Close call in a parade

Dave in Boise

Dave in Boise

Senior Member
Hi All,

Had a wonderful time in the small town parade we went to in Melba, Idaho last week.. Town of 500 turns into a town of 15,000 nfor the parade and 4th of july.. Lots of fun..

Was putting along in the parade, and I have my missus watching the passenger side for kids, and I watch the drivers side due to floats in front of us throwing candy on the parade route

Well, a little girl (about 18 months old I assume) darts out as her parents are distracted and gets in front fo the coupe.. I hit the binders and horn and stop about 4 inches from her.. None the less to say, added more gray hair to my beard and more terrible visions of what would have happened if I had been distracted..

A reminder.. In a parade, you need to be even more vigilant and defensive than when in normal traffic, especially if there is candy in the road.

Take care everyone..

- Dave in Boise
 
Had a similar thing happen last year during our last parade of the season. Kids were running out trying to pick up candy that had bee previously thrown by other participants. 2 ran right in front of me to pick up some candy and I had to swerve to miss them. We have asked this parade to forgo any candy until all the cars have passed.
 
I stopped going to parades that don"t allow us to throw candy! If people would just throw it closer to the little ones they would be safe and out of the way!!!!!!!
 
I stopped driving my cars or tractors in parades that allow candy throwing a few years ago. Had a couple of close calls, not as close as Dave, but close enough for me. Tuneman is right that if people tossed the candy to the curb, there wouldn't be a problem . . . . but it seems like few manage to get the job done.
 
Our small town parade has also outlawed the candy toss, and the water fight between the crowd and the volunteer fire dept. We did have more fun back then, but I guess its safer for the young ones. Last year we made the trip up to Whistler for Canada Day and ran two cars in the parade through the village. Never Again!
If it wasn't kids it was full grown adults running out in front to snap pictures. My legs were killing me after from hitting the clutch and brakes to avoid them. Very narrow roads packed to the running boards with people, pushing and shoving, dogs off leash, and a confusing route even through dark underground parkades! Yeah they had a great turn out, but my Father and I won't be back to that one.
 
One of the car clubs I belong to, had 29 vintage cars of various makes and models in the 4th of July parade. I was driving my '28 Tudor, the grandkids said they heard a noise, looked back and the two cars directly behind me came in contact with each other.

The car behind me, a 1951 Kaiser was stopped and struck by the Hupmobile Roadster behind it. The driver said they were waving to someone and did not notice the car in front had stopped.

There was noticeable minor damage to the bumpers of both vehicles. No one hurt, insurance will take care of the repairs.

No candy was allowed to be thrown from the vehicles, but if there was someone walking along side the vehicle, candy could be handed out.
 
This year during our parade, a 3 year old had her arm run over by a tow truck, she was after candy.
 
Jeff/Illinois said:
Sad cases all, but you have to ask the endearing question 'Where the hell are the parents?'

As usual, kids not being supervised. Nobody watching them. Left to rip and run and do what they please.

The result is more rules more laws more restrictions on parades because 'It's THEIR fault my kid is stupid.' Always blame someone else:mad:
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I agree, and it's not the government's job to try to protect us from our own stupidity. Between stupid people, lawyers and insurance companies many of our common rights have been taken away. It's hard to have fun anymore with all the laws and restrictions put in place. The instruction sheet for my magnetic trailer lights even says that I should wear safety goggles when using this product. Get real! Let's get some common sense back in America!:)
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
I agree, and it's not the government's job to try to protect us from our own stupidity. Between stupid people, lawyers and insurance companies many of our common rights have been taken away. It's hard to have fun anymore with all the laws and restrictions put in place. The instruction sheet for my magnetic trailer lights even says that I should wear safety goggles when using this product. Get real! Let's get some common sense back in America!:)
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It is my responsibility to raise my children. It's also my responsibility to teach them the decisions/actions have consequences. It's by the consequences that we learn right from wrong.
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
I agree, and it's not the government's job to try to protect us from our own stupidity. Between stupid people, lawyers and insurance companies many of our common rights have been taken away. It's hard to have fun anymore with all the laws and restrictions put in place. The instruction sheet for my magnetic trailer lights even says that I should wear safety goggles when using this product. Get real! Let's get some common sense back in America!:)
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Tom, you hit thenail on the head!! Unfortunately things will not improve because our country is run by lawyers and the ones that don't run the country, chase ambulances. There are exceptions of course and I apologize to them. Don/WI
 
I have driven in some local parades that do not allow candy. A rule that is totally ignored and unenforced around here. I suspect having the rule offers the sponsors a level of liability protection. Transfers the liability to the rule breakers.
 
Don't care about lawyers don't care about safety labels. Throwing candy in a parade that would prompt kids to run in the road to get the candy is just a mistake on the part of the person or persons conducting the parade and throwing the candy. No childs life is worth the risk.
 
All very good points about candy at parades. I have had my grandkids throw candy at our local parade but this year it will stop. Also I run very slow in any parade I drive in with the horn on most of the time.
 
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