Please keep in mind this post comes from a humble mother, whose son had a trip to the ER for stitches doing something similar…on a MUCH smaller scale….when he was with me. So, this post isn’t a holier-than-thou-for-pete’s-sake-watch-your-kids-I-don’t-make-any-mistakes kind of post.
So…if you EVER see one of my kids screaming full throttle…smack down the middle of South Street in Rockport at 7:35 (meaning DUSK) on a scooter…with no helmet… like the young man that I had to swerve to miss last night…. please, please do your best to make him stop.
This particular young man…and I have no idea who he was…scared the day lights out of me, but also could have been really, really hurt. I’m not even necessarily meaning hurt by a vehicle, but hurt by something as simple as a pebble or a crack in the pavement that could have sent him flying through the air.
Oddly enough, I just had to have a reminder with my older son after watching a Go Pro video that he shot while biking around our neighborhood. I could tell by the video that he wasn’t looking over his shoulder to survey for cars behind him before crossing to the other side of the street. I’m so glad that I was able to show him the video to reinforce the lesson. Likewise, watching that boy last night gave me the opportunity to tell them what not to do, but I know they won’t always listen.
Sigh. Be careful kids. Please.
Good Morning Gloucester 
So scary,
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Hi Donna. I think we’re neighbors in Magnolia, maybe (me: Shore and Hesperus). Just want to take a moment to underscore your instincts on this. I live full-time in NJ at the top of a pretty high curving hill. A couple times saw two kids starting waaaay at the top and skateboarding down around the curve, getting up to who-knows-what-speeds, OF COURSE with no helmets. Second time I saw them at the top, the mom in me had to pull over, put down my window and say to them ‘Not sure you realize, people can’t see you, there are two intersections with no stop signs, I just don’t think this is a great idea’. They were too young to be drivers, but EXACTLY the right age to give me the sigh and the extreme eye-roll. I persisted, but it wasn’t my nature, and it wasn’t welcomed. Cut to about two months later, one of them has wiped out on the curviest, fastest part of the downhill, there is literally blood running down the gutter and the young man is on life support. He sustains severe brain trauma. BUT, after two years of intensive medical assistance and therapy, he DOES make a pretty strong recovery (the blessing of youth!). However, nothing will ever be the same, and just saying – folks, this DOES happen. So, if you see something, you should try to advise. Even though most likely they won’t listen.
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