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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to have sent my 14 year old off alone on a cross country train journey....

126 replies

BurberryFucker · 29/10/2013 17:05

from Wales with changes at Birmingham New St and London (Euston to Liverpool st) to the other side of Colchester?
am going out of my mind with the arguments between him and his twin sister so have sent him off to stay with my dad for a few days to save my sanity and give them both a break.
now am freaking out as he doesn't have a mobile with him......
ETA at Colchester approx 6.20....
AIBU?
ps he is quite streetwise.

OP posts:

frogspoon · 29/10/2013 17:36

My biggest concern would be if the train was delayed or cancelled and be ended up getting there after dark or something.

But it already is dark, and his train doesn't get in for another hour.

Original poster

BurberryFucker · 29/10/2013 17:36

frogspoon it is not 'the middle of nowhere' it is a station at a large village that he knows well....about half a mile walk....
yes it is the trains being cancelled or whatever that is worrying me...

OP posts:

Latetothematch · 29/10/2013 17:37

I also don't think I would have posted eta the fact that a 14 year old is going to be walking on his own.

Remember this is an open forum.

usuallyright · 29/10/2013 17:37

phone your father and ask him to walk down and meet him there.

YoucancallmeQueenBee · 29/10/2013 17:38

He should be fine. Mine are travelling around London today on the tubes & buses unaccompanied by an adult, but hopefully together! I do take comfort from the fact they have their phones with them, but obviously if anything goes wrong on the tube, they won't be of much use.
I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear he has arrived safely though .

frogspoon · 29/10/2013 17:39

Will the station definitely be managed at this time?

A lot of villages don't man their stations all the time. Does it have a taxi rank? Does he have a local cab number (if he can find a pay phone that is!)

Half a mile in the dark in an area that is not their home town is a long way for a 14 year old.

valiumredhead · 29/10/2013 17:40

Rush hour? No thanks. I think 14 is too young and I say that as someone who did lots of train journeys as a child and left home at 16.5 yrs.

PedlarsSpanner · 29/10/2013 17:40

Is there a footpath, well lit?

I would be massively bothered about the walk tbh, the trains, meh, lots of staff to ask for assistance

But why has it gone tits up at home?

valiumredhead · 29/10/2013 17:41

And definitely not without a phone.

usualsuspect · 29/10/2013 17:44

Why would you be worried about a 14 year old walking alone at 6.30 in the evening?

LynetteScavo · 29/10/2013 17:47

I went to Germany on a train, boat (overnight) train just turned 16.....no phone....nothing happened....actually the train broke down, so I was delayed, but guess what...they people at the other end knew that as these things flash up on screens.

frogspoon · 29/10/2013 17:47

Why would you be worried about a 14 year old walking alone at 6.30 in the evening?

Unless he walks around in the dark there on a very regular basis (and given that he normally lives in Wales, I'd say that's fairly unlikely), he could get lost. He has no phone.

Does he have a map? Or a torch?

Original poster

BurberryFucker · 29/10/2013 17:47

that part of the journey had not even crossed my mind to worry about tbh - there is a well lit road and a pavement.....
so thank you usualsuspect - and spanner it has not gone 'tits up' (as you charmingly put it) any more than twins of nearly 15 and a single mum is 'tits up' in itself....

OP posts:

LynetteScavo · 29/10/2013 17:48

PedlarsSpanner It's half term with boy/girl 14yo twins. It's kind of of obvious to me why it's gone tits up at home.

Original poster

BurberryFucker · 29/10/2013 17:49

ffs frogspoon why would he need a map and a torch to walk half a mile along a lit pavement? He has spent plenty of time in that village btw he is not some poor lost boy from the valleys....

OP posts:

usualsuspect · 29/10/2013 17:49

Are there no street lights there then?

He knows the place well, why would he get lost?

frogspoon · 29/10/2013 17:51

burberry, I posted about the torch before you said the pavement was lit!

YoucancallmeQueenBee · 29/10/2013 17:51

I haven't been to Colchester for a while but from what I remember the station is not in the arse end of nowhere. It is a busy train station in a well lit area - there will be lots of people walking!

usualsuspect · 29/10/2013 17:51

He's not walking in a dark dark place in the early hours of the morning.

He's walking half a mile at 6.30

CaptainSweatPants · 29/10/2013 17:51

Op it's fine

You know your son better than us

Don't worry he'll be there soon :)

cantspel · 29/10/2013 17:52

Why would anyone have a problem with a 14 year old getting a train on his own? He is capable of reading a time table if needed and asking directions if it comes to it.

14 year olds should not need their hands holding to walk down a street after dark either.

CaptainSweatPants · 29/10/2013 17:53

& rush hour perfect time to travel
Loads of people around to ask for directions

I think it's great your dad is wanting to help you out too

usualsuspect · 29/10/2013 17:53

I would be a bit on edge until he got there.

But he will be fine.

Just let us know when he's there safe and sound

frogspoon · 29/10/2013 17:53

cantspel, nobody is suggesting he needs his hand held!

Just that a couple of basic necessities like a phone wouldn't go amiss (and most phones have built in torches, maps etc)

PedlarsSpanner · 29/10/2013 17:54

Oh yeah, half term. Boy/girl twins age 14. Hormone hell. Plus rubbish weather. Gin for you later,OP. And cake.

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