Runaways and Minors

[Ravie]

Beer Mortal, you should listen to this advice... It's coming from a wise young lady that clearly has her head on straight.

Thank you Widerstand. I realy like getting positive feedback when I put alot of effort into a post :cheers:

 

[shua]

fuck.
i hate when conversations turn into talks about family.
wise thread is full of wisdom.

 

[mkirby]

I wanna bump this back up because I think it's an important issue.

 

[ianfernite]

It is an important issue. I turn 18 in August, and from June until then I plan on traveling alone. I really don't want anyone to get in trouble because of me. Also, I think I'm better off by myself.

My only concern is getting in trouble with the police. I'd rather not get arrested, because I really don't want my mom to have to drive out to wherever and pick my dumb ass up.

 

[Ravie]

blah blah blah...cops are the least of your worries boy.

 

[wartomods]

Like a friend of mine used to say cops are to serve us

 

[devenheartbreak]

Ok, so I was emancipated and kicked out at 14 by my dad bc he found out that I had a girlfriend. Luckily, I had one TRUE friend who let me stay with her for a while. But, I felt like I was a burden to her so I left and bounced around for a while. It took me two years to actually settle down again. And when I did, it was in my own place. I worked and went to school at the same time. I didn't have help from anyone. I really wouldn't recommend leaving home at a young age. Its alot harder then you think. In my opinion anyway.. And I do have some regrets about the things I've done. They weren't that serious, but its still shit that a young teenager shouldn't have to deal with. However, I do think that those struggles have made me into a stronger person. Now, my mom wants me to go back to New Orleans and stay with her, but I can't mentally wrap my head around living with my mom bc I've had to take care of my self for so long. And 6 years isn't really that long, but I just can't bring myself to have to depend on anyone. But, thats off topic.

I wouldn't want to travel with minors. At least not anyone under 17. I've met a couple of pretty awesome 17 year olds. I've even had one stay at my house for a while. And he was awesome. He found a job, he wasn't crazy and he cleaned up after himself and our other housemates. I actually had to tell him not to be so helpful. But, as far as other younger kids I've met, they all sucked and didn't give a shit about anything other then themselves. Don't run away bc you don't like having chores. Chores prep you for the everyday adult life you will have one day. And unless you get your ass beat everyday by an alcoholic parent or raped everynight, what reason could be so bad that you have to run away?

 

[Ravie]

i have no effort to talk about this same subject anymore. all im going to say is that i wish i would have just stayed with my mom for a while longer. damn, no rent, free showers, free food, free clothes, damn thats the life. oh, and 24 hour computer access. yeah..... and a bed! now i have to fucking pay rent and buy everything myself on top of being an alcohalic, it gets pricy.

 

[Sage]

I'm 16(people usually think 18),and i really just want to travel. Only had one physical fight with my step dad,not leaving cause of that,I choose not to go out much really. I know how kids are asking for help,or other things. I just want to travel,and not rely on small material possessions,actually plan on getting a seasonal job(I don't like having things handed to me i feel useless). Pretty sure i can handle myself and live off little. The only thing I would ask help for is for train hopping(Never done something like that).

I don't drink,Smoke though (Just cigarettes). I'm that kid in algebra reading Dostoyevsky,only thing i'm scared of would be the klan.

 

[Ravie]

welcome sage. you know normally i would sit here, be the bitch i am, and try to tell you to get over shit. but the reason I wont is because you have a good reason to want to leave. fuck, it was even one of the reasons i left. To be independent and not feed into societies way of "needing" useless shit, am i right?

You seem pretty stubborn, independent, and decently charismatic enough to make it to me. Something about trainhopping, you cant learn how to do it on the internet lol you can just learn what not to do and some tips. But if you realy want to learn, start out hitch hiking, and in every town check out parks, bridges, whatever, and meet people. and maybe someone will take you on your first hop. just make sure its a decent person, not a junkie or someone whos so wasted they alomost loose a limb. then you should be okay!

 

[Sage]

Thanks for sparing me

 

[Dirty Rig]

Minors are best left travelling with other minors. A lot of people may disagree with this, but kids are smart. You don't need to be 18 to know how the world works, or how to hop a train. Minors travelling with adults puts a lot of pressure and responsibility on those 18+; they're accountable for the actions of those they get arrested with. A couple 15 year olds getting busted drinking with a 22 year old (for example) leads to a lot of extra charges on the adult. There are exceptions to every rule, of course. I won't turn down a roaddawg just because she's young, but these are things that need to be considered when travelling in a mixed-age crew and it's up to the group to decide the benefits and detriments.

 

[Ravie]

i completely agree.

 

[Angus]

Youngin's on the road

I guess this is the reason I got on this thing, seein' as I didn't see this particular advice given...
For you dear underage things gettin' out on the road (note: This ain't directed at runaways, I am a firm believer, through experience, that unless extreme circumstances are at hand, you should trust yer' parents, talk to them like a mature, civilized person about what you'd like to do, why you want to do it and how intelligent and safe you'll be, and if they still tell you no, it's probably for the best- give 'em credit for the ample amount of experience they hold over you, and wait 'til your legally aloud to leave the nest. Breaking your parents heart ain't anything fun and if you have a soul, you'll live to regret it.)
Anyway, if your parents are alright with you traveling, a really amazing thing to do that will make your, your parents, and whoever you're hanging out with and/or traveling withs life a lot easier is- have your parent quickly write out a letter saying "I, (name), give my child (your name) permission to... yada, yada, yada (if you're traveling with someone of age it's good to have them entrusted with you somehow)", it's really only a short little paragraph, then they can go to a bank, post office, city building or other place and sign it and have it notarized, for free. You take that handy piece of paper along on your trip and whip it out when your being hassled and you will save yourself the grief, keep whoever your with out of a good chunk of trouble and ensure that you don't give your parents a panic disorder being called by police all the time!
And be safe! Don't do stupid shit! Call your mother often and let her know you love her!

 

[farmer john]

Youngin's on the road

I guess this is the reason I got on this thing, seein' as I didn't see this particular advice given...
For you dear underage things gettin' out on the road (note: This ain't directed at runaways, I am a firm believer, through experience, that unless extreme circumstances are at hand, you should trust yer' parents, talk to them like a mature, civilized person about what you'd like to do, why you want to do it and how intelligent and safe you'll be, and if they still tell you no, it's probably for the best- give 'em credit for the ample amount of experience they hold over you, and wait 'til your legally aloud to leave the nest. Breaking your parents heart ain't anything fun and if you have a soul, you'll live to regret it.)
Anyway, if your parents are alright with you traveling, a really amazing thing to do that will make your, your parents, and whoever you're hanging out with and/or traveling withs life a lot easier is- have your parent quickly write out a letter saying "I, (name), give my child (your name) permission to... yada, yada, yada (if you're traveling with someone of age it's good to have them entrusted with you somehow)", it's really only a short little paragraph, then they can go to a bank, post office, city building or other place and sign it and have it notarized, for free. You take that handy piece of paper along on your trip and whip it out when your being hassled and you will save yourself the grief, keep whoever your with out of a good chunk of trouble and ensure that you don't give your parents a panic disorder being called by police all the time!
And be safe! Don't do stupid shit! Call your mother often and let her know you love her!

AMEN to this i am lucky enough to have parents who are down with the
lifestyle

 

[tallhorseman]

I think the original question was something about the merits of travelling with, versus avoiding, under-aged people.

This ain't a tough question for me. If I ran into an under-aged person who was flapping in the breeze and was looking for some direction, I'd be there for em. I'm not going to shun someone because of the pressure that's exerted by dumb-assed modern laws. Yes, it would make me more vulnerable, but that's ok if it makes the younger person more secure. I'm not going to let retarded-assed laws undermine my conscious. I wouldn't buy them liquor or weed, etc., but I also wouldn't say anything when they fired up.

Most kids start sewing wild oats about age 11-14, Most cops started sewing wild oats about age 11-14. Most judges, senators, and presidents started sewing wild oats about age 11-14. There are just a bunch of big assed hypocrites who don't want to admit it. Laws, these days, aren't about what makes sense, they're about how much money can be siphoned off of people.

Now in a perfect world this wouldn't be an issue. In a perfect world home life would be grand and no one would feel pressure to leave. I wish it were like that. But it isn't. And although I don't CARE to hang out with a person/crew of people who make me feel old, If I can help them out by being their Old Dawg for a while, I'll do it.

Besides, I believe in reincarnation, which to me means that you can't tell a persons age by what stage of adulthood they're in. But that's off subject.

 

[Mr. Expendable]

god i've had so many of my friends get arrested because they where rollin with runaways.... rich kids who there lifes are so hard.... the run aways from broken homes where usually chill and brought no heat cuz there parents didn't give a fuck in the first place.... but the rich one who have hired search parties out to find them and shit..... no bueno.... but i think kids who have been kicked out with no place to go defiantly deserve a wing... because people forget that there are fucked up parents who will kick there 15/16 year old out on the streets.... this i know too well

 

[joemojave]

I am 17, and I have to put a bad word in for minors. I am not going to say that I am smarter or more mature than other minors, because I am not, I am just different. I go to a continuation school in the suburbs and I can honestly say that there is only one person at the entire school I would even consider traveling with. The problem is that most of the kids at my school who want to catch out think of a train as a party on wheels. They dont have a clue about cold or hunger or anything else that comes with traveling. 99% would freeze to death because they couldnt figure out how to pitch a tent.

Maybe I am just as bad as the others, though. My plan is to finish highschool a year early, and then spend next year enjoying the finer pleasures in life, like a one pot dinner and a warm sleeping bag.

 

[spudnic]

I was a run away. I eventualy got caught yes. hense the housed up position im in. I think if you have a good head on your shoulder a good fake name and a good perspective in life then you are good. I started riding trains as a run away and shit. Very very difficult due to the fact i couldnt get my name ran. I did get caught though they extradited me back to california and i did 4 months for it (bullshit) if you wanna run away its whatever but smarted to stick it out ill your 18th birthday. Riding trains and traveling is very fun and all, but having that preasure and paranio that it could all end in an instant kinda fucks it up.