Va. 6-Year-Old Takes Family Car After Missing Bus

FSogol

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:10 PM
Original message

Va. 6-Year-Old Takes Family Car After Missing Bus

Source: Washington Post via AP

Associated Press
Tuesday, January 6, 2009; 11:54 AM

A 6-year-old Virginia boy who missed his bus tried to drive to school in his family's sedan -- and crashed.

State police said the boy suffered only minor injuries and authorities drove him to school after he was evaluated at a local hospital. Sgt. Tom Cunningham said the boy arrived shortly after lunch.

It happened around 7:40 a.m. Monday on Route 360, about 61 miles east of Richmond.

Police said the boy, who wasn't identified, missed the bus, took the keys to his family's 2005 Ford Taurus and drove 10 miles toward school while his mother was asleep.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/06/AR2009010601195.html

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Connie_Corleone

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:14 PM
Response to Original message

1. I guess he didn't want to be late for school.

he must love going to school.

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FSogol

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:21 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. Give that kid a scholarship.

He would rather drive a car to school than wake his sleeping Mom? Maybe his school life is way better than his home life.

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bunnies

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:20 PM
Response to Original message

2. His mother was asleep?

Do six year olds ready themselves for school these days? :shrug: I wouldnt know.

In fact, I'm surprised no one walks him to the bus. 6 seems so young.

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Connie_Corleone

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:24 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. I see 6 year olds standing at the bus stop by themselves all the time.

Edited on Tue Jan-06-09 03:24 PM by Connie_Corleone

The kids go across town to go to school. Some of them have to transfer from one bus to another in order to get to school.

It makes me nervouse seeing kids that young out on the street when it's still dark outside.

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bunnies

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:31 PM
Response to Reply #4

7. Totally!

In the morning when I walk the dog, usually about 6:20, theres all sorts of pre-teens roaming around in the dark waiting for the buses. It would be SO easy to grab a little 6 year old in that situation.

Not to mention *changing* buses! Man - I'd be a nervous wreck. I dont think I could do it. I really dont. wow.

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timtom

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Tue Jan-06-09 06:26 PM
Response to Reply #7

21. We never let any of our 3 children take the bus.

We drove them for all their school years.

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awoke_in_2003

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Tue Jan-06-09 04:11 PM
Response to Reply #4

12. I started walking alone to school

Edited on Tue Jan-06-09 04:14 PM by awoke_in_2003

(3/4 mile away) in the first grade. The next year, it was me and my younger sister. Of course, it was a small town where everyone knew everyone.

on edit: I won't let my son do this. We live in a larger city, and people down here drive like maniacs. Plus, either my wife or I have to ensure he gets a good meal to start his day. Left to his own devices, he would have chocolate cake for breakfast. Wonder where he gets that from? :)

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maseman

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Tue Jan-06-09 04:51 PM
Response to Reply #4

16. I did

I was in first grade when I was at the bus stop. There were other kids but I had to walk a few blocks by myself to get there. My mom was a stay at home mom then but it is just what we did.

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Connie_Corleone

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Tue Jan-06-09 06:03 PM
Response to Reply #16

20. I probably did too. I just can't remember.

I was a latchkey kid by the time I was in the 4th grade. Nowadays, my mother would be locked up for not being home with me when I got out of school. She had to work. One parent in the home and all that.

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JerseygirlCT

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:27 PM
Response to Reply #2

5. I agree!

I can see the bus from my door, but at that age, I was there at the bus stop until my child was on the bus every morning - even when I'd have preferred to sleep in and not make the short walk to the stop.

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bunnies

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:35 PM
Response to Reply #5

8. Thats what I would have to do too.

There is no way I could let a tiny kid stand on the road like that. Alone. And I sure as hell cant picture myself going to sleep while he's out there.

I think some would call it 'overprotective' which is why I asked. :hi:

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slackmaster

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:29 PM
Response to Original message

6. The amazing part for me is that he made it 10 miles before crashing

And I'm glad nobody was seriously hurt.

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FSogol

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:40 PM
Response to Reply #6

9. Probably thanks to playing Mario Kart. If he had a Wii controller

instead of a steering wheel, he might of avoided the crash.

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JerseygirlCT

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Tue Jan-06-09 04:57 PM
Response to Reply #6

18. I know!

I'm torn on that, too, though. Was someone already teaching a 6 yo how to drive? You know, those people who think it "cute" to place a child on their lap and drive with them? Makes me very, very frightened for those children.

I mean, I think at that age, mine still thought you drove by turning the steering wheel back and forth - that's why he'd get upset if I took one hand off the wheel!

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Politicalboi

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:48 PM
Response to Original message

10. How is it possible

For a 6 year old to drive? I'm not saying the story isn't true but when you think about the distace from the seat to the pedals then steering and then shift from park to drive. Lucky no one was killed.

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LibertyLover

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Tue Jan-06-09 03:59 PM
Response to Original message

11. The mom was sleeping? Excuse me?

My daughter is 6 and we wouldn't dream of letting her be at the bus stop by herself, even though it's just 3 houses up from ours and we can see it from our front porch. Of course she also can't get her own breakfast yet, so we have to be up to feed her too. And if we didn't get her up, she would probably sleep until 8 or 9 am (solely on school days of course, on the weekends when I don't have to go to work, she's up at the crack of dawn). I mean, my kid likes school and doesn't want to miss it, but she would have no qualms about getting me or my husband up. There is something odd here.

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Sydnie

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Tue Jan-06-09 04:45 PM
Response to Reply #11

14. Perhaps the mother works nights? Perhaps the father got the child ready

and then left for work not realizing that the bus had been missed? Perhaps there was supposed to be another adult there but they were absent and the mother was ill.

Could have been a lot of things that contributed to "the mother sleeping" part of this story.

I'll reserve judgment until I hear more of the story.

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SheilaT

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Tue Jan-06-09 04:40 PM
Response to Original message

13. Another good reason to

own a car with a standard transmission.

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Winterblues

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Tue Jan-06-09 04:48 PM
Response to Original message

15. When I was a kid I walked ten miles through snow uphill both ways..

Kids these days....hmph....

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Duer 157099

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Tue Jan-06-09 04:52 PM
Response to Original message

17. Uniquely American!

I bet his family is one of those "uniquely American" types where the mom has to work 3 jobs just to survive.

Right?

Bush should praise this kid, he's pulling himself up by his bootstraps!

This is the world they have created for us.

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FSogol

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Tue Jan-06-09 05:01 PM
Response to Original message

19. Moved to VA forum by a Mod? Why?

Although it happened in VA, nothing in it deals with VA. It was LBN when posted, why is it moved and 4 versions of Merkle's suicide not moved? :shrug:

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