----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 9:59
PM
Subject: RE: [Sndbox] FL. Boy fined on
bike
Depends Angela. If the kid (or the
19 y/o) was jumping the hill and it was accidental then yes I'd be saying the
same thing. It's not like this kid got it in his head, hey I'm going to
go see if I can score a car this afternoon. There are things that are
just accidents. This, IMHO, was one of those things. It was an
accident. Accidents happen. Could he have gotten hurt? Yes,
sure. We could have gotten hurt at camp when we set people's underwear
on fire with a torch made from a match and a can of off too.
We've gotten to the point where we want to
legislate every aspect of life. Wear a helmet on your bike kid, don't
jump a sand hill kid, no swimming in the pond by the quarry kid it might be
dangerous. Sometimes life is a little dangerous. And sometimes
accidents happen.
It's a good thing I'm not a kid today,
because there is no way in the world I'd wear a helmet to ride a freaking
bicycle. And I'd probably jump a few sand hills. God knows I
jumped over my share of picnic tables on one. I've even hit a car or two
on accident. No one made a federal crime out of it. If punishment
was deserved my family took care of it. There was no need to bring the
cops into it.
That's partly what is wrong with society
these days. Everyone wants to either call the cops or sue over things
that really are unimportant.
Charles
Mims
But
throwing a rock through someones window didn't put your life in danger (except
for maybe by your grandfather). When you are out on the street, riding a bike,
if you don't use common sense you can be killed. I agree maybe for the first
offense try talking it out with the parents, but if that doesn't work, then
fine him. If talking to him doesn't teach him the lesson, maybe having to pay
a fine will. But I do think this teaches kids at an early age that their
parents can't always get them out of a situation they have gotten themselves
into. Would you all be bitching if it was a 19 y/o that was riding his bike
and hit a car?
Sure, but what ever happened to parents
talking out a problem like this? When I was about 10 or so I threw a
rock through a window. That was illegal. Destruction of private
property you know. I suppose they could have called the cops you
know...I was even technically trespassing. You know how it was
handled? My grandfather went to the people's window I broke and made a
deal. He would pay to fix the window and handle my punishment.
You know what? It worked. There is absolutely no reason that
same kind of common sense couldn't have worked in the issue being
discussed.
Charles
Mims
Last I checked, kid or adult not obeying the rules of the road was
illegal too. If they are going to be on their bikes in the road they have to
obey laws just like anyone else regardless of age.
In a message dated 11/5/2003 6:45:52 PM Eastern
Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
What I don't
understand is why no one feels that a kid on a bike has to obey rules of
the road and rights of way the same as anyone else on the road. I
know....I'll just go out in my car and start hitting people.
maybe some people feel that kids are just kids
and they can make mistakes. the kid wasnt out in the road trying to
run people off the street, he was playing with friends. Last time i
checked that wasnt a major crime however hitting
pedestrians is :))
