Posted on 08/03/2005 9:25:56 AM PDT by Puppage
BELMAR, N.J. -- Keep the beer pong and games of quarters inside.
In the ongoing tussle between summer renters and year-round residents of this seaside community, the borough council has banned outdoor games involving alcohol.
The so-called "Beer Pong" ordinance, which goes into effect Aug. 17, prohibits alcohol-related games or contests on porches, decks, lawns, front and side yards, or anywhere that can be viewed by the public and neighbors. Fines begin at $100 for a first offense.
Adopted last week, the regulation takes its name from a drinking game in which players bounce pingpong balls into cups of beer, with successful bounces triggering rounds of drinking.
Borough Clerk Margaret Plummer said residents near some rental areas have complained about people playing such games on their front lawns, getting progressively drunk and noisy.
Belmar, located about halfway between Manhattan and Atlantic City, has an offseason population of 6,000 that Plummer said can surge to 70,000 on a hot summer weekend.
Some summer renters, such as Michael Todd, say the borough is trying to drive out young people who provide an economic boost to the area. Todd, 27, filed a complaint against a police officer who issued him a summons for playing Wiffle ball, the Asbury Park Press reported in Wednesday's newspapers.
"I didn't know Belmar all of (a) sudden turned into a big dictatorship borough," Todd said.
The borough also plans to establish taxi stands around bars. A public hearing on that proposal is scheduled for Aug. 10.
government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take it away
"Welcome to New Jersey. Admission is free, but just try to get out without paying a toll. Nobody would pay to enter, but you'll pay whatever they ask to get out."
Ditto. After 45 years living in that horrible place, I finally moved an hour or so into Pennsylvania, and breathe a sigh of relief every time I return here from visiting family members.
Don't you know we need a new law to cover the same thing. I hate this. Of course the offensive behavior is already covered.
Or, a handicapped person in a wheel chair, or an elderly lady with a walker.Geez, can ya come up with any more scenarios?
BTW, I like the "with kids" aspect you threw in there. That's sure to garner sympathy.
If they are out of control, there are already laws to deal with it.
Thanks - that's what I figured. Don't enforce the laws we already have - enact new ones, so people can ignore those, too!
Then again, isn't this the same state that wants to ban individuals from smoking in their own cars?
Who died and left the commies in charge?
You must have lived in a crappy part of the state. I live in Wantage Twp. near High Point and it's awesome. I love it.
Oh, the hundreds of drunken misadventures I had in my youth in the lovely town of Belmar. Quite the fun town back then.
A public disturbance ordinance should be enough to keep summer visitors from destroying the peace of the neighborhood.
That said, I do have some empathy for year-round homeowners who have to deal with people who are there temporarily, have nothing vested there, and don't give a flip about good will with the neighbors. I would suspect that drunken parties are only a part of the discourtesy that the regular folks have to put up with for the summer.
That has to be one of the better Jack Stories I have ever heard.
It's not the state doing it. It's one borough (town) in NJ. Learn to read.
And, they were her minority adopted kids that she was driving to the homeless shelter to volunteer their time and help to dole out the evening meal after she finished work at her second job.
And for those who are
unfamiliar with outdoor
drinking games (now banned!) ...
when it hits a lady in the head driving a minivan filled with kids, yeah theres a problem.
Its too hot in August to be driving around NJ with the windows down. The lady with the minivan should roll up her window and turn on the freaking air conditioner for the poor children.
Besides, you could shoot a wiffle ball out a cannon straight into her face, and it wouldnt hurt.
We had paddles, and a net raised on the table (much like a volleyball net). There were only 4 cups on the table, on each corner.
In fact, many of us were volleyball players, adapting this game to our familiar game.
The guy in the photo looks like he's pitching a bottle cap (or something) into the cup. Doesn't look like the original "Beer Pong."
This photo looks like a whole different game.
Now you're just lying. Everyone knows a wiffle ball wont go straight. Maybe it would curve right into her face, still not hurt her, but you know it would curve!
I guess you are just one of the people we dread having in our town. its all about respect, which is lacking.
Are all NJ'ers rude?
I can see the tears running down your face, OMG a wiffle ball can you believe it, somebody threw a wiffle ball in public! We need a law!
Before women and girly men took over the county you had to shoot up the local saloon with six shooters to get the locals upset. Now throwing wiffle balls does it, next big war we are toast.
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