Children Are Naturally Inquisitive ...
Discussion
.....says the step-father of 12 year old killed on a motorway.
Headline of "Bolton Evening News"
GIRL'S TRAGIC GAME OF DARE
story refers to child as "tragic Chelsea" throughout - would not say "tragic" more "stupid"
A devastated Mum has spoken of her grief after bubbly Chelsea H (12) was killed running across a busy motorway while palying a game of .... dare
"Chelsea was a bubbly girl who always had a smile on her face"....
The inquest heard how Chelsea and her friend Zoe (14) were playing in a field at 6.35pm on 25 Feb 2004. They walked across a field and crossed a bridge on to a golf course next to the motorway.
They sat on some steps chatting before climbing over the fence to the motorway embankment.
Chelsea had seen other children do this and dared herself to run across the carriageway. Zoe tried to hold her back - but Chelsea broke free when she thought she saw a gap in the traffic.
A Land Rover Freelander struck her and a Rover behind swerved to avoid but still ran over her body.
Chelsea was taken to Royal Bolton Hospitaal but was pronounced dead on arrival at 6.55 pm.
Police evidence showed that the stretch of motorway was unlit and it was dusk. They told the court that it was impossible for any driver to have seen her.
indeed - and more to the point - what motorist expects to see a child or anyone else for that matter running across a motorway anyway - workmen in roadworks apart - and the area is coned off with biggest signs and a tempo scam ....
Chelsea's parents want the authorities to warn children about the dangers of playing on a motorway
( and their role in this is ...
They are calling for the Highways Agency to make the motorway safer.....
Knowing the scamerati - talivan on bridge should do trick
Chelsea's stepfather says that the motorway should be lit up () and that "Children are naturally inquisitive and they will just clamber over the fence!" Old enough to know what a motorway is
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death and said she would forward the parents' concersn to the Highways Agency and would contact the family when she received a response.
The stepfather told reporters that he did not understand why Chelsea suddenly decided to run across 6 lanes of motorway when she had been told to take care when crossing a road and was in fact "frightened of speeding traffic past her school"
Chelsea attended a local school and was buried in her uniform. The Headteacher said "She was a lovely girl and we received a lot of flowers and cards for her."
Headline of "Bolton Evening News"
GIRL'S TRAGIC GAME OF DARE
story refers to child as "tragic Chelsea" throughout - would not say "tragic" more "stupid"
A devastated Mum has spoken of her grief after bubbly Chelsea H (12) was killed running across a busy motorway while palying a game of .... dare
"Chelsea was a bubbly girl who always had a smile on her face"....
The inquest heard how Chelsea and her friend Zoe (14) were playing in a field at 6.35pm on 25 Feb 2004. They walked across a field and crossed a bridge on to a golf course next to the motorway.
They sat on some steps chatting before climbing over the fence to the motorway embankment.
Chelsea had seen other children do this and dared herself to run across the carriageway. Zoe tried to hold her back - but Chelsea broke free when she thought she saw a gap in the traffic.
A Land Rover Freelander struck her and a Rover behind swerved to avoid but still ran over her body.
Chelsea was taken to Royal Bolton Hospitaal but was pronounced dead on arrival at 6.55 pm.
Police evidence showed that the stretch of motorway was unlit and it was dusk. They told the court that it was impossible for any driver to have seen her.
indeed - and more to the point - what motorist expects to see a child or anyone else for that matter running across a motorway anyway - workmen in roadworks apart - and the area is coned off with biggest signs and a tempo scam ....
Chelsea's parents want the authorities to warn children about the dangers of playing on a motorway
( and their role in this is ...
They are calling for the Highways Agency to make the motorway safer.....
Knowing the scamerati - talivan on bridge should do trick Chelsea's stepfather says that the motorway should be lit up (
) and that "Children are naturally inquisitive and they will just clamber over the fence!" Old enough to know what a motorway is The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death and said she would forward the parents' concersn to the Highways Agency and would contact the family when she received a response.
The stepfather told reporters that he did not understand why Chelsea suddenly decided to run across 6 lanes of motorway when she had been told to take care when crossing a road and was in fact "frightened of speeding traffic past her school"
Chelsea attended a local school and was buried in her uniform. The Headteacher said "She was a lovely girl and we received a lot of flowers and cards for her."
Before we all go mad here, first a child has died and that in itself is a tradgedy. I also really feel for both drivers who hit the child, they both must be feeling devastated. But I don't think lighting up the motorway would have made any difference, I also feel its hard to judge the parents, the child may have been led astray by peers.
What a dreadful story. I suppose that to some extent it's normal for the parents to say this kind of thing when they really know in their hearts that they have a huge responsibility - they'll face it when they're stronger. What would be a travesty is if the authorities acted upon their calls for further measures.
I'm trying to resist my perennial rant about feral children and an increasing reliance on 'society' (who the hell are they anyway?) to absolve parents of the responsibility for raising their children. Of course, accidents happen even in the best regulated families, but I do wonder if young Chelsea's parents routinely gave her limits on where she could go and when she had to be back.
Can I also suggest that we spare a thought for the drivers in the accident, particularly the driver of the Rover. However much we love our cars, none of us would ever wish to hurt another person with one. Can you even imagine what it must be like to try and take every avoiding action but still drive over a child laid on the road? Their life must be in pieces now, as much as the parents, but instead of pointing the finger at everyone else, they are probably sat with their head in their hands going 'if only...'. My heart goes out to them.
I'm trying to resist my perennial rant about feral children and an increasing reliance on 'society' (who the hell are they anyway?) to absolve parents of the responsibility for raising their children. Of course, accidents happen even in the best regulated families, but I do wonder if young Chelsea's parents routinely gave her limits on where she could go and when she had to be back.
Can I also suggest that we spare a thought for the drivers in the accident, particularly the driver of the Rover. However much we love our cars, none of us would ever wish to hurt another person with one. Can you even imagine what it must be like to try and take every avoiding action but still drive over a child laid on the road? Their life must be in pieces now, as much as the parents, but instead of pointing the finger at everyone else, they are probably sat with their head in their hands going 'if only...'. My heart goes out to them.
Not nice for anyone concerned. But think how many of us on here have grown up through all sorts of adversity.. yet didn't get kileld playing chicken or dare on the motorway. WHY? because our parents taught us not to. They taught us that cars can hurt or kill. Is this so very difficult to understand? Imagine how you'd feel if someone ran in front of you. And think how much help/compensation you'd need to get the images off your mind. The real victim was the driver. The real idiot the parent(s). As for the child. Well. Game over I guess. 
Railway lines have fences and walls and kids still get onto them. What would it take to keep a determined child off a motorway?
The only thing you can do is to educate them, and then whenever possible keep tabs on where they are in case they do get led astray.
I do wonder whether there's a wider safety message here. Notwithstanding the "frightened of speeding traffic" comment, something may have given her the idea that cars must give way to children. Could this be the current popular approach of 20 limits, play streets and the like?
OK, a 12-year-old ought to be able to tell the difference between a play street and a motorway, but even so there are mixed messages being given to children. In reality, a car at almost any speed is potentially dangerous -- drivers should drive with this in mind and children must be taught it from their earliest days.
The only thing you can do is to educate them, and then whenever possible keep tabs on where they are in case they do get led astray.
I do wonder whether there's a wider safety message here. Notwithstanding the "frightened of speeding traffic" comment, something may have given her the idea that cars must give way to children. Could this be the current popular approach of 20 limits, play streets and the like?
OK, a 12-year-old ought to be able to tell the difference between a play street and a motorway, but even so there are mixed messages being given to children. In reality, a car at almost any speed is potentially dangerous -- drivers should drive with this in mind and children must be taught it from their earliest days.
Peter Ward said:
Railway lines have fences and walls and kids still get onto them. What would it take to keep a determined child off a motorway?
The only thing you can do is to educate them, and then whenever possible keep tabs on where they are in case they do get led astray.
I do wonder whether there's a wider safety message here. Notwithstanding the "frightened of speeding traffic" comment, something may have given her the idea that cars must give way to children. Could this be the current popular approach of 20 limits, play streets and the like?
OK, a 12-year-old ought to be able to tell the difference between a play street and a motorway, but even so there are mixed messages being given to children. In reality, a car at almost any speed is potentially dangerous -- drivers should drive with this in mind and children must be taught it from their earliest days.
Exactly. I have had many strong words at council meetings with some other councillors who want to "give the roads back to the children".
Absolute nutters and I have warned them that if they pursue this madness of telling children cars will always have to give way to them, they will have blood on their hands. Some of them still don't realise what they are doing.
Peter Ward said:
Railway lines have fences and walls and kids still get onto them.
And kids get killed on them.
In fact comparable numbers of people (as opposed to passengers cocooned in their massive battering rams) are killed on the rail roads as on the roads.
Never hear the Speed Kills crowd campaigning for lowered limits on the rail-roads though!
Despite the fact that trains take miles to stop and can't steer round hazards.
In fact the same people who camapign for lower limits on the roads are usually campaigning for higher speeds on the rail-roads.
Strange that!
Mrs Fish said:
Pretty much what happened to a work colleague of mine. She ran into a 13 year old boy who had been playing chicken on a dual carriageway. She is still finding it difficult to get behind the wheel again.
Mrs Fish...that is the point I've made before....No matter how good a driver we think we are...bad luck, fate and physics means that the chances of knocking someone down is far higher than we think. The consequences of which can range from prison to the feeling that your friend has of not wanting to get behind a wheel again. All because of the foolish actions of someone else.
I hope your friend recovers and gets behind the wheel again soon....You don't mention how the child fared in the encounter????????
Street
He was killed.
Apparently there have been loads of reports of kids playing chicken on this particular duel carriageway, it was only a matter of time before one of them was killed.
Seems no lessons have been learnt though, there have still been sightings of kids still doing it.
idiots.
Apparently there have been loads of reports of kids playing chicken on this particular duel carriageway, it was only a matter of time before one of them was killed.
Seems no lessons have been learnt though, there have still been sightings of kids still doing it.
idiots.
RickApple said:
I feel really sorry for the poor sod who has to live with having effectively watch someone die just because her pathetic parents couldnt teach her right and wrong. Its tragic but daft to blame anyone but them; even so a 12 year old should simply know not to do stuff like that
Thats a bit harsh don't you think? peer pressure is a lot harder to resist when mummy and daddy aren't around and as for 'what is she doing in a field at 6:45 unsupervised?' got to do with anything?
I think the problem has more to do with deliberately misleading and inaccurate 'safety' ads like the one with a car sliding, wheels locked into a kid. Everything is the drivers fault now and they have even amended the law to make you guilty before the kid has been egged on to do it. This governments insatiable appetite for cash has moved from disgusting and abhorrent to downright dangerous
Apache said:
Thats a bit harsh don't you think? peer pressure is a lot harder to resist when mummy and daddy aren't around and as for 'what is she doing in a field at 6:45 unsupervised?' got to do with anything?
At that time in February it would be dark. Responsible parents would not allow a 12year old girl to be playing outside unsupervised in the dark. Whilst they are surely suffering terribly from their loss, the stupid excuses they have made pertaining to motorway/pedestrian safety are surely just being used to deflect their own feelings of guilt. My sympathies go to the drivers of the Landrover and Rover. There but for the grace of god go I etc..
said:
I think the problem has more to do with deliberately misleading and inaccurate 'safety' ads like the one with a car sliding, wheels locked into a kid. Everything is the drivers fault now and they have even amended the law to make you guilty before the kid has been egged on to do it. This governments insatiable appetite for cash has moved from disgusting and abhorrent to downright dangerous
Whilst those adverts are misleading and annoying, I cannot see any feasable link between them and a child playing chicken on a motorway.
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