*Facepalm* This is ridiculous.

maratea

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/nyregion/29young.html?_r=1

CN: 4-year-old girl is being sued for riding her bike into an old lady.

ichellemay1

Talk about greed....  This is just crazy.

mocha beans

Ah yes, another reason why kids can't do anything anymore.  Because being a kid will result in a lawsuit.  Sad sad.

tidetravel

The old lady should have the right to walk on the sidewalk without being run over.  The kids weren't just riding their bikes on the sidewalk - they were racing.  IMO, that makes a big difference.  Surely, though, it's the parents that should be held responsible, not the kid.

zippityb

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facepalm-this-ridiculous?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:dafc7253-495c-4859-b9ef-4937a3729d1aPost:96b86886-b426-4b60-8a2b-aabf859c674a">Re: *Facepalm* This is ridiculous.</a>:
[QUOTE]I think the lawsuit is against the child and her parents, but still. <strong>Where the hell else are they supposed to ride their bikes?</strong> The street? That's even more dangerous. And it says that the parents were supervising, but what if the old lady walked around a corner and they couldn't see her, or she stepped out from behind a car or bush. The parents could say the the kids "Oh look out!" But if the kids weren't paying attention and the parents couldn't reach them in time, I don't see why the kid should be at fault. It was an accident. It wasn't like these 4 year olds were all "Hey let's run down that old biddy."
Posted by maratea[/QUOTE]

On sidebikes.

Chi_Chi

A Manhattan sidewalk isn't an appropriate place for a 4 or 5 year old to ride their bike. The bike should have been left at home.  My child would have been walking next to me, holding my hand. If it was too far for the child to walk, make arrangements for someone to watch the child. I have to say that suing the child personally is probably not going to get far, unless you feel rich from a pink pig full of pennies, but the suit against the parents may.

maratea

But where else should the kids ride their bikes? I agree- the lady should be able to walk down the sidewalk without fearing for her safety. But at the same time, what about the kids? If there isn't a park in the area or they live on a busy street, and say they don't have a yard, where else are they supposed to play outside? The parents should be held responsible for their children, but at the same time I don't think this warrants a lawsuit.

zippityb

I guess in NYC, they just don't. There's ups and downs to raising a child there. I learned this from watching NYC Prep.

K&J64

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facepalm-this-ridiculous?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:dafc7253-495c-4859-b9ef-4937a3729d1aPost:96b86886-b426-4b60-8a2b-aabf859c674a">Re: *Facepalm* This is ridiculous.</a>:
[QUOTE]I think the lawsuit is against the child and her parents, but still. <strong>Where the hell else are they supposed to ride their bikes? The street? T</strong>hat's even more dangerous. And it says that the parents were supervising, but what if the old lady walked around a corner and they couldn't see her, or she stepped out from behind a car or bush. The parents could say the the kids "Oh look out!" But if the kids weren't paying attention and the parents couldn't reach them in time, I don't see why the kid should be at fault. It was an accident. It wasn't like these 4 year olds were all "Hey let's run down that old biddy."
Posted by maratea[/QUOTE]

A park, an empty parking lot, their driveway, or under strict supervision of their parents on the sidewalk and under the understanding the pedestrians have the right of way. Some little shiit almost ran over my dog on the sidewalk the other day, if he had hit her I would have dragged him home by his ear and told his parents exactly what I though of them allowing their kid to be speeding up and down the sidewalk on a bike with no regards for others (the kid was like 8 or 9 too).

That being said, suing a 4 year old?? Really? Accidents happen, they don't need to involve courts and lawyers. People are so effing sue happy in this country, it's sad.

tidetravel

Legally, in NYC, children ARE allowed the ride their bikes on the sidewalks:

(3) Bicycles and limited use vehicles.(i) No person shall ride or operate a bicycle upon any sidewalk areaunless permitted by sign. This prohibition shall not apply to the operationof bicycles with wheels of less than 26 inches in diameter upon the

sidewalk by children of 12 years or less in age

http://bicyclehabitat.com/articles/nyc-biking-rules-of-the-road-pg213.htm

zippityb

Is it legal to plow into grannies?

Chi_Chi

I've been to NYC and as I said, my kids would not be on bikes there. You're lucky to walk past someone and not bump shoulders, much less have to navigate around/watch out for a toddler on a bike.

And as Zip said, they may not get the opportunity to ride them, which sucks, but so is life.

Chi_Chi

Well, Tide's post changes things now. I still wouldn't allow my child to do it.

zippityb

Kids in New York DO have access to FAO Schwarz, though. Lucky ducks.

cupcakesfrosting

I read that last week. My boss brought up a good point, and said, where will draw the line, though? How do we tell a 5 year old that he is responsible enough, and should have known better, purely because he's in Kindergarten, but not a 4 year old, who's in pre-K?

I personally think that it's fuucking ridiculous. She's 4. IF she does get sued, she will carry this for the rest of her life. I think it would be horribly shaming, and already enough punishment.

AND, from what I remember, it's not as though the woman died from her injuries. It was an accident.

MandK9

The whole thing just makes it seem like the old woman is a frail, helpless little thing.  I know that my grandma would be pissed if some kid hit her on a bike, but MORE pissed if we all tried to sue the 5-year-old who did it.  She'd think we'd lost our minds.  It's kids, on bikes; it wasn't a car.  I'm not saying she didn't sustain real injuries, especially because the bones are so much weaker at that age, but I think it's RIDICULOUS to try to sue the children.  I'd be embarrassed to be in that family.

Also, I disagree that the kids shouldn't be allowed to ride on the sidewalk.  I think there are too many rules.  I agree with Mochabeans; kids aren't allowed to be kids anymore. Give me a break.

cupcakesfrosting

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facepalm-this-ridiculous?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:dafc7253-495c-4859-b9ef-4937a3729d1aPost:159aab5c-fa0f-4540-beed-c8065c940e40">Re: *Facepalm* This is ridiculous.</a>:
[QUOTE]Kids in New York DO have access to FAO Schwarz, though. Lucky ducks.
Posted by zippityb[/QUOTE]

Ya, but FAO was bought out by Toys 'R Us, so it doesn't have the same magic to it, ya know?

zippityb

I wasn't aware of that. Toys/Babies R Uses are like the seventh circle of hell for me.

tidetravel

I just don't understand what the estate hopes to gain from the lawsuit.  Even if they take it to court, surely, no jury in their right mind would blame the kid.

zippityb

Agreed. And I think I would just cut my losses, cause the legal fees will be ridiculous.

maratea

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_facepalm-this-ridiculous?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:dafc7253-495c-4859-b9ef-4937a3729d1aPost:0b3f5ad1-3222-4e21-b117-b62c1869ba80">Re: *Facepalm* This is ridiculous.</a>:
[QUOTE]I just don't understand what the estate hopes to gain from the lawsuit.  Even if they take it to court, surely, no jury in their right mind would blame the kid.
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]

Yes, this. I can understand the old lady's family was upset that she was injured. I get that. But, to actually take this to court? It almost sounds like old lady's kids got stiffed in her will and are angry. Or pissy that their inheritance had to pay hospital bills, so now they have to take it out on a little kid.

Chi_Chi

You may have something there,  Mara.

dmiller9274

Accidents happen....to everyone.  

These people are a-holes

MrsMack10612

The bottom line of all of this is that there is no such thing as an accident anymore. 

Nobody take's responsibility for what they should, and everyone tries to place blame where it doesn't need to be.

playtntsbpg30

I saw this when I was looking for articles for my journal I have to do for class. I used this one as well. I'm interested to see what the teacher's feedback is on this. I think it's ok sue the mothers but really the children? Also, because she's within one month of her 5th birthday they are treating her as a 5 yr old and not 4 yr old.

The lady didn't die from this. I would like to know if it's not bad enough these children probably feel it's their fault this lady did die to begin with. I would like to know if the parents were even paying attention and why the lady would yell as she seen them or what really happened. Just seems too tragic for little kids, it's sad.