Better watch your kids closely

[Rod Snell]

Anthropologists use the way a society treats the helpless and infirm as a measure of the civilization.

It's sad and shameful that Americans are getting more and more "get out of my way or I'll kill you."
Taking extra care and courtesy for elderly widows used to be a matter of pride for all real men.
And for the men that think they are always going to be strong and in charge, go spend a couple years visiting infirm relatives and watch them waste away before your eyes like I have done: two distinguished combat vets eaten away by disease that does not respect person or circumstance.

Next time you see somebody that can barely make it across the sidewalk or through the grocery line, thank God you are still strong enough to give them a little extra time and space, or even a helping hand if they need it.

 

[ocphy]

It's a NY thing. Most of us will never understand their way of thinking or lack there of.

If I ever start thinking that way.... someone please put me down

 

[Roadking Larry]

Well a woman died in this incident so it should be taken seriously. I don't agree with suing the child, but the net result will be the same. The parents will have to foot the bill should the lawsuit be successful.

Article states the woman died from causes unrelated to the accident.

I can actually see some sense in holding the parents liable for the actions of a 4 year old child, hell I demand that parents be held liable for the actions of their 4 year old child when they are supervising them but for the love of peanut butter the judge is an idiot and the lawyer that brought the suit is an idiot. I can only hope that this goes to a jury trial and there are still a few New yorkers capable of rational thought that will find the 4 year old not liable.

 

[NikatKimber]

Anthropologists use the way a society treats the helpless and infirm as a measure of the civilization.

It's sad and shameful that Americans are getting more and more "get out of my way or I'll kill you."
Taking extra care and courtesy for elderly widows used to be a matter of pride for all real men.
And for the men that think they are always going to be strong and in charge, go spend a couple years visiting infirm relatives and watch them waste away before your eyes like I have done: two distinguished combat vets eaten away by disease that does not respect person or circumstance.

Next time you see somebody that can barely make it across the sidewalk or through the grocery line, thank God you are still strong enough to give them a little extra time and space, or even a helping hand if they need it.

I agree. And had it been a grown man (or teen) then I could see the negligence, but the act of a 4 year old on a bike being called negligence is far fetched for me. It wasn't like the parents had them riding bikes inside, or at the nursing home or something. Kids have a lot of energy, and they aren't mature. That's kinda part of being a kid, and the difference between being a kid and an adult.

And I find the idea that if you don't have your kids on a leash you (and they) could be liable for bumping into someone.

 

[benjamin-benjamin]

I fully understand taking away their driver's license if they're a danger to others, but how are you gonna take away their license to walk on a public sidewalk???



A well adjusted person would feel remorse that someone died, but not guilt. I'm not really supporting filing against the 4 year old. I would support filing against the parents if the circumstances warranted it. For all we know the 87 year old complained about the kids being reckless before the accident (and I'm sure it was an unintentional accident). Even an 87 year old has a right to walk on the sidewalk. She may need to go to the store or post office or the bank, any number of things. In most places it's a code violation to ride a bicycle on a sidewalk. There are parks and streets for riding bicycles.

but if you can sue the parents for this, you can sue parents for anything their kids do... it would open a very slipperly slope..

i am shocked at the responses here... Maybe i am alone in this, but i did very stupid things at age 4 (and maybe even 5 and 6, but then i was perfect). what this is doing to child's mind will take some hardcore counseling down the line... Go watch a 4 year old, they get focused in on things, man half the time they are staring at the ground and will just walk into a table!!

 

[Glocktogo]

Anthropologists use the way a society treats the helpless and infirm as a measure of the civilization.

It's sad and shameful that Americans are getting more and more "get out of my way or I'll kill you."
Taking extra care and courtesy for elderly widows used to be a matter of pride for all real men.
And for the men that think they are always going to be strong and in charge, go spend a couple years visiting infirm relatives and watch them waste away before your eyes like I have done: two distinguished combat vets eaten away by disease that does not respect person or circumstance.

Next time you see somebody that can barely make it across the sidewalk or through the grocery line, thank God you are still strong enough to give them a little extra time and space, or even a helping hand if they need it.

THIS, is exactly what I'm talking about. Kids, even as little as 4 should be taught to be respectful and careful around the elderly. The elderly are ALL of us one day if we're fortunate. I see far too much disrespect, dismissal and downright abuse of the elderly in our society these days. Gone are the times where people take an extra moment to care about what the elderly need in their waning days. Whatever happened to compassion?

This thread fills me with sadness.

 

[benjamin-benjamin]

Anthropologists use the way a society treats the helpless and infirm as a measure of the civilization.

It's sad and shameful that Americans are getting more and more "get out of my way or I'll kill you."
Taking extra care and courtesy for elderly widows used to be a matter of pride for all real men.
And for the men that think they are always going to be strong and in charge, go spend a couple years visiting infirm relatives and watch them waste away before your eyes like I have done: two distinguished combat vets eaten away by disease that does not respect person or circumstance.

Next time you see somebody that can barely make it across the sidewalk or through the grocery line, thank God you are still strong enough to give them a little extra time and space, or even a helping hand if they need it.

surely this isn't a serious post?? this has NOTHING to do with the story... it was A 4 YEAR OLD. I could be wrong but somehow i don't think the 4 year old was thinking, get out of my way or i will kill you.... IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, nothing more, nothing less, a million of them happen everyday, espically with 4 year olds... they hurt themselves at least 4-8 times a week, BECAUSE THEY ARE 4.... the idea that we need to help our elderly is a great idea and should be discussed in a proper situation, but this is not it..

 

[NikatKimber]

THIS, is exactly what I'm talking about. Kids, even as little as 4 should be taught to be respectful and careful around the elderly. The elderly are ALL of us one day if we're fortunate. I see far too much disrespect, dismissal and downright abuse of the elderly in our society these days. Gone are the times where people take an extra moment to care about what the elderly need in their waning days. Whatever happened to compassion?

This thread fills me with sadness.

I agree entirely. I just don't think it's right to sue over an accident. (unless, as I said, you can prove that the kid and/or parent were intentionally trying to cause harm.

If it were my kid (and I'm pretty sure my parents would do the same), they would be visiting in the hospital afterwards to apologize, and offering to carry anything for her until she was well.

I find the idea that suing over something like this is considered acceptable apalling.

 

[benjamin-benjamin]

i know, just watch the video below... look at how these kids have no respect at all, they disrespect concrete, curbs, grass, walls. I mean seriously learn some respect..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC3veMEuHcI

 

[ez bake]

You don't. It's called personal responsibility. One mentally competent should be able to determine if they are physically competent and act accordingly.

How about this. If it truly was just a freak accident, then maybe age didn't have anything to do with it. You assume several things about the situation that aren't stated based on stereo types (and to anyone offended by the NY stereotypes, that was my attempt to add humor to the situation by showing that stereotypes are often wrong but that all people in NY actually suck. I'm of course, kidding).

What if the 87 year old lady was as spry as a 40 year old? What if she had no history of bone issues and was active in her local church's weekly ninjitsu class and could kick all our asses?

And the parents of the 4 year old were genuinely doing what they could to watch their kid. But due to a split second happen-stance freak accident, the two collide and a hip gets broken.

What if the old lady was one of us instead of her and now you can't work to support your family because you were walking on a sidewalk legally, minding your own business and got hit by someone else. That's not your fault.

Now, is it the parents' fault? Not if they were following the law and doing what they could to prevent stuff like this from happening.

But what if there was a code/law that said no riding bikes on the sidewalk? That would be irresponsible of the parents to allow a race between two 4 year olds on a sidewalk when they knew better.

Seems everyone is jumping to defend the kid's right to be bicycling on a sidewalk (New York has plenty of parks to ride bikes in - if you choose to live there as a parent, you accept the responsibility that you might have to haul your kids across town to a park for them to ride bikes).

Most likely, there is a code or law against bicycling on the sidewalk - there almost always is in most cities and regardless of what the stereotypes say about NY, they have plenty of laws (and ignorance is no excuse).

And I'll say it again, the estate sued the family (meaning the parents) and the parent's lawyer is the one that used the 4 year old engaging in normal activity as a defence - presumably thinking that the parents would be safe behind that strategy. That sounda a lot like using your kid as a human shield against civil liability to me (maybe I'm reading too much into it)

In my opinion, he's who dragged the 4 year old into it (if I'm reading that correctly).