Neighborhood bicyclist WWYD

[HonoluluMom]

During the last few months, I have seen a young boy around 3-4 years old riding his bicycle usually with several other kids with the oldest looking to be around age 8. I have seen this boy ride his bicycle straight into the roadway without looking several times. On one occasion he rode off the sidewalk, straight into the roadway, and right in the path of a car which, luckily, was driving very slowly and was able to stop in time. I do not see any adults in the nearby vicinity and don't know if this boy lives in the area or is a visitor. This boy is on a tiny bicycle, people who don't live in the area tend to drive faster as they may not know there are a lot of kids in the area, and I am afraid there is going to be an accident. WWYD? Talk to the kid? Try to locate a parent? Report it to the HOA? Something else?

[123LuckyMom]

This is why I can't let my almost 4 year old DD bicycle in the road without me, even if her big brother is out there, too. I just don't trust her to be vigilant enough about cars, especially since there are very few on our cul-de-sac so it's easy to become complacent. We practice pulling over to the side of the road, stopping, and waving when cars come by, but I don't trust DD to remember every time without prompting just yet.

I suspect that your intervention won't help, but I would still try to intercede. I'd stop the pack the next time they come by. I'd try to find out who the parents of the youngest one are and also remind them how important it is to look both ways before going into the road. I'd put the youngest one who isn't looking in charge of the whole pack and tell him it's his job to show the older kids how to be the safest. Tell him a lot of times people think the youngest kids can't be as safe as the older ones, but you've seen him riding, and you know he can be the very safest one in the whole group! Then contact the parents and tell them what you've seen and what you said. It may not help, but I think you have to try.


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[vonfirmath]

I'd try talking to the kid/the oldest kid in the pack and try to find out who the little kid's parent is. Then you have an adult to go talk to. (But the parent may be assuming the oldest kid is looking out for the little one. This is how it works in many cultures)

The HOA cannot do more than this -- and will likely be able to do less since they are not present when the bicycles are around and do not know who the kid is or where he lives. If there is nothing in your HOA codes about when kids are allowed to wander, even if you find out where the kid is from, there is little they can do other than what you would do -- go to the house and talk to the parents. You cannot fine a family for letting their kid wander unless that is already in the covenants. Even if you (the HOA board member) personally think it is a terrible idea.

Another idea -- and maybe this is something the HOA COULd do? OR could you allow you to do? One of those Children playing signs that would cause motorists (maybe) to slow down? (If they are speeding through the area)

[BunnyBee]

Police community liaison might be helpful.

[SummerBaby]

We have had a similar situation in our neighborhood. I said something to the parent. I'm sure she thought I was a meddling b$&'h, but I was completely paranoid I was going to run this not even 3 year old over. I'm not sure how much it helped, other than that she stopped riding her bike near my house.

[Simon]

Police community liaison might be helpful.

Yes, this. I would not try and intervene myself, but would bring it to the attention of the police via non-emergency line. Notify and ask for some more frequent patrols so they can assess the situation themselves.

[StantonHyde]

For the love of PETE--do NOT call the police. This is like people calling the police because kids are playing in the park alone. Talk to the kids. Then talk to the parents. That is what neighbors do for crying out loud.

[JBaxter]

For the love of PETE--do NOT call the police. This is like people calling the police because kids are playing in the park alone. Talk to the kids. Then talk to the parents. That is what neighbors do for crying out loud.

Thank you for saying this. Track down the parents don't get the law involved The police will call CPS and you could get the child removed form the home.

[vludmilla]

For the love of PETE--do NOT call the police. This is like people calling the police because kids are playing in the park alone. Talk to the kids. Then talk to the parents. That is what neighbors do for crying out loud.

I agree completely.

[JamiMac]

For the love of PETE--do NOT call the police. This is like people calling the police because kids are playing in the park alone. Talk to the kids. Then talk to the parents. That is what neighbors do for crying out loud.

My goodness, thank you!

[daisysmom]

Agree with the above, please don't call the police.
I was a kid that rode with my older siblings around that age, and I allowed my DD to ride with the older kids and cousins, etc. at 5. I remember when a neighbor called my mom b/c I once didn't look when I rode down my driveway into the road and I remember my mom punishing me as a result. I have told that story to my DD and she is a safe rider.

[specialp]

Agreeing with others. DH panicked and yelled at a young neighbor who darted off into the road from our driveway while a car was approaching. I ran out, we called her over and talked to her about being careful on her bike and not chancing and all the things that could go wrong (she saw the car, but thought she had time). We are friendly with her parents and for all I know, DH may have told them about it, but I didn't or think anything more of it, but that was last year and she has been very careful since. Kids need reminding and I do not feel bad at all reminding neighborhood kids or having others remind mine. I know this is a little kid being watched by older siblings, but I would still talk to them first and go from there.

[bisous]

Oh wow. I thought the police was a good idea. Particularly the community liaison police. I figure they'll know the community better and have better resources to help! I didn't at all get the impression that anyone was advocating getting the child (or parents) in trouble! Please educate me if this is really the wrong response. I am a big fan of going to the source first in most encounters but this one just felt like the OP didn't have the relationship or knowledge necessary to be as effective as a policeman from the area might be.

[BunnyBee]

For the love of PETE--do NOT call the police. This is like people calling the police because kids are playing in the park alone. Talk to the kids. Then talk to the parents. That is what neighbors do for crying out loud.

What do the community liason officers do in your area? Ours give out helmets to kids who can't afford them, teach safety courses, etc. Unless the parents are running a meth lab, DFACS isn't going to seize kids over bike riding. They're a little busy.

[vludmilla]

What do the community liason officers do in your area? Ours give out helmets to kids who can't afford them, teach safety courses, etc. Unless the parents are running a meth lab, DFACS isn't going to seize kids over bike riding. They're a little busy.

Ours do similar things, but if a person called concerned about a young child riding a bicycle unsafely, it could become a child protective services issue. Some community police officers wouldn't call CPS over that but some would and while some CPS agencies wouldn't make a big deal out of a 3 year old riding a bike in the neighborhood with older siblings, there are CPS agencies that would. These are all very grey area issues without clear legal guidelines. In an ideal world, calling the community police liaison would be a reasonable thing to do but given recent stories about police and CPS involvement in cases of children being outside without their parents, I'd avoid calling the police unless absolutely necessary.

[StantonHyde]

We don't have liaison officers. They do safety fairs etc but they don't drive through our neighborhood. I would say something to the kids. How long would it take for the police to make the rounds? Just talk to the kids instead of escalating it or passing it off.

[BunnyBee]

Ours do similar things, but if a person called concerned about a young child riding a bicycle unsafely, it could become a child protective services issue. Some community police officers wouldn't call CPS over that but some would and while some CPS agencies wouldn't make a big deal out of a 3 year old riding a bike in the neighborhood with older siblings, there are CPS agencies that would. These are all very grey area issues without clear legal guidelines. In an ideal world, calling the community police liaison would be a reasonable thing to do but given recent stories about police and CPS involvement in cases of children being outside without their parents, I'd avoid calling the police unless absolutely necessary.

In the situation where OP doesn't know the child or where he lives in order to talk to the parents (who presumably knew and sent the tot out into the street on wheels anyway), calling the non-emergency number is a reasonable course of action. It's better than a dead kid under someone's car.

[marymoo86]

Ours do similar things, but if a person called concerned about a young child riding a bicycle unsafely, it could become a child protective services issue. Some community police officers wouldn't call CPS over that but some would and while some CPS agencies wouldn't make a big deal out of a 3 year old riding a bike in the neighborhood with older siblings, there are CPS agencies that would. These are all very grey area issues without clear legal guidelines. In an ideal world, calling the community police liaison would be a reasonable thing to do but given recent stories about police and CPS involvement in cases of children being outside without their parents, I'd avoid calling the police unless absolutely necessary.

I would almost agree with this but most of those cases that I have seen have been for older children. I have to wonder about sending a 3 year old out even with an older sibling.

Is that a normal thing? I've seen young kids playing in friends yards unsupervised for short periods but never on a bike on the street. Is this regional?

[lovin2shop]

We deal with this issue in our neighborhood quite frequently. We have a large population of recent immigrants to the US, and I gather that it is customary to let young children play and ride bikes outside unsupervised (even after dark). It is a tough issue, as we also have plenty of speeders. I'm not sure what the right answer is here, as I believe that most, if not all of the parents do know of the concern, but do not chose to do anything differently. It has actually caused reports of possible abduction threats where kids were reporting that "strangers" were approaching the kids to ask where they live and take pictures and such. Well it turns out that these were actually just neighbors who were concerned about the safety of the kids. In one instance, a small girl was photographed by a neighbor to turn into the police as she appeared to be around 4 years old riding her bike in street unsupervised. The girl happens to be a very tiny 8 year old that is in 2nd grade. I've come to the conclusion that the only thing that I can do about it is drive REALLY carefully.

[specialp]

Oh wow. I thought the police was a good idea. Particularly the community liaison police. I figure they'll know the community better and have better resources to help! I didn't at all get the impression that anyone was advocating getting the child (or parents) in trouble! Please educate me if this is really the wrong response. I am a big fan of going to the source first in most encounters but this one just felt like the OP didn't have the relationship or knowledge necessary to be as effective as a policeman from the area might be.

I do not think it is wrong, it just wouldn’t be my first response. I live in a large subdivision and only know a few families. I still would feel comfortable rolling down the window and speaking to the kids in my neighborhood if I saw them doing something unsafe, even if I didn’t know them. If I was concerned enough to call, then I would think the kids would be hurt (or gone and no longer there) by the time someone got there to speak to them.

[TwinFoxes]

For the love of PETE--do NOT call the police. This is like people calling the police because kids are playing in the park alone. Talk to the kids. Then talk to the parents. That is what neighbors do for crying out loud.

100% agree. There are so many cases of police overreacting to "endangerment". And I've never heard of a community liaison officer going out on a call, they hand out stickers at fairs and check car seats. I can't imagine calling the police and thinking I could dictate who would respond.

I'm not so into the whole "takes a village" thing, but if I see a three year old riding recklessly I'd tell them to knock it off, and tell the big one to take me to their parent. I wouldn't be all judgy about the kid being out there, I'd just tell them what I observed.

[bisous]

100% agree. There are so many cases of police overreacting to "endangerment". And I've never heard of a community liaison officer going out on a call, they hand out stickers at fairs and check car seats. I can't imagine calling the police and thinking I could dictate who would respond.

I'm not so into the whole "takes a village" thing, but if I see a three year old riding recklessly I'd tell them to knock it off, and tell the big one to take me to their parent. I wouldn't be all judgy about the kid being out there, I'd just tell them what I observed.

I think what struck me about the OP (original POST not poster) is that it seemed like the events were almost observed from afar. If I was near the 3yo riding around I too would roll down the window and just talk to the kids. I guess my (quick) read led me to believe that the OP has observed this on multiple occasions but was not close enough to directly interact with the child. Not sure why I had that impression. I saw a toddler running away from a park that I drive by recently and there was not a darn thing I could do about it. I was one lane away on a super busy street. In my head I was picturing just the same scenario.

[boogiemom]

In the situation where OP doesn't know the child or where he lives in order to talk to the parents (who presumably knew and sent the tot out into the street on wheels anyway), calling the non-emergency number is a reasonable course of action. It's better than a dead kid under someone's car.



Agree.


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