Author Topic: Interactions with people while doing parkour (Read 5509 times)

Beansxz · « **on:** July 25, 2007, 10:50:43 AM »

I don't know if its limited to my area, or if people are generally against anything new or different. but my friends and I have been called everything from "fags" to "juvenile delinquents" while practicing Parkour in various areas. just yesterday somebody decided to flip us the finger for no reason... Now it's not like this is going to stop me from training (quite the opposite) but I don't understand how my friends and I practicing our hobby and passion is any different from somebody else practicing theres...(biking for example) I've never been flipped the finger while riding my bike.

Anyone else have similar/interesting experiences?

Muhammad · « **Reply #1 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:00:16 PM »

I was a skateboarder for many years. We were frequently threatened and sometimes assaulted while skating on the streets. You would learn quickly how formidable a weapon the skateboard could be when viciously jammed at someone's face.

Jordan "Sirlig" Nelson · « **Reply #2 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:12:32 PM »

I think you are on the right track, Beansxz, when you say that people are against anything new or different. People do fear and dislike what they don't know about/understand. Unfortunately, sometimes this misunderstaning displays itself in vulgar behavior, such as giving the finger, etc.

As a responsible traceur, it is YOUR job to be sure that the public knows otherwise. The worst thing you could do is to respond to someone's inappropriate behavior with more inappropriate behavior. The best thing to do is just ignore it.

Instead, find other ways to improve (or even just introduce) parkour's image in the public eye. For example, you could form a parkour group and have the local news do a story on it. (*Note: Be VERY careful about this and consult someone in the parkour community that has experience dealing with the media first. A bad report on parkour could do more damage than help.) Or you could have monthly litter-pick-up days or some other community service type activity to show the public that your parkour group is serious about being respectful to the community and environment.

Lastly, I don't know how long you have been doing parkour, but if you are at a level where you are qualified to instruct others, you could start a community parkour program, to teach others the basics in a safe, fun environment.

The general rule of thumb is basically to NEVER act "in the moment" on your emotions/reactions. While you are practicing parkour, whether you realize it or not, you are representing the ENTIRE parkour community to those around you. Represent it well

Andy Animus Tran · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:14:53 PM »

At the last DC Themed Training Week, someone drove by and shouted out his window, "HEY! PARKOUR IS FOR FAGGOTS!" It was kinda funny.

You just have to take these things in strides.

Muhammad · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:21:50 PM »

You could always run away if things got worse than drive-by insults. A non-traceur would never be able to catch you ;p

Jordan "Sirlig" Nelson · « **Reply #5 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:22:35 PM »

P.S. I've never had something to the extremes you all have mentioned...yet....but I have been working on balance a lot lately and two spots I use that have some railings and posts are both near a street. I routinely have people that drive by and honk and shout trying to get me to fall. I just laugh to myself when I don't....

Some people honestly just don't know what you're doing/they're doing/they're talking about, and some people are just plain jerks. Simple as that...human nature.

Muhammad · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2007, 02:35:23 PM »

Really, the advice of okctraceur is a good example. You have to be patient with the people for little things like yelled threats & insults. It's bound to happen, and there is no benefit for you in getting worked up over it. As a traceur, you know the truth about your discipline, and the person who yells insults or threats from a safe distance is only speaking from a position of compounded ignorance.

deltron3030 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 25, 2007, 03:23:23 PM »

if they ask me what im doing. ill explain it. they usually give me werid looks and walk away and im fine with that... at they listened to me. but if anyone gave me a finger. i give them one right back. u cant change the ignorant in my opinion. sum ppl are just assholes. lik me sumtimes

BenBanned · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2007, 03:35:31 PM »

Yea I like to keep contact to a minimum.
Whenever Im driving and someone gives me the finger I like to smile and wave at them.
It makes me feel better and probally pisses them off more.

Moa · « **Reply #9 on:** July 26, 2007, 11:37:20 AM »

deltron you really can change people who only are ignorant by inlightening them about what you are doing.

Alot of people who do these things have had bad experiences (ex. jump of roof affter seeing parkour and break leg) or they are very insecure in reality and dont want their reality and whatever belief in that reality to be shattered by what i believed was impossible before starting parkour. I think that the people who drive by insult parkour is for faggots jump of their roofs, and the people who flip you off are the insecure types. It takes a very special and confident person to dive head first into the impossible like we all have instead of shake it off say it is fake like so many youtubers have and go on with their normal ignorant life-style.

deltron3030 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 26, 2007, 12:09:50 PM »

well mos ingnorant ppl dont have an open mind. i really dont bother to explain. just dont bother me about or talk shit about. i get pissed when ppl talk shit. u guys may not. thats just me in genral. if ppl ask wut imdoing ill tell them and if htey are intrested great. but if they are insulting me i would be lik WTF. for ppl to accept new ideas ppl need an open mind

Beansxz · « **Reply #11 on:** July 26, 2007, 12:47:36 PM »

Quote from: Muhammad on July 25, 2007, 02:35:23 PM

It's bound to happen, and there is no benefit for you in getting worked up over it.

definitely, I'm not getting worked up over it, I was just interested in whether other people have funny stories involving passerbys
it actually makes training a little more interesting, wondering what some passerby will say or do. and i agree with what was said about "representing the Parkour community" we (friends and I) ignore it. or in the case of unscrupulous hecklers, move onto a better spot elsewhere.

FreeStyleFox · « **Reply #12 on:** July 26, 2007, 12:55:58 PM »

Good Interactions are just as amazing. I love the looks I get from elderly people around here. They seem amazed at what I can do. Once one was watching me do a cat leap and I said I was Spiderman. At this comment they attracted the atten of her granddaughter.

For a small conservative town I get a lot of positive feed back. Once I was told I should join the military and to keep up the training wile practicing on a playground.

Jordan "Sirlig" Nelson · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2007, 01:44:26 PM »

Quote from: FreeStyleFox on July 26, 2007, 12:55:58 PM

Good Interactions are just as amazing.

I agree. In fact, I had TWO great encounters today while I was training, resulting in THREE people showing interest in parkour...and the best part was: TWO of them were police officers!

I had just ran by two bicycle policemen in my city's central business district, and proceeded to hop up and over several big tree/flower planters in a row. About 20 minutes later, I was running by another part of town and they were sitting there.

One of them said "Hey, what's that type of running thing you were doing?"
"Parkour," I said.

Then I proceeded to explain to them what it was and stuff....they thought it was really cool, and I'm glad to have had a positive interaction with the "authorities" about parkour. Now I know that at least 2 police officers know it isn't just thrill seeking crazy kids jumping off of things, but a real discipline!

The other was a person that works at a local YMCA and she sounded really interested in parkour, even saying she might come to one of the local jams and at least watch!

I gave her the address to this forum, and the link to the Jump Westminster video

deltron3030 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 26, 2007, 02:22:16 PM »

lucky for u man. where i live everyone thinks if u dont do wuts in the norm... or if u dont dress certain way or skateboard. that ur a werid... ppl where i live r spoiled lil bitchs that lik to nag about there own insecurities. lol i hate insecure ppl that feel lik they need to put u down to rise up.

the closest thing i recieved to a positve response was. ok u can do it but dont mess my crap up. no body has ever amdired me for it. ur lucky

FreeStyleFox · « **Reply #15 on:** July 26, 2007, 03:05:16 PM »

Give it time Del. A lot of my friends thought I was crazy two months after i started. Called it every thing but gay and they didn't call it gay just because I was their friend. Now most of my friend's that did that see me and what I do now and admire me for it. One such comment came as fallow, "Jumping off stuff thats just stupid." and the reverse would be "I would love to go out there with you but my back and knee are so bad" Same friend about a year apart. My dad thought i was going to kill myself. .Now he is supportive. There are still a lot of negativity among people that I know see it as a...... well they just kinda see it as a joke. And because of it they see me as a joke. Most of them I just kinda try and challenge them. After they do some things that they never thought they could they just kinda start to free there mind.

I get lots of responses. A lot are positive a lot are negative. I for get the negative and remember the positive.

HuoMaKe · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2007, 03:59:45 PM »

It might be nice to be able to better deal with the people who come out of their apartments/offices and say "blah blah blah could get sued blah" (at the slightest mention of jumping)...

At the very least, we don't get into physical altercations (as of yet)...just glares and confused looks. And a few old ladies who look like they might make the sign of the cross at us (especially since we practice near a church sometimes!)

Moa · « **Reply #17 on:** July 28, 2007, 07:25:48 AM »

I think it really is amazing that in general older people are friendlly like watching parkour. One time i was practising wallruns kongs and rolls and two older people started clapping while most people who saw me shook there head and walked away. Does anybody have any idea why this happens?

BenBanned · « **Reply #18 on:** July 28, 2007, 12:00:06 PM »

They value youth more than those who still have it.

Matthew Menze · « **Reply #19 on:** July 30, 2007, 08:34:20 AM »

I have had very few bad interactions (or maybe I just forget them because of how stupid they are). I have had several parents ask me to stop around their kids, and a few people ask me not to do it on their property. In both cases I either left (property) or changed what I was training to less 'dangerous' things...Such as balance drills.

I have had times where around ten little kids (3rd graders or so) where all watching me and chanting monkey man...Thank god none of them tried anything I was doing, I am so horrible with younger children that I am not sure how I would have told them not to try it, or to try smaller things.

Matt

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Author Topic: Interactions with people while doing parkour (Read 5509 times)

Moa

Moa