If I don´t it may be double.
On the ride from Salta to Cafayate, the young girl in front of my got a bit antsy after 2+ hours in the small seats. For about the final 30 minutes of the ride, her father let her stand in the aisle.
Early on, Dad put his arm around her but after 5 minutes he just held on to one hand. I had thoughts of mentioning to the dad that if we stopped short, then his daughter would go flying through the windshield. Although I do not know spanish for ´windshield´ or ´through´ i think I may have been able to get the idea across.
In the end, I did not say anything. Reasons: language barrier and not my kid.
As it happens, we arrived to Cafayate without stopping short. The kid was fine and no ugly American butted in the business of an Argentine father.
bjm
03.29.08
1 comment:
You see a lot of that sort of stuff out here. Remember, we all somehow made it out of childhood without child safe locks and warnings on cups of coffee that the contents may be hot. It is not uncommon to see a family of 4 or 5 on a 125cc scooter weaving thru traffic. (Not in Singapore mind you but every other country in SE Asia)
I wouldn't let my kid do it but I actually worry that our kids are growing up too safe from the bumps and bruises of childhood. Hell, kids don't break their arms falling out of trees anymore because they don't climb trees. Truth is that if you had spoken up most likely nothing would have changed. Dad was tired too and wasn't going to take your advice and have to deal with an antsy kid the rest of the trip. And possibly someone may have taken offense at your telling someone how to parent. What would you have gained?
I speak up sometimes when I see things like this and I can't recall a time when the situation changed. So far I haven't gotten punched in the nose either. Sometimes I just pray that an accident doesn't happen - it must work because I haven't seen an accident in these situations.
Travel well mi hermano and be safe
s
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