As a former day tripper myself, I resent the recent attacks on my descendants. Living in Irvine half a century ago, my wife and daughter and I would often enjoy a Saturday or Sunday here at the beach, and a meal or two (sometimes at what was then called, I think Bob Boyd’s French Restaurant—now Nick’s—where the Greeter might also be eating). We came to share the natural wonders of this lovely place, which drew so many other tourists. To tax them now for the chance to share our town is Laguna elitism at its most naked. We don’t own the ocean; we don’t even own the beach. Whatever their costs in public services, tourists more than contribute to meals, shopping and parking fees. Thank you, day trippers.
David Peck, Laguna Beach
David, the operative sentence in Your letter pretty much voids Your entire argument. “Living in Irvine a half century ago, my wife daughter and I would often enjoy a Saturday or Sunday at the beach”. Well, welcome to Laguna Beach Summer 2024! Come on down Laguna Canyon road “ANY” weekend, or “ANY” weekday for that matter. Update, it is no longer “1974 in Laguna”.
I have been visiting Laguna Beach regularly since 1971. My wife lived here and graduated from LBHS in 1967. We now live in Laguna and we have become as many Us Residents of Laguna “willing summer prisoners” in our own town. We do not venture to the beach on weekends, it’s a total “No Fly Zone”. we do not undertake a trip to the “Village” or head South on PCH on weekends. It can take 30 to 45 minutes to get to and another 30 to 45 minutes to get back to our home 2 1/2 miles from the Village or 2 miles to the closest Grocery store to the South.
It is not “Laguna Beach elitism at its most naked” as Your letter states. Furthermore Your last statement is even less factual. “Whatever their costs in public services, tourists more than contribute to meals, shopping and parking fees”. David, have You even been here in the last fifty years! F.Y.I. the “day trippers” that You are thanking actually cost Us the Residents over 20 MILLION DOLLARS per year in public service outlay.
The only statement in your dispatch which is accurate is this… “We don’t own the ocean, We don’t even own the beach”. The difference is We the Laguna Beach Residents “respect” the ocean, We “honor and appreciate” the beach. I truly wish I could say that about the vast majority of “day trippers” that come here to enjoy our “jointly owned beaches”. The lack of respect for our beaches, ordinances, and our traffic laws is abundantly clear to Us the Residents. We tolerate much, from people peeing (and worse) in our front yards, to trash, baby diapers and cigarette butts in the streets and on the beach. I could go on, but why?
Please don’t bag on Laguna Residents, calling us elitists. We just want to enjoy our beaches, and our ocean too. Respect our Beaches just like You would a National Park. Pack It In and Pack It Out, don’t rap Your Pipes and speed down PCH. Don’t bring Your “POP-UP” tents and “Boom Boxes” and subject everyone to Your music. Everyone has a right to go to the beach, but this is about respecting our beaches and our ocean and “Yes Us the Residents”.
Writing that it’s “abundantly clear” that “the vast majority” of day-trippers lack respect for our environment is an elitist statement. You are demonizing a group of fellow humans who include a few too many bad apples. Yes, we need more enforcement, which we are starting to do. Yes, we need better “destination management” which we are starting to do. Yes, we need more paid parking, which we are planning to do. Generalizing about any group of people for any reason is simply profiling.
Chris, please help me to understand “why is asking Day Trippers” to respect their own shared property (our roads and beaches) an “elitist statement”. Your assertion that I am demonizing a group of fellow human beings is totally nonsensical. I know that it is not Us the Residents that are mutilating the cacti at the Montage with our initials. It is not Us the Residents defecating in citizens front yards, it is not Us the Residents blocking access to Our own driveways. It is not Us residents that are speeding down PCH rapping our tailpipes for attention. I assure You it is not the residents that are sprinting across the gauntlet of Coast Highway with our beach chairs, with no regard for their own safety or the impact that their poor decision may have on the driver that might hit them.
No Chris, I am not an elitist, I am a concerned Resident. I am concerned that the Tide Pools are being destroyed, I am concerned for the “Day Tripper” that puts him or herself and family in peril by encountering a moving vehicle as they attempt to cross PCH without using a crosswalk. I am merely pointing out the obvious, Laguna’s roads, Laguna’s beaches, Laguna’s common areas are in fact saturated. This is not only an environmental issue it is a Public Safety issue. We Residents are asking that our town be respected in the same manner that is equitable to how one would regard any National Park or Natural Scenic Treasure. We are not asking people not to come here, We are asking people to respect what they mutually own “WITH Us the Residents of Laguna Beach”. That is all Chris, and that is not too much to ask and that is certainly not elitist.
We don’t disagree about the problem, we disagree about who to blame and what to do about it. I don’t see how blaming “the vast majority” of day-trippers gets us anywhere.
Chris, once again You fail to get the point. The initial statement and title of this thread is:
“THANK-YOU DAY TRIPPERS”. Then the originator goes on to make a totally laughable statement… “Whatever their costs in Public Services tourists more than contribute to meals, shopping and parking fees. Thank You Day Trippers” So, since we do not disagree about the problem, then, who is to blame?
Do You agree with the statement “The cost to Us the Residents is fully funded by the Meals?” (better look in those ice chests). How about Shopping? (no one stops to buy a t-shirt before they run across PCH. after they park in Our neighborhoods “for free”) Once Your beloved “Day Trippers” arrive with their POP UP’s, their BOOM BOXES and their TRASH, which the majority DO NOT PACK OUT, but they surely do PACK IT IN.
Ultimately it is Us the Residents whom are paying the bill for these Public Service Outlays. I assure You it is not Us the Residents creating the mess. The lack of RESPECT for the BEACHES and WILDLIFE that live in the Ocean and in the Tide Pools are impacted, but, I once again assure You it is not by Us the Residents.
This is not to say that “some Day Trippers” do not have a meal, some “Day Trippers do pay for Parking. Some Day Trippers even may make a purchase at a local merchant’s establishment. Some Day Trippers even respect the Residents, the Ocean, and the Wildlife. Unfortunately, the “vast majority” do none of the above. You can call my view “elitist” I call it “conservationist”. .