Moral dilemma (not mine) - what would you do

[Ed]

I think I'd have done the same. But I don't spose she bargained on 10 months inside.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/5306740.stm

[amnesia]

Easy decision to make when its not your kid - shop them. For their own safety if for nothing else!

If it was my kid then maybe the decision would not be so simple...

[Demonz]

Me too. Good to see the mum taking responsibility - bummer about the consequences - maybe he had some priors??

[timwilky]

Yes, I would shop them. The consequences of riding drunk do not bear thinking about. It is dangerous enough out there sober.

For their own sake, they have to learn a bitter lesson.

[JakeRS]

Definately would have done the same thing, it would have been for his own good.

[lynw]

No question whatsoever I would have done the same.

Because Id rather live with the guilt of shopping him than if he had killed himself or someone else.

[Well Oiled]

Very difficult one. I think I would have sabotaged the bike, cut the HT leads or summat.

[SoulKiss]

Its what my mum threatened me with when I passed my car test at 17.

Didn't really need it - would never drink and drive (and as I hardly drink now it doesn't really affect me)

But yes, she did right

[K]

She did right in that instance - but it seemed she was perhaps not aware that he had no licence or insurance, hence the harsher sentence methinks.

So either she'd had the wool pulled over her eyes about the rest by her son - or she wasn't much concerned over being insured and passing his test.

I'd hope the former - though I think it makes her son a bit of a git as well as an idiot. :(

[wyrdness]

A similar case in New Zealand backfired badly recently:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2334254,00.html

[Kinvig]

The last news item I heard from Workington was of the mother & son that knew each other, um, biblically.

Workington....gives Cumbria a bad name.

[Razor]

A similar case in New Zealand backfired badly recently:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2334254,00.html

You don't report your kids to the cops. You sort them out yourself. Parents should take all responsibilty for their children.

[21QUEST]

I wouldn't and hopefully it wouldn't have got to the stage where he/she would have been able to ride or drive anyway.

"Blood Is Thicker Than Water" 99.99% of the time.

Cheers
Ben

[RingDing]

For their own sake, they have to learn a bitter lesson.

Statistically speaking he was more likely to have been drinking lager.

:drink:

[ArtyLady]

A friend of mine got her own child arrested because he took money from her purse - ffs he was about 11 what sort of mother does that?. I was horrified.

I agree Well Oiled's suggestion ie sabotage their vehicle, take the keys off them, do whatever you can - surely prevention is better than cure. :?

[Nekkid]

I can see the logic of shopping the kid - he wont be doing it again in a hurry, but HARSH!
She probably didn't think at the time that a criminal record, especially with prison time, precludes you from a huge amount of jobs and life opportunities - she better hope the lad has a good business head, cos he'll never have a decent job working for someone else.

[Luckypants]

The guy is 19 years old, an adult. She saw him riding while drunk and reported him. She had already failed in bringing him up as evidenced by the facts he rode while drunk and ignored her pleas not to.

When it gets to that stage, he needs to be nicked and learn he cannot get away with being a git.

[Ed]

She had already failed in bringing him up as evidenced by the facts he rode while drunk and ignored her pleas not to.

Ooooh, yowwwwww!!! Why was it her failure? If kids are going to go off the rails there's not a lot - if anything - you can do to stop it. Remember that the bloke was 19, and ****ed. Did you listen to your mum at 19, even when sober?

[Anonymous]

im assuming it was not his first offence. she was maybe at the end of her tether. trouble with stories like this is you dont get all the background.

i assume it wasnt a decision she took lightly and hope he can look back on it and realise she did it with best intentions

[Biker Biggles]

I would'nt shop a member of my family to the cops.Rightly or wrongly that's the way it is with me.

[Blue_SV650S]

She did right, it took a lot of courage for her to do that, it was for the greater good.

Regardless of her motive (be it to save her son/others or simply selfish i.e. not wanting the guilt) I still applaud her for doing so.

If he was capable of doing this now and got way with it, then it may well have lead to future incidences where the outcome was much more tragic!!! No licence and no insurance plus drunk … and running from the police .... he obviously has no respect for the law. I would hazard a guess from this that he may well have/had had other criminal tendencies ... if it were allowed I’d say shoot him!! Scumbag!!!

[Devil Biccy]

The question ultimatley is about his upbringing who really is to blame

a) the kid/adult for not showing any respect to her mum
b) The mum for not teaching the kid/adult what respect is
c) Mum for allowing the kid to have a bike when she is scared of him killing himself

You decide!
IMO the mum did right but should have confiscated the keys or sold the bike whichever was easy.