it in writing Like the others have said, a bit of well-placed publicity should clear up this nonsense.

[tulip]

The security guard was probably just doing his job the best way he knew how. He's likely a low-paid employee of a private contractor that has a blanket how-to manual for all of their clients. He saw a bike and figured he'd get to show off his skills to his employer, perhaps for a raise...

Hopefully this will spark some much-needed education of the security contractor and the employees. I'd hate to see the guy lose his job. Next time, perhaps he'll give you a nice wave.