Ridecamp: Re: [RC] [RC] Very young riders in AERC rides

I'm a person who believes that it would be very difficult, if not
impossible, to force a 5 year old to ride 100 miles if he weren't really
gung-ho for it himself.  I also believe that since the Lewis family is not
abusing, beating, or otherwise mistreating this child, then for the rest of
us, it's NONE OF OUR BUSINESS.  Besides, I hardly see this as an the
beginning of an epidemic. One 5-year old child in the entire USA, and such a
flap is being created????  My husband's grandfather came across the plains
from Iowa as a 9-year old in 1868, and probably walked most of it.  There
were lots of dangers then.  Did that make the parents abusive and
inconsiderate?  I think nowadays society tends to protect people, children
and adults alike, to such an extreme that we've lost a lot of our ability to
cope with the REAL emergencies in life.  We love to judge others and are so
sure we know better, don't we?  BTW, I can be just as guilty of this as the
next person.
Off  my soapbox now......

Barbara McCrary

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike & Kathy Kelly" <reallykk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 7:56 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] Very young riders in AERC rides


> But this is really an ethical issue, more so than a medical one.  A 5 yo
> isn't old enough to make his/her own fully informed/aware decisions (in
> other words, a 5yo isn't fully responsible for him/herself).  So others
> (usually the parents) make decisions for them.  The 5 yo can't understand
> the potential dangers involved with endurance rides and therefore can't
> consent to accept those risks.
>
> If parents decided to take their 5yo children on 100 mile rides just as
> family outings, most likely no one complains as long as all goes well.
>
> But when other groups or individuals become involved, they also get
involved
> in the responsibility issue.
>
> An organization such as AERC assumes certain responsibilities for the
rides
> it sponsors.  Rules are the way that AERC balances the responsibility it
> assumes with the risk involved with taking on such responsibilities.
>
> Kathy Kelly
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nancy Mitts" <mitts_n@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 7:35 PM
> Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] Very young riders in AERC rides
>
>
> > >Lets look at it from a rational and theoretical point of view.
> > >   Karen Sullivan  West region
> >
> > Well, from a "rational & theoretical" point of view we wouldn't let
anyone
> > do it! Something about being rational & riding 100 miles just doesn't
> > compute. <BG> (Just finished my 17th last weekend, so I know what
> irrational
> > is.)
> > On a more serious note, accidental injuries are no more (or less)
horrible
> > at age 5, than 10, or 15 or 50. Lets hear some medical facts from
medical
> > professionals about the dangers particular to a growing young child.
> That's
> > the criteria we need to go by. If damage to growing bodies is the issue,
> > couldn't it be a factor thru the teen years as well?
> >
> > Nancy Mitts
> >
> >
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>  Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
>  Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp
>
>  If you are an AERC member - PLEASE VOTE in the upcoming By-Laws
>  Election!!!! (it takes 2/3rds to tango!!)
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>


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 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
 Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

 If you are an AERC member - PLEASE VOTE in the upcoming By-Laws 
 Election!!!! (it takes 2/3rds to tango!!)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=