Would / Could it happen today - ?

[simongt]

A journey I took back in '67 made me wonder ref. the title of this post.
Two pals & I cycled from Larne to Rostrevor; about 70 miles, on the borders of Carlingford Lough and spent a week in a large house 'doing our own thing'.
We were about fourteen at the time, had been put on the overnight sleeper train to Stranraer by one of my pals dads, ferried over and went from there. Canna mind about tools etc., but probably had a puncture outfit and that was about our preparedness - !
We didn't have a care in the world - !
So, whaddya think - ?

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Yep it could/would. Plenty of folks who can't plan are still about today. And I don't mean inexperienced 14 year olds on a fine adventure. Hopefully there are still some 14 year olds who still do adventures.

 

[simongt]

Hopefully there are still some 14 year olds who still do adventures.

And of course, no cellphones or other electronic devices allowed; that would remove the adventure bit - !
I did take a transistor radio, but as it got switched on during the outward journey and I hadn't noticed, no good when we got there - !

 

[Jameshow]

I was approx 16 and I rode from high Wycombe down to Littlehampton 75miles each way through Slough, Woking, Guildford etc.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I was approx 16 and I rode from high Wycombe down to Littlehampton 75miles each way through Slough, Woking, Guildford etc.

Commiserations

 

[ColinJ]

I am sure that there are plenty of teenagers who would still like to disappear on adventures for days at a time, but how many parents would be happy with that?

The roads are a lot busier now. Many that I cycled unsupervised in the Coventry area with my mates 60 years ago can be a nightmare now. I wouldn't be happy to let young kids ride solo on them...

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

When I was a Scout I had to do a "48 hour hike" for a badge

I did it with a friend from the same patrol.

Set out one day and walked to a campsite, set up the tent etc and had dinner - next morning walked all day (ish) to the final destination

Naturally there were no mobile phones so we were out of contact until we arrived at the end point - basically 2 days

OK - it was all planned and all that but we were about 13/14 and had to look after ourselves in the country for 2 days with no contact with home
Although, of course, phone boxes were more common those days if we had needed one

It was just a standard thing for Scouts to do at the time

 

[oldwheels]

In my teens I toured by bike most of the West Highlands and islands. Mostly on my own but sometimes with my pal Jum who had an ex police bike with double crossbars. We often bivvied but with no sleeping bags we kept a fire going for warmth. On my own I stayed at SYHA hostels and once forgot my map so got a Shell one at a garage. Usually off for a couple of weeks with no phones but sent the occasional postcard.
Never any problems in those days and outside July/August even the main roads were pretty quiet.

 

[gbb]

As above, it's the parents, and probably even me, that would/could be the problem.
Our 18 yo grandaughter is remarkably self driven and self sufficient, scared of nothing, adventurous and has the wanderlust. Her dad was concerned when he tracked her phone at maybe 16 ( with her knowledge and consent) to find she was in Leicester or similar with a friend. She would go on 30 mile walks at 15 with a friend, take a train, bus, book a hotel at 17, etc etc. I know she's a bit older that the subject matter but suspect had she been born 40 years earlier, she'd be the person being discussed here.
The key factor is she is intelligent and studiously thinks about what she wants and generally plans it, it's not a whim. If it were, it would be scary.

Equally, we did warn her as she started venturing into the adult world, there are risks, there are bad people out there and she should tread carefully and with some suspicion if neccessary.
She really is an old head on young shoulders.

I left home at 16, no trouble, no family squabbles, I just wanted to do my thing, make my way in life. She and I are pretty similar in that sense.
I'd catch a bus into Nottingham and spend the day there at 14, 15 years old. No adults, just experience stuff for myself, again, we're quite similar.

Entirely depends on the individual as to whether you feel comfortable and they are as safe as they reasonably can be. Add the fact, she surrounds herself with decent quality friends, that a big comforter for everyone e.

 

[Mike Ayling]

IMHO the biggest issue in 2024 is the number of motor vehicles on all roads, including the former quiet country lanes, thank to google maps and other providers.
Helicopter parents would be well within their rights to veto any similar projects today and non helicopter parents could be hit with a child neglect rap for permitting little Marmeduke to undertake any such journeys today.

 

[EltonFrog]

From the age of 13 to 17 I used to regularly cycle during the school holidays from Willesden Junction to Welling, Kent. For reasons I’m not sure about, I used to go via Kew and around the South Circular Road.
I’m not sure kids would do that today.
One year me and two friends canoed from Reading to Chertsey, wild camping overnight when we were about 15. Something to do with scouts. No one seemed bothered that we were out and about on our jacks.

 

[classic33]

When I was a Scout I had to do a "48 hour hike" for a badge

I did it with a friend from the same patrol.

Set out one day and walked to a campsite, set up the tent etc and had dinner - next morning walked all day (ish) to the final destination

Naturally there were no mobile phones so we were out of contact until we arrived at the end point - basically 2 days

OK - it was all planned and all that but we were about 13/14 and had to look after ourselves in the country for 2 days with no contact with home
Although, of course, phone boxes were more common those days if we had needed one

It was just a standard thing for Scouts to do at the time

I've been involved in finding scouts/guides who failed to turn up at their checkpoint, only to turn up somewhere else later. Completely unaware of the fact that they were in the wrong place.

 

[Electric_Andy]

I'd not be happy with my son doing that. He's fairly street wise but it's the other people you have to worry about. Too many weirdos and dangerous drivers about these days. Also far more cars and people in general

 

[Alex321]

I'd not be happy with my son doing that. He's fairly street wise but it's the other people you have to worry about. Too many weirdos and dangerous drivers about these days. Also far more cars and people in general

A lot more cars, yes. But only about 20% more people in the UK today than there were in 1967. Certainly more, but I wouldn't say "far" more.

And I'm not sure there are actually any more weirdos and dangerous drivers around, we just hear a lot more about them due to much higher levels of mass communication.

But going back to the original point, I remember when my dad was stationed at Kinloss in Scotland, I was aged 9-10 while he was there, and would often go off with my younger brother on our bikes, being out for several hours, sometimes cycling down to Findhorn bay to go fishing, or off into some nearby woods which bordered onto a deserted beach. We did get warnings not to talk to strangers, and given a time we had to be home by, but that was about it.

 

[Time Waster]

No idea how to find it but there were a lot of reports years ago in news media I believe on research that gave figures to violent crimes now and in the past. Something about no more violent crimes just more reporting of it.

I am very vague on the details but iirc it led to a debate on parents wrapping up their kids in bubble wrap because the perception of stranger danger and violence against kids being significantly out of kilter with the evidence now compared to olden times like the 60s and 70s.

So I think of it doesn't happen now it's down to a mix of exaggerated parental fears and increased road use. You will not convince me that drivers are worse now.

When I was a kid I saw adults leaving a pub at midday, stagger to their car, drop their keys, spend a few minutes trying to bend over to pick them up without falling over before getting into their car and driving off to the local football stadium for the top flight home game. That was a football club owner BTW. Two of us saw it happen. Being kids we didn't have the necessary life skills to take his keys off him. We just sat in our car until he'd driven off. Didn't want to be on the roads at the time and place he was.

That drink driving was common when I was younger, the above happened when I was 17, it wasn't as common at that time as it was when I was a very young kid in the 70s. Certainly not in the country.