Threatening to call the police

[TiedUp]

It also has to do with location. I have seen this before in Florida. I think there are so many palm trees that they don't like hammocks pulling on them possibly due to easily damaged or pulled down.
Where i'm from, in Tenn, no one cares about hanging from an oak tree because you cant hurt them. Although they may also be worried about a trend catching on and a bunch of hammocks all over the place. I bet they wouldn't want you to be out there in a tent either.

I say just move on. Unless you feel that passionate about it...that's all apart of your college education. All those hidden agendas

[TominMN]

...

I'm sure there is no written policy against singing Barry Manilow tunes while wearing a Speedo, pouring blue paint on your head, and squeezing a rubber chicken, but I'd bet you'd be asked to leave if you tried it.

...

I'm pretty sure it would be the Barry Manilow material that would be the determining factor in this case...

[Irregularpulse]

The first step is to verify the policy. It's a simple call to your college administration to get going down the path to the right person who can tell you. When you get someone who tells you there is no such policy, get their name and title. Then go hang your hammock. If they come back, tell them the info you found and let them call the cops if they still threaten too. You're not doing anything wrong and I'm sure the cops would just love being bugged by these jokers for someone doing something that's not prohibited.

If you find it is against policy, well, there you go. It doesn't matter why it's against policy. If it is, it is. You signed up for their private organization, you follow their rules.

[Boston]

Well i just had a very interesting encounter. I was at my college just chiilin in my hammock. i was set up beside our beautiful pond about 2-3feet off the ground, studying; when i felt a tap on my shoulder. i turn around and it is a security officer who informed me that i need to take down my hammock immediately. Confused i asked why and she just said, well because its policy. i then asked well, what policy might that be, because i really want to know if i carry a hammock with me where ever i go.

again, she just stated that.... well, its policy. feeling a little defensive i posted the question, I ride a motorcycle through here 5 times a week and almost get hit 3 out of those times, and your saying you dont have a policy against potentially the most self endangering form of transportation, but you have a no hammock policy at a pond 300ft away from the nearest building on a nature trail? again... its policy.

Frustrated and completely angry, i reluctantly agreed to get up. At that time over her radio i heard, Tell the student that if he dosent take down i will be forced to call orange county police and we will let them have it. So i proceeded to pack up and head off to type this post.

Now my question to the users of this forum is: is there any way i could form a competent argument against this or am i between a rock and a hard place? I would like to continue using my hammock but if i cant, well i cant. Has this ever happened to you or something similar? and if so is there a way i can solve this with out it turning into a "yah huuh, well na uuh" argument?

No one else seems to be saying it so:

Sounds like you have a problem with authority. Not joking. This situation shouldn't have escalated into "we're going to call the police", and you're the reason it did. There's no reason you should have gotten "frustrated" nor "completely angry". Maybe reflect on your own actions in this situation first.

If the authority figure in the area asked you to take down the hammock, even if it was rude in your mind, you should have done it. THEN ask the questions about the policy, and follow up with the correct people (hint: the officer isn't the correct person to be arguing with).

Most likely this encounter did more to harm your cause than help, as you've now added to the stigma against hammocks, instead of being a respectful person, and a positive encounter.

[OCDave]

... am i between a rock and a hard place? I would like to continue using my hammock ...

Not at all, you have so many options; Buy your own property, transfer to a college with a more liberal view of hammocking, hike into the woods, build a stand, join student government and build a hammock park on campus. You are bright enough to get into college, certainly you are bright enough to figure it out. (Kids today)

Your whining and reluctance to comply with authority immediately reflects poorly on the hammocking community.

Good luck finding a grown-up solution to your problem. College is providing you more learning opportunities than you probably imagined.

[OneClick]

Who knows what the reason is for that policy, if it does really exist. There could be 100 reasons, but it basically comes down to one person ruining it for everyone. It could have been an idiot putting screws into a tree, a group of morons doing something dangerous like stacking 6 hammocks 20' high, or people pruning trees/undergrowth to get the perfect hang area. Bottom line, once any authority of the college sees that one time, it's easy and effective to simply shut it down and leave no gray area. It sucks, but I've finally come to understand it.

On a related topic, I really hope hammocking starts to become less popular. Once fear spreads to agencies like USFS or public state land, the game's over for me.

[brswan]

Their land their rules. As others has stated you have the option to go elsewhere.

Its most likely a vague policy that is protecting not only their land but also the safety of those using it.

There are parks that do not allow hammock camping. Could be a liability issue.

[OutandBack]

I believe the OP got his question answered and options to try.
The tone of this thread is getting a little close to the TOS and really not in the spirit of our forum so I'm closing it.
Sorry to those that did not get to post you can still PM the OP if you can help him.