In message <004801c22e9c$47a70820$de18fea9@fionajewkes>, F.Jewkes
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Last night I watched with mounting horror as a new neighbour (who I don't
>know) stuck a child aged about 6, dressed in a school dress, on the back of
>a very large motorbike, climbed on the bike himself and gave the child a
>rapidly accelerating- over-the-speedbumps ride to the other end of the road
>and back (probably up to at least 40mph). The child was not even large
>enough to put her arms round him and neither he nor child wore a helmet. He
>then repeated the exercise with a slightly larger child (about 7or 8).
>
>I don't want a brick through my front window for interfering - what would
>you have done? And advice on what to do if I see it again!!
>
>Fiona Jewkes
>.
Do nothing. I bet his other half gave him both barrels when she found
out!
If there is a repeat of this, then perhaps a discreet call to the police
would be in order as I suppose that (tenuously) there are child
protection issues. Does this come under the children's act as well as
the road traffic legislation?
My neighbours had no qualms and no bricks through the window when a 14
year old was told by his mother to shift a car that they had abandoned.
The police were called and arrests were made. We all agreed that the
right thing had been done.
This sort of moral issue is quite appropriate as it addresses whether or
not we have wider responsibilities outside of our departments. I dont
think we do over and above anyone else's. In other words, one's duties
are those of any other member of the public to assist with upholding the
law.
--
Stephen Hughes SpR 'Arlow and curtain-twitching resident of rural Essex
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