Unsupervised children on scooters

Used to hate collecting GC from primary school when children were whizzing along the pavement on scooters. Always worried they were going to bang into my ankles!
Ouch!!!

I meant other children, not my GC.

YANBU I am always trying to avoid kids and often there is no adult in sight. Don’t parents supervisor their children any more?

Sorry supervise not supervisor

I would always be one to say discipline isn’t what it once was, but I think we’ve always had this sort of thing. I remember roller skating down my road, which was a long hill, and built for purpose. I was told off though, by pedestrians, and didn’t give them a mouthful back, which would most likely happen in today’s world. If I had, they would have spoken to my parents, and I would have had a “ good hiding *. We’re older and feel more vulnerable. The thought of being knocked over is frightening.

I often cringe with dred when l see the antics of some school children who are allowed to travel hom from school on scooters. Our small rural town high street is one way traffic and very steep at the top. These children, who look like upper junior school age, take great pleasure in speeding down this hill full pelt. They have no brakes to stop in case of emergency, and the road surface is in far from good repair. They have no chance of stoping should anyone step off the pavement, or a car should pull out of one of the sidestreets. Where on earth is their Parents common sense in allowing this to happen? Or even providing their children with with the protective helmet and pads to keep them safe, and instructing them in the duty of care towards other road users and pedestrians alike.

When I was a child I rode my bike on the pavement without adult supervision. Not always carefully nor considerately. But that was because I was a child and my thought processes were not yet fully developed. I think some of you are blaming children for being children rather than thinking like mini adults. Did you supervise your children every minute of the day or were they allowed to play outside unsupervised? I certainly didn't watch mine all the time. Yes children can be thoughtless and careless. Just as most of us sometimes were when we were children.

I remember a few years ago two young schoolchildren used to whizz ahead of their mum every morning and fly around the corner onto my parents road. My father was still alive and very frail. If they'd knocked into him he would have ended up in hospital.

I don't think, when we were kids, we'd have been allowed scoot around shops and hotel foyers, which I see children nowadays doing while their parents look on.

When we were kids there were far fewer vehicles so it was a much safer quieter world. I can remember playing cricket with neighbourhood kids in the road outside our house. There were always one or two old ladies propped up by their front doors keeping an eye on us while we played.

well said vampire queen. Freedom is a vanishingly rare experience for today's children. We were so lucky in being able to roam, take risks playing out and somehow all arrive home in time for tea. Our sah mum's didn't have to entertain us all the time.
The absence of traffic was the key thing. After Christmas we've had a big increase in the number of children riding bikes/scooters to school. I've not seen primary age children doing this without an adult.
Sorry Gaunt47 - just seen you posted similarly as I was typing.

At least Bikes have brakes, these mini scooters have no such facility, yet on a steep downhill gradient they are capable of speeds as fast as a car or racing cycle. The big difference being that the only protection between the roads surface and a child’s flesh is often a thin layer of clothing if that.
Likewise l cringe in summer when l see entire families riding on main roads around the Peak District dressed in just a T-shirt and shorts, no safety helmet, fast traffic, and the youngest member of the family riding up at the rear of the convoy on a toy bicycle designed for rear garden playgroup use only. Where on earth is the parents common sense to allow this?

My GS (5 next week) "scoots" to school, as do a lot of the other pupils.

Most scooters do have breaks on the back wheel, better to get to school in fresh air and a bit of exercise than being ferried to and fro in a car.

We had neighbours who didn't like the children playing anywhere near their houses, this was in the 1940s. Nothing changes. Maybe as we get older we have to exercise a bit more tolerance. The safety of these children is their parents responsibly not yours or mine.

There is currently on advert on TV for washing liquid pods. At the end of the advert they say 'keep away from children' - sound generic advice in my opinion.

I really do think it's us - not them!

We rode bikes and soapboxes (at perilous speed) downhill as kids. I well remember the skinned knees and elbows, the huge bumps on the head, flying blindly around corners and near misses with pedestrians.

Once, a small boy appeared and threw a stick through the bike's front wheel as I went down a steep slope. I flew through the air and landed on my head, fell unconscious, came round, couldn't see properly and kept being sick.

No adult supervision (no adults around) the kids draped me on the mangled bike and wheeled me home. No parental concern, doctor or hospital, just a cold wet cloth on my head!

Now we feel vulnerable and fear being mown down, that's all.

I was almost brought to the floor by a child on a scooter in a crowded m&s foodhall. The handlebars got caught in my basket! A few minutes later the same child banged into me. I had a word with the mother who just stood there grinning at me. Typical middle class liberal that believed their children should do just as they like. The girl was polite and apologised and I wasn’t in the slightest annoyed at her. Adults should watch children and a crowded supermarket is no place for children to be riding scooters. The shops should make it clear that they aren’t allowed to ride them inside the shop.

Yes, Hetty58, I remember it well. I think most of us grew up without lasting damage, so hopefully these children will also.
I’m more concerned with the speed that some oldies drive their mobility scooters around town centres and super markets.

NancyG46. YANBU
Of course they should not be riding a wheeled contraption at speed in a public place. Even a disability scooter has a speed limit of 4mph on the pavement and can be prosecuted for going above this.
My DD about 10 years ago confiscated my DGS's scooter when he was 2 because he rode on ahead of her on their way to the park!

Shortlegs ? I always think the same!

Well I was a maniac on my own home-made scooter lol, down hills and all-sorts. I think its us growing less tolerent and more easily frightened than once we were. Scooters DO have breaks on, and kids are usually pretty good on them. The dangers change but kids don't, they want fun, freedom and fresh air, but if they go out on their scooters they are moaned at, and if they stay in away from the dangers and go on their tablets and computers they are moaned at, whereever they go or what they do, there is always someone moaning at em! lol
If you watch over your kids you're a helicopter parent, and if you don't, you're feckless and you don't care!
Lets let them worry, while we just dodge these kids enjoying their bit of fun while us adults enjoy all the fun of whats to come!

My grandkids used take their scooters to the local shop with mum or dad but are not allowed to take them into said shop. Result : one stolen scooter worth £120 ..... now no longer take scooters with them as shop has banned them inside ( quite right). Coming from town on bus this morning I saw a grown woman (22 at least) with an electric scooter nearly knock down a three year old walking with his mum. No compunction... didn’t stop and apologise. Kids have an excuse... they’re kids.... adults should act adult!!

A friend's elderly but active father was knocked down by a group of secondary age children 'mucking around' , and sadly subsequently died of his injuries. Shocking and very sad, and the youngsters involved will never know this was the result of their inconsideration.

Have you not reported these children who by their actions especially on the underground are not just a nuisance but a danger to life. Get on with it unless you want it on your conscience could have prevented a disaster,

I think scooters are great for children. I had one when I was about 8 and I loved it. For me, it felt like true freedom. Let them be kids - scooting is at least exercise. I do agree they shouldn't be scooting about in shops or supermarkets though.
Saggi - I too keep seeing grown-ups on electric scooters. They seem totally oblivious to the fact that these are - so far - illegal on either roads or pavements in the UK!