# I don't appreciate little children telling me how to cross a road **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 17, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720 "2004-02-17T22:38:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![byter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@byter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/byter)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/21 "2004-02-18T16:03:18Z")
> [@curly chick](#): > > Just call me the poster girl for Curmudgeon Weekly. Woot Woot! That wouldn’t be the swimsuit edition would it? ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/22 "2004-02-18T16:03:20Z")
> [@curly chick](#): > > See. that’s where the difference lies, people who haven’t got kids, like me and the OP haven’t got heads filled with > “Omigod, there’s a random child, I **must** set it a good example”. It wasn’t a random kid. It was apparently a crossing guard at a crosswalk in front of an elementary school, not little Joey Smith at 5th and Main in the city. > [@](#): > > FWIW, anklebiters with big important, life-saving jobs such as being the school crossing warden should apply themselves to the job at hand, not remonstrate with passing adult strangers. As a school crossing guard at the school crossing, by telling the adult stranger to cross with the guard, s/he WAS doing his/her job. [quote[Just call me the poster girl for Curmudgeon Weekly.[/QUOTE] I’ll stick with “ignorant,” thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/23 "2004-02-18T16:11:30Z")
> [@Hamadryad](#): > > “But I shouldn’t have to wait! I’m a grown-up!” Well, but you’re also there at the school crossing. You should set a good example. “That’s their PARENTS’ job.” Okay, their parents have to teach them EVERYTHING about social mores and you would prefer to set the example that, when you’re a grown-up, only PARENTS have to follow the rules. > > Which would explain a lot of hostility toward kids, actually. > > And, you know, a reasonable alternative (and one which I have used, when crossing with my kids without the guard) is, “You know, I’m an adult, so I already understand how to safely cross a street. Thank you, though.” Excellent point (though perhaps a bit of a tangent here). To quote a silly beer comercial I heard a while ago while visiting Canada, “We’re living in a _ **society** _!!!” If you’re interacting with children, particularly if it’s around a school or other place of education, you’re in their domain, and it’s part of your responsibility to at least suffer their ignorance and fresh attempts at social interaction, if not to help imprint your idea of right behavior on them. Which, I would like to point out, the OP did. He/she didn’t take this out on the kid according to the story, but is just venting about it here. Yeah, it can be frustrating when a kid thinks they know it all and start asserting it loudly to complete strangers. But, I’d say that it’s just one aspect of the kid’s learning that has yet to be developed; when to tell strangers what to do, and when to keep well enough alone. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/24 "2004-02-18T16:23:47Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > But, I’d say that it’s just one aspect of the kid’s learning that has yet to be developed; when to tell strangers what to do, and when to keep well enough alone. So my patented “Fuck Off ya jumped up little bollocks” would have been a valuable lesson for the little tot? Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/25 "2004-02-18T16:37:16Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > So my patented “Fuck Off ya jumped up little bollocks” would have been a valuable lesson for the little tot? Cool. Well, if “swearing excessively is the mark of a weak mind” is the lesson you’re trying to put across, go for it. ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/26 "2004-02-18T16:48:10Z")
[QUOTE=Hamadryad] It wasn’t a random kid. It was apparently a crossing guard at a crosswalk in front of an elementary school, not little Joey Smith at 5th and Main in the city. As a school crossing guard at the school crossing, by telling the adult stranger to cross with the guard, s/he WAS doing his/her job. > [@](#): > > I’ll stick with “ignorant,” thanks. [QUOTE=Hamadryad] It wasn’t a random kid. It was apparently a crossing guard at a crosswalk in front of an elementary school, not little Joey Smith at 5th and Main in the city. As a school crossing guard at the school crossing, by telling the adult stranger to cross with the guard, s/he WAS doing his/her job. > [@](#): > > I’ll stick with “ignorant,” thanks. Wow. Someone’s getting his/her knickers in a twist. If your world allows for an “ignorant” person to defend her position, here’s mine: To me, any kid whose name I don’t know is a random kid. Gosh. How ignorant. I wouldn’t like anyone to think I went around purposefully running them over in my car or puncturing their footballs - they are just not on my radar. To me, now as I’ve been forced into thinking about it, the role of a kid who is supposed to be the school traffic crossing prefect - or whatever the proper name for such kiddiwinks is - is to make sure the other kiddiwinks get across the road safely. Such an anklebiter has absolutely no remit telling random grown ups such as me or the OP what to do. Teachers and parents yup; certainly, they are part of said child’s world, but random strangers? No. What next? Random child in newsagent demands I buy sweeties for him/her? I don’t think so. Or did I, sitting here in Ignorantland miss a memo that says the likes of \*\*Hamadryad \*\* now can tell me what I’m allowed to think. Gosh. How ignorant. Oh, and **byter** - I dunno, but provided the thought police that is \*\*Hamdryad \*\* permits it, I’ll think about it! ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/27 "2004-02-18T16:56:27Z")
Or maybe the sprog will come out of it thinking maybe it shouldn’t be a jumped up little bollocks 😉 \<-------- Inserted this time as obviously you need to be showered in smilies to know that someone isn’t entirely serious(Or fuck off you humourless jumped up bollocks ) ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/28 "2004-02-18T17:13:08Z")
> [@curly chick](#): > > Oh, and **byter** - I dunno, but provided the thought police that is \*\*Hamdryad \*\* permits it, I’ll think about it! The eloquence of your prose is surpassed only by its subtlety. Your carefully thought out retort has demolished any hope I had for rebuttal. Well…except for this: > [@](#): > > What next? Random child in newsagent demands I buy sweeties for him/her? > I don’t think so. Well, as the child is not performing the job of telling people to fetch him sweets - and thus can’t be realistically compared to a crossing guard doing the job of being a crossing guard - I’d say this really isn’t a valid comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/29 "2004-02-18T17:14:45Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > Or maybe the sprog will come out of it thinking maybe it shouldn’t be a jumped up little bollocks 😉 \<-------- Inserted this time as obviously you need to be showered in smilies to know that someone isn’t entirely serious(Or fuck off you humourless jumped up bollocks ) Your honor, I did not have sex with that humourless jumped up bollocks. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/30 "2004-02-18T17:17:06Z")
Well I haven’t yet. How’s your honour honding up? ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/31 "2004-02-18T17:18:28Z")
honding? holding t’was what I meant. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/32 "2004-02-18T17:29:13Z")
[Snotty 7-year-old voice] Ummmmm! Misss , Misss, **yojimbo’s** been honding his jumped up little bollocks again! [/s7yov] ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/33 "2004-02-18T17:30:45Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > honding? > > holding t’was what I meant. My hondler is fondling up honourable bollocks. I don’t know if my hondler is holding them while fondling, though folding is not entirely out of the question. My honour is never in question, but I can’t recall having an answer, either. Everything is clear now, yes? I’m feeling expansive. **curly chick** now has my permission to think whatever she’d like to think. Generous, no? (apologies to all for attached sig; it won’t _let_ me uncheck it.) ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/34 "2004-02-18T17:33:59Z")
> [@Hamadryad](#): > > Everything is clear now, yes? Crystal 😃 ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/35 "2004-02-18T17:40:33Z")
Where I live, a crossing guard is an adult that actually directs children and traffic at intersections near schools. The seven year old was probably a “patrol” or “safety patrol,” meaning a child who is given responsibilities by the school to help to enforce safety rules (like obeying the crossing guard). Patrols do help other children cross the street safely, but generally only at the smaller intersections. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/36 "2004-02-18T17:51:15Z")
Okay, I may have got the age of the kid wrong - he came up to my waist, whatever age that is. I had to look waaaaaay down to see where my admonishment was coming from. Secondly, if detractors had bothered to read the whole OP before getting their panties all bunched up, they would have read that there was no crossing guard on the side of the street I started crossing from. There was a girl putting out safety pylons. I don’t know what she was doing with them - for all I know, it’s a credit course in grade schools these days. Thirdly, again if said detractors had bothered to read my words, they would have seen that I do indeed cross with the crossing guards when they are present and on duty. I understand that during congested times pedestrians need to wait and cross in clumps so that traffic has a hope of flowing at all. This was just at the start of the mid-afternoon rush, and the guards weren’t all in place yet, so I continued walking home like I normally do. Fourthly, as for me being a role model for jumped up little sprogs, they could do far worse than learn to cross streets by my example. I’m a damned good pedestrian, thank yew very much. I cause minimal trouble for the cars, I cross only at corners, only with the walk lights, I make my intentions to cross clear, I look both ways before and during crossings, and I don’t expect drivers to pull miracles out of their asses to stop for me even when I have right of way. ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/37 "2004-02-18T18:16:33Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Secondly, if detractors had bothered to read the whole OP before getting their panties all bunched up, they would have read that there was no crossing guard on the side of the street I started crossing from. Well, but you later said: > [@](#): > > I guess I wasn’t clear - the kid _was_ the crossing guard. Usually there’s only one crossing guard, not one on each side of the street - and that person lets both sides go. I’m mostly saying that the kids really have it pounded into their heads (figuratively speaking, one hopes) that you ALWAYS CROSS WITH THE CROSSING GUARD ---
**Author:** ![Hamadryad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6de8d8/32.png) [@Hamadryad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamadryad)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/38 "2004-02-18T18:18:44Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Secondly, if detractors had bothered to read the whole OP before getting their panties all bunched up, they would have read that there was no crossing guard on the side of the street I started crossing from. Well, but you later said: > [@](#): > > I guess I wasn’t clear - the kid _was_ the crossing guard. Usually there’s only one crossing guard, not one on each side of the street - and that person lets both sides go. I’m mostly saying that the kids really have it pounded into their heads (figuratively speaking, one hopes) that you ALWAYS CROSS WITH THE CROSSING GUARD, and a simple, “I’m a grownup, I’ve been crossing the street by myself for a long time” would probably accomplished more than a shocked gasp. I understand you’re just venting here - but I don’t think simple disrespect was at work…just trying to make that bit CLEAR to you. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/39 "2004-02-18T20:17:19Z")
In **featherlou’s** defence, the crossing guards here in Calgary operate in groups of three; one on each side and a “supervisor” guard (also a kid). If she was at a corner where the guards hadn’t fully deployed, where the kids were still busy setting out their little pylon perimeter, she had a reasonable expectation that they weren’t ready to do their job and, therefore, she could cross at her own risk without some snot-nosed little house monkey berating her. ---
**Author:** ![DeaganTheWolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DeaganTheWolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeaganTheWolf)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720/40 "2004-02-18T21:59:08Z")
Wow. The breeders must REALLY love their kids. After all, their little darlings just MUST have a good example set for them at all times by the general public. If they take a flippant tone with an adult, well that HORRIBLE person MUST have been in the wrong. The little crotch apple ought to know to shut his mouth and not talk to strangers. Further, If he IS a saftey patroller then it should be crystal clear that his duties apply to kids, NOT to random strangers walking about before school was even OUT yet. The little sod is lucky that he didn’t get an earful, or worse. Kids need to learn respect the next adult he tries that on might give him the back of his hand instead of an earful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-appreciate-little-children-telling-me-how-to-cross-a-road/229720.md?page=3)