Pavement chalk - AIBU?

[HubbabubbaT]

I saw a lovely thing online about a sensory walk pavement trail for kids - hop like a bunny here, spin here, follow the dots, touch your toes, smile - that sort of thing ... Thought it would be a lovely idea to do outside our house for all the kids going for walks with their parents .. cheer the kids up a bit. Happened to mention to neighbour over the fence before I started... He said oh isn't that vandalism of the council's property??? - AIBU or would it be nice thing to do? I tried googling it but there doesn't seem to be any clear cut law against it as far as I can see..?? Just don't want to draw it all out and then have to wash it straight off if it's illegal! Just to confirm I tried the chalks on the patio and they wash straight off..

I’ve certainly witnessed this and, interestingly, it was exactly the same mother who is happy for her children to dominate our local pub with their ‘charming’ exuberance. I suspect there is a fairly big correlation between the parents who are chalk advocates and the parents who allow their children to behave badly in shared public spaces.

I suspect that is utter bullshit and speculation!

I suspect that is utter bullshit and speculation!

Fortunately for me I really couldn’t give a fuck about your suspicions.

We share a long driveway with neighbours and DS9 has chalked hopscotches, rainbows, cats and all kinds of nonsense all on it over the last few weeks. I made him text the neighbour first to check (he couldn't knock like he usually would, for obvious reasons). Our neighbour is a nurse in a busy ICU and he writes her little messages some days for when she gets back from work, which she loves.

Not all pavement-chalkers are badly behaved.

I think it's a lovely idea, but to be fair to the LP's neighbour it sounds like he asked whether it was illegal rather than state that it definitely is. Put a BeKind spin on it - maybe he was just asking.

you live in the wrong neighbourhood. If you had a big enough drive in a nice neighbourhood, you wouldn't be able to see any of the drawings from the houses around you. HTH

Well quite.
As it is my entire estate is covered in chalk on the pavement. Children are stressed and unable to see their friends. This is an outlet for them that will wash away.
That said we’ve not had rain here in 3 weeks!

Sorry OP, not LP ( I'd just like to set the record straight)

I see what you did there, Forget.

Great idea OP. I might chalk a hopscotch tonight when no one’s out.

I just watched a video of a woman who owns a bakery (or another food shop) in London, who used washable chalk spray to mark 2 meter points on the ground for her customers to keep a safe distance. A police officer gave her a fine for vandalism 🤦‍♀️. I would say crack on OP.

Fortunately for me I really couldn’t give a fuck about your suspicions.

@recrudescence

I have no suspicions that was you sweetie, I have speculation!

I clearly don't give a fuck about what you suspect either, I think it's utter rubbish!

@Wewearpinkonwednesdays that police officer was "spoken to" and the fine withdrawn!

Sense prevailed!

Haven't read the whole thread but I once let my DCs out, aged (then) 6 and 8 with big chalks and a slightly older girl- say 10 - who chalked diagrams of willies and 10 foot pictures of people doing a poo, all over the road. DH then ended up washing it off the road with a broom and hose took about 3 hours as he was too scared of the older girl's dad to knock and make him do it.

But anyway, as I said, haven't read the whole thread but my advice is not to let the kids draw big willies.

I have no suspicions that was you sweetie

Well, sweetcheeks, you need to have another look at what you’ve written. What do you think the phrase ‘I suspect’ indicates?

Also, again, I really don’t give a shiny shit that you disbelieve me. I know what I saw.

You saw ONE child @recrudescence that is not a correlation now is it?

And you described that claim as “bullshit”.

@recrudescence

Bullshit was at the ludicrous claim that children that let their children chalk on the pavement are the ones that behave badly in the park, based on a survey of ..... one 😂😂😂😂

It's insulting to parents on this thread who have allowed their children to harmlessly chalk TBH

You haven’t read, or understood, what I actually wrote. In addition, you are not able to remember things you have actually written.

I think it’s a lovely idea. Just go straight to the local paper if you have any issues with the council / police. It’ll also be against many people’s tenancy agreements to display rainbows in their window, but who bloody cares?

Are there any threads not turning into bunfights? If so, could someone point me in the direction of them? So sick of the bickering on here.

Wow. I think lockdown is affecting people's perspective. It's chalk. On tarmac. From children whose little worlds have been turned upside down.

Proper batshit, snobby, school monitors on here today.

I suspect there is a fairly big correlation between the parents who are chalk advocates and the parents who allow their children to behave badly in shared public spaces.

some people are confusing a few chalk drawings on the pavement with teens spray-painting insults on the side of their house! Whilst having a fag and a beer. And holding a goat on a leash.

I thought my willie story might lighten the mood ...

Interested to hear more about the goat on a leash though?

Bet @recrudescence and her kids are dead fun at parties.

Though times have moved on there was a case some while ago Hardman v Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset [1986] where H drew pictures of human figures in chalk on the pavement to draw attention to Hiroshima. It was held to be Criminal Damage as the Council would incur costs in removal.

However if a child under 10 does the chalking they cannot commit "the crime" [or any] by virtue of their age!

@HubbabubbaT