tex2670

Sorry--but I don't think society should take the extremely dim view "If that person wants to put their innocent 7 year old in harm's way, what do I care?"

Just this past week, there was a fatal accident here in Philly. It was raining, and there were 7 people packed into a Mazda 6, including 4 kids. An infant *may* have been in a car seat, but it does not appear that the other kids were belted. One of those kids is dead, along with another one of the adults--yes, speed and weather were factors. Should we all feel "Who cares, it's not my problem"? I really hope not. It's extremely sad that a little kid is dead because of the decisions of a stupid adult, trusted to care for him.

Sulu

But if the driver of that Mazda was irresponsible enough to overload the car -- more people than seatbelts and/or child seats -- when the laws are clear about the number of passengers in cars, it is that driver who should be charged, so why worry too much about it?

I recently read a news story about a mother who let her children, including a 4-year old and older siblings, play in their backyard without direct adult supervision. A meddling neighbour called in child welfare authorities. The mother is now worried that the authorities will take away her children if she is not constantly keeping an eye on them.

The neighbour should be told to mind her own business.

So, that proves my point that motorcycle riders (aside from the old kid on a loud Honda ) are probably better drivers than the bothersome neighbour with 4 kids in a Mazda 6.

tex2670

I'm really unclear what you are saying here. First, 4 year olds unsupervised in the back yard of a private residence is very different than an unbelted child in a car. I am I going to "worry" about that child that was killed in the accident? No. Do I feel it's a horrible event? Absolutely--and that driver should be prosecuted.

But that's different from society washing our hands of trying to do something about it in the first instance. The OP was about a situation that could lead to tragedy, and people who wanted to prevent that from happening--people who cared about protecting a young child.

Are you suggesting that we should all sit back, and let tragedy happen, and be satisfied that law breakers will pay for their actions in that case? Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, I suppose.

Stroock639

well you know i'd love to be very concerned about everyone, but considering what a problem overpopulation is, i think we can afford to be a bit more lax. now, if i someone dangling off the edge of a guardrail with a fatal drop beneath them, yeah i'd absolutely do whatever i could to save that person.

but if someone wants to ride a motorcycle, smoke cigarettes, or even use heroin, who are we to tell them they shouldn't be allowed to. as long as your actions aren't causing harm to those around you, i say do as you like. yes it is a somewhat dim view, but we're not exactly a struggling species are we.

as i said, i wouldn't want my kid riding one like that, and i think it's probably not the best idea for that kid to be riding it like that. but it's not my kid, he's not being forced to ride on it, and no harm is being done to anyone else or the environment.

tex2670

Just so I understand the levels of your narcissism, if the environment was potentially being harmed, you'd care, but if a kid, that's not yours, is put in jeopardy, you don't?

Of course, not judging at all--just putting it all in perspective. Because, I thought you cared:

Lil4X

I'd ridden scooters, and a variety of types of motorcycles, on road and off all my life - until about 1975 when I moved back to Houston. It may be begging the point, but things are different now, and a WHOLE lot more dangerous, particularly in big cities.

Too many "distracted" drivers out there, and far too many wrapped up in their own worlds, totally oblivious to the traffic around them. It's not just phones, it's loud music, fiddly adjustments on the dash, messing with the GPS, Pandora, and other tech toys that takes the driver's attention away from Job #1 - keeping your eyes on the road and staying ahead of the situation developing around you.

I quit riding about the same time I got back to the big city, sold the bikes, and although I still miss being out in the wind, in a match between me and a few hundred pounds of machinery against a three ton SUV, or even a ton-and-a-half car, I'm just going to be a bug on their windshield. On a bike in today's traffic, you're going up against long odds. I firmly believe that decision to get off two wheels and into a cage contributed greatly to my continued survival. Putting your own life at risk is your personal decision, but putting a child on the back of your bike and riding in traffic on the freeways should be considered child endangerment.

bagwell

+1, too many distracted idiots on the road now.

Lil4X

Allowing people to indulge themselves in the kinds of behavior that's going to make them wards of the state (meaning us taxpayers) for the rest of their lives isn't a good idea - even if written off to "population control". The point is that they ARE causing harm to the rest of us by making us provide care for them, not only in our public hospitals, but potentially for life as they may be partially or even fully disabled. Is it fair that we pay their stupidity tax?

While I fully support caring for the least, the last, and the lost among us, I think we should engage in some preventive measures to minimize the impact of those individuals who insist on indulging in risky behavior on our society. Nearly 2,400 years ago, the Greek poet and playwright Aristophanes noted that “Youth ages, immaturity is outgrown, ignorance can be educated, and drunkenness sobered, but stupid lasts forever.”

We can teach people to ride and drive safely, we can enforce rigid traffic laws and licensing requirements, and mandate full-coverage insurance against the unforeseen "accidents" that are certain to occur, but it still won't eliminate suffering and death on our roads. That requires a brain, and not one smeared in the traffic lane by someone who's still stuck on stupid.

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

All of us do care, but trying to lecture that on another parent on how to raise their own offspring will lead to a slap or punch in the face nowadays

Look at the mother backlashing at the public for expressing their concern

That's common in the 3rd world and I also witnessed it, along with a huge fridge in the back

Maybe out in the country side or somewhere there's much less traffic, I can fathom it short of wrapping the kid in a bubble.

But no matter how careful YOU are (in the city), you will always have that dumbass looking up too late at the last minute.

There's always threads here and there about being involved in an auto accident and saying "oh how we're fortunate in cars nowadays with safer emergency/restraint systems".

Sulu

My point is that there may be too much meddling on the part of some busybodies. We have always had them but now they do not hesitate to call the police or the child welfare officials for every little thing, including kids playing in the backyard.

I too am concerned about improperly secured children in the back seat of the car beside me but I am not going to call the police on every one I see.

Coleroad

This is how people are . Now you want yo be a motorcycle instead of a car. Yesterday I had one turn down the wrong side of a divided road. Only one lane with curbs on both sides. He gave me the finger and was yelling at me to get out of the way.

chikoo

I tell ya - this country is turning into a land of pussies. Gone are the days when it was the land of the brave tigers.

tex2670

You are lumping together dissimilar things. Calling the cops on the mom who let the kids play in her yard is not the same. Bully for the mother who lashed out on FaceBook--way to go. So she thinks she's right, and everyone else is wrong. Is that where the analysis ends? As long as the kid's parent thinks they have done right, then who are we to say--is that the take away?

chikoo

Safety is in prevention, not during or after. That kid is safe as long as the driver is not doing wheelies and sliders, and most importantly weaving amongst the high speed vehicles.


Kids survive where adults die. Their body is way more flexible than an adult and they get flung away further than an adult from the scene of the accident upon impact thus reducing the risk of getting run over by following vehicles.

chikoo

I am suggesting that we all take our female friends out in a burkha at the spring break. This will prevent rapes and abortions. Are you up for it?