School age teens running wild .

There was a little newsagents a short distance from my school in the 70s/80s and the kids all used to stop off there on the way home. The owner only allowed one or two in at a time; the rest had to queue outside.

 

That's become the norm nowadays @Escarpment, the 'one or two in at a time' thing. You see lines of schoolchildren outside the local shops if you go past at getting out time. It's quite deprerssing though.

 

I've never seen kids waiting outside, but then maybe I'm not there at the right time.
I do sometimes have to pick my way through about 6 bikes just laid on the ground in shop door ways.
A nightmare for disabled or blind people.

 

I always thought if I lived in a problem area I would carry a can of spray paint and claimed I was so scared of feral kids it went off accidentally when my hands started to shake with fright.

 

But what would be your excuse for carrying the paint in the first place? You could be accused of going equipped to commit an act of graffiti!

 

You could of course pick up some pepper spray or Mace off the internet, some cycle shops sell air horns that you pressurise with a bicycle pump and they ain't half loud, these could all go with the stout cudgel you use as a walking stick when out walking your bull terrier; just like a modern day Bill Sikes.

 

Any relation to Eric Sykes.
He often carried a plank.

 

Possibly he did a lot of damage with that plank.

 

And then we move onto the bunches of trouble that will be coming with Halloween soon. We, Mr S and I moved into a village location last year and decided to go out for the evening to avoid trouble. Over 100 youngsters and teenagers swooped on the village and many just to create havoc. Most of these kids were from outside the village and were driven in and picked up by their parents, many as late as midnight. So is it the kids fault or the parents, that allow them to get up to mischief? We returned home about 10pm and seeing so many still on the streets went and parked in a car park until midnight.

We shouldn't be driven from our homes because of threats from these troublemakers. It's about time both Halloween and Guy Fawkes night were banned. I bet if you were to ask these kids what both are about and why they started, they wouldn't have a clue.

 

I certainly dont go out on halloween just to avoid the kids.
I just dont open the door, but its mostly little kids with mums and they only really knock at houses with pumpkins outside.

I did have to do a hospital visit some years ago on halloween and came home to find eggs thrown at my front door.

 

Too bad. That's an omelette that didn’t happen.

I love the little ones at Halloween and buy too much chocolate and the kid and I don't let it go to waste and eat it up.

Hopefully you won't have to be away from home this year @pete. You could crack a cool one and sit out front to greet whoever ventures onto your property.

Maybe dress up as an old curmudgeon tapping his garden fork on the ground...

 

Re Hallowe'en - ours only went to the houses of people we knew @Sheal , which is really how it should be. I loved having their little friends coming in. We, as parents, often went with them, and other parents did the same, especially when they were pre school age. We didn't really get any bother with older kids, but I expect it did happen in some parts. I had a little Hallowe'en party for mine and their pals when they were older - simple, old fashioned games etc. I loved making costumes for them too.
The Guy Fawkes/fireworks was done with neighbours, and I'd usually do some catering for everyone, although we sometimes shared that too. We had a large area of grass at the front of that house, and it was ideal for that. It never went beyond a sensible hour at night either, because children had school the next day, and people had work etc, but nowadays, you get fireworks being let off for weeks before it, and going on 'til all hours. The October holiday is usually the start of it here. No consideration for others- just for a change.
Another 3 ring circus which is out of control, but so is Hallowe'en, with all the merchandise. More rubbish to go to landfill....
Maybe I'm just becoming a grumpy old cow. Don't answer that

 

We don't have children round here anymore. Just dogs, dogs, and more dogs. It is probably only a matter of time before someone brings a dressed-up mutt to my doorstep on Hallowe'en. I often see them in prams and buggies, and in all manner of coats and hats, with bows and ribbons and whatnot.

 

I don't want to supply all these kids with sweets etc. and won't take the risk of damage to my car or home when they get refused. That's how bad some of them are here.

 

Yes, that's what it's like in my area. I haven't had anyone knock on my door in years.