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Original poster

2 little boys have been killed

58 replies

3littlebats · 25/10/2007 10:12

Taking their scooters across a motorway. I didn't hear the whole report. They were 6 and 7. I cannot begin to imagine what they were doing on a motorway??

OP posts:
Baffy · 25/10/2007 11:29

As for stopping - if I'd have been alone in the car and seen them I would have.

But as you can imagine, it was very dark, if you pass the boys at 70 miles an hour and only see them as you pass, take one or two seconds to register what you saw, a couple of seconds to pull across the lanes and onto the hard shoulder safely, then a couple more seconds to actually stop - then you would be well past them by that stage.

What do you do then? Reverse along the hard shoulder?
Walk all the way back along the hard shoulder yourself in the pitch black, also putting yourself in danger? What if, as you're walking along in the dark, another motorist sees them and pulls onto the hard shoulder where you are!... In these situations there is just so much danger with every option.
Also, if I'd have had ds with me I don't think I would have taken either of those options and put him at risk - my first instict would have been to call the police.

Imagine how bad the people who saw them must feel today

Baffy · 25/10/2007 11:31

Totally agree piffle that blame does nothing and it is a tragedy for all involved

PeachyFleshCrawlingWithBugs · 25/10/2007 11:37

I once called the police to report some children playing near (not on) the motorway- in a field at the side, but their bikes were propped against the inside of the barrier- and i got told off by the Police for using my mobile! (I wasn't driving, Dh was, which I pointe dout quite clearly)

Bouncingturtleskulls · 25/10/2007 11:48

The sad fact is, if people had stopped, they could have caused another tragedy.
I feel for all involved . Assigning blame won't bring those boys back.

Blu · 25/10/2007 12:15

The whole thing is horrible tragic.

I don't think a discussion about how we look after children or respond to children in danger is out of place. It's not 'blame' - but i do think we respond to things differently with access to phones. And not always for the best. (Read the Mountain Rescue reports in the Lake District, for good examples)

.There may be 101 reasons why i might not stop - and having a child in the car with me would be a good one..but if i was travelling in the slow lane and saw it, i can't think why I couldn't have pulled off on to the hard shoulder and run back on the grass on the far side. Maybe many couldn't, maybe some could, and maybe some of them are wishing they had. The children leaving thier homes, after dark, was the start of the tragedy, but there always any number of points when an intervention could stop it being inevitable.

But I wouldn't take an obvious risk.

sKerryMum · 25/10/2007 12:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hulababy · 25/10/2007 12:39

But can you honestly say that you watch your children - well, if this kind of age (6 and 7) constantly. Now I don't let DD play outside of the back garden on her own, but int he backgarden she does, and in the house, unsupervised without me checking for several minutes at a time. It doesn't take long for a child to slip away i if they have that in mind.

harman · 25/10/2007 12:45

Message withdrawn

milward · 25/10/2007 12:49

terrible tragedy.

SSSandy2 · 25/10/2007 12:55

Very sad. Think it's time for some parents to get together and have a barrier errected by the motorway. Or even physically put it up themselves.

I see Kieran used to live with his mother in Nottingham, so he has just moved up to be with his dad a month or so ago. Terrible thing to happen.

TheQueenOfQuotes · 25/10/2007 12:56

harman - before you start judging perhaps you should have a look on the map and see just how close their street is to the motorway - it's very close indeed. And as has been mentioned - boys (especially of that age) will be boys - and all it takes for them to disappear is to turn your back for 2 seconds. The woods directly behind the street go right up to the edge of the motorway

And I don't think that article says they were allowed to go where they wanted - it says that they were told where the furthest they should go was.

Very tragic for all involved.

SeaShells · 25/10/2007 12:58

Don't think anyone can be 'blamed' in any way for this tragedy, it was a horrible accident

harman · 25/10/2007 12:59

Message withdrawn

shrinkingsagpuss · 25/10/2007 13:02

I'm afraid I have to agree at least in part with Harman here - whilst blame is no helpful in such a tragedy - I'm afraid I also beleive 6 and 7 is too young ot be playing out in area you don't know very well, indeed if at all.

But if anyone is going to apportion blame it will be the parents - because you can be sure they will never ever forgive thmeselves.

Hulababy · 25/10/2007 13:11

Too tragic to apportion blame, especially the day after IMO.

There have been many a thread on MN about children being allowed to play outside unsupervised and from what age. There are many MNetters who let similarly aged children play unsupervised outside. Sadly for these children the consequence has resulted in tragedy for the two boys families, and for many others too.

Very very sad.

geordiemacmummy · 25/10/2007 13:11

What on earth were 2 boys of this age doing out at 7.30pm? I t would be dark by then... should they not have been at home, getting ready for bed?

Its a terrible terrible thing for all those concerned but unfortunately I think the "blame" lies firmly at the feet of the adults that should have been caring for them.

FlightAttendant · 25/10/2007 13:12

I don't understand why people didn't stop - after all presumably they stopped to make the phone calls, or was that done while driving...
Not apportioning blame in any way but I just would have had to stop. We saw a pigeon in the middle of a road a few months ago, it was raining and cars were passing it on either side. I forced my dad to stop on the pavement, and he insisted on going himself to try and save it. Sadly in those few minutes it had already been killed.
But we had to stop.
Poor little mites. I really hope it was quick.

Hulababy · 25/10/2007 13:14

geordiemacmummy - they were playing out earlier than that. The updated article from the BBC says that the older boy was due back home at 5pm for his tea. The boys had been reported missing, and the police and families were looking for them at the time when they were found.

Hulababy · 25/10/2007 13:14

FA - I would assume people phoned whilt driving - hopefully either via a hands free system or one of the passengers.

FlightAttendant · 25/10/2007 13:15

Oh I see, thanks.

geordiemacmummy · 25/10/2007 13:15

sorry, i only skim read it, in the middle of feeding ds.

A terrible tragedy.

oliveoil · 25/10/2007 13:16

good god, I wish I could bottle hindsight, I would be loaded

blaming the parents fgs

it was a tragic accident, no one is to blame

milward · 25/10/2007 13:16

stopping on the motorway is dangerous - by the time you've braked the distance to the children would have been large. Phoning also dangerous if driving but at least people tried to help.

NAB3 · 25/10/2007 13:23

Heard the Dad of one saying they had only lived there for 8 weeks and had told his son not to go past the brisge and "it was unfortunate this time he did."

NAB3 · 25/10/2007 13:25

bridge