What Hope Is There?

[Lickey]

My Brother in laws son came to live with us about 3 weeks ago, so he could attend the local high school more easily, hes a bright kid,13 yrs old, and tall for his age,

Thing is, his father turned up today {father is second in command to village boss} with a 125 yamaha 18 mnths old, said it was for his son to go to school ect, WHAT??? 13 yrs old???

I spoke with my missus tonight saying i did not want boy to ride bike, that possibly if he hurt/maimed a pedestrian/another bike rider ect, we could partly be responsible as he is in our care for allowing him to ride the bike,

I know he is under age, and we all know this goes on all the time, but has anbody got any first hand info on our liabillity ect?

Thanks Lickey..

[solo siam]

If it's in a village out in the sticks it may be OK as long as he doesn't have to go on the main road, there was a post a while back where a police officer made a similar statement. Get him a proper helmet and as a suggestion why not get the wife or someone else to drive him to school, perhaps that was what the father was getting at.

[Lickey]

Yes, I can take him to school, or the mrs or the housemaid, the school is on the main road through Namsom,and his family lives 30 ks away, its 1 k to school from our house, and he tells mrs that he will loose street cred if he wears a helmet!!

Ive taken away key for bike just now, and after talking with mrs tonight, boy is banned from motorbike, We agreed that if father writes a paper that would exonenrate us from any insurance/accident claims, then he can ride bike,

Do you good members think that will keep us in the clear in this matter?

PS, at 13, i used to do a 5mile paperround and then bike 4 miles to and from school everyday, kids nowadays are lost if they cant press a button!!!!

[Clipped]

father brought the bike for his son, he would be liable not you...

taking the bike away wouldnt make you to popular with the kid either...

i used to race motocross at 13...13 isnt too young to start riding.

[Lickey]

I agree Clipped, never too young to learn riding a bike, i had a 350 royal enfield when i was 13 just for the fields and our orchard, it will teach you the basics of handling a bike ect,

I know all the kids here do it, but the thing im worried about is that us [me mrs] being responsible adults while the boy is in our care, could we be liable if something goes badly wrong?

[Bung]

Don't let him ride it, he is too young to be riding on the road as well as having no knowledge of the road rules. Sure, i rode dirt bikes at that age and had the skin off to prove it but at least there was no chance of getting hit by a speeding pick up.

We just had a kid in our village get brain damage and paralyzed down one side from hitting a car. a pure case of no experience.

If he is staying with you he will have to abide by your rules. He will definately want to impress his mates with it and probably show off. Do you want a bright kid living with you or live with a bad decision?

Get someone to take him to school or take a song taew. If his father objects then tell him he can't stay in YOUR house.

[Sakeopete]

I already told my boys that they would not have a motorcycle for the road. In our area alone 9 kids have died in 2 years from motorcycle accident going too and from school. My wife and I already explaned to the boys that parents who allow their underage children to ride motorcycles on Thailands dangerous roads don't love them much. I believe our boys understand as one of the 9 dead was a friend.

Getting a kid a helmet is also a waste of time they will not wear it for loss of face. I have a dirt bike for the boys to ride at our farm but they wear full cross gear.

[Mid]

till he gets his priorities right and realises that street cred is <deleted> ,

no bike

street cred my ass

[Aussietraveller]

If his highest priority is Street Cred, he is too immature to be riding on the road.

Be a good uncle, and go buy a push bike for him...

[Lickey]

It all came to a head today, had a family meeting and discussed the pros and cons,Boys dad, mrs older brother and mrs sister and me, after 1 hour it has been amicably decided to buy the boy a biycle, i donated 1000bht towards this, also part of the agreement is that i teach him how to look after and service motorbike, daily checks for oil and lights ect, and occasionally take him out on my bike {1200cc Yamaha } to try and give him some road sense about keeping eyes open and how to negotiate T junctions ect..

So alls well that ends well, Thanks for your input together, Lickey..