Kids playing on the road

The Denouncer

I don't want to sound too much like a Moaning Non-Parent who doesn't understand..but..
I live in an estate where kids are constantly playing on the road, older kids on bikes, toddlers on 3 wheelers, and running around, Sitting on the road etc. There is a sizeable green area in the estate with paths that can be cycled on but me impression is the parents want to be able to look out of their window and see Little Johnny and Mary playing with the traffic. Sometimes its so bad that the road is like a creche.. trying to reverse into my driveway has become a headache with kids darting behind me, even going into my garden etc. One kid left his bike in front of my driveway and when I moved it he came over and flung his helmet in front of my car in a temper. Another older one stopped and tried to stare me out of it while I was reversing (yes I had a word with him). Whats wrong with these kids or their parents?

nobodythere

Why don't you ask the parents instead of the invisible people on the other side of the internet

mikemac

So true OP.
And the parents who allow this are the same busybodies who demand speed ramps every few metres and are horrified if someone put a mobile phone mast nearby.

They'll spend their time standing outside their front door giving the evil eye to any motorists who dares to drive through the estate while their little children play on the road. But think nothing of blocking footpaths as they drop the little darlings metres from the front door of the school.

Yep, thats a good description of a lot suburban mothers living in housing estates

gurramok

Be glad that the kids can play outside on the street unlike in some other countries where its not even safe for them to do so.
Many of us were kids once who did the exact same thing, so get over it!

Kazobel

It's the same where I live, one kid was playing under a truck a few years ago and the driver didn't see him and reversed over his head and crushed it and still they never learn, the kids are still left to play on the roads

Niamho!

yeah we've loads around us. a little fella got knocked down outside my house a few weeks ago. luckily enough the Neighbour who went into him is a slow driver. but he broke his shoulder, the kid shot out on a bike between two cars.
i see it myself if i come up a road and theres kids playing football they make no decent attempt to move outta the way. they've no fear at all the little Sh*ts!!

Linford

OP, did you never play on your road as a kid? If you live on a cul-de-sac or road with very light traffic where its safe for the kids to play on the road consider yourself very lucky... Maybe some day you'll have kids

Dave!

We all did the same thing........

Kinetic^

500 points per kid knocked down, 1200 for a double hit and the jackpot is if you hit twins, 5000 points!!!!!

faceman

unfortunatley davemcg is right and its something that's never gonna change. (altho we once put a knife through a kids football cos it kept hittin cars parked on the street!! :eek:)

Dave!

An old man on our road used to get his dog's sh*t and throw it out on the road and path in front of his house, so that we wouldn't play football.

Harsh!

giveth

I think kids should be allowed play on cul-de-sac estate streets. Its the drivers that should be going VERY slow on these roads. Would you rather the kids stay inside just so you can drive fast?
Greens arent suitable for riding bikes and some other activities....

Its the same where I live, but I drive about 2 miles an hour on the street.

But of course the kids should be taught road sense before they are allowed out.

I'm not a parent by the way.

stovelid

The Denouncer wrote:

I don't want to sound too much like a Moaning Non-Parent who doesn't understand..

You do.

joe_chicken

Whatever you do, you shouldn't draw attention to the fact it annoys you, they will only torment you more.

Go out and try and talk to them someday, start the conversation with a little:
"Hey you hip hop kids, whats the 411?"
Followed by a little:
"Have you heard any of fi'ty cents new album, I hear it's da bomb"

After that, they'll ignore you like the plague.

Dave!

Or maybe they'll befriend him! You'll see the OP out playing kick the can with a bunch of 8 year olds!

AlmightyCushion

DaveMcG wrote:

We all did the same thing........

Agreed.

Reku

gurramok wrote:

Be glad that the kids can play outside on the street unlike in some other countries where its not even safe for them to do so.

Maybe this is the solution, spread a rumour about a paedophile being seen in the area?:D

gurramok wrote:

Many of us were kids once who did the exact same thing, so get over it!

DaveMcG wrote:

We all did the same thing........

True...:rolleyes:

giveth wrote:

I think kids should be allowed play on cul-de-sac estate streets. Its the drivers that should be going VERY slow on these roads. Would you rather the kids stay inside just so you can drive fast?
Greens arent suitable for riding bikes and some other activities....

Its the same where I live, but I drive about 2 miles an hour on the street.

But of course the kids should be taught road sense before they are allowed out.

I'm not a parent by the way.

Cul-de-sacs - fine, but often you will see them out on generic roads playing (yet to see them try it on a main road thankfully).

The Denouncer

stovelid wrote:

You do.

Fine. Still you wouldn't believe the way the little spoiled ****s go on.

stcatherine

It is true we all did this when we were kids, but in my case that was over 20years ago and not everyone had cars let alone 2 or 3 per household, I certainly wouldn't allow my 6 year old to play out on the roads, but I've also noticed a serious lack of 'playgrounds' in this country for kids to play safely in.
Even my 6 year old asked me this morning on the way to school why there are so many 'patches' of grass around our estate but no playgrounds or play areas
(we've just moved from UK )....at the time I thought it's just cos Irish kids are more into playing football and hurling but I'm not so sure that's the real reason.

Slow Motion

There are more golf courses in this country than playgrounds ! Go figure !

simu

stcatherine wrote:

Even my 6 year old asked me this morning on the way to school why there are so many 'patches' of grass around our estate but no playgrounds or play areas
(we've just moved from UK )....at the time I thought it's just cos Irish kids are more into playing football and hurling but I'm not so sure that's the real reason.

A patch of crappy grass is what passes for a green space/leisure space in most parts of this country. Purpose-built playgrounds are few and far-between.

I'm amazed anyone would let their kid on the road. We were always warned to stay away from it as kids. Thought that was the norm.

joe_chicken

simu wrote:

I'm amazed anyone would let their kid on the road. We were always warned to stay away from it as kids. Thought that was the norm.

Depends on how big the road is.

Terry

simu wrote:

A patch of crappy grass is what passes for a green space/leisure space in most parts of this country. Purpose-built playgrounds are few and far-between.

I'm amazed anyone would let their kid on the road. We were always warned to stay away from it as kids. Thought that was the norm.

The problem with purpose built playgrounds is that the compo heads ruin them for everyone else.

ScumLord

I didn't have purpose built playgrounds we used to play on the street (cul de sac in a small town) there and the old graveyard behind the house. The big difference was we all knew our neighbours so any mischief we got up to was quickly reported back to our parents.

the_syco

When I was young, I played in the stret (it was a cul-de-sac), the fields, the green area. When we saw a car coming, we'd get off the road. Most kids around here will get out of the way when they see a car coming, but IMO, the kids that don't will get hit.

For the arguement of more golf courses than there are playgrounds: most golf courses are far far away from eststes.

stovelid

The Denouncer wrote:

Fine. Still you wouldn't believe the way the little spoiled ****s go on.

They're children, not garden ornaments. That means they do annoying, inpulsive things. Like I and nearly everybody here else did.

Nothing you can do except take care not to run them over.

joe_chicken wrote:

Depends on how big the road is.

Or how willing you were to listen to your ol' pair. That is, not.

simu

There are actually private playgrounds being built all over the country (usually indoors). This is a sad reflection on this country imo. I'd nevr take my kid to them on principle and because they're all out in business parks in the suburbs in Cork so you need a car to get to them.

@Terry - I know there's a problem with compo culture in this country but is that really a factor in the lack of playgrounds? There are some playgrounds here alright so it's not an impossibility. I always thought they were ignored because developers would rather continue buidling more houses (more profitable) and our govt seems to be useless at creating legislation that would require newly-built residential services to be provided with services such as playgrounds (and schools!) for their residents.

Terry

I think the playgrounds usually fall under the town/ county councils.
There was one 5 miles from here when I was a kid. It fell into disrepair after someone sued the council. Probably over a grazed knee or something.

They recently rebuilt it, but I'm not up to scratch on what it's like. Not having kids of my own, I tend not to go there.
There's another one close by, which according to my family is quite good. The thing is, it's one of those proivate ones you refer to.

You're dead right about the lack of incentive on the part of local councils.

gurramok

Compo culture is big factor.

One report recently said that i think it was something like 40% of schools don't let the kids run in the school playground out of fear of compo claims.

Kids only real option at exercise is a bit of supervised sport at school and playing on the street. And we all know that not all kids play school sports.

And people wonder why kids are fatter these days!

Victor

Of course, for thousands of years, children have payed on roads. It is only a recent thing that people park cars on roads.

LeixlipRed

I'm 22 and I'd still have a kickabout on the road the odd time or kick a ball about with some of the kids round here. I ****ing hate people who complain about balls going into their gardens and their poor plants being broken. You don't like kids move to the country where there's no one around. KIds are harmless and we all did it at one stage. There's one guy on our road who's about 60 now. No family or kids and wont let anyone play within a 50 foot radius of his house. Such a sad old git

Nightwish

Oh my god, does the OP live in the same estate as me! I'm learning to drive at the moment, so I do drive incredibly slowly but the kids in the estate scare the shíte out of me. There was a little kid sitting in the middle of the road on a corner throwing stones, and 3 or 4 others on tricycles around him. There is a HUGE green there, so I don't understand why they're on the road. There are loads of houses in the area too, so traffic is plentiful.
Just a few days ago, a little 4 year old girl ran out in front of a car and is now lying in my local hospital on a life support machine, and is not going to make it.

stovelid

They're only kids, you lot.

I'm sure when most of rhe posters here were kids, the needs of car-driving oldies were not exactly top of their priority list.

Nightwish

I know when I was a kid I wasn't allowed near a road.

stovelid

I know when I was a kid, not being allowed didn't stop me. I assume most kids are the same hence the danger.

Nightwish

A 3 or 4 year old needs to be supervised, not sitting in the middle of a road.

leninbenjamin

heh, in my estate the kids used to play football in a big green between two rows of hoses facing each other. however some doddery old couple didn't like the kids destroying the grass so they arranged for these huge boulders to be placed in the middle of the greens, the legacy of that is that the kids have been forced out into the road (which is exceptionally dangerous as another few doddery old couples insist on having extremely overgrown haedges on corners and junctions that result in cars having to practically move into the middle of junctions to see oncoming traffic, not a healthy situation). :mad:

here's the Irony, that old couple left the estate not long after they did that (over 10 years ago) but younger and newer existing residents have since had to change the flow of traffic because of that couples selfishness. thankfully there have been no major accidents, but there have been some very close calls!

stovelid

Nightwish wrote:

A 3 or 4 year old needs to be supervised, not sitting in the middle of a road.

Yup.

I was responding to your point that kids (in general) were on the road instead of the provided green spaces.

Unfortunately, nobody can guarantee that a kid won't leg it even if they are supervised. Especially in many new style housing estates where you have minuscule or no gardens, limited green space and the road can be quite close.

The point isn't who lets their kids do what anyway. It is, like you say, driving slowly and understanding that kids are unpredictable and have priority over cars.

tolosenc

Just run them over. Hardly your fault, insurance-wise, if they dart behind you while you're reversing.

I was a kid not so long ago. Played on the road in a quiet housing estate, but we had the decency to get off the road when cars came by. We all came much more aware one my best mate got hit by one of the cars.

stovelid

obl wrote:

Just run them over. Hardly your fault, insurance-wise, if they dart behind you while you're reversing.

Don't want to f*ck up the car by running over a tricycle but.

tolosenc

stovelid wrote:

Don't want to f*ck up the car by running over a tricycle but.

Point taken.

The Denouncer

Nightwish wrote:

Oh my god, does the OP live in the same estate as me! I'm learning to drive at the moment, so I do drive incredibly slowly but the kids in the estate scare the shíte out of me. There was a little kid sitting in the middle of the road on a corner throwing stones, and 3 or 4 others on tricycles around him. There is a HUGE green there, so I don't understand why they're on the road. There are loads of houses in the area too, so traffic is plentiful.
Just a few days ago, a little 4 year old girl ran out in front of a car and is now lying in my local hospital on a life support machine, and is not going to make it.

Probably like most estates the parents don't give a **** and leave a big green area empty while treating the road as a creche. Yesterday I drove onto my road to the nice sight of a kid ages about 5 and other toddlers in the middle of the road..when he saw me driving between them very carefully he proceeded to give me the finger. He then taught a younger girl toddler to do it with 2 fingers in my general direction.
I don't care what anyone says its the parents of these kids, they are good for nothing scum who don't give a crap about their kids and let them play with the traffic. Simple as that.

formatman

Whats the name of of that device they use to keeps Kids away from shops at night ? Moquito ? ...!

Other people have posted that we all played ono the street as a KID , yes proabably ...differences though , had some road sense , had the courtesy to move onto the path when a card came into the estate /cul de sac
parents werent scum and didn't advise to get foot run over by card to cliam compo ...anyway thats my contribution

Dave!

It seems you haven't a clue what you're talking about.

MySelf56

There are more golf courses in this country than playgrounds ! Go figure !

Well said!

Not every mom in the country have SUV drive their kids purpose built sports complexes. Some kids cant afford to go Soccer may be their mom doesn’t drive SUV may be she is not yummy mummy or MILF. may be parents relaxing. I Live in estate some times I think there more kids then adults in my estate. However it is not always possible to chase them parents…Yes they do play on streets and you have to be really really very careful when you are reversing. Some times I get down if the kids are playing get down ask them/request with smile on my face to be in safe place. It doesn’t bother me any more.

I think its part of growing, what’s so wrong odd time they are on roads going with their cycle, kicking the ball around. Its our elusive summer on winter they will be inside most of the time. I prefer kids playing in a patch of grass and in estate rather then sitting in couch playing flipping console games or glue to UK tv or banging key board in “Bebo” or internet. Just to be more 100% attentive when you are driving in Estate that’s all, and be considerate responsible adult.! That’s all!

johnnyrotten

The Denouncer wrote:

I don't want to sound too much like a Moaning Non-Parent who doesn't understand..but..
I live in an estate where kids are constantly playing on the road, older kids on bikes, toddlers on 3 wheelers, and running around, Sitting on the road etc. There is a sizeable green area in the estate with paths that can be cycled on but me impression is the parents want to be able to look out of their window and see Little Johnny and Mary playing with the traffic. Sometimes its so bad that the road is like a creche.. trying to reverse into my driveway has become a headache with kids darting behind me, even going into my garden etc. One kid left his bike in front of my driveway and when I moved it he came over and flung his helmet in front of my car in a temper. Another older one stopped and tried to stare me out of it while I was reversing (yes I had a word with him). Whats wrong with these kids or their parents?

Get a grip on yourself :rolleyes:

Red Hand

Jesus, what are children suppossed to do? Wait for Mom to take them half way across a city in rushhour to a playground? Ridiculous...

I'm from the countryside so the only experience I had with estates and children playing was when I was a child and used to visit my cousins in Cork...and they used to play football all the time on the green in the estate. You can't lock up kids...

To answer Nightwish, you play curbball on the road-whack the ball off the curb and try to get it to hit the other curb for extra points. Plus, if you are learning to drive-don't do it on an estate or a car park. Those are ridiculous places to be learning to drive-I mean come on. One should expect children to be running about in such places. There are thousands of square acres devoted to the car with plenty of roads just a bit into the countryside to drive on, not so many places devoted to children...

Nightwish

So because I'm a learner driver, I shouldnt be allowed to drive into the estate where I live and park my car in front of my house, because some parents are too incompetent to watch their own kids, and leave them sit on the road. I should walk to work because kids have more right to be on a road than a car? I am aware of curbball, but the kids I see on the road, are too young to play it.

KdjaCL

The Denouncer wrote:

don't want to sound too much like a Moaning Non-Parent who doesn't understand..but..

You sound like a whiney person.

The Denouncer wrote:

impression is the parents want to be able to look out of their window and see Little Johnny and Mary playing with the traffic

Mad isnt it, parents wanting to see their kids.......

Suppose we could go to a restaurant that you can see your kids from instead.


kdjac

KilbarrackBlows

It goes like this rite
kids on the road = 5 points because there usualy in groups
Teens = 10 points because there anoying
Grown ups = 12 points because there a bigger target
Oldies = 20 points because its just plain fun to hit them in a car

ow i think i went of topic i thought this was the points game.

Red Hand

Ha, sorry, misread your initial post, Nightwish. Thought you were actually learning how to drive on the estate, complete with jumping/cutting out/panic reving syndrome (I saw that recently in the estate I was living in so I got a bit carried in my previous post).

But my point remains. I just can't see how people don't remember what it was like to be a child...