Kai from Mission Bicycle Company has the scoop:
Here are a few pics I snagged immediately after a crazy lady cut down the swing on Valencia across the street from our shop. When questioned she said “this isn’t a playground.” It was sad.
I guess that means we all have to grow up now finally.
UPDATE: Further information from our buddy Jake:
Today I witnessed the Valencia tree swing being hacked to death in the prime of its life. A few others witnessed the merciless slaying in broad daylight, and followed the killer around the corner where she clutched the lifeless body. I asked her why she would destroy something that’s brought so much joy and beauty into the world and this was her response: “you’re crazy and you need a shave. You’re probably one of those Occupy people.” She then called 911 and an officer quickly responded to reports we were harassing her. He told us the perp felt threatened by us and then admitted he was unclear about tree swing laws in San Francisco. Nobody was cited and the perp’s motive remains unclear, however she did mention almost being hit by a reckless swing-person in the past which no doubt constitutes premeditation. It’s a minor tragedy for Valencia street and another reminder that Mission will always have an element of danger in the air. We can only hope where one was cut down, many more will grow in its place.
Jake also included yet another gut-wrenching pic:
Previously:
this lady obviously doesn’t get that for the mission hipster population, the whole world is a playground.
she should get fixed up with that guy who tears flyers down from poles on valencia street every morning. they would make a dynamic duo.
Is that the same guy who removes stickers off all the poles?
Hey, that’s me! But then I affix to them to my man purse.
You can find that guy at http://www.StickerStealer.com
If the whole world isn’t a playground for you then you’re doing life wrong.
LIKE!
Word!
tardy to the party, but SUPER LIKE, HERR DOKTOR! our april design contest is *exactly* about playing where you live. Wonder if Grinch-lady will enter a pair of clippers…
She tears down flyers as well, I saw her do it yesterday on 18th, and was stunned that it wasn’t “that guy”….. To her credit, at least she took off the tape, and got the whole thing off the pole unlike “Jack the Ripper”.
Don’t do it, dont grow up!
quick, to the hardware store!
Yes!
Time to upgrade to a tire swing with chains!
This! its unfortunate though… chains don’t have quite the same aesthetic or feel as rope… not quite as nostalgic….
Anyone know where this lady lives? Can we T.P. her house? all in the spirit of perpetual juvenility, of course!
I love that hit me up when ya’ll go cause I would LOVE to accompany you and drop $5.00 on TP.I always can spare a fin for mischief!
This is what I say.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0la5DBtOVNI
Sooo, who wants to INUNDATE Valencia Street with swings? I sure do. Also, that woman should move someplace sad and uninspired.
Totally down for this!!! That would be awesome!
Send her to New Jersey!
Noisebridge at 18th and mission has a wood shop thats open 24/7 for the communities use. It has all the tools needed to inundate Valencia street with swings. And its free! No shit, they have a coffee bar too?
awwwwwwwwww bummer!
I’m so glad I got one last ride on it last night
What a jerk!
I really have nothing clever to say – but this thread is so awesome I just want to be a part of it. I love the thought of swing wars to be honest.
What a miserable old cow.
I actually saw cops there a few times chillin by the swing and they never seemed to care.
Andrew, what did this lady look like? Was she stocky, with black and gray hair? I’m wondering if she’s a crazy former-neighbor of mine, who accuses people of harassing her right and left if they disagree with her about even the tiniest thing.
Ok, that question was meant for Kai.
No. She is Carmen Castillo. She scrapes stickers off of Valencia Street, too. She grew up in the Mission.
Was you neighbor on Bryant St? Sounds like old nightmare landlord.
So you know her too! I lived across the street. Had to get a restraining order against her.
Omg me too! She is by far one of the worst people I’ve ever met. She wrote me psycho letters in all caps daily about whatever problem she was currently having and went through her trash. Her bum ex husband would peep in our windows. We actually found other people (ex tenants and neighbors) on MySpace and formed a “support group.” She found it though and threatened to sue us haha. One day I saw her spray a bunch of people watching Carnivale with her hose. Someday I will scan all of the psycho letters she wrote.
She lives on Dolores St between 18th and 19th. Her name is Carmen Castillo. She harasses all the neighbors and frankly, she’s a bitter old crazy lady. She carries around an exacto knife, so be careful!
So. Next swing to be installed on Dolores between 18th and 19th, then?
Good. Glad we’re all agreed.
)
Fuck that. I loved that swing. I’m putting another up in its place this week if someone else doesn’t before me.
RISE ABOVE!!! MORE SWINGS ASAP
+1
Also, Folsom between 24th and 18th would be killer.
Did anyone get a name of the woman? Any pictures of her? An address?
589 Dolores St.
NIMBY alert! Use steel wire next time. Also, get a photo of said crazy lady.
Photo:
http://sfist.com/attachments/SFist_AndrewD/swingcutter_lady.jpg
Nice catch!
Good work Matt!
I hate having to be the grown-up on this thread, but are you kids going to chip in to pay for the liability insurance on these swings?
Healthy San Francisco!
Are the swings mounted in a way so the bark doesn’t get damaged?
Ah yes, Carmen. Lots of stories. She regularly yells at people in the neighborhood. She punched a neighbor in the face for walking a dog. She filed a restraining order against a neighbor over an imagined sexual harassment. The police know all about her, and wish they could do something, but no charges have been filed against her.
ok the lady sounds crazy…that said, she did complain of almost being hit by a ‘reckless swing person’ in the past. im all for swings. and fun. but i live around the corner and ive seen people trying get by the swing that couldnt, because somebody was having too much fun to be gracious and let pedestrians pass.
the truth: the mission hipster crowd conveniently filters out most everyone else in the world except other ironic, self-referential hipsters. maybe as a positive example all the swinging, fun-lovers in the neighborhood could try to be less myopic in THEIR view and this will encourage that same tendency in others.
as for heather suggesting the old lady move: if youre going to move in and gentrify a neighborhood with more than its fairshare of low income, disadvantaged crazy people that have lived here all their lives, atleast have the good sense to not suggest that they should have to move somewhere ‘sad and uninspired.’ the fact that shes mentally ill says she clearly already lives in that place, and you could show more compassion/empathy/charity. very middle class heather, good job.
you’re over-educated and under-informed. make no mistake, you are the gentry, you are the bourgeious. keep trying to justify your own actions with ‘empathy’ and ‘charity’ while condemning others for doing exactly what you’ve done. make sure to keep acting like there are rules to urbanization and you are writing the rule book.
“Bourgeois” is an adjective, not a noun (that would be “bourgeoisie”), but otherwise good job at pretending to have read a book once.
ad hominem grammar attacks are the last refuge of the internet bottom feeders. do you have any thoughts or opinions of your own?
“over-educated and under-informed”
Did someone say, “ad hominem”?
Stop trying to use words you don’t understand. An ad hominem attack is an attempt to negate the truth of a claim based upon negative characteristics of the person making that claim.
Really, there’s no such thing as an “ad hominem grammar attack”
Tearing down flyers is one thing — hey, not a major deal. Cutting this swing down, clearly lacking in fun, but in the grand scheme of things not a huge issue. But she has repeatedly threatened people and she is the prime suspect (everyone knows it’s her, just no proof) in the damage of private property — smashed windshield and repeated tire slashes of someone she had a problem with. I don’t know how mentally ill she is. But hipster gentrification or not, that’s not acceptable behavior in any community.
Tearing down legal flyers is actually a pretty shitty thing to do. A lot of people depend on flyers to promote events — parties, concerts, screenings, etc. There are laws to regulate flying so that advertisements don’t become overwhelming, but when vigilantes take the law into their own hands and tear down legal posters, they’re hurting local businesses and workers and culture. It’s particularly cruel when the person is tearing down stuff like “please help us find our lost kitten” — who does that shit?
Oh, Mike. I’m far from middle class, but I do like to see joy and happiness and art wherever possible, especially when it’s unexpected. But you? You’re one of those guys who likes to be a contrarian on threads where most everyone else is having a nice old time. I know you, sir, and you? You’re sad and uninspired. Let go a bit, buddy. Have some fun.
Also, my partner is super involved over at Noisebridge, and he’s completely into building some new (and better! and more shiny!) swings. Let’s do it.
If some random can put a swing up, some random can cut it down. There are also swings at Jose Coronado park if you need to get your swing on.
Retaliation is escalation. Way to Think Global, Act Local.
Some of you numbnuts may have a future in military intelligence.
Local retaliation is still acting local.
i don’t see the big fucking problem…if anyone has the right to put a swing up, anyone has the right to cut it down
You have the right to post the dumbest shit you can think of to internet comment sections, but it doesn’t mean you should do it.
is that all u gotz nigga?
Seems like plenty.
That swing didn’t bother anyone…that lady needs to get laid.
Fine — YOU eat her pussy.
HAH! Nice.
fuck you and your fucking swing you dumbass “hipsters”
some of us are whalers who enjoy swinging when not killing whales
Hear hear! I need to get my swing on after I get my harpoon on. I know we’ve had our tiffs in the past, GWF, but thanks for speaking the truth on this.
Hipsters are whatever, but whalers are the scum of the earth.
I was on the swing all the time and never saw somebody get kicked. i walked behind the swing when other people were on it and it wasnt that scary. ive watched people too scared to walk behind go the long way around, even while tons of people just went behind the swing. that thing is awesome and fun and it feels like your flying. i dont care if you call me a hipster, i love that swing and IT WILL BE RESURRECTED!
I was on the swing all the time too (have we met?) and I not only saw someone get kicked, I saw someone attach a blade to the swing and use it to decapitate a bystander, I saw someone temporarily remove the wooden seat and use it to beat a puppy to death, and I saw someone borrow the rope to lasso a steer that they then dismembered and presented as a special “whole animal meal” at Incanto. That swing was a MENACE.
hahahahahahahaha. best comment
I’m a hipster that puts up flyers, and am considering taking some steps to make them a bitch to remove
What is the old woman owns the property and was concerned about someone getting injured on the swing and suing her?
It’s all fun and games until someone cracks their skull open and then sues the old lady for millions of dollars claiming the swing was an attractive nuisance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attractive_nuisance_doctrine
she doesnt own it. i spoke with the owner of the empty building it is in front of and he is 100% all for it.
It’s back! This time with steel wire. Hooray!
hey baby
spotted in the Mission near Bi-tRite…..
http://twitpic.com/8ee1y5
sorry, try this:
http://twitpic.com/8ee50c
Fight the haters….
Ahh, it’s so hard to be us these days.