Yesterday I took my King Tiger to the park for a little outing, first time back there since I blew out a gearbox in the sand and THIS time she did MUCH better! Through mud, deep grass, deep field of clover, small stream, more mud the really slimy kind, and dirt trails and into the river to wash off the tracks a little and even across some sand but didn't spend much time there due to past problems.
So I take the KT out of the woods and up into where a fishing pond is where there are people around and every kid around swarms me asking me all kinds of questions followed by their parents and everyone is amazed by my tank. Then a park employee pulls up and tells me R/C vehicles are not allowed in public parks and I'm not only going to have to leave but he wants all my info and calls in the park rangers (park police). I apologize and tell him I didn't know there are no signs telling me I could not bring it in so I didn't know, he then starts to tell me "ignorance of the law..." and I cut him off and ask him what law? He looks puzzled and again I ask him what law and is it law or code? He says the ranger will tell me when he gives me my fine. The whole time people are asking him what I did wrong and saying how silly this is, one woman started to get down right nasty with the guy I guess cause I let her son run my tank and was being nice to all the kids. While this all was going on I'm walking back to my car and start packing everything up being followed by the guy and a couple other people and some kids cause now I just want to leave! This is crazy its a public park, I paid my $3 to come in, I'm not doing anything on the sign at the gate says is prohibited but this goof says I'm going to be fined! Then the REAL fun part, he tells me that I can not put my tank in my trunk BECAUSE it will probably be CONFISCATED!
BULL SHIT! I laugh at him, pick up my tank and put it in my trunk and tell him he better bring a gun if he wants to take my tank. Enter the park ranger, ranger Burns and the woman and the other guy are both trying to talk over each other to him. He asks the woman who she is to me and she tells him no one but I was nice to her son and how I was letting the kids run the tank and explaining to them about how the tank works and how nice I was being and she thought it was bull shit they were going to give me a ticket and take my tank. Ranger Burns said "Whoe Whoe Whoe who said anything about a ticket and confiscating his tanks?" and she pointed straight at the other guy. The ranger gave him a look like you're an ass hole and tells the woman that I'm not in any trouble and no one is taking his tank.
The other guy starts spouting off about R/C DRONES and the ranger stopped him and asked if I had a drone or an R/C tank, the guy said "Tank, But thats the..." and the ranger cut him off and said "Nope, not a drone its not banned thats #1. #2 is if its an historicly accurate R/C vehicle and the owner (he points to me) is teaching other park goers (points to the people standing around) and their kids (messes up the hair of the womans little boy)about a historicly correct vehicle then his tank is perfectly fine to be here". Then the ranger asked to see it and I opened my trunk and he REALLY LIKED it! Then the guy sounds off again saying "Well he said we'd have to have a gun to take it from him." the ranger looked at me and asked "How much did that cost you?" and I told him about a $1200 and took me about 6 months to build it. He smiled and looked at the guy and said "If that were mine and someone was gonna try to take it from me they'd better bring a gun cause I wouldn't give it up either" Then he laughed.
The ranger told the guy to leave cause he was starting trouble where there didn't need to be any and he was stirring up the other park goers. As the guy was leaving to get in his truck the woman yelled "ASSHOLE!" at him and the ranger told her to take it easy. Then he asked if I could take it back out and let him see and try it and I did and as he's driving it through the really slimy nasty mud he laughs and tells me "if anyone every gives me any shit about me bringing my tank to the park you tell them ranger Burns said it's ok. This thing is really cool!" Then he gave me back the controls and asked where I bought it.
By now I'd been there for about 2 hours and decided it was time to go home and thanked everyone and the ranger, he shook my hand and told me to have a nice day and that my tanks are always welcome. The womans little boy ran up and gave my left leg a hug and he thanked me for letting him drive the tank and she gave me a smile and waved.
Crazy day but I made some friends and now I have permission to run my tanks at any state park!
