What can gas stations do to stop loitering?

**getmoore** · October-04-12, 09:25 AM

I have avoided many gas stations because of loitering young people. Does anyone know if loitering in Detroit is a crime at all?
Look at this for example.
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19...obref=obinsite

Any ideas on this?

**Hermod** · October-04-12, 09:31 AM

In some places, they have tried blasting classical music at loud volume into the parking lot. This seems to be a real deterrent to youthful loiterers. Community "leaders" have charged the stores practicing this with racism.

**mkhopper** · October-04-12, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

In some places, they have tried blasting classical music at loud volume into the parking lot. This seems to be a real deterrent to youthful loiterers. Community "leaders" have charged the stores practicing this with racism.

You beat me to it and that's possibly the easiest and least expensive way of going about it.

Install a protected sound system so the thugs can't easily get at it and start blasting opera, Barry Manilow or any other annoying music all day. [[No offense to the Barry Manilow crowd....)

Or better yet, start looking into products like the SonicScreen. [[Wikipedia page with more information.)

This is exactly the type of thing the Detroit 300 group should be on top of, working with the business owners, if they aren't already in some way.

And to hell with the so called community leaders. It's a simple question. Do you want a money-making business in your community where citizens feel safe to go to, or do you just want to let the thugs run the show and eventually run the owner out business?

**poobert** · October-04-12, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by getmoore

I have avoided many gas stations because of loitering young people. Does anyone know if loitering in Detroit is a crime at all?
Look at this for example.
http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/19...obref=obinsite

Any ideas on this?

This doesn't seem to be too intractable a problem.

So some "reverend" or "activist" has a problem with classical music? Get some tracks from the Sphinx Organization. People of color playing classical music. Call racist on that one. If our corner gas played classical music, I'd go there all the time!

To get gas, that is. I never understood the glamor behind loitering [[of course I understand it is about dominance more than anything, but still) - at a gas station, outside a liquor store, at a vacant house, or just plain in the street. I mean shit, is that really cool? It's cool that you have no place to hang out except a gas station? Do you like to flaunt that you don't have a car or a job so you can only stand in the gas station instead of purchasing gas or consumer goods there? If you really like it so much you could pull up your fucking pants and apply for a job there so you could get paid for the time you spend there.

If there is one thing that can clear out a confined area, it's a dad shit. You know what I'm talking about. Let dad bring his newspaper and use the facilities adjacent to the lobby. Not gonna be so fly to hang out in Bad Crew gas station smellin' like shit, am I right, young man?

Seriously, the internet has everything. Hide a remote controlled fart machine under a shelf. Play Leave it to Beaver on TVs behind the ghetto glass. Paint the place pink and put unicorns on the wall.

It's private property. You don't want them there? They're trespassing. I hate punk ass little bitches in the gas stations too.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-04-12, 11:04 AM

I don't know if there is much you can do. The workers at the gas station are afraid of the thugs too. Most won't risk their lives over something that they are protected from [[via the glass case they sit in).

What needs to happen is for the City to begin adequately staffing and paying police officers to enforce laws. After all, the owner/worker of the gas station could call the cops, but they won't come.

**SWMAP** · October-04-12, 11:28 AM

In UK they use this:

http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/mosquito.html

Some parks in U.S. use it too.

You can hear it on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re7xI...eature=related

**Jimaz** · October-04-12, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

You can hear it on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re7xI...eature=related

That was "Mosquito Device Tone Adults." There's also a Mosquito Device Tone Youth. Both sound like low-volume tape hiss to me. I guess that's what it's supposed to sound like to older folks?

**Jimaz** · October-04-12, 01:24 PM

They should try adding a perfume department.

**SWMAP** · October-04-12, 02:15 PM

I guess that's what it's supposed to sound like to older folks?

I listened to it and I couldn't hear it all. I wondered if it was a little joke.

**Honky Tonk** · October-04-12, 02:19 PM

"I listened to it and I couldn't hear it all. I wondered if it was a little joke."

What?

**poobert** · October-04-12, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

I guess that's what it's supposed to sound like to older folks?

I listened to it and I couldn't hear it all. I wondered if it was a little joke.

I'm over 25 and probably not the person you need to keep away from your gas station [[I drive an old cruiser and you'll make a fortune off me at that) but I can sure as hell hear that awful noise.

**Jimaz** · October-04-12, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

"I listened to it and I couldn't hear it all. I wondered if it was a little joke."

What?

LOL!

We need more characters!

**trotwood** · October-04-12, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

That was "Mosquito Device Tone Adults." There's also a Mosquito Device Tone Youth. Both sound like low-volume tape hiss to me. I guess that's what it's supposed to sound like to older folks?

That's what it sounds like to this 43 year old too though it did make my head feel a bit strange.

**getmoore** · October-04-12, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

In UK they use this: http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/mosquito.html Some parks in U.S. use it too. You can hear it on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re7xI...eature=related

Wow. I played this and couldn't hear a thing but my kids aged 13 and 16 were running in circles holding their ears screaming for me to turn it off LOL!!!!.

**Ltdave** · October-04-12, 07:04 PM

all i heard was static...

**Goose** · October-05-12, 02:44 PM

instead of looking at this as adversity, the owner should take advantage of the situation and make some money, he should install a soda fountain for these youths, serve some ice cream and licorice sticks and add some video games, maybe a few table top pacman games and a whac-a-mole game..... these kids have no where else to go and would probably appreciate this, a win-win situation........

**detroitsgwenivere** · October-05-12, 03:17 PM

Wow Goose, I'm impressed.

I always sais this town needs more for these kids to do. I would bet that a young person would rather be at an arcade or a movie theatre than at an effin gas station.

I wish I had the money to start a business like that *sigh* but the cost of security alone would probably make it unfeasible.

**Hermod** · October-05-12, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

I wish I had the money to start a business like that *sigh* but the cost of security alone would probably make it unfeasible.

Which is why there are so few "youth venues" in Detroit.

**MrMister** · October-06-12, 03:56 AM

Stopping loitering would require working on some of Detroits deeper problems.
Most gas stations do everything legally allowed [[and maybe sometimes things that push the boundaries a little bit

) to keep loiterers at bay.
But its really going to keep happening until the endemic problems that keep those people loitering are addressed.
But I've discovered simply acknowledging people, even with the most subtle of head nods, or a small smile, can make a world of difference.
Acknowledge them and treat them as a fellow human, and 999/1000 they will treat you with respect as well [[maybe still ask you for change depending on the type of loiterer, but hey what can you do?)

**Zacha341** · October-06-12, 05:28 AM

NO MUSIC, or non-descript 'elevator' music helps keep people moving I've noted. I've had to speak to a few merchants in Detroit and suburbs for playing at top volumne rap music that has profanity. I've walked out of a few stores due to it...

Originally Posted by Hermod

In some places, they have tried blasting classical music at loud volume into the parking lot. This seems to be a real deterrent to youthful loiterers. Community "leaders" have charged the stores practicing this with racism.

**Goose** · October-06-12, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by MrMister

and 999/1000 they will treat you with respect

you willing to take the 1 in 1000 odds that guy is the one that will stab you in the back and rob you for $5??? do you play the lottery?

**firstandten** · October-06-12, 09:51 AM

" But I've discovered simply acknowledging people, even with the most subtle of head nods, or a small smile, can make a world of difference"

Originally Posted by Goose

you willing to take the 1 in 1000 odds that guy is the one that will stab you in the back and rob you for $5??? do you play the lottery?

That is also a subtle way of letting that person know that I am watching you and I am not a victim

**gazhekwe** · October-06-12, 10:23 AM

I played that YouTube thing and could not hear it but I felt it in my ears. Not too bad for a few minutes, but I wouldn't want to stand there for half an hour. Yes, I am older than 25 by a long shot.

**Gannon** · October-06-12, 12:05 PM

It depends upon the speakers used, too, btw.

It does seem unfair to assault everyone with MORE noise...when perfectly useful Brandenburg Concertii and Gregorian Chanting would do such a more thorough job, improving the atmosphere for everyone.