Life’s A Beach, And Ain’t She A Peach?
My son and his wife go to a beach on the North Carolina coast for several days of vacation. This particular beach has lifeguards, and the guard chairs are tall and spaced along the beach. There are signs at all entrances to the beach telling people not to set up umbrellas or shade canopies in front of the guard stands. The reason is that the guards cannot adequately scan the ocean for people in trouble if their vision is blocked. There is actually a local ordinance stating this, and people can be fined.
[Son] and his wife get set up with a small beach shade thingy. It is like a half-tent that you set your chair in. It’s low to the ground, blocks the wind, and provides some shade.
Nearby, a family arrives and proceeds to set up one of those big shade canopies — think something used for craft shows or festivals. It is set up close to the ocean and between two guard stands. In fact, [Son] remarks that he can’t see the second stand because of the canopy and the chairs, etc.
Soon enough, one of the guards approaches the group.
Lifeguard: “You need to move your canopy back behind the guard stands. It’s too tall and blocks the line of sight for us to watch the ocean for people in trouble.”
They seem to agree, and the guard leaves.
When the guard leaves, the group stops looking like they are going to move. They actually get out food and drinks and sit in their chairs. [Son] remarks to his wife that the group is asking to be evicted from the beach.
About twenty or thirty minutes go by, and the guard comes back.
Lifeguard: “You need to move your canopy behind the guard stands for safety reasons.”
This time, a woman in the group decides to argue.
Woman: “We’re not moving! There are other people out here with shade canopies and stuff!”
She points out [Son] and his wife and then another group with a small beach umbrella.
Lifeguard: “Both of those groups meet the safety requirements.”
Woman: “Call the police if you have to, but my family and I aren’t moving!”
About fifteen minutes later, the police arrived on the scene. The woman and her entitled group got a ticket and were told that they needed to move their canopy or they would be told to leave.
The police left, and the woman and her family picked all their stuff up and moved back behind the guard stand — like they were told to the first time.