Precious Children?

Rider’s Digest ran a little piece based on a picture and some kickback from people seeing this example of child abuse on a Texas freeway (“Precious Children Revisited”). I’ve made it pretty clear how I feel about kids on motorcycles in the past—with “I Hate Racing” and “Parental Responsibility”—and I don’t feel any different today. Obviously, some folks think their right to permanently scar their children, physically and emotionally, overrides the concerns of the “nanny state,” whatever that is.

There are more things that I don’t understand than things I do, by a really big number. Putting children at risk is one of them. I don’t get the payback. I’m not in any way arguing that kids should be kept in padded rooms, prevented from playing outdoors, experimenting with their capabilities, playing sports, or even fooling around with the opposite sex. However, this picture of a small child with her heels inches from a sticky sportbike’s tires, clinging for dear life is none of that. Your mileage may vary.