What would you have done?

[Enid]

While we were out walking yesterday along the country lanes in Anglesey, a little boy whizzed past us on his bike. I think he was about six. He was wearing a helmet but was very unsteady and he shouted to us to watch him. He was a lovely friendly ,little soul and we admired him and then OH noticed that his brake cable was broken. He wobbled across the road, on the wrong side and we explained that he should go back home to find his Mum and turned him round towards the little estate of houses nearby. Off he went, only to reappear and whizz past us, again on the wrong side of the road about five minutes later. We called to him but got no response. We looked round, but could see no one and had no idea where his house was. We've fretted about it since, bit short of calling the police there didn't seem much we could do. And the police seemed like an over reaction considering that it was a very quiet rural lane.
Still don't know what we should have done.

[twinnana]

I think you did what you thought wasbest at the time.IF you had seen a policeman then i am sure you would have pointed it out to him...but you couldnt as there wasnt one around.

[plantaholic]

I can't think you could have done any more than you did. He is probably doing that all the time but can understand your concern.

[Beth]

I can't think of anything you could have done either, Enid, aside from attaching a note to his parents to him!!

[nannyviolet]

Bore da Enid! Its is worrying, I'm the same if I spot children out on their own but unfortunately, short of escorting him back to his house (and then you might get a mouthful form the parents rather than a thanks!) you did the best you could do. I also feel like that if I see a cat wandering around away from built up areas, I assume they are lost and would like to "rescue" them!

[GrannyJules]

Try not to worry too much, it's a different way of life in the country to London. So I suppose different rules apply. Though WE know the risks could be the same. Wrong person, wrong car in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But it's his parents who set the guidelines, so you probably wouldn't have been thanked.

[Enid]

Thanks for your comments, ladies. You are right, and I suppose there wasn't much we could have done. As a child we had so much more freedom than children do today - but there was about one twentieth of the traffic.

[Mishap]

Dealing with others' lax safety standards is horrendous - I know, because my GS's other set of Gparents have an unfenced swimming pool - I cannot tell you the anguish this has caused me when he goes round there. They have (after 2 years) finally fenced it in - it is beyond my imagination how anyone could have left it so long - my heart would have been in my mouth. You only have to turn your back for a second to answer the phone or go to the loo and you could have a tragedy on your hands.

I also watch 2 of my grandsons (one of them only 2) scoot down a VERY steep tarmac path in their local park, and clock up extraordinary speeds - if they met a stone or a stick that fouled the wheel they would be straight over the top. I just don't go with them when I know this is on the agenda - I can't bear it!

Sometimes it is hard to stand back - I do sympathise with your position in realation to this little boy.

[Enid]

Mishap, you have been through far more than us in regard to safety. I do empathise with you. But as I read your post, I remembered an occasion about sixteen years ago when I was walking back home through Greenwich Park in the snow. There were a great many children and young people whizzing down One Tree Hill, and as I stopped to watch, I saw one lad hurtling down the hill on what looked like a tea tray. 'Stupid boy' I thought 'he could kill himself'. And then he picked himself up from the bottom of the hill and I realised that it was my sixteen year old son...

[GrannyHaggis]

While I was at Bootcamp last week the local nursery were holding their end of term 'do' on another part of the Rec. Loads of parents,etc and children there. Well one little tot wandered over to where we were and started to make his way round the side of the building and into the car park. Not a sound or movement from anyone at the nursery 'do'. One of my class went and got him and we sent him back over to them, but I'm sure he hadn't been missed. I dread to think what might have happened to him if we'd not been there.
Made my blood boil....modern parenting !
GrannyHaggis