A motorcycle crash involving younger children

[John]

Was watching ASB Business this morning and this came up 2(?) 14 year olds on a 70cc were hit by a car on a quiet country road.

I didnt take to much in I was just in shock, I think it said there was a fatality :(

[Jackrat]

That' very sad,a real waste.
Something I'm seeing a lot that will probably lead to the same thing are these mini choppers that quite a few kids are riding on the roads.
I know I would of loved to have got hold of one of those things at that age.
I consider myself luck now that the things weren't available at the time.
Just another case of some adults desire for money getting in the way of common sence and costing kids in the long run.
Pissers me off actualy :angry2:

[Pwalo]

I saw the same article before heading in to work. I think that the boys were even younger than that. The article stated they were 7 and 5(!!!) I believe. Just awful.

It's a bit strange but rural roads seem a lot more dangerous.

[crashe]

This is being discussed on TM at the moment.

The two Children (5 and 7 years old) who tragically died are from Pohangina.
RIP little ones.

[Motu]

Tragic

We don't know if they are mini choppers or not - I'm just jumping in about Jack's comment,but they are every bloody where and around my way I see kids riding them along the footpath and up and down the road.It's a mess just waiting to happen...and when it does more than once - hellooo,more rules,regulations and restrictions.

[bear]

Bloody shame, their bike got hit by a car. The car driver would have to be feeling pretty poor

[MSTRS]

Saw this on the news last night. I thought they were on pedal bikes?

[crashe]

Tragic

We don't know if they are mini choppers or not - I'm just jumping in about Jack's comment,but they are every bloody where and around my way I see kids riding them along the footpath and up and down the road.It's a mess just waiting to happen...and when it does more than once - hellooo,more rules,regulations and restrictions.

Re the mini harley choppers.
The kids that I have seen riding them are not wearing any protection at all.
A young girl I saw, was wearing a skimpy skirt, skimpy little top, slide on shoes and that was it. And she was riding it on the road, which has speeding vehicles on it all the time. When I saw this I turned around and told them to go and get proper shoes on and to at least wear jeans and a jacket... AND a HELMET. And there was NOT an ADULT in sight either.

A man did come out, wondering why a bike rider had stopped on the side of the road and was talking to all the kids and I spoke to him of the dangers of this kid riding without proper gear on... he agreed with me, but he was just the neighbour from across the road, and he had been trying to tell the girls parents, but they wouldnt listen.

So one day this young girl will end up in hospital and then the parents will then cry to the media about how unsafe these bikes are... well HELLOOOO its the parents responsibility to make sure that there kids are safe at all times.

How the hell can shops sell these harley lookalike choppers to the parents of young kids and not warn then of the dangers..... There should be an adult around at all times when these kids want to ride.

[Lias]

Heard it on radio pacific this morning, just said a 5 and a 7 year old were killed while riding a motorcycle in a rural area near fielding.

No sign of it on Stuff.co.nz or nzherald.co.nz yet.

Bloody shame thou, I hope the parents get bollocked for letting the kids ride a bike (even a bloody mini chopper). I know damn sure I wouldnt let my 6/7 year olds on one.

[Blakamin]

http://xtramsn.co.nz/news/0,,11964-4124249,00.html


bloody sad.....

[toads]

I am so sad to hear of this, I know how easy it is living in the country to treat the road as part of your property if there is very little in the way of traffic that goes on it, my kids ride their push bikes up and down our road, and these kids could have just as easily been riding push bikes and got hit by the car I spose, no motor vehicle should be driven by kids on the road ever though, it's not only illegal but highly dangerous, and it serves to remind us all while driving/riding on country roads, that kids can often be on these roads when you least except them.
I truly feel for the family that have lost their precious babies in this hideous tragedy, they will chastise themselves for the rest of their days over it.
I can't wait for my kids to come home so I can give them a hug.

[Biff]

Sleep tight little uns. Our thoughts are with you and your families.

[Paul in NZ]

I also feel for the poor bugger that hit them... Nothing good in that story just a damn shame... Sigh!

Paul N

ps - I've vowed NEVER to buy one of those kiddie bike things with the exception of a peewee motocrosser that is raced on the track...

[John]

Man 7 & 5? thats even worse.

I was always told to keep it in the paddock, becuase the roads although quiet often are prone to huge dust clouds and limited visibility, I feel for all parties involved though, its a pitty a loss of young innocents - and the elders wont ever be the same again..

Maybe they should introduce the road safety exercises in school, where you go around the township on your pushbikes with the help of the teachers telling you dangers and what to do etc. (maybe its still in practise)?
Although it probably wouldnt of helped in this particular case, and as for those mini choppers if I see one on the road I will ask them where there parents are and explain the dangers, if the resent the idea - I will get pictures, the 50cc fun bikes are strickly for at home not roads.. (unless they are registered etc) but still you need at least a car licence to drive it, so there fore no CHILDREN should be on them on the roads, becuase it really sucks crap to read shit like this in the paper, and know that lives were lost, and negative images thrown at various groups..

[crashe]

Just read over in TM mb that it may have been the children's dad that hit them... What a horrific tradgity.

[Paul in NZ]

Just read over in TM mb that it may have been the children's dad that hit them... What a horrific tradgity.

Oh Shit.... I hope not...

Pohangina Valley residents are in shock today after two small boys were killed while riding a 70cc farm bike metres from their home gate yesterday.


The boys were brothers aged five and seven.

It's understood the boys were riding the farm bike and there was a collision with a vehicle on the Opawe Road at about 6.30pm.

The road runs off Pohangina Valley East Road toward the Ruahine Range, near the Highland Home.

Details of the accident on the narrow, gravel, no-exit road are not yet known, but the driver of the car was not injured.

It's understood the driver knew the boys.

Ashhurst police worked until the early hours today.

Both boys went to Awahou School and it's understood the five year old had only just started.

Awahou School principal Chris Mitchell was devastated by the news.

"What do you do at a time like this?" Mr Mitchell said last night.

He didn't know how he was going to tell his pupils today.

The school has a roll of 56. Trauma counsellors will be brought in to help children and staff deal with the tragedy, he said.

It's understood the boys have another sibling who is also a pupil at the school.

Police at the scene last night were close to tears as forensic staff examined the area.

News filtered through the tight-knit community last night and neighbours were visibly shaken by the incident, many in tears.

Residents would have this week been commemorating the first anniversary of the floods that devastated the area, washing out bridges and cutting off the school.

The Square Trust rescue helicopter was sent to the scene but was not needed.

[Ms Piggy]

I feel for all involved. I can assume that the driver of the vehicle feels absolutely horrified by the situation, a real tragedy. I was amazed when I heard it on the radio this morning. :confused:

[Coyote]

Bloody shame, their bike got hit by a car. The car driver would have to be feeling pretty poor
What happened to the car driver? I didn't hear about them

[Storm]

The car driver was thier father in a 4 x 4. Apparently he came round the corner and had no time to do anything.

[Krusti]

GOD How would ya live with that.......Dont think I could...

[marty]

The car driver was thier father in a 4 x 4. Apparently he came round the corner and had no time to do anything.

if that's true then that is a shocker. it is a pity though that some people don't allow their children to develop within the confines of their age - one HAS to ask what they were doing on the road....would you let your 5-10 year olds ride their push bikes on the road?

[onearmedbandit]

This is just so so sad, I feel for all invoved. The poor father, just received his own life sentence. I hope can find the strength to, well just to make it through all this. I know there are many others affected, and I hope the same for them all as well, but if it was the father driving, words can't describe how this poor man must be feeling.

[Krusti]

if that's true then that is a shocker. it is a pity though that some people don't allow their children to develop within the confines of their age - one HAS to ask what they were doing on the road....would you let your 5-10 year olds ride their push bikes on the road?
My initial reaction when I heard this on news this morning was that those bloody parents should be charged. But if these facts are correct then any punishment is going to be nothing compared to living the rest of your life knowing what you had done!

Other parents though should note this incident, but many wont. That is what pisses me off. They do not realise young children neither have the nouse or strength to operate ANY machinery in these situations.

Very SAD....Poor bastards

[Motu]

I can't bear to think about it,I'd want to top myself,in the worse way I could.

I grew up on a no exit street....we lived on the road.My girls learnt to ride their bikes on a gravel no exit street...they lived on the road.Shit happens,but oh God,that's a whole sewage treatment plant!

[Aitch]

I've got a 3 yr old and a 6 yr old.....can't imagine losing both at once....those poor parents..

[Blakamin]

saw the news version on 3...

fuckin shattered.... there is nothing I can say....




:weep:

to you, the dad, if you ever see this.... It's not your fault, you tried and it was just a tragic accident..... forgive yourself, please......


the boys are away to a better place.....

[MD]

saw the news version on 3...

there is nothing I can say....




:weep:

to you, the dad, if you ever see this.... It's not your fault, you tried and it was just a tragic accident..... forgive yourself, please......


the boys are away to a better place.....
Well said. Can a news story be anymore upsetting than that?
When the first bit came out last night I thought, well the parents shouldn't have allowed them on the road. Then we hear the rest of the story and the fact that the parents had told the boys never to ride on the road and, like all us parents, they would have felt safe in the knowledge all was in order.
Heartbreaking thinking about how the Father must be suffering.

[Gen]

I am an early childhood teacher of children aged 0-6 and unfortunatly New Zealand has a very high rate of child neglect and the child death rate due to accidents is extremally high.

At one time, more children in New Zealand were being killed in accidents where they were run over in their own driveways, often by an parent.

I know their are a lot of caring, responsible parents out there, but there are also a lot of parents who could not give a damn.

In this case, it sounds like it was just a terrible accident, but it seems to me that parents are a bit blind/naieve when it comes to their children's capabilities.

Children should not be riding on the open road, it's a big no no.They don't have the maturity and responsibility to be careful at all times, because THEY ARE CHILDREN.They are not miniature adults, and therefore, cannot be expected to be put in adult situations.

The father of the children must be suffering deep grief and self blame, and yes, it is his fault.He hit them, even though it was an accident, but they should not have been out there.

But no parent deserves to lose their precious children to learn a lesson in parenting.
I know what it's like to lose a child, but not to an accident like this :(
He has my sympathy,he will be suffering, but it is too late for those boys :(

[StoneChucker]

I have no words, other than what has already been said. Utterly depressing :( I hope the father is able to live the rest of his life with some peace, but I doubt that. It wasn't his fault, but he'll feel that it is. I hope the remaining family sticks together.

Just sad.

[spudchucka]

if that's true then that is a shocker.
From the accounts I've heard around here it is true. It was apparently a blind bend or crest in the road and the driver could do nothing to avoid the impact.

[FROSTY]

Fuck me--the kill switch to baby bikies quad is now hidden away.
I think a bunch of ya making comment here have NO idea how smart kids are and how bloody stubborn.
Said 70cc was a kids farm bike and the 7 year old was riding-pillioning his brother.
Why so defensive ya ask---well its the sorta stunt baby bikie has pulled thats why.
The dad had no idea his kids were on the road and had told em not to do so.
Like Motu said -we all did it --and this was in a rural area not city.
For the record--Baby bikie has pushed his quad bike 600m and can start it when its hot. so kids are strong enough to ride bikes --they shouldn't without adults arounnd-I agree but kids be kids.
As for the issue of those 50cc choppers--those things are fucking death traps.

[Gen]

I'm afraid strength is not really the only issue although it is important.

It's maturity and responsibility and skill as well, and there are kids that are perfectly capable of being out and about by themselves, and there are those that are not.

When I was 9-12 years old I used to hop on my friends farm bike evry weekend and roar all over the farm.We used to do seventy on the dirt road, around blind corners as well.

We also over loaded the atv with seven kids and the thing flipped going over a bank (surprise surprise).

No one got hurt, but I know how some kids think, or don't think in our case :)

[Slim]

From the accounts I've heard around here it is true. It was apparently a blind bend or crest in the road and the driver could do nothing to avoid the impact.
Yup.

NZ Herald Story (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10111744)