To have reported the shouty self-appointed piano police to the actual police?

[PeppermintCrayon]

I am half-expecting to be told I'm being U for posting a thread of the "please validate this thing I already did!" variety...

Recently I was at St Pancras Station. There are several pianos for public use there. They're a bit knackered; one of them has a few keys that don't work.

Some kids were playing one of the pianos, about eight or nine maybe. They were having a fun trying to play different tunes. They were banging the keys quite hard. A man of maybe 55, 60, suddenly appeared and started yelling: "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU NEVER BANG A PIANO."

I went over and said I didn't think yelling at children was very nice and that these kids probably didn't have a piano at home and did he want to put them off music? He started huffing and puffing about how the pianos had to be tuned because of people messing about. I said perhaps he could have said: "Look, this is how you play a piano," and explained nicely instead of yelling. He then started yelling at me.

He then went back to sitting at a nearby cafe table glowering at anyone who went near the pianos, so I went and found a transport policeman and told him this man had been shouting at children for playing the piano and he went to have a word.

I don't think I was being U, but...

It's upsetting to see even a knackered piano being abused Peppermint.

I had a knackered piano as a student and I loved it as much as if it had been a Steinway.

It's a gut reaction.

i think it's just very sad that kids can't have fun with an instrument which is put there for everyone's use

it's a bleeding piano not a stradivarius violin

He swore at them now? When exactly?

If someone hasn't been taught to play then they often thump away at the keys. It'll send it out of tune but it isn't like they were doing it to a concert grand.
I don't know if BTP was appropriate but he certainly sounds a bit odd screaming at the kids.

The police agreed with you?

Do tell us what they said.

A good example of wasting police time I suppose.

i think it's upsetting to see adults having a go at children for having a bit of fun

There's a difference between, I don't know, a giant Jenga set that's left out for the public to play with, and a piano that's there to be played. Not only could the piano be damaged by thumping and banging, but it sounds horrible, especially to a pianist. I know pianos are cheap these days, but to my parents' generation (60+) they're still precious and expensive things that aren't there to be treated like a toy.

Maybe they should hang 25 Aulos recorders from a giant mobile and let people tootle as they go past.

Police agreed with what? You didn't hear what they said to him. Probably told him they agreed with him, but had had a report so had to follow it up.

The police agreed with me actually

I'd bet my last penny they rolled their eyes when they walked off.

If more people told kids off for disrespecting public property, the police would have an easier job.

Then they could deal with you know...actual crime.

I doubt they said fuck all to him.

Why on earth would they?

Kids are quite capable of enjoying playing with something without needing to trash it to fuck.

Honest.

yabu

I agree with hidden.

I also had a beaten old piano in one of my bedsits when I was a student. Loved it.

I don't what is so bad about expecting people (including children) to treat things which aren't theirs, even if it is a public item, with a bit of respect.

Respect is sadly lacking these days.

Bashing the bejesus out of a musical instrument is 'a bit of fun' now is it? Christ on a crumpet - so what's breaking and entering? 'Innovative entry and removal solutions'?

Just imagine your oldest and most cherished possession. Something worthless in monetary value, but that means something to you.

Then, imagine someone taking a sledgehammer to it. You're going to feel it aren't you?

Seeing an old piano takes you back in your imagination - if you have one - to the time when it was loved, cherished and played well. It has its own soul and personality. Laugh at me if you will, but this is how it feels. You don't want to see it abused.

It's a visceral reaction and touched a nerve with the guy.

Yes I'm really sure the police agreed with you.
And so what if the piano is old, it does not mean it should be treated badly.

i am sure they put the pianos there knowing kids would play with them

pianos i am sure can take a bit of a bashing jerry lee lewis managed to do it

Hear Hear hidden

I also don't see what's so terrible about children being shouted at.

The policeman said that's not on, they're there for anyone to play including kids and went to have a word.

Why couldn't he have just explained nicely?

pianos don't have brains they are just an object

blimey this thread is dead odd

So were the kids playing the piano or bashing fuck out of it? At what point do YOU think they should have been stopped OP?

the pianos are there to be used however anyone sees fit, there are no guidelines etc stuck to them so the old bloke had no reason to tell the kids anything no matter what people think.

at this rate i will be surprised to see them there next time I visit. when i pass them i always think it's a nice gesture that they're there for ANYONE to use.

Ahh so likely the man gave his version of events which were different to yours then!