[eremite06]

Last night, New Years eve, the wife and I drove through Lake Sumter square lookin for a place to park. I see a car to my right with the passenger just entering and their lights turn on. It's in a parallel parking spot. I stop and put my right turn signal on and wait. I see that Community Watch in his little pickup is right behind me. Of course the driver leaving is taking forever to pull out. I'm getting impatient but the wife says "stay stay, they'll leave! At that point, Community Watch guy walks up to my window and says, "what are you waiting for, you're going to cause an accident." His tone was somewhat condescending and confrontational. I said "didn't you see my turn signal and this car here is ready to pull out. I'm trying to park. Why don't you go around me." My wife is jawing something to the guy, I'm not hearing anything she's saying. Just then, my brother-in-law is coming from ahead, the opposite direction and jokingly yells out his window, "hey, move along, you're blocking traffic." Watch guy says, "see, you're going to cause an accident!" I tell him, that's my brother-in-law!!! I didn't tell him he's a Florida State Trooper.

I saw an incident that happened awhile back at the square during an event. Can't remember which one. I'm standing in line to buy some food. A guy walking with his bicycle goes by me, and, a Community Watch/Event Staff guy. The Staff guy must have grabbed this bike guy's arm to tell him he can't have a bicycle in the square. Well, the bike guy swirls around and smacks the Staff guy and they trade a few jabs. I couldn't believe it! The bike guy just walks away as Staff guy gets on his radio and follows him. Don't know what happened after that.

My question to my esteemed fellow TOTVers, how much power should these Watch guys have? Shouldn't they just be "watching?"

I could get into Florida's Castle Doctrine in reference to when Watch guy came up to my car window, but I won't go there.