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Autistic Adults and Playgrounds

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Magna
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15 Aug 2018, 11:48 am

I understand that swinging is therapeutic for you and that it seems natural for you to go to a playground to swing.

I agree with others, however, who have said that being an adult male unaccompanied by a child is going to weird people out and make people feel uncomfortable. I'm male and I have kids. I would be "on guard/alert" if there was a man by himself swinging among the children.

Your situation is difficult because we can all assume you have no ill intent. It's not against the law for you do swing in a playground and you say it helps you. I guess you have to make a judgement call as to whether you feel your need for swinging is stronger than making others uncomfortable if you notice that they are?



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15 Aug 2018, 1:21 pm

League_Girl wrote:
shortfatbalduglyman wrote:
you could go to playgrounds that are less crowded.

certainly do not compete with children for the swingset.

some "people" could get suspicious of you, but you are not doing anything wrong.

besides, anyone could get suspicious of anyone for any reason.

some parks have posted age limits.

play structures have weight limits.

anyways, what is so great about riding a bike? plenty of drivers "feel uneasy" around bike riders. (bicycle, not motorcycle, although motorcycles too). bikes have a legal right to make left turns from the left turn lane. plenty of drivers do not know that. plenty of drivers drive badly and/or impatiently and honk when they are wrong.




No it's because cyclists also don't follow the rules and they run red lights and can go right in front of you so us drivers are nervous because we don't know what you are going to do. I have even gotten some mad at me for not going at a green light because I didn't know where they were going and I didn't want to hit them so they would aggressively tell me to go as if they were offended by me being careful around them and being safe around them. I just didn't want to turn and then they start pedaling and I hit them. But yet that offended them when I was trying to avoid that?


A driver is held more responsible when they hit a cyclists or a pedestrian so we have a reason to be very nervous around pedestrians and cyclists because of you do anything stupid, we are automatically held at fault unless we have a witness or a dashcam.

Truckers are held to a higher standard than regular cars so truckers also have a reason to be anxious around regular cars so many of them also use a dash cam because of stupidity of drivers.
In the US bicyclists are required to follow the same rules as cars and can get ticketed just like motorists.


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skibum
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15 Aug 2018, 1:22 pm

League_Girl wrote:
skibum wrote:
I have the same issue. I want to play in the playgrounds too and I am afraid people will think I am creepy or the p word. I try to go when no one else is around even if it has to be at four in the morning or something. If police come and ask me what I am doing there, I explain that I am Autistic and I need this and I don't want to scare people who have kids. I would also feel scared if other adults were watching me judging me. I am just as afraid of them as they are for their kids even though I am completely harmless. I would even tell the police that I am afraid to go when other people are there because of what they might do to me.



People seriously call the police on an adult playing in the playground?

Unfortunately some people do.


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skibum
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15 Aug 2018, 1:29 pm

They now have indoor tumbling and swinging places specifically for Autistics but unfortunately they are for children. But I called one and asked if I could go and play and they told me that if I had an actual diagnosis I could. They did say, however, that their swings are only rated for up to 150 pounds. But if you have one of these places near you and you are light enough for the swings, you can see if they will let you go there and play.

The place I am talking about is called We Rock The Spectrum. It is not too expensive but unfortunately the closest one to my house is over an hour and a half away.

Here is their website
http://www.werockthespectrumnortheastphilly.com/


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League_Girl
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15 Aug 2018, 1:31 pm

skibum wrote:
League_Girl wrote:
shortfatbalduglyman wrote:
you could go to playgrounds that are less crowded.

certainly do not compete with children for the swingset.

some "people" could get suspicious of you, but you are not doing anything wrong.

besides, anyone could get suspicious of anyone for any reason.

some parks have posted age limits.

play structures have weight limits.

anyways, what is so great about riding a bike? plenty of drivers "feel uneasy" around bike riders. (bicycle, not motorcycle, although motorcycles too). bikes have a legal right to make left turns from the left turn lane. plenty of drivers do not know that. plenty of drivers drive badly and/or impatiently and honk when they are wrong.




No it's because cyclists also don't follow the rules and they run red lights and can go right in front of you so us drivers are nervous because we don't know what you are going to do. I have even gotten some mad at me for not going at a green light because I didn't know where they were going and I didn't want to hit them so they would aggressively tell me to go as if they were offended by me being careful around them and being safe around them. I just didn't want to turn and then they start pedaling and I hit them. But yet that offended them when I was trying to avoid that?


A driver is held more responsible when they hit a cyclists or a pedestrian so we have a reason to be very nervous around pedestrians and cyclists because of you do anything stupid, we are automatically held at fault unless we have a witness or a dashcam.

Truckers are held to a higher standard than regular cars so truckers also have a reason to be anxious around regular cars so many of them also use a dash cam because of stupidity of drivers.
In the US bicyclists are required to follow the same rules as cars and can get ticketed just like motorists.



I once had a cyclist zoom right in front of me at a crosswalk as a pedestrian and another cyclist said, "Dumb cyclist running a red light" and he looked at me. He stopped and waited for the light to be green.


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