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Quote: Originally posted by tango55 on 08/5/2011

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1) The fact of the materr is that the majority of parents know exactly what their sprogs are up to 

2) they're just as igonant as the little bliters themselves.majority of parents don't know how to teach them right from wrong.

3) Kids come with a big responsibility but many parents are irresponsible themselves so the ignorance has a knock on effect with their offsprings unfortunately.

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1) I agree, I'm sure that the majority do know what their kids are up to & where they are - It's the minority we need to worry about!

2) Some parents are ignorant and unfortunately expect that everyone should love their children, no matter what their behaviour! I don't see why I should feel responsible for others children - and I must admit that a few children (a minority) did mar my weekend somewhat - I don't see why It's my responsibility to 'advise' those children re dangers especially when their own parents are not bothered! (despite this I will still do so)

3) Children are a big responsibility and sometimes it needs reminders to keep both them and their parents on the straight and narrow!

I do not like to think that these parents/children are the majority - I just happen to believe that it only takes 1 or 2 people whether adult or child to spoil other peoples enjoyment of the facilities - I do agree that it sometimes feels like it's a majority because of the impact it has had on your holiday

Sheila x

Just to throw a cat amongst the pigeons  Last weekend, at a C&CC site a little girl (about 5 or 6 years) narrowly missed being run down - she decided to cycle behind a motorhome that was using the tarmac circular road to approach their pitch - The motorhome stopped - the little girl stopped (virtually on their bumper) the motorhome driver then went to reverse onto his pitch - luckily this happened in full view of myself & another camper - funnily enough we were standing chatting about how the site had gone a little downhill due to lack of new warden's control - not enforcing rules etc! - The upshot was;

1)  We alerted the driver to the girls presence

2)  Little girl freaks - throws down her bike, runs to other side of field to Mum & Dad

3)  Dad storms over - yells at both us & Motorhome driver for scaring his child - explain to doting Dad what had nearly happened - doting Dad starts yelling at Motorhome driver to be more careful, then storms off to rejoin the party!!

To throw another cat amongst the pigeons Shouldn't you check behind you before reversing? I'm not surprises the dad stormed over and started yelling to the motorhome driver to be more careful. From reading the account above "The motorhome stopped - the little girl stopped (virtually on their bumper) the motorhome driver then went to reverse onto his pitch" Sounds like he didn't check behind him if it was clear to reverse. Doesn't this constitute carelessness or bad driving. If there is a blind spot at the back of the motorhome, then the driver should ask his passenger to get out and check behind the vehicle and guide him when reversing.

Highway code Rule 202 states:

Look carefully before you start reversing, you should

Use all your mirrors

Check the blind spot behind you (the part of the road you cannot see easily in the mirrors)

Check there are no pedestrians (particularly children) cyclists, other road users or obstructions in the road behind you.

Get someone to guide you if you cannot see clearly.

Sounds like the motorhome driver should read the highway code.

Talk about light blue touch paper and retire!!!!!!

I don't care whether kids or adults ride their bikes or not but the original poster was trying to say; play safely, and surely that makes sense. Kids have to learn safety and thats up to parents to teach them.

It was a terrible tragedy about the 4 year old but should a 4 year old have been supervised by an adult?  I think so.

As a long term cyclist of thirty years and the mother of a 14 & 9 year old I can say that it's not actually that difficult to teach a child how to cycle safely and obey the rules of shared roads (car, cycle and pedestrian) on a campsite. If a child is so young (I personally think before six or so) that they can't handle their bike properly and remember a few basic rules then the shouldn't be out on it unsupervised. Also said bike should be set up properly...working brakes, fit the child, no daft dangly bits. I'm all for proper clothing too, like long sleeves and long non-flappy trousers and shoes with toes, not flip flops. Helmets? Well, usually a fan but they have to remember to take the helmet off in the playpark. Children can and have hung themselves by getting the straps caught up on equipment. Anyway imho the vast majority of kids that are wearing helmets don't have them properly adjusted anyway which makes them about as useful in a crash as the proverbial chocolate teapot.

So given a few basic safety rules, proper training and decent well adjusted equipment then kids cycling around should be no problem at all. Look at any dutch or french campsite where the kids have been brought up in a bike culture...they know what to do when cycling. Here in the UK though kids bikes are thought of as toys, not vehicles, and most parents follow the thought through as cycling just being another form of play. Which it isn't of course. I'm perfectly confident about letting my two off on a campsite on their bikes because I've put a bit of effort into educationg them how to behave and cycle properly. I can say with hand on heart though the vast majority of kids on campsites don't have the slightest idea what they're doing and given that I think there is an arguement for banning bikes (and scooters and rollerskates) on many campsites.

However I'd also like a bit of a clampdown on some of the poor driving practice seen on many sites...cars well over the 5mph speed limit and crap reversing being the two main problems. Someone a couple of years ago reversed their car onto our pitch and actually went over  the pup tent my kids were sleeping in. No, the pup tent was nowhere near the edge of the pitch, it was pitched between our trailer tent and our car. By pure luck the wheel missed my son's skull by inches and no damage was done (except to the tent) but the driver seemed to think he'd done nothing wrong by not looking where he was reversing. "These things happen" was the crux of his argument. . Somewhat in a different league to a five year old on a bike banging into a car, though neither are acceptable of course!

quote;

Someone a couple of years ago reversed their car onto our pitch and actually went over  the pup tent my kids were sleeping in. No, the pup tent was nowhere near the edge of the pitch, it was pitched between our trailer tent and our car. By pure luck the wheel missed my son's skull by inches and no damage was done (except to the tent) but the driver seemed to think he'd done nothing wrong by not looking where he was reversing. "These things happen" was the crux of his argument. . Somewhat in a different league to a five year old on a bike banging into a car, though neither are acceptable of course!

My god thats terrible. Thank heavens no one was hurt