dragonfly Jafe wrote:1) Ask if those complaining have tried negotiations. If not, encourage them to do so. Perhaps provide helpful suggestions as to how to go about it (tho' they shouldn't have to, I mean we all are supposed to be adults here). Also, they should outline the process (something like what I did above, except step 5 would be Rangers getting involved).
Check. We already do that.
dragonfly Jafe wrote:2) Once/if citizen negotiations are ineffective (and I feel that they should encourage at least a few attempts spread over a few visits, although "verifying" that sincere negotiations have indeed been tried is difficult), then a team of Rangers should try to negotiate a compromise. They should also have a sound meter available to assist with the discussion, but as there are no official guidelines for BRC this might be a moot point. SPL meters are not that expensive, there is really no reason that there are not a dozen or so around for Rangers to use.
We also already try to bring people together to negotiate. On the subject of decible meters, if you are willing to spend the money to buy them for us I'm sure many of us would be happy to carry them for just such situations (I know I would)
dragonfly Jafe wrote:(I would suggest that BRC adopt a sound limit that says something like; "a max of 100db measured 50 feet from any point of a camp's border. This gives the "offending" camp the ability to calibrate their sound output to a more reasonable level, and provides a definitive measure.)
That would certainly help when it comes to negotiating, but that is up to the BMORG to set that guideline.
dragonfly Jafe wrote:3) It shouldn't really go beyond 2, but if it does then the Rangers should give the camp a written warning (like a ticket maybe) that gets saved for the future in some file. This "warning" should be visible to all Rangers and an appropriate person at the BMorg (perhaps communicated at one of those daily meetings). The warning should make it clear that by ignoring further attempts at negotiations, disabling of the sound system is a possibility (per city sound rules). This warning would also be used for the next years placement process (ie- the Placer's get a copy also).
This is where we'll have to disagree, because 1. I don't believe it is part of being a BRC Ranger to give out "tickets" or "warnings", and 2. it wouldn't be difficult for a participant to remove any such public notices anyway. We do already discuss troublesome situations with each other so that if the same issue comes up again it's in the notes, but handing out tickets sounds a bit too much like police officers to me.
dragonfly Jafe wrote:4) If the complaints continue (and ideally with an SPL limit further violations have been verified by Rangers), the camp should be given a choice; Move to a more appropriate location (LLSC), leave BRC, or have the sound system disabled.
We already do try to negotiate with camps to either move to another location or turn off their equipment. I personally feel that asking people to leave the city over this issue is major overkill, and I personally would not want to see the BRC Rangers being volunteered as the people who have to tell someone to leave BM because they're too loud.
dragonfly Jafe wrote:btw - from my experience, this is already the Ranger's SOP
For the most part, yes. The issue being discussed currently is what to do when negotiations fail, and who should be the ones to do it.
My personal point of view, and I speak only for myself here:
Some of my best playa experiences have been as a ranger. I remember hugging lost children while searching for their parents, standing over the wounded until the medics arrived, running through the city streets chasing a serial rapist, chasing down a shady speeding van on a one-speed tricycle
(that ain't easy, let me tell you), talking someone down from a bad experience, sharing grief with loved ones of someone who recently died. I love joining performance art and participating with peoples' theme camps, getting a chance to get to know them. I love being given the opportunity to be a part of the city structure itself as a volunteer. There is nothing in the description of being a BRC ranger that curbs my enthusiasm for the job or for the group of wonderful people I do it with every year.
But if someone comes to me and says it is now part of my job to hand out tickets to loud camps and potentially kick them out for trying to have a party, well... that would be the first thing I've come across that would make me think twice about being a ranger. I have no interest in giving up the vacation time I plan for a year in advance in order to run around telling people what to do.
If it came down to a choice between being a ranger who gives out tickets and being a burner, I would probably choose to simply be a burner and there would be one less ranger on the streets. Some people may see that as a good thing, but it would make me sad.
My two cents.
Ranger Mockingbird