If you’re in Los Angeles County, you might want to reconsider playing frisbee with your best friend or dog. The county has a law that clearly states that before you can throw a frisbee, permission needs to be granted by a lifeguard.
Yep, this sounds like one of those ridiculous laws that are just plain silly. After all, if you’re in your own yard or a public park, it’s unlikely that you’ll even be able to track down a lifeguard. And even when you’re on the beach, no one seeks a lifeguard out just to ask if they can throw a frisbee back and forth. Yet, it does exist, and when you dig just a little deeper, you’ll start to realize that there’s actually a pretty sound basis for the law.
Basically, what the law means is that if you’re on a public beach and your playing with a frisbee (or anything else) and the lifeguard feels that you’re being a nuisance or disruptive, they can ask you to quit. The reason for the law is that there are times when throwing frisbees, balls, boomerangs, etc. can not only prove disruptive to others who are trying to enjoy the same space.
If a lifeguard (or police officer, park official, etc.) requests that you stop throwing the frisbee and you fail to do so, the Los Angeles courts have the right to hit you with a $1,000 fine for failure to comply to the request. Failing to pay the fine can result in your arrest and criminal charges.
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when a lifeguard or park official comes up to them and requests that they stop doing something, such as tossing a frisbee around, is taking the request personally and losing their temper, which in turn means the official gets upset. Tensions mount until the official has no choice but to take drastic action that could result in your arrest. The best way to handle the situation is to remain polite and listen to what the official has to say. More often than not, they’ll provide an explanation for their request as well as a suggestion about another location or time when you can resume your frisbee throwing. If the request seems outrageous to you, rather than getting upset with the official, ask to see their supervisor.
Keeping a cool head and knowing when it’s best to take your frisbee and walk away from the entire situation, you’ll avoid a hefty fine and won’t risk spending a night in jail.