Kids playing Chicken with cars!

J.C. · 06-09-2007, 06:03 PM

I haven't been this upset with a stranger for sometime.

I just dropped my daughter off to dancing and was travelling at about 40kph. I was coming up to two kids (approx 13 yr old ... old enough to know better). They were on the wrong side of the road and not in single file so I had my eye on them. Just as well too as the one nearest to the on coming traffic (me) looks me in the eye and swerves out in front of me then back in. He was, at that, point about 10 -15m in front of the TS. I reacted instantly by swerving to the right (and cursing).
Then it hit me! This is not on. I looked in the rearview mirror and hit the picks. He spotted me and tried to bolt. No cars behind me so into reverse I go hammering it back into the carpark area swinging the nose around then back into drive and on the gas. There were no other vehicles around for a good 30m so all appeared safe.
I was p1ssed! He had just jumped the gutter and decided to pull up as I had caught him. I pulled up and feed it to this kid, making him realise that that sort of behavour is just not on and there are risks involved and if he pulled that stunt with me again I wouldn't be so kind.
To be truthful here, he scarced me pretty bad. I had come off nightshift this morning and was pretty laid back after sleeping today and was just enjoying the gentle cruise in the car. I was doing nothing wrong and driving carefully.
What frighten me was "what if I had hit this kid or he had fallen off his bike?". Bugger the car! As much as I love it, it can be fixed. He would be hurt or worse. Then there is me. It would have messed me up a fair bit as running over kids is not one of my favoured past times.

Kids will be kids. Being cheeky has it boundaries and I can smile at most of the stuff that goes on around here as I was young once to, but doing this sort of thing is not at all wise. Hopefully I taught him a life lesson and the only thing that was hurt was his pride. Me! More grey hairs.
What are parents teaching their kids nowadays?
I turned up at home shacken and pale from the experience. It was close. To close for my liking.

Anyone had similiar encounters?

RUQ1KA · 06-09-2007, 06:55 PM

The VERY FIRST TIME I DROVE A CAR!!! i had something similar happen,

I had just got my L's the day before, and was going somewhere after school. Theres this school just out side my street and i'm going down the road down hill, i'm going the posted 40km/h and i've only ever driven about 100-200meters on the actual road at that time - all of a sudden this kid about 13 or so as well runs out in front of the car, me not knowing anything about driving yet just hits the skids and it locked up

The kid from what i remember just stopped and stood there, luckily the car managed to stop in time, then as soon as it stopped, he ran off back the way he came

Obviously that opened my eyes to how dangerous driving really is right from the start!
Havn't had anything like that happen since, and i drive through that road everyday,

Although I have had kids throw things at the car and yell some abuse back when i had the ED wagon, i had a few mates in the car so when i hit the brakes they just ran off expecting the worst, and i left it at that.

mrxy8 · 06-09-2007, 07:08 PM

I live about half a block down from a high school and every day I have to drive through when the kids are going to or leaving the school. For some strange reason, I don't know if it's because I have "be a F$*@ing idiot when I drive past" plastered all over my car or what, but the kids somehow believe they are invincible against a territory. They are happy to wander across the road like a heard of cattle and then glare and abuse me when I don't slow down or swerve for them. I mean I'm not out to kill kids, so don't get the wrong Idea, I just mean how friggin hard is it to step out of the way of oncoming traffic or cross the road just that little faster. I'm pretty sure that if I actually did hit one of them, I would be in the wrong, despite the fact that I'm doing below the 40kph speed limit, because I should have given way to some smart *** little jerks. Not because they should be bright enough to equate that a 2 tonne vehicle vs them just doesn't add up. Any way, I just don't get it is all. I will get back down off my horse now. Thanks for listening.

Jaeger · 06-09-2007, 07:38 PM

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...007200,00.html

It could have been alot worse for you than just car repairs.

A MAN injured when struck by a car nearly 20 years ago has been awarded $730,850 damages in a case which is a warning to motorists driving near children.

SHIFTN · 06-09-2007, 07:46 PM

happens alot and unfortunatly probably not alot you can do about it

R0BD0G · 06-09-2007, 08:53 PM

i played this game when i was 12 and playing tennis...hehehehehe

GS608 · 06-09-2007, 08:54 PM

some kids these days a just effing stupid.

seriously, playing chicken with a big hunk of metal?

what sucks is that, no matter how much in the right you were, their stupidity can and most likely will cost you, if you hit them then their parents will sue you for damages etc, today tonight will hunt you down, its absolute bullshit.

irsa76 · 06-09-2007, 09:02 PM

A friend of mine had a similar thing happen to her, a couple of high school kids decided to walk right in the middle of the road towards her. She beeped the horn and they just abused her. Stupidly for them they were wearing their school uniform, private school. The Police were very interested in the incident.

FalconXR6 · 06-09-2007, 09:28 PM

If an accident had occured it would have been your fault with "speed" as a factor.

If you were on your P plates it would have hit the front pages of the newspaper; "Speeding P Plater Hits Innocent Children - Will The Speeding Madness End?"
The parents would have gone on record as saying; "It's just plain wrong. Why are these people allowed to own high performance cars that can do over 200km and speed everywhere."

Race · 06-09-2007, 09:41 PM

Try airhorns, works a treat for me, (I live near a highschool too) I have found that when you scare the outta them their mates are too busy laughing at them to bother playing tough with you, and they move real quick next time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrxy8

I live about half a block down from a high school and every day I have to drive through when the kids are going to or leaving the school. For some strange reason, I don't know if it's because I have "be a F$*@ing idiot when I drive past" plastered all over my car or what, but the kids somehow believe they are invincible against a territory. They are happy to wander across the road like a heard of cattle and then glare and abuse me when I don't slow down or swerve for them. I mean I'm not out to kill kids, so don't get the wrong Idea, I just mean how friggin hard is it to step out of the way of oncoming traffic or cross the road just that little faster. I'm pretty sure that if I actually did hit one of them, I would be in the wrong, despite the fact that I'm doing below the 40kph speed limit, because I should have given way to some smart *** little jerks. Not because they should be bright enough to equate that a 2 tonne vehicle vs them just doesn't add up. Any way, I just don't get it is all. I will get back down off my horse now. Thanks for listening.

RogueDriver · 06-09-2007, 09:56 PM

When I was in primary school a couple of kids in my class tried that. Now one is in a wheelchair for the rest of her life and the other one was dead before she got to primary school. They were about 11 years old. I shudder to think of what the driver went through.
My dad and I drive buses and we both get to see it every day. A few years ago he was unlucky enough to get a girl on a bike after a total of 6 cars avoided her. Thankfully there were enough witnesses to say that there was nothing he could do (coming around a blind corner at 10km/h under the limit) so nothing happened. Even luckier was that she got away with a couple of scratches.

The best I've personally seen was when a father decided to jump out in front of my bus with his son. At 60km/h with 30-something passengers it took a week to be sorted out even though I made no contact. The best part? He got away with 0 charges. Definitely a good way to prevent it happening again.

Van D · 06-09-2007, 10:23 PM

Mate, when I was in school, the teachers had a big thing going about us crossing the roads outside of school. Came about from many drivers complaining supposedly. I never once listened to them and though the typical "she'll be right" and continued to cross the roads.

Now, I didn't do anything stupid of course when crossing and never at a dangerous time, but after leaving school and having to drive through the same roads a couple times when school just finishes, you realise there are a lot of just PLAIN STUPID kids crossing the road.

The speed limit along one side was changed to 40k's (reasonable especially around the school times), but there's still fully loaded logging trucks that drive down that road, there's no way a truck is gonna be able to stop if a kid jumps out in front of em!

pauljh74 · 06-09-2007, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irsa76

A friend of mine had a similar thing happen to her, a couple of high school kids decided to walk right in the middle of the road towards her. She beeped the horn and they just abused her. Stupidly for them they were wearing their school uniform, private school. The Police were very interested in the incident.

I had something similar in a car park - pulled into the car park and saw 4 16 or so year olds walking down the middle of the roadway. So I came to almost a complete stop and waited for them to move to one side. They turned around and continued walking..... down the middle - deliberately ignoring me. Just as I went to go around them, one decides to do the right thing and move to the side. So as I was about to get the car rolling again, I hit the clutch and brake. I then got the car moving and drove around them and the guy yells at me. Their parents must be real proud - what sort of moron thinks they'll come off better if there's a collision between them and a 1.5 tonne car? They appear to have done almost everything to increase their chances of being hit.

MITCHAY · 06-09-2007, 10:29 PM

Colleges are the worst especially because they are 40km/h zones here and they either play chicken or dawdle. Quick spool of the turbo and they move pretty quick

:

Van D · 06-09-2007, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaeger

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...007200,00.html

It could have been alot worse for you than just car repairs.

A MAN injured when struck by a car nearly 20 years ago has been awarded $730,850 damages in a case which is a warning to motorists driving near children.

Mate that boils my blood. Fair dinkum! Yeah the guy should have slowed down a bit but you can't stop a kid running in front of you! You'd have enough drama's knowing you hit and injured him, let alone being sued for $365,000! That'd be enough to ruin ya!

The instructor responsible for looking after the kids (if he were alive) should have copped the majority.

J.C. · 06-09-2007, 11:19 PM

High schoolers dragging the heals while crossing the road in front of you ..... and at a angle too and not at the correct crossing points. They look over their shoulder and smirk at you as if they dare you to do or say something.
It has been years since I was a teenager at school, yet I cannot recall it being cool to p!ss someone off who is coming towards you in a motorcar.

Are we as parents breeding children who are gettimg dumber or is it that they are handed everything and believe everyone owes them something and they can do whatever they wish cause someone will pick up the tab later on? Buggered if I can work them out. My kids are not perfect but they know not to mess around and step in front of moving motorcars or annoy people for the hell of it.

MITCHAY · 06-09-2007, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Van D

Mate that boils my blood. Fair dinkum! Yeah the guy should have slowed down a bit but you can't stop a kid running in front of you! You'd have enough drama's knowing you hit and injured him, let alone being sued for $365,000! That'd be enough to ruin ya!

The instructor responsible for looking after the kids (if he were alive) should have copped the majority.

Simple case of passing the blame onto someone else IMO. Obviously the driver was aware of the dangers because he broke no bloody road rules. That is utter BS!

TwistedEL · 06-09-2007, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaeger

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...007200,00.html

It could have been alot worse for you than just car repairs.

A MAN injured when struck by a car nearly 20 years ago has been awarded $730,850 damages in a case which is a warning to motorists driving near children.

When did we start living in America? This makes my blood boil!

2 years ago I was driving a Commodore for work and a kid that looked about 8 did the same thing to me. Ran out from the middle of a group of kids and straight onto the road. As there was a group of kids on one side and an island on the other I had no choice but to hid the skids and hope I didn't hit him. Fortunately I didn't.

I was so shaken up all I could do was honk the horn, I didn't have any words to yell at this stupid kid.

bigsamzef · 06-09-2007, 11:48 PM

in school zones i see heaps of kids jay walking about 5m for the crossing, ****es me right off when there with their parents, they just assume that your gonna stop, like there in the right. this must the traffic wardens right off, cause if a kid is knocked down, while not using the crossing, it'll be the wardens fault.

not enough teaching of traffic laws are taught in our schools, its the same with getting your licence, all they do is teach you how to drive a car, they dont teach your basic road rules and defensive driving skills, they just give you a book and hope you read it. all my mates the driving exams without reading a thing, just goes to show you how soft we are, no wonder so many young kids are dying because they cant control a car and dont know the road rules.

mrxy8 · 07-09-2007, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.C.

or is it that they are handed everything and believe everyone owes them something and they can do whatever they wish cause someone will pick up the tab later on? .

I whole heartedly agree! That one statement really sums it up for me. It really F#$%^@ng ****es me off, I mean we all went through puberty, but since when has going through puberty given you the right to act like a complete jerk and believe there are never going to be any consequences for your actions!

:
Perhaps years 7 & 10 at high school should begin with a stint at brat camp.

:

b2tf · 07-09-2007, 11:47 AM

Ive had this happen to me, scared the crap out of me. Turned the ute around and drove full pelt at the morons, they soon felt the same way I did when they jumped out in front of me.

broken_suave · 07-09-2007, 09:31 PM

Kids these days can be really bloody stupid. Its hard to put the blame solely on the parents, but I tell you what, when I was a kid, my mum always told me to watch out for cars, if theres a car comming, you get off the road, if you're walking in a car park, watch for cars, etc etc. So is it just that some parents, as previously mentioned, hand everything to their kids on a platter, for them to pick and choose which rules to obey or disobey?

I work in a shopping centre, and whenever I turn up at about lunch time of a weekend, theres always kids hanging off the low clearance bar at the entrance to the undercover carpark. And there is a car heading straight for them, but its ok, the driver can see them.. "lets just hang on this bar so they cant get in, that will prove that we are now men, and that our penises have grown to full size.. we are soo cool right now.." a honk of the horn, a laugh in return, two honks of the horn, a middle finger in return.. 6 foot tall driver steps out.. lets just yell abuse.. "would you mind moving?" *another car pulls up behind mine.. or uh, the drivers'.. they jump down, and asume the cool arms crossed barrier look.. if its not half obvious I was ****ed at the time, I then pull out a Bokken (oriental wooden practice sword) from the back seat.. *stupid kids run off*

Why should it get to this? I have to pull out a weapon as a show of force, to get them to listen. My mother would never have let me get away with such ignorance.

Another thing my mother taught me never to do, was to run out onto pedestrian crossings, without looking for cars. I acknowledge that as responsible drivers we have to slow down when approaching one, but there are times when simply scanning ahead doesnt really work. Such as when school kids run accross it from around the corner, chasing another school kid, playing some sort of mindless dipshit chasey game. This is also not in a school zone, so the speed limit is 60.

I dont understand kids these days.

GT-E · 07-09-2007, 10:36 PM

Yesterday I was driving along and noticed a few people in the traffic island in the middle of the road at a set of lights.
I was watching them when a young kid about 7-9 took a step out onto the road with me doing the 60km/h limit.
Fortunatly he steped back and I noticed another person also pulled him back at the same time.
It could have been his last step. It is the closest I have come to hitting a person in 20 years and I hope to never have it happen.

I FluXx I · 08-09-2007, 12:44 AM

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=115793

Something similar happend to me the other day. Though not with a kid, and not playing chicken. But it scared the shiit out of me

S3SR · 08-09-2007, 06:13 PM

yes actually the same happened the other day to me..... about 10pm and around 5-6 of them all wearing black just stood in front of both lanes (two lane road), there was no cars in front so i high beamed.....saw them hit the brakes and they moved out of the way......i then swerved in front of them to scare them off

how p!ssed was i....just got my car back from 6 weeks in the workshop after hitting another car and now this....i didnt have my tool box so i didnt stop (biggest breaker bar supercheap had)..... i sorta wish they ran out in front of me and wiped out my A pillar, instant write off and not just the car.... there were witnesses too a landcruiser which supprisingly has great stopping power BTW 70k zone and approaching roundabout, road is dangerous when wet......they had some lucky stars that night

ThoR_ · 09-09-2007, 01:23 PM

I had 2 little girls the other day about 6yrs old just ride out of the driveway and right infront of my lucky i was doing the speed limit. There Mum just looked at me like it was my fault that i had stopped the car.

I was so angry i felt like leavin 2 strips up the road but that not the way in suburban streets so i just told her to watch her kids but with a few different words

J.C. · 09-09-2007, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThoR_

I had 2 little girls the other day about 6yrs old just ride out of the driveway and right infront of my lucky i was doing the speed limit. There Mum just looked at me like it was my fault that i had stopped the car.

Mum knows where things stand. You hit the kids, she sue your . Bet the kids weren't even reprimanded. Mum should be giving herself an uppercut.

Unbelieveable the way things are now.

Steffo · 09-09-2007, 03:21 PM

This happened to me last night on the Pacific Highway in Pymble for all you Sydney folks. Four drunk idiots and one drunk idiot girl with an umbrella standing on the median strip trying to hit cars (citybound) with the umbrella. They were being selective about the cars though.... all the cars they aimed at were being driven by old ladies, old men or young girls. Whenever they saw someone who could beat them up... they'd step back. Morons.

**Mechan1k** · 09-09-2007, 09:36 PM

It's not just school kids ... it's all pedestrians in Sydney CBD ... they cross without looking.

All I can say is they move quickly when I hit the horn and lights ... plus the ute is loud enough to boom through the narrow streets. It's amusing to see their eyes widen when they realise they having to move a lot quicker.

Nudge bar and large driving lights at the front really changes people minds on their dawdling J-walking habits.