Don't I feel like a piece of shit.

[avgas]

fucken parents who let theyre kids go like that.
Dont look to deep into it frosty, at the end of the day - YOU DID TRY, but at the end of the day i think mabey you were talking to the wrong people.
The comment about being 10ft tall and bulletproof at that age is very true - but the people who are suppose to get these people inline are the parents, not you.
You did nothing wrong, if u had ripped strips off him he prob would have rebelled harder against what u said, so u did do everything right.
I was that old when i started to go on bikes, everyone would tell me "Wear this, it will save your life...." and i would usually respond like "oh yeh thats bullshit....".
But it was my father who would no let me go near a bike without the right gear, that enforced the rules - these parents did not meet this requirement.
Please do not take it too hard - you gave him all he needed to survive riding, HE did not take it, there was nothing more u could have done, without being harassed by his parents.
Ive said it before and ill say it again
"You can lead a horse to water, but at the end of the day its still a dumb horse"

[Sniper]

Dont let it get to you XJ, everybody wishes at one point that something could have been changed.

It was a mistake, but its in the past now. Take care matey, dont let this be a personal thing ok!

Best wishes mate- Sniper

[Motu]

What was a 14yr old doing riding a motorcycle on the road? The clothing is not the issue here,who let him do it in the first place is where the blame lies.I hope it wasn't you who sold him the bike mate - do you know who did? go back to the cause,not the effect...

[crashe]

Frosty,

Yep you did give the teenager advice, now what he did with that advise is that he decided to do his own thing, and ride without the proper gear.

But also take into account that his parents allowed him to buy the bike and let him ride it on the road. He was 14 years old and didnt hold a license, cos the lad wasnt old enough to hold one. His parents have to take responsibility for this not you. As this young lad should not have even been on the road. Sure he could have ridden it out in a paddock etc.

It is very sad that this lad died, but you are not to blame in any way what so ever. Teenagers are teeenagers and sometimes you cant tell them a thing. They just do their own thing no matter what anyone says to them. Frosty don't take this on board.... you gave the lad advise. He choose to ignore that advise.

Take care mate.

[White trash]

We make our own desiscions, Tony.

I'm awaiting some serious neg rep for my next statement but I ride 'round town in the summer wearing T-shirt and jeans. Allways a good lid and gloves though.

I've even been spotted at Lyall Bay practicing wearing the same thing.

I'm thinking the poor soul died of head injuries due to the lack of a decent helmet? Have to be going fucken fast to kill yourself against the back of a car and die from internal injuries.

[Pwalo]

Everyone else is right XJ. There's nothing you could have done, and unfortunately we can't go back to change things.

Still a pisser though.

[sparrow_34]

Can understand the way you are feeling, but us humans are quite fragile and maybe no amount of gear could have saved him. It doesn't take much to break your neck etc.
It's upsetting to see someone you know die young. rip.

[bear]

You need a licence to legally take ownership of a vehicle, so someone older (possibly parents) would have helped him out here. That is, if it was done by the book. And then they didn't even get him sorted with gear. POOR!

I've seen quite a lot of college boys riding scooters around the Wellington CBD lately, only wearing school uniform and helmets. Couple were pulling wheelies while waiting for the green light yesterday. They did this by coming into the pedestrian crossing part of the intersection. Some guidance needed on the gear to wear, coming off a scooter at 50km/h in shorts and a shirt can't be healthy.

[Motu]

You need a licence to legally take ownership of a vehicle, so someone older (possibly parents) would have helped him out here. That is, if it was done by the book. And then they didn't even get him sorted with gear. POOR!

I've seen quite a lot of college boys riding scooters around the Wellington CBD lately, only wearing school uniform and helmets. Couple were pulling wheelies while waiting for the green light yesterday. They did this by coming into the pedestrian crossing part of the intersection. Some guidance needed on the gear to wear, coming off a scooter at 50km/h in shorts and a shirt can't be healthy.

Right on the first part....but teaching them NOT to come off a scooter in the first place is more important than a bandaid.

[crashe]

You need a licence to legally take ownership of a vehicle,

Nope not quite true.... example - look at those that are coming into NZ and going and buying a vehicle with CASH and then driving around. They arent required to show their license. As long as they had cash they drive the car away... hence some have had accidents... the asian lad who killed the young girl at the petrol station down the line had no license, yet he owned the car. The parents paid $40,000 compo.

[MSTRS:Me]

At 6.30 this friday evening a 14 year old boy rode his motorcycle into the back of a stationary car in Devonport.
The young man concerned susstained serious injuries and died this monday evening as a result.
said young man was wearing an old ill fitting helmet ,no gloves,long shorts,sneakers and a jean jacket.
He bought the bike to be cool like his mate.
They called by the yard and I made a half hearted attempt to tell him about protective gear and propper places to ride
Fuck I wish I'd ripped stripps off his back instead of pussy footing around.

It only seems more tragic cos you knew him. You did what you could, the rest was up to the boy. At least he didn't take out anyone else.

[jrandom]

I'm awaiting some serious neg rep for my next statement but I ride 'round town in the summer wearing T-shirt and jeans. Allways a good lid and gloves though.

Nah, no neg rep. I've started doing the same thing. Not on my commute, or any open road riding, mind you, but the little bitty riding around at lunchtime and on the weekend things.

Ditto with the helmet and gloves, of course. My head and hands are non-negotiable.

That kid must have died from head or neck injuries; he was in a 50 zone. Don't beat yourself up, Frosty, it was entirely the parents' fault. They should have protected him from his own teenage stupidity. You just can't expect a 14 year old to have a properly mature sense of risk, and that's all there is to it.

[MacD]

Can understand the way you are feeling, but us humans are quite fragile and maybe no amount of gear could have saved him. It doesn't take much to break your neck etc.
It's upsetting to see someone you know die young. rip.

Yes, maybe this is a sobering example of the difference between riding on the road and riding on the track? On the road there are lots of large, solid, immovable objects that no amount of protective gear can save you from. Perhaps a better quality helmet might have helped, but there is no way of knowing that for sure. At least you tried to give him advice.

As Motu said, the important bit is learning to ride safely and well in the first place. This seems to have been what was missing in this case.

[ManDownUnder]

Frosty...

I concur with the "you did your best, you did what was appropriate under the circumstances" comments made thus far.

It's easy to beat yourself up over it, natural too, but in the absence of a crystal ball there was no way you could have known.

Look after yourself, get your head right and learn anything you can from what happened. With time, friends the chance to talk over the occasional beer you'll develop a true perspective.

MDU

[PuppetMaster]

I dont think anything you could have said would make any difference to the young guy. Like Wt said he must have been going reasonably fast to get hurt so bad. If you'd told him to slow down it probably would have the opposite effect.

We make our own desiscions, Tony.
I'm awaiting some serious neg rep for my next statement but I ride 'round town in the summer wearing T-shirt and jeans. Allways a good lid and gloves though.

I got a ticket for not wearing a helmet years ago. Just popped around the corner to the dairy and a copper came past. gave me a ticket too the bastard.