Banned for being single

Only just found this thread, a bit late. A few weeks ago DH and I were in London for one night, staying near Kensington Gardens, and I thought I would love to see the Diana memorial water feature/children's playground. I live 200 miles from London so chances to do a bit of sightseeing are few and far between.

We are both in our 70s and had carefully removed all straw from our hair and clothing and scrubbed up a bit, but the Diana memorial is surrounded by a big fence, Rosa Klebb guards the gate and we were not allowed in as we were not accompanied by a child.

I felt very unwelcome and also very grumpy. Thought about kidnapping a passing infant but managed to resist the urge. Still feel grumpy, actually.

I think Diana would have been dismayed.

I spent the afternoon at a local coastal park on my own. I was at the boating lake which is right next to the childrens playground. I noticed just how many single people were wandering around, mostly, but not all men. None of them appeared to be doing anything other than being out for a walk in the park chatting to friends and watching the boats etc. (that includes me)
It's a shame that I should even consider they might be there for any nasty reason - prior to this thread, I wouldn't have noticed.
If they banned singles (I can't imagine they would), I wouldn't be able to run my boat for a start.

I don't see any sense to banning an individual from attending any park, swimming pool, cinema etc.

I fully understand the 'fear' factor for parents with children and also venues who are only trying to safeguard children. However where does this stop.

It is assuming 'guilty intention' by anybody who uses the facility and that can't be right, surely.

I also think it is quite stupid to believe that a peadophile necessarily works alone, or indeed with a person of the same sex. It is true it is mostly male but think again if you don't accept women are pieces of work too. If somebody was determined to go to this, or any other park, with bad intention they would find somebody like minded to try and 'normalise' their reason for being there in accordance of the parks perceived view of human nature.. It would not deter a paedophile and I wonder if the feeling of 'perverse danger' in trying to carry out their depravity would/could encourage them.

Is there not a further danger that parents could subliminaly feel more protected and forget to keep the necessary eye on their children every second. Lot's of parents I see are quite stupid in their attention of their children and they are very noticeable.

Pompa made reference to being male and feeling uncomfortable. I agree. My husband feels the same.

When he takes our DG to the park he actually feels uncomfortable. When we were on holiday he noticed a little girl, about 4 years old, on her own and decidedly looking lost. He couldn't approach her! He was a police officer how bad is that! He found me whilst keeping an eye on her and we went together but we both felt uncomfortable for doing the right thing. .

It's a very difficult problem but I think it is a slippery slope to normalising single people from being able to live their life. If being single is deemed as possibly having paediophilic tendencies then Lord help us.

Well put POGS

indeed Pogs. Took grandchildren to swimming lessons last 2 weeks, and there were singles of both sexes swimming in the same pool- and I thought about this thread.