<p>There are a number of loiterers who hang out next to the Whole Foods and CVS in Tenleytown
who yell out at nasty comments at the kids (adults as well) walking by. They also walk right up to the kids and follow them to ask for money. Can AU do something about this already. I have seen this for 2 years now, and it is not good for AU students to be harassed like that. This is very close to their bus stop.These people are very “sketchy” as the kids would say, and I don’t like them approaching the students at all. What can be done???</p>
<p>Things to do:</p>
<ol>
<li>Start a fund raising campaign to provide financing for AU to purchase all of Tenleytown property and fence it.</li>
<li>Petition DC Council to pass ordinance banning “sketchiness”.</li>
<li>Buy your daughter an iPod and burka.</li>
</ol>
<p>Really??? C’mon - these posts are getting sillier and sillier. Come live in my neighborhood for a couple days and I’ll show you “sketchy.” Tenleytown? Please.</p>
<p>Making sure I understand the question: Can American University do anything about people who congregate outside some stores that American University has no connection to?</p>
<p>What do you have in mind? A harsh scolding? Internment and deportation? Shunning? Waterboarding?</p>
<p>The point is AU drops kids off at Tenleytown everyday, during the day and at night. AU even has a Tenleytown campus. It is common sense for AU to connect with the police dept. to ensure the safety of the students especially at night, when these vagrants approach the kids.
Sorry I care so much the students’ safety.</p>
<p>But, seriously, what law have these “vagrants” violated? Or do you just want them hassled?</p>
<p>Some of the kids on here amaze me.</p>
<p>Ok, guys, enough, this topic needs to be dropped! getting boring.</p>
<p>My daughter has been blocked and followed by the vagrants when walking up to and past the CVS. They lurk in the parking lot of the CVS and approach passersby and then hassle people on the sidewalk and follow them. It is scary, especially at night. One has a right to walk up the street without someone stopping you in your tracks to beg for money and then cursing at you when you don’t give in. No one should support this activity period.</p>
<p>a) I’ve been a student at AU for two years. I have never been followed, harassed or asked for money. There is a guy who sits there and sells the Street Sense, and if you say a polite ‘no thank you’, he’ll tell you to have a nice day. Do you get the occasional crazy person? Yes – that’s life. </p>
<p>b) It is not scary, particularly at night, when the aforementioned guy goes home. CVS is in a well lit area, sandwiched between Guapos, the Malt Shop/Dancing Crab, and Steak n’ Egg – all of which have an active night life, and Steak N’ Egg is open 24 hours/day. Would I go up there at 2 in the morning by myself? Probably not, but I wouldn’t go anywhere, including my home in the suburbs of Michigan, at 2am by myself. </p>
<p>c) No one is supporting this activity, because no one has had a problem with it. Of the 8 pages of complaints filed to Public Saftey this semester, only two have dealth with harassment and neither of those were off campus. One wasn’t even in person (over the phone). <a href=“http://www1.american.edu/finance/dps/srtk/srtk.pdf[/url]”>http://www1.american.edu/finance/dps/srtk/srtk.pdf</a> If your daughter felt so unsafe by these actions and remarks, she should have reported it, but she didn’t – kind of like the fictitous bike stealing. If the problem is as widespread to the AU student body as you claim – SOMEONE would have reported it.</p>
<p>AU Transfer:</p>
<p>If you recall in previous posts, my daughter absolutely did report her bike being stolen last year only to receive a reprimand from AU security for not having a more sophisticated lock. And yes, we did purchase quite an expensive device that apparently was not good enough. If you recall back then, I mentioned that it is discouraging for kids to report anything if they are only,as victims, going to receive a reprimand from security.</p>
<p>Geez, I used to live not far from AU, in a nice neighborhood. First, I have to say, vagrants are part of any wealthy city. I won’t say they add character, but their existence is an unfortunate reality. There is a big difference between a real threat and a nut case who just yaps. Second, why-oh-why are you posting this on CC? Haven’t you contacted AU, DC/MD police or the transit folks? Even if you have, what can readers here do??? Third, my D goes to school where the walk to CVS is sketchy- so she either goes in a group or does not go. And, last, I am female. I know what it’s like to be harassed. Period. One develops street-smarts.</p>
<p>In my city in Pennsylvania, there are many homeless people in live in tents along the river. Why hasn’t American University done anything about this?</p>
<p>Cadmiumred: I have to say that your posts and the reactions you get really liven up the AU forum. Your viewpoint is definately different from most people’s.</p>
<p>What’s so different? It’s the viewpoint of a wealthy, privileged, self-entitled gentrifier. A dime a dozen at the biggest DC colleges, if comically exaggerated.</p>
<p>Many people favor diversity, as long as the diverse peoples are all just like them.</p>
<p>Maybe we can all agree that “sketchy” people and areas are an issue. However, maybe this is an issue that the individual needs to deal with/resolve rather than an entire institution, considering that (a) this issue as mentioned doesn’t seem to be widespread and (b) until these people break a law there’s not much to do be done - and in the case of breaking a law, you could report it to the police</p>
<p>What I can agree with is that if I ever saw a real person around AU who acted exactly like cadmiumred pretends to, I would definitely be calling the police for my protection.</p>
<p>this is too funny.
by “vagrants”, i really hope you’re referring to the man with the striped hat who stands by the driveway next to the cvs. his worrisome behavior consists of waving, saying hello to pedestrians, and respectfully telling young ladies that they look nice. or maybe you’re referring to the man who carries his boombox to the bus station and dances on the sidewalk in front to Neisha. GET THESE MONSTERS OUT OF OUR CITY!!!</p>
<p>If that is the type of person who is causing concern, I think someone needs to find a college in a wonder bread suburb.</p>