What did you do when you were a kid that is considered dangerous now?

[Karlwho]

Just out of interest.
When I was little (7-10), I'd play outside around the neighbourhood with no adults and not a mobile between my friends and I. We'd go home when we were hungry.

I'm older.
98% of what I did as a nipper would be considered dangerous the other 2% likely criminal.
I had many many adventures though

No seat belts in the back of the car, sunroof open on the motorway

Walking down by the river after dark to get to my best friend's house age 12 onwards

Sliding down the stairs in a pillowcase

Rode a bike without any sort of protective gear whatsoever. In summer I was probably wearing shorts, tshirt and flip-flops!

Also played outside from a very young age and only made contact with parents when hungry and we weren't fussy whose house we turned up at.

Was driven across America with I think six adults. My cousin and I were in the boot, back facing seats, pretty sure no belts. I was five.

Also homemade skate ramps to get as much air as me and my sister could on rollerblades......i guess also taking the bus to the city at 10 and 11 for a shopping day

The teacher used to open the door at the end of a school day and we’d just go and find our parents in the playground. From the age of 4-5. We were expected to be sensible enough to go back to the teacher if no one was there. At my kids’ school even 11 years olds (unless you’ve signed the form to say they can go home alone) have to be ticked off the list and teacher has to make eye contact with a parent before they’re allowed to leave the teacher’s side.

Playing out in the street isn't dangerous now, all the children here do it from around the age of 5/6.

I used to drive the car in our street, I would sit on my dad's knee while he did the pedals and gears and I steered.

We played on building sites.

We travelled with no car seats and optional seatbelts, if we were giving people a lift then we would all cram in and would even sit in the footwells or in the boot with the parcel shelf removed! If dad brought the works van home (big old Luton van) then it was a treat to go for a drive riding in the back of it, we would sit on the metal toolbox and go skidding all over on the corners.

I used to babysit for family from the age of 11, when I was 13 I would regularly babysit my aunt's baby for anything up to 8hrs.

Went wave dodging and jumping off piers (live at the seaside) never understood why DM was furious at the time but makes me feel sick to think about mine doing it now

We were also left in the holiday apartment alone at a young age while our parents went to the bar. Butlins used to have a listening service and would put the room number up on the board at the bar if a child was crying so that made it okay apparently.

I remember doing most of these things! Except I'd go down the stairs in a shiny sleeping bag as it was faster
I'd also go to the shop by myself, which was a fifteen minute bike away, when I was eight.
I was allowed candles in my bedroom, and it was only discovered that I burnt the carpet when we moved house.

Grew up in Africa .... I think even some of the things my parents did were dangerous/neglectful ...

riding in the boot of my grandads car.

I grew up in Pakistan, I was free range from the age of about three, so most things!

I forgot to take my bicycle into primary school for cycling provision lessons so my (male) teacher drove me in his car back to my (empty) house and gave me a leg-up over my back gate so I could go get my bike and then let myself out the (unlocked) back door.

He said "don't be long" and I rode the 6 or so miles to school.

I got there in one piece and passed cycling provision

I must have been 8.

They were building a whole estate of houses right behind my house. Best playground we ever had! Roaming the trenches, climbing up the scaffolding and then pushing planks between the houses to shimmy across, pinching cement powder to make things with. Amazing memories!

Get in cars with strangers ( mostly to make out)
Play on building sites
Get on my bikes after breakfast and come home for dinner

Ride my bikes for miles across town to see if my friends were home
Use chat rooms
Either be left alone on holiday or go to the bar and sit very very quietly in the corner with a colour in pad and can of juice
Wander off alone in Dubai aged 10

He went 'out to play' when he was about 6/7, and ended up about five miles from his home. He told his mum about it recently

Walk home on my own at any time of night down dark alleyways and footbridges. Often several miles.

The older I get the more scared of being out in the dark I get

Ahhh I forgot about the MSN chatrooms!

Riding on the parcel shelf with the roof down in a Morgan convertible with two adults in the front .... it was a 2 seater, on a dual carriageway shouting for the driver to go faster (family members)

Walking through a remote industrial estate alone most weekends to go to my aunts .... seriously stupid ... it was a massive shortcut ... from the age of about 10 !!!

Playing on building sites ......

And probably lots more !!!

We used to cross the high speed railway line to take a shortcut to our den in the woods. Did it twice a day for the whole summer. I shudder thinking about that now.

When we were young teens, getting in tesco trolleys and pushing eachother up and down the half pipe. We regularly fell out the trolley practically upside down.
I look back and it's SO dangerous, how the hell no one broke their neck I have no idea!

Going to Guide camp sitting in the foot well because there were 4/5 of us in the back of a small car.

Primary school netball team going to away matches in 2/3 parents cars.. no car seats, and probably more kids than seats.

Coach breaking down on school trip so just squeezing up on seats to get as many as possible on one coach.

Going back to 1940s... There is documentary evidence that in the early days of the British Schools in Germany following WWII for the children of soldiers, they were transported to school in the back of army trucks. The buses with only lap belts they use now seem rather luxurious in comparison!

I still have a scar on my head caused by lying next to a ramp made from wood and bricks that Dawn from down the street rode up on her bike in a (failed) attempt to stunt jump over me. That was unlucky though. We'd done it tonnes of times before with no incidents.