Coleroad

It's their child they can decide what's ok. I just don't want to hear if something happens that it's somebody else's fault. You hear this every time a child gets hit because they were playing in the road. The last one here in Houston. The mom said drivers just don't care that the kids are playing in the road. The drivers just drive to fast while kids are playing in the roads. The speed limit on that street is 35mph. Who in their right mind tells the kids to go play in the road, and thinks the kids should be safe. On my street I've seen them out in the street with Legos spread out playing. So if they want to think that the danger risk is ok don't blame someone else if something does happen. You only have your personal judgment to blame.

bagwell

right, so just let them sit on a static motorcycle and then make them watch this......

tex2670

But sometimes they can't decide what's ok. You read stories about people that leave their young kids in the car while they gamble for hours in the casino, or at home alone with no baby sitter (I'm talking about kids 5 and under). Those parents "decided" that those actions were ok--but their actions were not ok. That's why there are child neglect and endangerment laws--people don't always act in a manner that is in the best interest for the children, as opposed to their own best interest.

That's the entire point of the OP--do you think that a parent, making a reasoned, informed decision, in this set of facts, is "OK"?

tex2670

1. I would like anyone who posted previously to argue, with a straight face, that a kid on any one of those motorcycles would not be safer in a car, SUV or a minivan. Seriously.

2. To be fair, at least 1/2 of those accident videos were the clear fault of the motorcycle rider--which one would *hope* that a person wouldn't ride like an a$$hat if they had a kid on the back.

Coleroad

That was my point too. The fact is though on riding the motorcycle it isn't against the law. Hence it is up to the parents then. That led me to the original thought then. They don't need to blame anyone else if something happens. You know they will though. Just like the parents who let their kids play in the streets.

The fact is riding a motorcycle is not as safe as being in a car. I think it's a poor decision, but there is nothing anyone can do about it. It's like kids playing in the street. Very bad decision, but again nothing that we can do about it. Sad part is the kids who didn't get hurt grow up thinking it's ok. So they let their kids do the same. Till another kid get hurt or killed. Even then it's not the fault of their choice. It is someone else's fault.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

Fear mongering.

We can also post videos on all the gun violence, sports injuries, recreational activities, child abuse in daycare/schools, animal maulings, car crashes, etc.

Yes, there is risk. In everything.

It is a responsibility to understand those risks (like owning a gun, playing a sport, leaving a child with someone else, driving in public), to prepare for a catastrophic event, and to learn from our mistakes.

Coleroad

Yes tragedy can strike at anytime, but a normal reaction is to mitigate risk as much as possible. Lightning can strike you go from the car to the store. You don't go run around an open field with a golf club during a storm though. You can get into a car accident and die, but you don't drive around without your seatbelt on. There is greater risk on a motorcycle than a car. So the real argument is why take extra risk that isn't necessary. My point is beyond that if you choose to take extra risk don't blame others when tragedy strikes.

tex2670

It's not fear mongering--it's assessing the level of risk vs reward in a particular activity, and making an informed decision as to whether assuming the risk is worth the potential reward.

chikoo

+1000 you got it.

At this rate of risk aversion, we need to shut down the gun manufacturers. Only the Armed forces can build guns as only they are trained and selected to operate them.

Coleroad

No to draw the parallel. Allowing your child access to weapons. Then you would be putting them in excess danger. The fact of you owning a weapon is not dangerous. Where talking a motorcycle accident, a firearm accident is more than likely deadly. Things like sports and such while death can result it is unlikely. Let's not keep grouping likely hood of injury with likely hood of death. Yes I'm going to mitigate my child's risk to death.

tex2670

I stopped myself numerous times from going down the gun parallel, since it's such a contested debate.

But if you are going to steer the conversation in that direction, what do gun manufacturers have anything to do with this thread? Were we debating whether motorcycles should be outlawed? No.

The parallel argument is whether a child should be permitted to have access to a gun. We all see the stories about some child that took a parent's gun out of a drawer, and it was loaded without a trigger lock, and tragedy happened--that's the parallel. Irresponsibility of the parent in properly protecting a child from a known or foreseeable risk. Like having a kid on the back of your bike on the highway at 50mph.

chikoo

We are now on the topic of risk aversion. If one is so much averse to risk, so as to control others actions, where does it stop? I can agree when ones actions results in injury/death to others in the society.

Coleroad

Speaking for myself. I don't care if a parent chooses to allow high risk behavior for their child. I wouldn't allow my children a greater chance of death if I can help it. I just don't want to hear them complain it's someone else's fault like I hear so often. It's like both of my kids once had tried to let them take their shoes off to put their feet on the dashboard. they immediately were told no you don't ever. They then replied with they see lots of people do it going down the road. My reply, if we get into an accident your legs will be in your face breaking your hips and maybe killing you. Things like this have not kept my kids from experiencing life. It's making sure they can experience life. So it's not about controlling how others parent. I was saying I wouldn't allow it for my kids.

chikoo

Which I do too - tell my kids not to do that. But I would not go so far to force somebody to not do that.

BrownPride

Definitely doesn't seem safe but I can't stand this social media age. Instead of just calling the police whoever snapped this photo let this issue snowball into something huge. Who knows how much hate mail and threats this woman and her boyfriend have received by now.