In certain parts of this country, driving a kid around that should be in a car seat without one can get you into trouble with the authorities. (Ask Britney Spears about her experience with the visit from Child Protective Services.) Taken to an extreme (as in willful and malicious disregard), a credible argument can be made about child abuse...).

 

We totally have a car seat... my niece is with us a lot and she is a year younger than Haley so we have one on hand. There is NO WAY I would put a little one in without one. Safe car or not.

From a few posts up:

Glad you are okay and your insurance is taking care of things quickly.
M

 

This is one of the most offensive things I've ever seen posted on this board. You make assumptions of drug and alcohol use based on what? The fact that you say he's a street person (how do you know this, by the way?) with tattoos? Then you go so far as to suggest potential abusive tendencies. I honestly don't think I've heard a more closed-minded assessment of another human being, ever, and I find that far closer to child abuse than not using a child seat, actually.

Now, that said; I will eat my words (and lots and lots of crow) if you can link me to a newspaper article about a shirtless tatooed homeless man in your area, recently arrested for crimes against children using an Elmo phone call game as a lure.

By the way, I've met remarkably few "street people" with cell phones...

 

I know my neighborhoods, you live in your world and I'll live in mine. I can see it now, the new protected class, the TATOO'd ones. In our area we have the "crack walk", it and those on it are as easy to spot as the old skid row of the wino days. My loyalties are to my family and friends. It is a dangerous world out there if you haven't noticed.

Children have to be protected not any guy who is on the "walk", they blew their shot at it, or they can just take care of themselves, OK? I have NO problem with being prejudiced against some guy who insists he has to have an interaction with a young child whether they or their parent want it or not, you had to have been there and here.

We have dead kids being buried under the neighbors trailer steps while they are still alive, OKEY, DOKEY?

"RIGHT HERE in RIVER CITY...".

 

this thread should be locked down.

someone is passing around the bad cut wigga crack.

 

May this thread RIP

A

 

It does seem to have taken a turn from its original theme. However, unless you are advocating street racing, things seem to be pretty laisez faire at NAM.

 

" I honestly don't think I've heard a more closed-minded assessment of another human being, ever, and I find that far closer to child abuse than not using a child seat, actually."

 

You're right - the world is scary: people with such predjudiced and bigoted approaches to life are apparently raising children. That's enough to send me under my bed with a flashlight for years to come.

 

So are judgmental know it alls, doesn't stop you. Another childless lecturer, I'll bet. Life ain't a Dress Rehearsal, whether it's car seats or strangers entering in your child's life, you can't be too safe and children can't look after themselves. If you make the wrong choice you may not be able to take it back. I challenge you to find ONE parent who wouldn't excercise on the side of caution.

Give me a decade or two before I have to interact with the tatoo'd wonders trying to enter in my daughter's life. She is only two and a half. maybe I won't have to live so long, heh?

Liberals are bigots too, you know. you just demonstrated it. Prejudice because a street walking adult male wanted to interact a little too closely with my daughter? OK, I'll admit to that, still don't care.

Adults can take care of themselves, supposedly. Go do so and that guy can as well.

P.S. let me be clear, the tatoos are just "icing on the cake", the uninvited interaction from a strange acting man and the "out on the streets" revelation is the clincher here. If a friend comes around my daughter who I know there is never a problem, even with rings hanging from their noses and ears. Until we discover something different, first impressions do matter a lot to everyone from job interviews to chance encounters. Probably has been the same forever.

Just like you and me here, we probably NEVER would want to encounter each other anywhere out in the real world, it's been poisoned already by the first impressions.

 

Before I break any site guideline [say, for example, the one about personal attacks, not that it hasn't already been breached("judgemental know-it-all's? Irony notwithstanding, come on...)] I will simply say that you are, once again, correct:

I'd like nothing more than to never meet you. Or your offspring, for that matter.

 

WOW, see, there is always something two unlike minds can agree upon.

And they say the world is alienated and distant these days...

Let's not forget who threw down the direct personal attacks first, Mr. "OmToasts" with 4000 and some odd posts on NAM;

"You're right - the world is scary: people with such predjudiced and bigoted approaches to life are apparently raising children."

and before that...

"I honestly don't think I've heard a more closed-minded assessment of another human being, ever, and I find that far closer to child abuse than not using a child seat, actually."

Mr. Toast probably helped write the guidelines here, but somehow it still struck a nerve...

 

Back OT.

I hope Haley loves her ride. Glad that those who stayed OT could help that come about.

Others can take their fight "outside" with PMs please.

 

short hand for On Topic or Off Topic?

Haley will be OK, if not for the parents, surely because of the neighbors.

But there are some wierd social tendancies out there. From strangers touching pregnant womans bellys, so people approaching children without clearing it with the parents. Doesn't matter if they have tatoos or a three piece suit. Gotta at least get "eye contact acknowledgement" from the parents. They are the gatekeepers.

Sad to see the pissing contest. Parents do the best they can to protect the kids, and some will always make errors, but the intent is usually good.

Here are some other things to think about. Stoopidgirl (emily) has piercings and the like, and I'd trust Alison with her no problem (and I'd get some good photos, for sure!) But just because I should have an open mind about people and give them the benefit of the doubt, I'm sure not giving her over to someone with tattoos and gang colors just because I should think kindly of him until I know for sure that there are problems. It just doesn't work that way. Those that want to show a style, that's fine with me, but if they choose to show a style that is associated with risk to me or mine, they knew full well the image they are potraying, and went ahead with it. I'll never sweat it a bit. And I'm a tree hugging liberal!

But there is no reason that anyone should put thier children into percieved risk. This is one area where almost every parent will err to the side of caution. I'd rather have Haley's folk love her and protect her, even if some of thier desicions aren't sound and are based on errant informantion that to not protect her and let her into risky situations without thought. At least they were willing to learn, and that's a good thing and bodes well for Haleys future.

Matt

 

Ding-dong me, I don't know all the shorthand yet.


Well, I'm a liberal, but I sure don't hug trees! Usually too many ants and hoogilie boogilie things crawling on them!

Leeta

 

Amen to that. Nothing will ruin things more for a kid than to be brain-washed for 18 years.... Conversely, teach the kid to be willing to learn and adjust in response to the learning, and there might be hope for her/him.

 

Wow, I think we've gotten a bit of insight into a few of you here. Waaaay off topic but interesting. Funny, now I remember why I didn't like living in the South.

Well, I hope Haley enjoys her ride!! Good luck, be safe!

 

The South? What does that have to do with anything? OH, I surely forgot, nothing bad ever happens to anyone in California and everyone there is so tolerant...

Ahh, just forget it, you can keep LA, LA land, too damn crowded for me everywhere out there. I'll just stay put, it will be the same here soon enough.

PEACE, OUT.

 

I liked this original post better.

 

I'm a fan of this thread where a 2 year-old boy prays for the MINIs and drivers in a panoramic picture that his dad hung in his son's room: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=74601

I also like this one where a NAM member in the States makes a bunch of calls to help a fellow NAM member in Austraila who couldn't get the information he needed: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=75446

I think I'll stay out of this thread for now...

 

Ah.... Perhaps CDMINI will now think twice (or three times) before hitting the Submit Reply button....

 

I don't might standing behind my original statements, I was just later trying to make peace of the whole matter.

The South?????

And people worry about my prejudice...

 

Wow, I occasionally check this post just to see if Haley got her ride yet. I had no idea what it had turned in to! When did the wizard ever say he didn't have a car seat? And how did that turn into a lecture on the danger of strangers, liberals and the south? And how are those connected? I agree this thread will probably end up locked! So I'd like to use this opportunity to post my first "IB4TL"! I hope Haley gets her ride in the MINI and certain people that posted in this thread settle down and don't take it all so personally!

 

"...Another childless lecturer..."

Oh, yet another "you aren't a parent, you wouldn't understand" type.

The same type who cuts out of work because little precious has a sniffle (what kid doesn't? Lame excuse) and everyone is supposed to coo, "I hope wittle pwecious feels better", and everyone else has to suck it up and do extra work.

But if a childless co-worker were to take a day off because of a critically ill pet, the chorus of "Can't it wait until your day off?" and "What a lame excuse" from the parental contingent is heard loud and clear.

Just because we choose not to have kids, doesn't mean we don't know what is involved. We do. Why do you think we CHOSE not to have the little buggers ourselves?

 

"Why do you think we CHOSE not to have the little buggers ourselves?" creseida.

I give up, you don't have kids because you don't want them and think pets should qualify as dependents and family members for employee policies on sick time?

"I liked this original post better. " MiniChik.

And the answer to your comment about "the South" is?
Misdirection at it's finest (??)...