Reader report: “More kids throwing stuff at cars”

Just out of the inbox from Tippy, whose e-mail carried that subject line. We don’t condone anyone hitting their kids (or adults for that matter) but we’re leaving in Tippy’s last line because it’s a rather clear summary of his feelings:

While traveling up Fairmount with my wife and kids around 4:00 p.m. today I was hit by a water balloon just before the intersection of Forest. I had my window open and it missed my head by mere inches. I stopped the car and gave chase. Being young and spry they escaped. I subsequently called the police (which showed up within minutes). I did find a stash of water balloons (black) and a pile of dirt clods and rocks. I also took and handed over to the police one brown shirt that was housing the water balloons. So, if parents are reading this and one of their lovely progeny is missing a brown shirt, whack them upside the head.

Now, if you’re wondering “so what? it was just water balloons,” from our coverage of some of the recent cases of rocks being thrown at cars (and BBs being shot at them) — which could have resulted in serious injury or worse — we recall some of the perpetrators having started their sprees by throwing more benign objects (Christmas lights, in this notorious case), and moving on to the potentially injurious ones. And one more note, coverage coming up just a little later tonight of West Seattle kids doing GOOD things, never fear.

The Velvet Bulldog April 11, 2008 (8:43 pm)

If something thrown at your car makes you swerve and drive in an uncontrolled manner, a tossed water balloon or a marshmallow peep is as dangerous as anything else.

miws April 12, 2008 (3:32 am)

My feelings exactly, Bulldog.

A natural reaction, even before any item might hit a car, is for the driver to swerve, as soon as the item comes into the driver’s field of vision. That marshmallow peep will likely be indistinguishible from a rock from the driver’s periphreal vision.

Though a “smack upside the head” from the parents, in the figurative sense, might seem like a good response, sadly it might be best to be coming from somewhere other than the parents, because they in many cases may be in need of a “smack upside the head” themselves.

Mike

Rick April 12, 2008 (8:07 am)

NOW we’re talkin’ smack!!! Yeah!

bubba April 12, 2008 (8:30 am)

Throwing stuff at moving cars and subsequently being chased by the drivers, as well as getting whacked up side the head when caught is a time honored tradition of the American Social Fabric and I for one am heartened to read that our society is indeed not in a free-fall but holding steadfastly to the iconography that makes us a beacon of radical liberty throughout the world. These indeed are and remain “the good ole days”.

wait…what?

Eddie Westerman April 13, 2008 (12:56 pm)

Hope you catch them next time. :) If you do, you should have them do some garden work for you. My kid loved the chase.

westello April 13, 2008 (8:18 pm)

I wouldn’t approve of smacking anyone’s child.

These are kids being kids. However, as adults, we need to let them know that this is not acceptable behavior because a car is a very large, heavy and dangerous machine (if out of control because you are startled or can’t see because of a water balloon).

I wish more parents would actually talk to their kids about these issues. We have a problem over by Roosevelt High with many skateboarders. Every single handrail is now scraped down with rust spots starting in some spots. They took out 4-5 inch chunks in the pillars in the front of the school that support lanterns donated by the class of 1931. It’s very sad to see this kind of destruction and then have parents say that their children aren’t breaking any laws. No skateboarding isn’t against the law but the destruction it causes is. Trouble is, just like the balloon incident, it is hard to catch them.

Parents need to step up.

A April 14, 2008 (4:41 am)

I am SO tired of the blogger! “We donâ€™t condone anyone hitting their kids (or adults for that matter) but weâ€™re leaving in Tippyâ€™s last line because itâ€™s a rather clear summary of his feelings:” Give me a freakin’ break here. This blog was so much better when it was a hobby and not your job.

A April 14, 2008 (4:42 am)

ps you’ll probably edit out my comment as you so often edit things now. :)

WSB April 14, 2008 (6:34 am)

I would have said the same thing then. As for editing, we edit comments very rarely (I can’t even recall one in the past week), and it’s invariably for language or personal attacks on other commenters, though we reserve the right to edit or delete anything as does anyone who runs any website or offline publication.

miws April 14, 2008 (2:26 pm)

WSB, What with as much praise, and appreciation I’ve directed your way, on the exsitence and running of this Blog, I have to say I am thoroughly dissapointed in your choice to FORCE people such as “A”, who so vehemently criticize your efforts, to read it.

I mean, it’s obvious you’re doing that! I can’t imagine anyone so dissatisfied, with it, continuing to visit by choice.

For cryin’ out loud! Haven’t you built up enough of a readership of those that like to visit this Blog, and choose to do so on their own?

Mike

A April 14, 2008 (8:11 pm)

Mike sucks as does the WSB!

random August 9, 2008 (8:09 am)

dude seriously its just a water bomb i used to do it in my teen days, if you know during puberty boys are adrenaline junkies and water bombing cars n being chased is just what i needed =)

Sorry, comment time is over.