Hi all CD's

yesterday my 7 years old son was playing with his bike (cycle) with all other kids outside and he just touched one car was parking on road. Car was not parked on designated area like visitor parking or tenant parking but side of the road. Suddenly he felt down due to balance and handle of bike has just touch the door of car. My son apoligies whatever happened but still owners of car was wants to meet my wife. My wife came out from home and see on the car there was no scratch but like black rubber part colour was slight on drivers door. She wiped with hand and has gone. Owners of car was chinese guy and he told my wife ohhh...is ok othervise you have to fix my complete car? she did not argued with that person and owners of car left without creating any big prblem.

My question is in these kind of situation if happened in futere what is our responsibility like as a parents? what legal action he can take against my son or myself? Is it our responsibility fix his all car with new colour if something happened wrong?

Why question has came in my mind b'cos now a days all kids have vacation and always they are playing outside any these kind of things can happened with anybody.

welcome your feed back and suggestions........

regards

It just happened that the kid touched the door of the Car. Watch out for undesirable elements. So, keep a constant watch on those that are playing outside. Form a group or a Neighborhood Watch. Make a note of vehicles or cars that come and go. If you have Digital Cameras use them.

That is what you should have done. First see where he parked, i.e., the Zone. If it was a NO parking zone, then he is wrong. The damage caused with pictures, before and after your cleaning the side of the vehicle. None of us are attentive or watchful, because we have other things to do. Hence the suggestions of grouping. Ask the local police to assist you in the formation and surveillance. They will come and provide you all with help and assistance and materials, stickers etc., and how to proceed with it. They will also provide your areas with child at play street signs. Also teach the kids to keep away from parked cars and behind them too. They have hand books that are available at the Police Stations for kids to read and follow.

All of these are needed in a community. Thanks for bringing it up.

Hope this helps you a little. Please take it up further.

Freddie.

Thanks Freddie for your reply,

Well i am living that area is interior area, like road is going to end so all kids are playing backyard which is opened to visitor parking. In my neighbourhoods we have like 12 kids from age 3 years to 14 years and they all always playing outside in evening time. I tried to stop my son but you know when kids are playing outside so he also wants to go outside to play.

Now in next our townhose meeting i will raised these issue and will see if they also help us to do something positive about these matter. I told my wife to keep eye when is playing outside as i don't want create any legal issues.


question is what legal action he can take against my son or myself? Is it our responsibility fix his all car with new colour if something happened wrong?

regards

Hello RBO,

You will be liable for the damage caused by your son to the DOOR of the vehicle. But there is no way of proving that he did just this. Hence he could claim that all of the other damages that are present upon his vehicle, were also done by him, by lumping them up into one and be thrown at your son and at you.

Hence the suggestion of forming the Neighborhood watch and getting the POLICE to help you in posting signs there, with CHILD AT PLAY or No parking in front etc., The Police department will do an assessment of the locality. That will help you and the children by the creation of a secure area, where you can watch them from your front balcony or a kitchen window and all of you can share and keep a continuous watch on that place and the locality. This will help you with doing your other chores such as laundry, or cooking etc., inside the house and also know that there are others who care for all of you by watching that area too. The police will also increase the surveillance of that area. The main idea is to keep the traffic flowing in an orderly fashion and also help keep the children away from it. But if the road ends up as a dead end street, as you say, then there are a lot of possibilities. Talk to the Cops.

Now after this incident, if you feel that you are still responsible for the scratch or the dent that the car owner sustained, then there are some good painters with a big heart, (We call them good Samaritans) who will come to your rescue and do it for a nominal cost. Some times you will find it just a little bit more than the cost of the bicycle. Isn't that sad.

Now go to the police department and get an hand book for the bicycle users and read it. Also help the child with the instructions provided. You will see there that the child wear something bright and cheerful, keep away from the crowded streets, etc....

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a973.pdf
http://www.watch.edmonton.ab.ca/enw_newsletters/Spring2007_newsletter.pdf

Hope this helps you get started.

Freddie.

Thank you very much Freddie. You always help these forum very much......

i likes your reply with good advice and positive manners.....


Thanks again.........

Also please do watch you children 24/7 otherwsie you may end up getting a ticket for leaving your under 12 yrs old alone runing around damaging properties. We need to live and let live meaning keep our kids educated about the property of others. The person did you a favor by reporting the incident to you and made you aware what is going on.

Just counter threaten him that he was harrasing the child and that you are going to complain to the police.

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