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I can't even imagine a block party in my neighborhood. We'd have the 24 year old tech multi-hundred-thousandaire from across the street mingling with the Mormo

by 13of40 10y ago

I can't even imagine a block party in my neighborhood. We'd have the 24 year old tech multi-hundred-thousandaire from across the street mingling with the Mormons to the right and the shut-in imminent foreclosure retiree to the left bumping shoulders with the gangster guys on the corner and the kitty-corner mother-of-twelve trying to feed her kids up on hot dogs but keep them from listening to any of the conversation. Then some douchebag would blow down the street in his Mustang at 40 miles an hour, totally oblivious to the barbecues and plastic tables covered in red plastic cups...

hackaflocka 10y ago
LA? NYC? Miami?
ChuckMcM 10y ago
Ouch! To be honest one of the things you have to do if you're going to shut down the street is get a permit from the city. You fill out all the parts about what your event is about, time, etc. And there is a box to check for whether or not you will require a police presence (extra cost of course). We have always joked that it would be a pretty raucous block party that needed police to keep order, but I imagine there are blocks where that could be the requirement.
malyk 10y ago
But that's the whole point. All those people have more in common than you realize and its knowing each other that makes people care about their neighborhoods/neighbors. Every year there is something called National Night Out which I had never heard about before moving to Oakland. But all across the city neighborhoods block off their streets and have a big cookout in the middle of the street. Because of that we've met all of our neighbors and, at the very least, can say hello and not be "that tech dude ruining the neighborhood" or "that Latino family whose kids are always hanging around outside", etc. Instead we have some shared experience that brings us closer together even if it just means we aren't shy about saying hello. You never know, maybe those gangbangers make a killer brisket!

by 13of40 10y ago

hackaflocka 10y ago

LA? NYC? Miami?

ChuckMcM 10y ago

Ouch! To be honest one of the things you have to do if you're going to shut down the street is get a permit from the city. You fill out all the parts about what your event is about, time, etc. And there is a box to check for whether or not you will require a police presence (extra cost of course). We have always joked that it would be a pretty raucous block party that needed police to keep order, but I imagine there are blocks where that could be the requirement.

malyk 10y ago

But that's the whole point. All those people have more in common than you realize and its knowing each other that makes people care about their neighborhoods/neighbors. Every year there is something called National Night Out which I had never heard about before moving to Oakland. But all across the city neighborhoods block off their streets and have a big cookout in the middle of the street. Because of that we've met all of our neighbors and, at the very least, can say hello and not be "that tech dude ruining the neighborhood" or "that Latino family whose kids are always hanging around outside", etc. Instead we have some shared experience that brings us closer together even if it just means we aren't shy about saying hello. You never know, maybe those gangbangers make a killer brisket!