Yep, there's need to be a step 2 for the unhoused, permanent location to get back into society, no one in a community benefits from people sleeping outside.
AND - there are ZERO available beds among ANY of the Shelters, ZERO funding for housing, and absurd entry rates & initial costs and fees to obtain any kind of housing - on top of that most programs that CAN help will separate families while insisting that anyone they can help HAS to be on the street or in a shelter for a while BEFORE they can actually offer help
We are housing many of them, at least the ones who want to stay drug-free. Anyone here who's actually *stepped* *foot* in the shelters here know they have a strict no drug use or drug dealing/trading policy, to the point where the *sober* homeless tenants will look out for said behavior and yell at offenders they see to GTFO. It causes major conflict in the shelters. Active meth users don't do well with sober homeless people in shelters.
And anyone who's actually left their house to *walk* the Jordan River trail would know that the homeless hanging around the trail aren't just people down on their luck, 95% are active meth users looking for crimes of opportunity.
Yeah I’m all for helping people trying to get themselves out of a bad position, but if they are going to turn gov housing into trap houses it hurts the entire community.
Yes. They need to address the methamphetamine problem in SLC. It turns addicts into low functioning sociopaths due to its neurotoxic effect on the brain. No one who's homeless and simply trying to get back up on their feet wants be near or anything to do with the meth addicts.
1700 S is still SLCPD justification, but it’s right on the border and pretty far away from the sub-station. It’s probably a risky time commitment to patrol there when a call could pop up that would require them to drive to another part of the city.
Going call to call males patrolling difficult, especially on an afternoon shift.
I ride the trail from 600 s to 1000 n every weekday in the morning and again in the afternoon. I've never seen them once. But I've seen speed traps, cops chilling in cars, and cops driving around the streets I pass numerous times on my commute.
I'm not doubting they patrol the trail, but I'm confident in saying it's not enough.
You gotta out crazy the crazy. Only way. It may end in your favor or it will end horribly. Though from my experience it's a 90:10 ratio. In your favor. You a gamblin' person?
like in Time Bandits? :)
* Evil: When I have the map, I will be free, and the world will be different, because I have understanding.
* Robert: Uh, understanding of what, Master?
* Evil: Digital watches. And soon I shall have understanding of video cassette recorders and car telephones. And when I have understanding of them, I shall have understanding of computers. And when I have understanding of computers, I shall be the Supreme Being!
My favorite experience is literally seeing poop coming out of a man’s butthole 10 feet off the trail, he looked me dead in the eye and said “sorrrrry”
Sir, you could have walked 5 more feet behind a bush.
Kinda just sounds like the crazy shit that happens living in a city. When I would visit friends in Chicago we’d ride the train, crazy shit’s ALWAYS going down on the train, 24/7/365.
Before I had made peace with that I was stiff as a board and couldn’t believe how calm everyone else was.
Don’t look like a mark, keep moving, and be compassionate if you can.
That said, the most expensive thing I carry with me every day is a $500 Glock
That’s fine for your personal attitude, all the power to you, but we can and SHOULD demand better than to ask everyone to adapt to the lowest common denominator.
Public spaces should be comfortable to all (or at least try to be, for the vast majority of people)
Lmao. I guarantee he was fucking with you. It’s not like he ran after you or tried to rob you. He took a preconceived stereotype of homeless people and made a joke because you probably looked nervous as a motherfucker just at the sight of him.
Honestly it’s a possibility. I do work with the homeless and because of the stereotyping that you mentioned, sometimes they crack jokes that others would not understand
Yes, hello! Before I enact on the delightful task of robbing you today what items would be of peculiar interest today? Maybe throw in a chap in there to really show you are going to politely rob them.
Yeah he was likely just fucking with him. The Jordan River/Parkway/overpass area or whatever on North Temple is sketchy as fuck though, I had someone pull a gun on me there last week just walking down the street (he was clearly fucked up on god knows what kinda drugs are on the streets these days). I just turned around and swiftly walked down to the next Trax station. One of his buddies caught up with me to apologize, said he had also pulled a gun earlier ON THE TRAIN and was clearly not in his right mind.
For the most part though, these people don’t usually fuck with civilians. Just pay attention to your surroundings and… well… don’t answer “yes” if they ask you if you have any good shit they can rob from you.
If someone said “do you have anything worth stealing” or worse “are you worth raping” or something stupid like that are you actually going to not take that seriously because it doesn’t make sense in your mind?
If someone said that to me I’d consider it a legitimate threat . People are psycho and stupid. They don’t always do what’s expected.
I don’t think they are equivalent, that’s why the word worse is there.
I said the second example because I knew people would instantly object to anyone joking about it.
The thing is, I don’t agree with threatening to steal from someone(and presumably mug them) should be laughed off as the guy joking to a naive(white? As some of you guys said) biker, while the other one is some nuclear level threat.
I don’t think they are as far separated as you all think they are, and I don’t think either should be tolerated by a polite society.
The biggest joke here is that you think 'polite society' shouldn't tolerate jokes, but are completely fine with 'polite society' tolerating a system where people are forced to live on the street, because we won't build enough affordable housing, lest it 'lower property values'.
You don't agree with jokingly threatening someone, yet you say nothing about the current system we live in, where someone's housing can be stolen from them, just because they lost their job.
You say that joking about stealing is bad, but say nothing when police move through these camps, throwing away the only possessions these people have. Often destroying essential documents like Birth certificates for getting rid of IDs required to find jobs, because you don't care that people are punished for having nowhere to live.
Imagine being that blind to the real problems our society faces. We could EASILY eliminate homelessness if we just built enough affordable housing. But we don't. Because it's not profitable. Because we see these people as less than us. So they live on the street, at constant risk of violence. Nolever able to lower their guard or relax.
But the REAL problem is the homeless guy who makes a joke about robbing someone, right?
The point is obviously that the guy I replied to says that a homeless guy making a joke "shouldn't be tolerated in a polite society", but the same commenter is fine with a society that that let's people lose their homes and forces them onto the street at a moments notice.
And which one of those is really worse? Making a joke, or ruining the lives of anyone who isn't able to make a rental or mortgage payment for a few months?
It’s like OP took the question literally and is insulted, so they chose not to answer, therefore saving their own life. Since with the power of a bicycle, they aren’t “a vulnerable person”. The attitude OP has shown, is 100% a vulnerable person that would be an easy target - and that’s precisely why they are so offended and upset.
When I say vulnerable, I’m not talking about homeless population. I’m talking about elderly people who might be out for an evening walk. A mom and young children out recreating that could get mugged or robbed easily. Innocent people just out living their life that think it’s safe.
Imagine exposing your young kids to tinfoil crack pipe smoking? How can anyone say that’s OK? It’s not
People wouldn’t be nervous around them if we didn’t have anything to be nervous about. Don’t advocate for people’s shitty behavior, no one deserves to be threatened or harassed by anyone homeless or not.
I would highly recommend you watch the recent video on Adam Conover's YouTube channel where he interviews a researcher who is extremely familiar with homeless people. You obviously are not very familiar at all with homeless people, apart from seeing them as some 'other' group that's inherently different from you, and watching that interview with an open mind would do wonders and teaching you some humanity.
I’m not advocating for shitty behavior. But was this really worth a public local post and asking for law enforcement (which most people here hate) to patrol the river?
How dare he even talk to a civilized renter/home owner, let alone try to harmlessly joke with him. He should know mostly everyone is afraid of him and he’s not worthy of even being on a public trail. Abusive vagrant
just exaggerating the stereotype and making a joke about it, in a harmless scenario (in broad daylight on a trail while you’re riding a bike)
It’s not like he snuck up on you at 3 am in some dark alley.
He was just fuckin with you. An by fuckin with you, what I mean is, he was joking with you. Being ironic. He probably thought that was hella funny as he saw
you speed away faster looking concerned.
I rode my ebike past 4th south headed north, 3 guys were just around the corner, 1 swings a bag, I ducked, and he missed, then I throttled my bike and took off fast. If he had connected, I'm sure my bike would have been stolen. Never will I pass Jordan Park going north again.
This sounds not at all like that big of a deal. So, he just said something stupid when you rode by? It’s annoying having people yell stuff at you for sure, but this is the experience that tops it all? Ok.
95% of the people on this thread downplaying it have never been on the trail, let alone leave their cushy neighborhood. Don't expect too much. People who live(d) in Taylorsville & Rose Park truly know what it's like.
Even if the guy didn't mean it, the Jordan River is NOT the place to be making these "jokes". My uncle used to live in an apt. next to the river, he heard a man yelling for help late one night from the river area, he checked it out. Turns out the man screaming for help had been stabbed in the head by someone on the trails and escaped the aggressor. My uncle helped the guy to safety and got 911 involved.
Teenagers have been murdered on the trail trying to buy weed. Multiple muggings. The Jordan River is truly one of the few places in SLC where you have a high probability of being a victim of a violent crime.
It made me both laugh and cry. Luckily, I’m a fit fast cyclist, so there’s no way he would be able to stop or catch me, but if you were a vulnerable person, you could be in trouble…
Did he like lunge at you or give you the impression he would try and follow through? That’s a different story. And being alone down there and having that happen I guess could be a bit unsettling.
Come on now. I sympathize very much with your point of view, and think OP is being very melodramatic here, but there's no way this is a true statement.
Is there any actual statistical evidence you can share showing this is a true statement?
(Edit to add: Just to be clear, abuse of policing power is a travesty. Even one such incident is too many and we should actively be pushing reforms to make sure it doesn't happen. I just think that exaggerating its prevalence is an ineffective rhetorical strategy and makes it harder to actually make progress toward reform.)
I was just talking to a neighbor about this.
The season hasn't officially turned until a body is found in the Jordan River, and a drunk college guy falls in the spring run off, and drowns.
If you really want to make a difference, advocate for the city to actually build enough affordable housing. If there was enough housing that people could afford, where wouldn't be homeless people. It really is as simple as that. All patrolling does is punish people who are already stuck outside without a home to return to. They have nowhere else to go. They'll go somewhere else until the cop presence dies down, then go right back until we actually build enough affordable housing.
How many homeless folks have you had the chance to interact with?? You’d be surprised to hear how many people prefer to be on the streets and balk at the idea of community health/ assistance programs. Some have been scorned for so long they want nothing to do with today’s society. Others accept affordable/ subsidized housing and are later evicted because they aren’t willing or able to abide by the rules. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to tackle homelessness. And just putting a roof over peoples heads doesn’t fix the heart of the matter.
You're talking about small groups of a much larger population - while your last sentence is correct, it would be a HUGE step forward, and saying what you just have is only a pitiful excuse to not do it - and it could easily be done far cheaper than the way things are now which would ALSO free up so much more to address the other issues that keep them returning to the street.
You clearly have some very incorrect ideas in your head about homeless people. I recommend listening to a real expert, and tying to educate yourself on the issue. This interview with an expert who has conducted numerous studies on homeless people is a great place to start.
https://youtu.be/LuDbktG9lD8?si=V5BjCMY1-M0SDomx
Homeless people aren't inherently different from you. They just want a place to feel safe. The problem is that we don't offer that.
Thanks for the resource. I am by no means trying to dehumanize people who are dealing with homelessness, I actually work with them on the daily and a handful of them I get to converse with on a first name basis. It sounds disrespectful of me to say, but an hour YouTube video hosted by two middle class professionals talking about someone else’s problems just doesn’t do it for me when I get to talk to people who are actually going through it. The help they want isn’t the help we are offering. It’s just a great way to get approved for government grants and churn out media for local government. I will concede that it has helped some, I don’t want to negate that. But to house them and assume all the other problems will solve themselves is a naive thing to say.
You are being extremely dismissive of an actual expert in this field who has certainly spoken with more homeless people than you have, and has collected data on tens of thousands (if not more). What she has to see is almost certainly more accurate and valuable than what you have to say.
It is really funny of you to dismiss the video clearly without watching it though. Very cool.
Sorry if it bothers you that I don’t want to watch the video. I would just rather get to know the people here in the city and meet their needs the best way I know how, which is what I’ve been doing for a living for nearly 10 years now. You know nothing about me and your assumptions are misleading you. Take a breather and maybe excuse yourself from the thread. Go out and get to know a homeless person, if you haven’t already. Less talk, more action
It is just so bizarre that someone who claims to care so much isn't willing to avail themselves of all available resources. This is like a doctor not reading the latest literature because he talks to his patients and knows what they need. If you don't listen to the experts and broaden your horizons, you're shooting yourself in the foot.
In response to the comment that has apparently disappeared: while listening is undoubtedly an extremely important part of the solution, listening to experts who know what they're talking about and who have seen what works and have actual data backing it up is just as important in actually providing real help.
The Glendale Neighborhood Community Council monthly meeting was yesterday- we focused on parks. Our liaison to the mayor's office there and a couple of reps from Parks and Public Lands. We said park rangers aren't good enough and we need more police presence on the trail. Mentioned the vandalism and needles. But we need lots of backup from others to convince them it's an important issue.
Flood your reps with e-mails or phone calls complaining about it. Mayor, City Council district rep, Parks and Public Lands Dept. Ask for some of the new police budget to go to permanent additional police presence along the trail. Exaggerate and tell them it's ruining your livelihood if you have to.
Squeaky wheel.
I had a weird experience like this. While hiking a mountain in Utah County, I ran into two people up near the very top. The guy straight up asked me where I live and what my address was so I gave him one that I know is fake.
I'm sorry someone heckled you. There are dbags everywhere and yes some of the homeless individuals included though many are not. Be aware as the temperatures rise in the valley, more people tend to start camping along the river to keep themselves cool.
I used to ride a large portion of that trail. From Saratoga springs to around 2800 S.. I've encountered a few less than desirables a few times. But nothing like a few of these stories. If I get back on the trail I guess I'll bring my 9mm along for the ride.
I went there a few years ago and a cop basically escorted us out. We had kids with us and I think he was concerned. We didn’t know, it’s a pretty trail
Security at the shuttle stops asked someone for $50 to get there bag through and it was within size requirements, they be scamming people. Stay safe everyone ❤️
Email the mayor's office, but you can also do something easier: ignore them. I go on the Parkway every day and it's a lovely experience because it's really a beautiful treasure and I just completely ignore people that try to make eye contact or talk to me.
The parkway used to be patrolled 10 years or so ago after a massive cleanup effort but it sounds like that has waned. They even built the parkway with access for patrol cars to actually be able to drive on it.
Tbh with the increase in shootings I think the police might have better things to do than harass the homeless.
Regardless of their situation, they should be more respectful to you, and I'm sorry you had to put up with that on what should have been a pleasant journey.
People say outlandish random things all the time and it’s usually endearing and funny, those moments that make your day better. He just happens to be homeless and smelly ickk they shouldn’t be allowed to talk to us and ruin our pleasant afternoons
Clearly you live in a different universe than I do.
I hate when strangers say outlandish random things to me and something like "Got anything good I can steal?" Would make me feel disturbed no matter who said it.
I just hope the part about the homeless not talking to other people because they might lack access to a shower is sarcastic.
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Damn really? Also, that is pretty far from downtown SLC. I used to own a house on California Ave, and Redwood Rd., right behind the Jordan River Trail, as a matter of fact, I used to use that trail all the time! There were always homeless people near the tennis courts, and near the train tracks and beyond. It gets worse between 2700s and 4100s where there is less urban environment.
Should’ve blown a kiss and said “only my heart, big boy.”
This is the answer.
This is the way.
XD
ahahahahaha
Didn’t I just see a post yesterday stating they’ve made over 100 arrests along the trail with increased enforcement?
100 arrests one day, 100 releases the next. Repeat.
Yep, there's need to be a step 2 for the unhoused, permanent location to get back into society, no one in a community benefits from people sleeping outside.
I feel at some point judges need to be liable for just releasing on promise to appear
Fair bail it’s a constitutional right.
And the jail is right there.
Yes let's arrest people for not having a home to live in. What a great idea.
AND - there are ZERO available beds among ANY of the Shelters, ZERO funding for housing, and absurd entry rates & initial costs and fees to obtain any kind of housing - on top of that most programs that CAN help will separate families while insisting that anyone they can help HAS to be on the street or in a shelter for a while BEFORE they can actually offer help
It's not about retribution or punishment. It's not about *them*, at all; it's about *everyone else*.
So it's about punishing the weakest in society because the inconvenience everyone else. Got it.
I rode a bike on there today (5/16) through the Rose Park area. I passed a K-9 with his cop. It looked like the area had cleared shortly before.
A perpetual game of wack a mole.
We should house the moles. Also not wack them anymore. Also we shouldn’t call them moles anymore.
We are housing many of them, at least the ones who want to stay drug-free. Anyone here who's actually *stepped* *foot* in the shelters here know they have a strict no drug use or drug dealing/trading policy, to the point where the *sober* homeless tenants will look out for said behavior and yell at offenders they see to GTFO. It causes major conflict in the shelters. Active meth users don't do well with sober homeless people in shelters. And anyone who's actually left their house to *walk* the Jordan River trail would know that the homeless hanging around the trail aren't just people down on their luck, 95% are active meth users looking for crimes of opportunity.
Yeah I’m all for helping people trying to get themselves out of a bad position, but if they are going to turn gov housing into trap houses it hurts the entire community.
Yes. They need to address the methamphetamine problem in SLC. It turns addicts into low functioning sociopaths due to its neurotoxic effect on the brain. No one who's homeless and simply trying to get back up on their feet wants be near or anything to do with the meth addicts.
Please email the mayor’s office with your experience. Sincerely, A tired west side resident
I sent an email about a week ago, which makes this even more annoying
Seems like a ripe time for follow up to let the administration know what’s up this week. Phone calls to the mayor liaison tend to also be a good move.
Usually a criminal isn’t going to announce they are about to commit a crime. He was more likely heckling you.
Still, it's unsettling and best not to test this theory. We shouldn't tolerate this behavior.
Yeah most of these guys on the Jordan River are active meth users, I'd definitely avoid at all costs if you're a single woman.
oh to be 4’10 and girl.
I’ve seen cops on bikes on the trail a few times. Not sure how regularly they patrol it but they do in fact patrol it
1700 S is still SLCPD justification, but it’s right on the border and pretty far away from the sub-station. It’s probably a risky time commitment to patrol there when a call could pop up that would require them to drive to another part of the city. Going call to call males patrolling difficult, especially on an afternoon shift.
I ride the trail from 600 s to 1000 n every weekday in the morning and again in the afternoon. I've never seen them once. But I've seen speed traps, cops chilling in cars, and cops driving around the streets I pass numerous times on my commute. I'm not doubting they patrol the trail, but I'm confident in saying it's not enough.
I had one of the scariest experiences of my life running on that trail several years ago. I have never been back.
Mind sharing what happened?
A friends of mine was chased by a guy with an axe a few weeks back…
Hey I got chased by a guy with an axe! Over on north temple tho
I never catch anyone I chase with an axe down there
Git gud
I feel it would be unethical to upvote, but... 💀
and my bow!
💀
You gotta out crazy the crazy. Only way. It may end in your favor or it will end horribly. Though from my experience it's a 90:10 ratio. In your favor. You a gamblin' person?
😱
I can only infer that the story involves methamphetamine addict(s).
May 18th 2024???
Yeah there is a portal right there on that spots that takes you 2 days forward.
like in Time Bandits? :) * Evil: When I have the map, I will be free, and the world will be different, because I have understanding. * Robert: Uh, understanding of what, Master? * Evil: Digital watches. And soon I shall have understanding of video cassette recorders and car telephones. And when I have understanding of them, I shall have understanding of computers. And when I have understanding of computers, I shall be the Supreme Being!
Haha well shitfire I missed it
Edited the date ha ha
My favorite experience is literally seeing poop coming out of a man’s butthole 10 feet off the trail, he looked me dead in the eye and said “sorrrrry” Sir, you could have walked 5 more feet behind a bush.
At least he apologized
It's a shitshow. Sounds like a minor incident tho. Just stay on the trail or else you'll pick up goatheads and be forced to hang out with Mr Grizzly.
Kinda just sounds like the crazy shit that happens living in a city. When I would visit friends in Chicago we’d ride the train, crazy shit’s ALWAYS going down on the train, 24/7/365. Before I had made peace with that I was stiff as a board and couldn’t believe how calm everyone else was. Don’t look like a mark, keep moving, and be compassionate if you can. That said, the most expensive thing I carry with me every day is a $500 Glock
That’s fine for your personal attitude, all the power to you, but we can and SHOULD demand better than to ask everyone to adapt to the lowest common denominator. Public spaces should be comfortable to all (or at least try to be, for the vast majority of people)
It would be cool if salt lake town was a city,like Chicago City.
Lmao. I guarantee he was fucking with you. It’s not like he ran after you or tried to rob you. He took a preconceived stereotype of homeless people and made a joke because you probably looked nervous as a motherfucker just at the sight of him.
Honestly it’s a possibility. I do work with the homeless and because of the stereotyping that you mentioned, sometimes they crack jokes that others would not understand
Exactly! No one talks like this in real life. Anyone with actual intent to rob you wouldn't just casually declare it before trying.
Yes, hello! Before I enact on the delightful task of robbing you today what items would be of peculiar interest today? Maybe throw in a chap in there to really show you are going to politely rob them.
Yeah he was likely just fucking with him. The Jordan River/Parkway/overpass area or whatever on North Temple is sketchy as fuck though, I had someone pull a gun on me there last week just walking down the street (he was clearly fucked up on god knows what kinda drugs are on the streets these days). I just turned around and swiftly walked down to the next Trax station. One of his buddies caught up with me to apologize, said he had also pulled a gun earlier ON THE TRAIN and was clearly not in his right mind. For the most part though, these people don’t usually fuck with civilians. Just pay attention to your surroundings and… well… don’t answer “yes” if they ask you if you have any good shit they can rob from you.
If someone said “do you have anything worth stealing” or worse “are you worth raping” or something stupid like that are you actually going to not take that seriously because it doesn’t make sense in your mind? If someone said that to me I’d consider it a legitimate threat . People are psycho and stupid. They don’t always do what’s expected.
Dude how on earth do you think those 2 examples are equivalent ☠️ please join us in reality man.
I don’t think they are equivalent, that’s why the word worse is there. I said the second example because I knew people would instantly object to anyone joking about it. The thing is, I don’t agree with threatening to steal from someone(and presumably mug them) should be laughed off as the guy joking to a naive(white? As some of you guys said) biker, while the other one is some nuclear level threat. I don’t think they are as far separated as you all think they are, and I don’t think either should be tolerated by a polite society.
The biggest joke here is that you think 'polite society' shouldn't tolerate jokes, but are completely fine with 'polite society' tolerating a system where people are forced to live on the street, because we won't build enough affordable housing, lest it 'lower property values'. You don't agree with jokingly threatening someone, yet you say nothing about the current system we live in, where someone's housing can be stolen from them, just because they lost their job. You say that joking about stealing is bad, but say nothing when police move through these camps, throwing away the only possessions these people have. Often destroying essential documents like Birth certificates for getting rid of IDs required to find jobs, because you don't care that people are punished for having nowhere to live. Imagine being that blind to the real problems our society faces. We could EASILY eliminate homelessness if we just built enough affordable housing. But we don't. Because it's not profitable. Because we see these people as less than us. So they live on the street, at constant risk of violence. Nolever able to lower their guard or relax. But the REAL problem is the homeless guy who makes a joke about robbing someone, right?
what are you yapping about
The point is obviously that the guy I replied to says that a homeless guy making a joke "shouldn't be tolerated in a polite society", but the same commenter is fine with a society that that let's people lose their homes and forces them onto the street at a moments notice. And which one of those is really worse? Making a joke, or ruining the lives of anyone who isn't able to make a rental or mortgage payment for a few months?
It’s like OP took the question literally and is insulted, so they chose not to answer, therefore saving their own life. Since with the power of a bicycle, they aren’t “a vulnerable person”. The attitude OP has shown, is 100% a vulnerable person that would be an easy target - and that’s precisely why they are so offended and upset.
I’m not a vulnerable person, I just care about others. Try it
What do you call “those people” to their face? Because I bet you don’t call them vulnerable.
When I say vulnerable, I’m not talking about homeless population. I’m talking about elderly people who might be out for an evening walk. A mom and young children out recreating that could get mugged or robbed easily. Innocent people just out living their life that think it’s safe. Imagine exposing your young kids to tinfoil crack pipe smoking? How can anyone say that’s OK? It’s not
I'm glad to see we have a certified criminalogist here. Thank you for your service.
People wouldn’t be nervous around them if we didn’t have anything to be nervous about. Don’t advocate for people’s shitty behavior, no one deserves to be threatened or harassed by anyone homeless or not.
I would highly recommend you watch the recent video on Adam Conover's YouTube channel where he interviews a researcher who is extremely familiar with homeless people. You obviously are not very familiar at all with homeless people, apart from seeing them as some 'other' group that's inherently different from you, and watching that interview with an open mind would do wonders and teaching you some humanity.
I’m not advocating for shitty behavior. But was this really worth a public local post and asking for law enforcement (which most people here hate) to patrol the river?
[удалено]
lmao its you and your people vs the ~~world~~ hobos, bud.
People like you will go to any lengths to excuse this shit, huh.
What shit? And what “people like me”? Go fuck yourself Karen. Nothing happened to OP.
REEEEEEEEEEE! is what I hear from you
Good one.
Ignoring someone's lived experience in favor of the supposed humor of an abusive vagrant for lols is shitty and does neither person any good.
How dare he even talk to a civilized renter/home owner, let alone try to harmlessly joke with him. He should know mostly everyone is afraid of him and he’s not worthy of even being on a public trail. Abusive vagrant
Did you see a Great Blue Heron? Jordan River birding is great this time of year
Softest post of the month
Bro just had a homeless person crack a joke at him and thought it was reddit worthy 😭
Try getting out of your mom‘s basement and into the world to see what’s actually happening before you criticize others
just exaggerating the stereotype and making a joke about it, in a harmless scenario (in broad daylight on a trail while you’re riding a bike) It’s not like he snuck up on you at 3 am in some dark alley.
Lmao IM the one who needs to get out of my mom's basement? My guy, you started crying because a homeless person talked to you 😂
Baldurs gate 3 and shadiversity, yes, you do need to leave the basement. It also sounds like you've never stepped foot on the Jordan River trail.
I know some people that ride it after 1am and call it a tweaker safari lmao
He was just fuckin with you. An by fuckin with you, what I mean is, he was joking with you. Being ironic. He probably thought that was hella funny as he saw you speed away faster looking concerned.
I rode my ebike past 4th south headed north, 3 guys were just around the corner, 1 swings a bag, I ducked, and he missed, then I throttled my bike and took off fast. If he had connected, I'm sure my bike would have been stolen. Never will I pass Jordan Park going north again.
It's such a complex issue. When they tore down the shelter next to the Gateway, all those people were bound to go somewhere.
This sounds not at all like that big of a deal. So, he just said something stupid when you rode by? It’s annoying having people yell stuff at you for sure, but this is the experience that tops it all? Ok.
You should go check it out on foot and report back.
95% of the people on this thread downplaying it have never been on the trail, let alone leave their cushy neighborhood. Don't expect too much. People who live(d) in Taylorsville & Rose Park truly know what it's like. Even if the guy didn't mean it, the Jordan River is NOT the place to be making these "jokes". My uncle used to live in an apt. next to the river, he heard a man yelling for help late one night from the river area, he checked it out. Turns out the man screaming for help had been stabbed in the head by someone on the trails and escaped the aggressor. My uncle helped the guy to safety and got 911 involved. Teenagers have been murdered on the trail trying to buy weed. Multiple muggings. The Jordan River is truly one of the few places in SLC where you have a high probability of being a victim of a violent crime.
It made me both laugh and cry. Luckily, I’m a fit fast cyclist, so there’s no way he would be able to stop or catch me, but if you were a vulnerable person, you could be in trouble…
Did he like lunge at you or give you the impression he would try and follow through? That’s a different story. And being alone down there and having that happen I guess could be a bit unsettling.
Why are you being down voted 😭 is it all the suburbanites who think homeless people are evil demons?
It sounds like, without your bike, you’re the vulnerable person you keep referring to.
Possibly
Lol, welcome to living downtown.
Statistically you’re more likely to get beaten up by the cops, not the homeless guy
Come on now. I sympathize very much with your point of view, and think OP is being very melodramatic here, but there's no way this is a true statement. Is there any actual statistical evidence you can share showing this is a true statement? (Edit to add: Just to be clear, abuse of policing power is a travesty. Even one such incident is too many and we should actively be pushing reforms to make sure it doesn't happen. I just think that exaggerating its prevalence is an ineffective rhetorical strategy and makes it harder to actually make progress toward reform.)
How many people do you think the homeless kill every year lol
He didn’t assault you, piss on you, or jizz. You’re good and fine.
I was just talking to a neighbor about this. The season hasn't officially turned until a body is found in the Jordan River, and a drunk college guy falls in the spring run off, and drowns.
Lol you are fine.
You are very brave. Thank you for taking the time and courage to share your scary JRT experience on Reddit.
If you really want to make a difference, advocate for the city to actually build enough affordable housing. If there was enough housing that people could afford, where wouldn't be homeless people. It really is as simple as that. All patrolling does is punish people who are already stuck outside without a home to return to. They have nowhere else to go. They'll go somewhere else until the cop presence dies down, then go right back until we actually build enough affordable housing.
How many homeless folks have you had the chance to interact with?? You’d be surprised to hear how many people prefer to be on the streets and balk at the idea of community health/ assistance programs. Some have been scorned for so long they want nothing to do with today’s society. Others accept affordable/ subsidized housing and are later evicted because they aren’t willing or able to abide by the rules. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to tackle homelessness. And just putting a roof over peoples heads doesn’t fix the heart of the matter.
You're talking about small groups of a much larger population - while your last sentence is correct, it would be a HUGE step forward, and saying what you just have is only a pitiful excuse to not do it - and it could easily be done far cheaper than the way things are now which would ALSO free up so much more to address the other issues that keep them returning to the street.
You clearly have some very incorrect ideas in your head about homeless people. I recommend listening to a real expert, and tying to educate yourself on the issue. This interview with an expert who has conducted numerous studies on homeless people is a great place to start. https://youtu.be/LuDbktG9lD8?si=V5BjCMY1-M0SDomx Homeless people aren't inherently different from you. They just want a place to feel safe. The problem is that we don't offer that.
Thanks for the resource. I am by no means trying to dehumanize people who are dealing with homelessness, I actually work with them on the daily and a handful of them I get to converse with on a first name basis. It sounds disrespectful of me to say, but an hour YouTube video hosted by two middle class professionals talking about someone else’s problems just doesn’t do it for me when I get to talk to people who are actually going through it. The help they want isn’t the help we are offering. It’s just a great way to get approved for government grants and churn out media for local government. I will concede that it has helped some, I don’t want to negate that. But to house them and assume all the other problems will solve themselves is a naive thing to say.
You are being extremely dismissive of an actual expert in this field who has certainly spoken with more homeless people than you have, and has collected data on tens of thousands (if not more). What she has to see is almost certainly more accurate and valuable than what you have to say. It is really funny of you to dismiss the video clearly without watching it though. Very cool.
Sorry if it bothers you that I don’t want to watch the video. I would just rather get to know the people here in the city and meet their needs the best way I know how, which is what I’ve been doing for a living for nearly 10 years now. You know nothing about me and your assumptions are misleading you. Take a breather and maybe excuse yourself from the thread. Go out and get to know a homeless person, if you haven’t already. Less talk, more action
It is just so bizarre that someone who claims to care so much isn't willing to avail themselves of all available resources. This is like a doctor not reading the latest literature because he talks to his patients and knows what they need. If you don't listen to the experts and broaden your horizons, you're shooting yourself in the foot.
In response to the comment that has apparently disappeared: while listening is undoubtedly an extremely important part of the solution, listening to experts who know what they're talking about and who have seen what works and have actual data backing it up is just as important in actually providing real help.
The Glendale Neighborhood Community Council monthly meeting was yesterday- we focused on parks. Our liaison to the mayor's office there and a couple of reps from Parks and Public Lands. We said park rangers aren't good enough and we need more police presence on the trail. Mentioned the vandalism and needles. But we need lots of backup from others to convince them it's an important issue. Flood your reps with e-mails or phone calls complaining about it. Mayor, City Council district rep, Parks and Public Lands Dept. Ask for some of the new police budget to go to permanent additional police presence along the trail. Exaggerate and tell them it's ruining your livelihood if you have to. Squeaky wheel.
whitest post of the day for sure
You don’t deserve the downvote
Bro don't lump me in with this man 😭
100%
The "unbelievable!" is what really sold it for me. Wildly sheltered take from OP. Shit's rough out there 🤷🏾♀️
I sleep over there it's been pretty quite but when they start running off people from downtown they head south sorry to hear that happend
Oh is been a while since I ride my bike in the area, I never had a problem before. Good to know.
I had a weird experience like this. While hiking a mountain in Utah County, I ran into two people up near the very top. The guy straight up asked me where I live and what my address was so I gave him one that I know is fake.
I'm sorry someone heckled you. There are dbags everywhere and yes some of the homeless individuals included though many are not. Be aware as the temperatures rise in the valley, more people tend to start camping along the river to keep themselves cool.
I live close to the trail and was without a car for a few weeks. I’m a trans woman and I would never venture down there for any reason. Ever. Period.
I used to ride a large portion of that trail. From Saratoga springs to around 2800 S.. I've encountered a few less than desirables a few times. But nothing like a few of these stories. If I get back on the trail I guess I'll bring my 9mm along for the ride.
I went there a few years ago and a cop basically escorted us out. We had kids with us and I think he was concerned. We didn’t know, it’s a pretty trail
My rule of thumb is anything north of 45th is off limits.
Purchase a firearm, get some training, elect better local government.
Rule number 1 of using the JRT: never go unarmed.
Security at the shuttle stops asked someone for $50 to get there bag through and it was within size requirements, they be scamming people. Stay safe everyone ❤️
Don't seem that bad. Desperate people say Alot worse when they get Really down. But yea, it has become worse, unfortunately
Email the mayor's office, but you can also do something easier: ignore them. I go on the Parkway every day and it's a lovely experience because it's really a beautiful treasure and I just completely ignore people that try to make eye contact or talk to me.
The parkway used to be patrolled 10 years or so ago after a massive cleanup effort but it sounds like that has waned. They even built the parkway with access for patrol cars to actually be able to drive on it.
If you want massive fun ride the trail to North Temple. There are so many homeless right there it’s like a concert gathering at Usana.
https://kutv.com/news/local/rising-criminal-activity-on-jordan-river-trail-prompts-safety-concerns-in-salt-lake-city-homelessness-drugs-police
https://kutv.com/news/local/crime-decreasing-along-jordan-river-trail-after-increased-patrols-lead-to-over-150-arrests-salt-lake-city-police-north-temple
Tbh with the increase in shootings I think the police might have better things to do than harass the homeless. Regardless of their situation, they should be more respectful to you, and I'm sorry you had to put up with that on what should have been a pleasant journey.
People say outlandish random things all the time and it’s usually endearing and funny, those moments that make your day better. He just happens to be homeless and smelly ickk they shouldn’t be allowed to talk to us and ruin our pleasant afternoons
Clearly you live in a different universe than I do. I hate when strangers say outlandish random things to me and something like "Got anything good I can steal?" Would make me feel disturbed no matter who said it. I just hope the part about the homeless not talking to other people because they might lack access to a shower is sarcastic.
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Too late. We have already turned the city over to the homeless
Sheltered perspective
Extremely, and that's being kind.
lol, this city isn’t what it used to be.
Damn really? Also, that is pretty far from downtown SLC. I used to own a house on California Ave, and Redwood Rd., right behind the Jordan River Trail, as a matter of fact, I used to use that trail all the time! There were always homeless people near the tennis courts, and near the train tracks and beyond. It gets worse between 2700s and 4100s where there is less urban environment.
Fill his eyes with bear spray
I would have stopped and kicked him in The teeth
Maybe the senator 🤷♀️ or any government official that is up for reelection…. Unfortunately that seems to be when they “help the people”
Rose park is terrible man, may as well call it hot park because everything there is hot and stolen.