Thoughts please

[Orior]

Nope never seen him before. Was just a randomer and the only reason i stopped is cos i was coming out of a junction and i was going slow and had my window down and he came halfway across the road to stop me. I wouldnt have just driven on. I know it was foolish but im still glad i took him.

I am too. That child was a sitting duck for any head case coming along that road behind you. That extremely dangerous situation was created by the taxi driver and diffused by you by taking the child to the safety of its school.

Get the child out of danger ASAP and deal with the lunacy of the taxi driver later.

Exactly. Well done TG.

[annapr]

The right thing to do,imo, would have been to wait with the child at the car while the taxi man flagged down another car to help change the wheel. She said herself there was someone helping him when she drove back that way so it must have been easy enough get someone.
Worst case scenario then was she was late for work and the child was late for school.Far better than bringing the child and maybe having an accident or leaving the child and someone else taking him.
Driving off with the child was wrong but driving off and leaving the child would also have been wrong.
Good intentions or not she made the wrong choice imo.

[muppet]

Apologies but I keep checking back for an update and I'm expecting something along these lines:

TG rings the taxi firm and the girl on the switch is confused and says we have no driver on that run and she must be mistaken. TG insists it was that taxi firm and this was the number to ring on the taxi and after a while the owner comes on the line and describes the man that TG took the child from. Yes, says TG that's him, after a moment of silence, the owner says that was Big Dave McNulty, who was driving a child to school on that route exactly 6 years ago today but he got a tyre blowout and they both died in the accident as a result   

(if it was America that's exactly what would happen!)

Are you taking PEDs for that marathon? 

[bridgegael]

The parents have a right to know what went on here. This is gross negligence on the part of the taxi firm.  Someone the parents trusted to get their child safely to school has just handed them to a complete stranger a watch them drive off.  Crazy story!!

[armaghniac]

Nope never seen him before. Was just a randomer and the only reason i stopped is cos i was coming out of a junction and i was going slow and had my window down and he came halfway across the road to stop me. I wouldnt have just driven on. I know it was foolish but im still glad i took him.

I am too. That child was a sitting duck for any head case coming along that road behind you. That extremely dangerous situation was created by the taxi driver and diffused by you by taking the child to the safety of its school.

Get the child out of danger ASAP and deal with the lunacy of the taxi driver later.

The OP acted to improve the child's position, although this may have been unwise from here own perspective. The question of child seats was mentioned, I wonder what child seat was in the taxi?

In general, attitudes where giving a child a life is regarded as wrong are a bit sad.

[T Fearon]

My thoughts is TyroneGirl should have charged the guy for transporting the child to school.After all he would have done so.

[Rudi]

Incredible thread can see both sides of the arguement. Tyrone girl did not have time to think, if she did she would have still done the same thing. The parents need a kick in the hole, the taxi driver should be reported. Tyrone girl could have got in a shit load of trouble, but imo acted admirably and if I was put in the same position would have done the same thing, even if it was wrong. Bizarre incident would not be surprised if ss were to get involved if informed about this thread. 4 years of age ffs.

[andoireabu]

Incredible thread can see both sides of the arguement. Tyrone girl did not have time to think, if she did she would have still done the same thing. The parents need a kick in the hole, the taxi driver should be reported. Tyrone girl could have got in a shit load of trouble, but imo acted admirably and if I was put in the same position would have done the same thing, even if it was wrong. Bizarre incident would not be surprised if ss were to get involved if informed about this thread. 4 years of age ffs.

What did the parents do that deserves a "kick in the hole?"

[Rudi]

Incredible thread can see both sides of the arguement. Tyrone girl did not have time to think, if she did she would have still done the same thing. The parents need a kick in the hole, the taxi driver should be reported. Tyrone girl could have got in a shit load of trouble, but imo acted admirably and if I was put in the same position would have done the same thing, even if it was wrong. Bizarre incident would not be surprised if ss were to get involved if informed about this thread. 4 years of age ffs.

What did the parents do that deserves a "kick in the hole?"

Sending a four year old to school in a taxi unaccompanied by either parent is wrong, unless they knew the taxi driver well. Plus the said taxi driver which they trusted did something unthinkable, therefore they deserve a kick.....

[andoireabu]

Incredible thread can see both sides of the arguement. Tyrone girl did not have time to think, if she did she would have still done the same thing. The parents need a kick in the hole, the taxi driver should be reported. Tyrone girl could have got in a shit load of trouble, but imo acted admirably and if I was put in the same position would have done the same thing, even if it was wrong. Bizarre incident would not be surprised if ss were to get involved if informed about this thread. 4 years of age ffs.

What did the parents do that deserves a "kick in the hole?"

Sending a four year old to school in a taxi unaccompanied by either parent is wrong, unless they knew the taxi driver well. Plus the said taxi driver which they trusted did something unthinkable, therefore they deserve a kick.....

I could be wrong but i doubt the parents booked the taxi themselves as a one off.  More likely the school has set it up to get children to school due to no bus service.  For a school to do this the taxi company would have to be police vetted to transport children so they would be legit.  The parents probably trust the school to not mess that up so no kick in the hole for them.  If as i assume the child gets to school by taxi everyday, then the parents may know the driver and trust him. No kick there either.  To me the blame lies completely with the driver for handing the child over, but as others have said it is sad that this is an issue at all.  When you have to cover your own ass at the expense of doing a good deed then times are bad.

[JoG2]

Incredible thread can see both sides of the arguement. Tyrone girl did not have time to think, if she did she would have still done the same thing. The parents need a kick in the hole, the taxi driver should be reported. Tyrone girl could have got in a shit load of trouble, but imo acted admirably and if I was put in the same position would have done the same thing, even if it was wrong. Bizarre incident would not be surprised if ss were to get involved if informed about this thread. 4 years of age ffs.

What did the parents do that deserves a "kick in the hole?"

Sending a four year old to school in a taxi unaccompanied by either parent is wrong, unless they knew the taxi driver well. Plus the said taxi driver which they trusted did something unthinkable, therefore they deserve a kick.....

I could be wrong but i doubt the parents booked the taxi themselves as a one off.  More likely the school has set it up to get children to school due to no bus service.  For a school to do this the taxi company would have to be police vetted to transport children so they would be legit.  The parents probably trust the school to not mess that up so no kick in the hole for them.  If as i assume the child gets to school by taxi everyday, then the parents may know the driver and trust him. No kick there either.  To me the blame lies completely with the driver for handing the child over, but as others have said it is sad that this is an issue at all.  When you have to cover your own ass at the expense of doing a good deed then times are bad.

I disagree. The parents were fools to trust the driver ie he gave their child to a stranger!    That's a hobnail boot kick in the hole right there.  I've a 4 year old and there is no way I'd let him in another vehicle unless myself,  wife and son knew the driver very well.  I'll make an assumption here and say that if the taxi man knew the family and child well,  he would not have let the child go with TG or any other stranger.  He'd have kept him with him until he got his car sorted,  whether that be 10mins or an hour or 2.

He didn't however and wrongly shifted the safe welfare of a 4 year to someone neither himself or the kid knew.  TG,  you shouldn't have been put in the situation but you got the child safely to their destination,  fair play to you for doing.
I'd have went straight to the principals office,  but hindsight is a wonderful thing

Not sure of the kids parents morning commitments,  but they'd maybe want to think about changing them.  Car pool,  taxi with a few kids and 1 adult rotating runs,  anything to avoid the OP's situation happening again

[Tony Baloney]

No fault lies at your feet, tyrone girl. This man was for handing the child over to a stranger and got lucky it was you (somebody who would just take the child to school). Imagine you told him no and then found out that the taxi driver had handed the child over to the next passerby and something terrible had happened. How would you feel then? Definitely report it. Bizarre situation.

+ 1.  That would be my thoughts.  Sounds foolish what she done, but driving off would be worse.  Probably should have stayed at the scene and reported it but no phone signal prob was a problem.  Also not easy just for her to cause a scene with the taxi driver.  Imagine she had have told him he was out of order and called the cops.  Bad things can happen when people fail to act, at least she acted.

Agree with these posts.

I am glad it was you and we are reading it here, rather than it was someone less reliable and we are reading something a lot worse somewhere else. How would you feel then?

I would highly recommend telling your sister and, assuming she wants to take it further, going along with what the school suggests.

Finally, for all the talk of being stopped by the police and accusations, I think the courts would recognise a good samaritan when they saw one. If you had a long criminal record that might be a different matter.

Are you sure she hasn't? See some of her driving/red diesel posts 

By the way it should definitely be reported. If yer man thinks his actions are okay he would do the same again with potentially a different outcome. He needs a rocket before that happens.

[omaghjoe]

Incredible thread can see both sides of the arguement. Tyrone girl did not have time to think, if she did she would have still done the same thing. The parents need a kick in the hole, the taxi driver should be reported. Tyrone girl could have got in a shit load of trouble, but imo acted admirably and if I was put in the same position would have done the same thing, even if it was wrong. Bizarre incident would not be surprised if ss were to get involved if informed about this thread. 4 years of age ffs.

What did the parents do that deserves a "kick in the hole?"

Sending a four year old to school in a taxi unaccompanied by either parent is wrong, unless they knew the taxi driver well. Plus the said taxi driver which they trusted did something unthinkable, therefore they deserve a kick.....

I could be wrong but i doubt the parents booked the taxi themselves as a one off.  More likely the school has set it up to get children to school due to no bus service.  For a school to do this the taxi company would have to be police vetted to transport children so they would be legit.  The parents probably trust the school to not mess that up so no kick in the hole for them.  If as i assume the child gets to school by taxi everyday, then the parents may know the driver and trust him. No kick there either.  To me the blame lies completely with the driver for handing the child over, but as others have said it is sad that this is an issue at all.  When you have to cover your own ass at the expense of doing a good deed then times are bad.

I disagree. The parents were fools to trust the driver ie he gave their child to a stranger!    That's a hobnail boot kick in the hole right there.  I've a 4 year old and there is no way I'd let him in another vehicle unless myself,  wife and son knew the driver very well.  I'll make an assumption here and say that if the taxi man knew the family and child well,  he would not have let the child go with TG or any other stranger.  He'd have kept him with him until he got his car sorted,  whether that be 10mins or an hour or 2.

He didn't however and wrongly shifted the safe welfare of a 4 year to someone neither himself or the kid knew.  TG,  you shouldn't have been put in the situation but you got the child safely to their destination,  fair play to you for doing.
I'd have went straight to the principals office,  but hindsight is a wonderful thing

Not sure of the kids parents morning commitments,  but they'd maybe want to think about changing them.  Car pool,  taxi with a few kids and 1 adult rotating runs,  anything to avoid the OP's situation happening again

While I mostly agree with your sentiment your reasoning to vilify the parents is based on that presumption.