Some advice required re: gobby teenagers.

[Andrew_Culture]

It's always tempting to harbour thoughts of going over and sorting them out but actually for people like that who crave notoriety, being ignored is a worse insult. As soon as you show signs of having noticed them and being bothered they are receiving reward for their abuse whereas shouting abuse at someone and not getting any reaction at all just makes people feel silly.

Agreed, and you also then make it a 'you and them' thing, you enter into their ken as it were.

We had a house opposite from us that was used by someone or other to house newly arrived Polish teenagers while they were found work locally. Being teenagers possibly away from home for the first time they quite understandably like to party hard. This got a bit much with a newborn baby (ours, not theirs) so I decided I would take them a bottle of wine to welcome them to the neighbourhood and say no more. If they actually spoke to their neighbours maybe they'd be a little more considerate. Before I got a chance one of the neighbours unleashed a torrent of racial slurs and dumb threats of deportation at them, the Polish folk were shocked and a little upset. Why are English people so mean thought they?

I've gone off topic, but the point was that by unleashing said torrent our neighbours made what could have been a gentle intervention into a 'them and us' thing.

 

[postman]

From one who was involved in an incident with four youngmen years ago.Walk away they are not worth it.They have nothing between their ears and you will be like last weeks newspaper to them,forgotten.They will pick on someone else.
I my case four lads ripped out a row of nearly 20 young trees i had planted during the afternoon.I grabbed the biggest and went face to face,calling him and saying no wonder you only come out at night your ugly ba.
They went home and complained to their mummies.One of them had a knife in his jeans pocket.My wife a police Officer collared him and took him to weetwood police station,his parents were called,and I GOT THREATENED WITH ARREST.
He had the knife.Pis=== me right off that did.Nothing happened to me or him though.Never saw them again either.
Walk away it's not worth it.

 

[mickle]

There is a complete lack of respect for others with many kids these days,....

'These days'? Really? I'm pretty sure that twatty teenagers are not a new phenomenon.

 

[ColinJ]

'These days'? Really? I'm pretty sure that twatty teenagers are not a new phenomenon.

True - the difference these days is actually the parent(s)! Whenever I got up to mischief, my dad wanted to sort me out, not the person complaining about me!

 

[DWiggy]

.... unfortunately were on about the 3rd generation of scum...its only going to get worse with ever generation, and they breed like rabbits!

 

[fossyant]

True - the difference these days is actually the parent(s)! Whenever I got up to mischief, my dad wanted to sort me out, not the person complaining about me!

Exactly.

 

[PaulSecteur]

You must let us know when shes on jeremy kyle. Sounds like she will be having issues in a few years!

 

[Monsieur]

As mentioned earlier, gobby teens are nothing new - the main difference now is they 'know their rights'

I would advise very strongly reporting this to the police - your main risk now is she goes to the police first and complains about you shouting abuse at her (and maybe claiming something more than that). You could risk an arrest, as an adult, for abusing a teenager (even though you have done nothing of the sort) and you wouldn't have any evidence that you hadn't, whereas she could get a few of her equally gobby-teen mates to 'back up' her story.

Contrary to what you witnessed, and now think, most teenagers are decent young people who mean no harm or malice to anyone.

Sounds like you met one of the minority

Police involvement definetly

 

[ayceejay]

I was driving an empty panel van though the snow (Westcott, Surrey) when four lads standing at the side of the road pelted the van with snowballs BOOM BOOM BOOM, the sound echoed through the van scaring the spit out of me. I stopped the van. The kids froze briefly and then took off running, I caught the slowest one who fell to the ground in the snow crying "It wasn't me mister" I slapped him on his ear feeling as though I was handing on a chalice that was passed to me when I was his age. I got back to the van and continued on my way. I remember when I was a kid that part of the thrill of cherry knocking or whatever was the fear you might be caught so I had played my part in this ongoing saga.

 

[deanE]

No desire to be young again!

 

[biggs682]

I'm afraid the best thing to do is rise above it and stop throwing fuel on the fire. The girls are far the worse I'm afraid and will just reflect and amplify anything they encounter.

would agree with MattHB but its not always that easy

 

[oldfatfool]

Deffo record it, my biggest worry in your position would be if you start making waves for the chaved up whore you are likely to find yourself accused of all sorts and then it will be you trying to prove your innocence, they might be scum but you can bet they know what strings to pull and know all about criminal compo etc etc.

 

[Globalti]

I was driving an empty panel van though the snow (Westcott, Surrey) when four lads standing at the side of the road pelted the van with snowballs BOOM BOOM BOOM, the sound echoed through the van scaring the spit out of me. I stopped the van. The kids froze briefly and then took off running, I caught the slowest one who fell to the ground in the snow crying "It wasn't me mister" I slapped him on his ear feeling as though I was handing on a chalice that was passed to me when I was his age. I got back to the van and continued on my way. I remember when I was a kid that part of the thrill of cherry knocking or whatever was the fear you might be caught so I had played my part in this ongoing saga.

I did the same thing a few years ago except that I was really livid and came out of my car door bellowing like an enraged bull as the car skidded to a halt on the handbrake. About a dozen kids scattered in all directions most gratifyingly and thank God they did, or I'd have had a problem on my hands! I sprinted after the biggest group and overtook a girl who cowered back, shouting "It wasn't me!" - I even felt a bit guilty about it afterwards.

The fact that I was on my way out to a snowy night ride and dressed in black tights might have contributed to the effect....

 

[Spinney]

What you need is a portable version of one of these:
http://movingsoundtech.com/

CD & boom box?
http://www.pcmech.com/article/the-mosquito-tone-how-it-works/

But not when your kids are with you...

 

[Archie_tect]

Best ignore.
Kids feel safe enough in a group to be lippy, but unless they feel threatened while tanked up on White Lightning they are unlikely to do anything. If you continue to swear and shout at them they'll give as good as they get.... you'll never 'win', they'll just remember you next time- especially if you're with your children. Pointless trying to reason with them and unless they do get physical little to be gained by prolonging it with the school or police, they'll get bored and/or grow up.