Disney World sued by mom of boy killed in bus accident

[Disco]

They let a nine year old ride his bike

I let my three and seven year olds ride their bikes

that had a flat tire

At nine my children would definitely be responsible for identifying, fixing or reporting the flat themselves. The only way I would agree the parents were negligible was if they knew it was flat and had been ongoingly ignoring the problem. I will agree that it is possible in this situation but unless I see evidence of it being true I won't assume it.
Again, I doubt the flat tire(s) were a factor in this case as low tire pressure actually increases grip and slows a bike down. On cars it can pull you one direction or the other but bikes will plod straight ahead like always as the tires are inline.
I'm also guessing that if he was able to suddenly dart into traffic his tires weren't completely flat and probably not a factor at all.

in a road

They were on a sidewalk

that is almost like a highway!!!

Is it really? What is the speed limit? Again how much space is between the car traffic and the sidewalk traffic? Is it a rush hour like congested nightmare? If so I would agree that the parents were negligible.
I just can't think of anyplace in DW where you have to traverse dangerous traffic to get to the swimming pool so I'm really curious about this whole setting.

 

[Disco]

Do you mean mentally disabled? "Retard" is a horribly derogatory term that should NOT be used. You really need to educate yourself:

http://www.r-word.org/

No, "disabled" denotes more of a physical handicap and "mentally disabled" is a useless cumbersome just to be PC (like African American). “Retarded” specifically denotes a mental handicap. The way I used/phrased "Retard" was derogatory, the term itself is not.
However it was far less derogatory then some of the comments I’ve read about the mother of the boy so I'm not going to feel bad about using it.

 

[Figment632]

You are a crazy it is a very busy road and I fear for your children if you have any.

 

[Disco]

You are a crazy it is a very busy road and I fear for your children if you have any.

That is not what you said before you said "like a highway". So what is the speed limit, 65? 55? I really don't know as I've never been there.
I'll even consider a very busy road just cause, which is why in my first post I said “unsafe environment to ride the bike (like times square or down the side of a highway)”.

Does anyone know or can point out where this accident took place on Google Earth or something similar?

 

[Uncleromulus]

Letting a kid ride a bike by himself at a rec center or in his own neighborhood is one thing--it's quite another to let him do so in an unfamiliar environment.

And unless these parents were dropped into Ft Wilderness at night by helicopter, they could easily see the size, shape, etc of roads and sidewalks and the bus traffic. Didn't seem to bother them enough, so that they let him ride off on his own. On an unsafe bike, as it appears---

And I'm not completely sure about this, but I think young and old have been riding bikes at Ft. Wilderness for MANY years w/o any incident such as this...

 

[DVCconvert]

From Dictionary.com

re·tard   /rɪˈtɑrd, for 1–3, 5; ˈritɑrd for 4/ Show Spelled
[ri-tahrd, for 1–3, 5; ree-tahrd for 4] Show IPA

–verb (used with object)
1. to make slow; delay the development or progress of (an action, process, etc.); hinder or impede.
–verb (used without object)
2. to be delayed.

–noun
3. a slowing down, diminution, or hindrance, as in a machine.

4. Slang: Disparaging .
a. a mentally retarded person.
b. a person who is stupid, obtuse, or ineffective in some way: a hopeless social retard.

5. Automotive, Machinery . an adjustment made in the setting of the distributor of an internal-combustion engine so that the spark for ignition in each cylinder is generated later in the cycle.

 

[Oglet]

From Dictionary.com

I'm not really sure the point your trying to make by posting the definition or the word?

Im going to give you the benefit of the doubt and presume you are not trying to justify the usage of it just because its a word listed in a dictionary. There are many words that are listed in a dictionary that are no longer socially acceptable and are deemed offensive.

 

[DVCconvert]

I'm not really sure the point your trying to make by posting the definition or the word?

Im going to give you the benefit of the doubt and presume you are not trying to justify the usage of it just because its a word listed in a dictionary. There are many words that are listed in a dictionary that are no longer socially acceptable and are deemed offensive.

The point was to show the definition of the word.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and presume you are not trying to imply that I was offering any opinion on word useage. Tackling a mere statement of fact expressed without emotion or opinion can be to some seen as socially unacceptable and offensive.


PS/ please note that in the definition - as slang use it is termed "Disparaging" - therefore, anyone using it is put on notice that it is considered a hurtful and unkindly remark.

 

[mrsksomeday]

I'm not really sure the point your trying to make by posting the definition or the word?

Im going to give you the benefit of the doubt and presume you are not trying to justify the usage of it just because its a word listed in a dictionary. There are many words that are listed in a dictionary that are no longer socially acceptable and are deemed offensive.

You are absolutely right. A dictionary defintion doesn't mean it should be acceptable to say .

It is disgusting how people try to defend the use of the "R" word. I am unsubscribing from this thread.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I'm not really sure the point your trying to make by posting the definition or the word?

Im going to give you the benefit of the doubt and presume you are not trying to justify the usage of it just because its a word listed in a dictionary. There are many words that are listed in a dictionary that are no longer socially acceptable and are deemed offensive.

The part on definition 4 when it said "slang" and "disparaging" was the important part...

granted i'm scratching my head here too...but it seems like salvos are being fired here back and forth amongst a couple of people who agree it's inappropriate...

am i wrong?

but i don't speak french...only American, Deutsch, and broken public education system spanish

 

[Disco]

The part on definition 4 when it said "slang" and "disparaging" was the important part...

granted i'm scratching my head here too...but it seems like salvos are being fired here back and forth amongst a couple of people who agree it's inappropriate...

am i wrong?

but i don't speak french...only American, Deutsch, and broken public education system spanish

Well it's really a complicated issue. Most true hate words were created to be just that. Take the N-word and most profanities for example.
Here we have the opposite situation.
The R-word became commonly used in an effort to stop the use of derogatory phrases toward mentally ill people at the time. Words such as simpleton, moron and idiot (not that all of these words were created to be hateful either) were used just as viciously back in the days. Funny enough some of these words are in more common use today and are even considered by many to be less offensive. Not to mention the r-word and its derivatives are properly used in many other applications.
There is always a radical minority in the US who's first reaction is to censor everything they think is bad. Whether it is by burning books or by removing the teaching of evolution from schools, they just want to do it.
The R-word is used in 95% of all medical and psychology books regarding the subject of the brain. So are these people now going to go around and start burning those books?
Ever call a black man "boy"? Really offensive, better stop using that word. "F@g" is a common and properly used word in England and Australia, better censor them though as it's a bad word here.
Now the words "Mental", "Ill" and "Sick" are being used derogatively nowadays to describe people...
It's fine for people to call out others when they are being offensive, like was done to me, but to expect them to except your point of view is un-American.

 

[Oglet]

The point was to show the definition of the word.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, and presume you are not trying to imply that I was offering any opinion on word useage. Tackling a mere statement of fact expressed without emotion or opinion can be to some seen as socially unacceptable and offensive.


PS/ please note that in the definition - as slang use it is termed "Disparaging" - therefore, anyone using it is put on notice that it is considered a hurtful and unkindly remark.

Thats what I had hoped you were doing, It just wasn't perfectly clear thats why I gave you the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Ro Z]

Are you kidding me? 9 years old old enough to ride a bike and swim alone? Especially in a place they are not used to! We have a public pool in our business and state law requires under 16 to be with parent or adult over 18. We still have problems! Parents should take parenting seriously and not expect others to babysit their kids while they are off somewhere enjoying the peace and quiet. This is a truly tragic but money will not ease these parents concience!

 

[gemstone1952]

That is not what you said before you said "like a highway". So what is the speed limit, 65? 55? I really don't know as I've never been there.

I've been to Fort Wilderness quite often. I believe the speed limit for all vehicles is under 20mph. My DH and I will usually walk the mile from one end of the Fort to the other because we generally find we can walk the distance faster than the bus will get us there. We've also ridden our bikes there and again, it is faster to take a bike than it is to take the bus. I've had plenty of near "run downs" by people on bicycles, skates, skateboards, scooters and golf carts. I've never seen a bus speeding through the Fort or being driven in an irresponsible fashion.
I'm choosing not to become involved evaluating in the "rightness or wrongness" of this lawsuit. It is a tragic event for all involved.