Runaways and Minors

[Skies]

Of course if an individual is being abused that's a good reason to leave if you're gonna leave, but my "you're autonomy" philosophy stretches even further than that. Of course someone should value having a life where they have simple necessities that common folk would "need" but that doesn't mean they shouldn't venture out sooner than 18. What surprises me is that no one mentioned the graduating high school factor. To be honest, at 16 or 17 or even 12, that was my main concern about leaving home. I know that a college degree is if you want that career right now, but a high school degree is the basics. However, if someone is comfortable with not having a high school diploma, then just leave. Seriously. Maybe you've only had normal fights with your parents, so what? If you know know know for a fact that you've got the mind of a 30 year old and not a 16 year old or 3 year old wannabe-traveler whatever then maybe you really should set out. See if you know know know that have that mature mentality and you can handle being out on the road, or at least you seriously feel ready, then do it. Of course there will be legal shit, like "don't get caught." So there's the main drawback. Well, uh, yikes. But if you wanna try to bypass that legal bullshit then go ahead. My main deal with not traveling (well generally) was the high school diploma. I was 17 for several months after I graduated high school but I was going to seriously leave home at age 17 after graduation and I guess that's different from being 13 or whatever the fuck age you kids have these days, but you get what I mean. If I were to regret one thing about my life it would honestly be not leaving years ago to travel. Oh and I was a smart, nerdy lil kid so I have every right to say that.

 

[Ravie]

Of course if an individual is being abused that's a good reason to leave if you're gonna leave, but my "you're autonomy" philosophy stretches even further than that. Of course someone should value having a life where they have simple necessities that common folk would "need" but that doesn't mean they shouldn't venture out sooner than 18. What surprises me is that no one mentioned the graduating high school factor. To be honest, at 16 or 17 or even 12, that was my main concern about leaving home. I know that a college degree is if you want that career right now, but a high school degree is the basics. However, if someone is comfortable with not having a high school diploma, then just leave. Seriously. Maybe you've only had normal fights with your parents, so what? If you know know know for a fact that you've got the mind of a 30 year old and not a 16 year old or 3 year old wannabe-traveler whatever then maybe you really should set out. See if you know know know that have that mature mentality and you can handle being out on the road, or at least you seriously feel ready, then do it. Of course there will be legal shit, like "don't get caught." So there's the main drawback. Well, uh, yikes. But if you wanna try to bypass that legal bullshit then go ahead. My main deal with not traveling (well generally) was the high school diploma. I was 17 for several months after I graduated high school but I was going to seriously leave home at age 17 after graduation and I guess that's different from being 13 or whatever the fuck age you kids have these days, but you get what I mean. If I were to regret one thing about my life it would honestly be not leaving years ago to travel. Oh and I was a smart, nerdy lil kid so I have every right to say that.

well that was allways my main concern. the other my dad(RIP). but while i was homeless i just squatted around the area and went to independent study every week. ima good kid haha

Other than that i'm about to take the high school equivalency test. same as a diploma( in some states) but you can take it anytime after 16 like the GED but better.

 

[katiehabits]

I don't hang around runaways, or travel with them, and I definitely don't drink with them. I've hung out and drank with a minor or two, but I don't like to do that often either, the exception being certain friends.

i've meet alot of street kids, alot of traveler/run aways that have left for stupid reasons. i have friends who were influenced by me to leave home for a life on the streets. and that's something i'm not proud of.
i'm 16 now & when i started traveling it was about a week & a half after my 15th birthday. i'm still green & naive about alot of things but i've been traveling for a year and a half now so i still have a long way to go. i've gone through rough stints on the streets but i've also learned more & had more fun being a bum then any other time of my life.
when i left my home town it was purely wanderlust. but i moved out of my mom's house because she's a crackhead for realz. and liveing with her was not good for my mental well-being. i'm in my home town right now & let me tell you even being in the same city as her is hard. we get along well most of the time, but i can't watch her slowly kill herself smokeing that shit.
i was offended by the comment by Dameon above. people should not be discriminated against because of their age. this is not meant to sound like i'm bragging but untill i TELL people how old i am it's assumed that i'm around 20. i'm honest when it comes to fellow travelers because i want to shock you folks i want people to know that there are totally capable minors that are smart well rounded people out there. not all of us are spoiled suburban middle class brats.
so be more open with minors tell us what's what but let us speak our minds & don't treat us like babies cuz we aren't.

 

[IBRRHOBO]

1. Don't sit with people you don't know at a waiting spot unless your asked to join them.
2. When catching a train or hitch if someone was there before you let them get out first.
3. If there is a train with only one rideable on and someone is in it ask before getting in.

I learned my lesson this not to long ago... I said nothing when someone cut my grass and that will never happen again... Ill just pepper spray them...

I'm usually the bummer in advise as it's crudely put and blunt. First and foremost, I guess the trax most people describe are in some Tom Wolfe novel. I FULLY agree with the above quote.

First, if ur underage, u gotta understand u just being AROUND can get everyone thrown in the joint! And let me tell u, ur all gonna be in booking in the holding pen and the guy who has warrants is gonna hurt u and bad. Additionally, it's just yeat ANOTHER fucking statistic to add a nail in the coffin for those of us who ride not to be cool, but because it's our life. So, if ur gonna siddle up and hang out u BETTER be up front about ur status.

Second, if ur wandering around out there and see a group getting their drink on u better holler, "Yo in camp," before u roam in. In the REAL world you'll get shot and that ain't no shit.

Third, there's an 'ignorant light' that comes on about sunset: what I mean is this, everyone's cool and partying and there's about three drinks left and ur the person who came in late. Definition, if u don't know who ur fucking with ur gonna end up dead 'cause, hell, ur a runaway. U took more booze than was needed. U didn't throw enough pitch into the circle (yeah, a real jungle still cuts a circle w/a knife and EVERYONE throws pitch in.

Fourth, and females take note here, not everyone out there is nice. Not everyone out there is kickin' it on StP. U got illegals, wanted criminals facing life (see R. Silveria and a lot of us knew him, but not what his baggage was), drunk and drugged up assholes; what I'm driving @ here is that a teenager isn't gonna stand a chance.

If ur home life is all fucked up go talk to someone like a preacher, the cops, DHS. 'Cause believe me if ur hittin' the trax @ the ripe old age of 16 u might as well just check it all in.

So, if the above hasn't changed ur mind I'd greatly appreciate it if you would allow me to take out some life insurance on you.

 

[jokey_bogus]

m not sure what my advice is on anything, not even sure why i left the first time. most of my situations are fucked up but i still find myself in the same place a lot of times. shits confusing for sure. just do what you do i guess, but be smart. and be good to your friends. always have water and a blanket of some kind if your on the move.

 

[katiehabits]

this is for all the ladies out there:
shit there's alot of fucked up asshole out there & i'd know cuz i'm met some of them. but that's part of the beauty of traveling; you meet the "devils and the angles of the world". you just got to keep your wits about you and ALWAYS carry a knife. don't follow some drunk asshole with tattoo who says he'll show you the ropes if you "do a little somethin fer him". it's better to travel with friends than it is to travel with lovers. alot of the men out there that say they love ya or whatever bull shit they tell you to get in your pants don't mean it & don't be naive to think that anyone does mean it untill they show it to you. & NO sex does not mean love.

this is for everyone who has a hate on for minors:
there's a lot of dumb kids out there but there's a lot of smart kids too. the smart kids are usually the ones who had it rough who had a reason to be a rail bum at the age of 16 or however old they are. i don't know how it is in the states but it canada unless a minor has a missing persons or they can prove your haveing sex with someone under the age of 18 that's 6 or more years younger than you you can't get in trouble for hanging out with minors. i guess getting caught booting too. but that's a way more common thing for normal folks to do anyways. if a kid has a missing persons don't turn them in but talk to them about it if you have the time & empathy. maybe don't travel with them but don't be a jerk about it either tell them to give mom & dad a call. if a kid doesn't have a missing persons than your in the clear & it doesn't matter how old they are. maybe just don't try sleeping with them.

 

[IBRRHOBO]

in the states its far different. u have a plethora of laws dealing with minors (contributing to the delinquency, aiding and abeiting, trafficing, etc.) the one that scares the fuck outta most of us is that say minor 'a' crosses the state line w/u and u get busted with 'a' it becomes a FEDERAL beef! and in the states getting ANY kind of rap dealing w/minors will get u iced in the joint!

the states don't need a missing persons report. UNLESS a minor has a document of emancipation they are considered to be a runaway, period. And as for sex w/a minor: if ur 18 or above and the person is 17 or under (depends on the state as sometimes it's 16 under common law) ur gonna get five years walking in.

i totally agree w/u on the sex bit; not just a moral bit, but ur looking @ some fucking LONG, HARD TIME in the states!

i'm not down on minors travelling. hell, it's a free land in the states. what i AM DOWN ON is when the kid(s) don't let those of us they're travelling with what the whole story is so that we can decide whether or not to ride with them.

 

[katiehabits]

in the states its far different. u have a plethora of laws dealing with minors (contributing to the delinquency, aiding and abeiting, trafficing, etc.) the one that scares the fuck outta most of us is that say minor 'a' crosses the state line w/u and u get busted with 'a' it becomes a FEDERAL beef! and in the states getting ANY kind of rap dealing w/minors will get u iced in the joint!

the states don't need a missing persons report. UNLESS a minor has a document of emancipation they are considered to be a runaway, period. And as for sex w/a minor: if ur 18 or above and the person is 17 or under (depends on the state as sometimes it's 16 under common law) ur gonna get five years walking in.

i totally agree w/u on the sex bit; not just a moral bit, but ur looking @ some fucking LONG, HARD TIME in the states!

i'm not down on minors travelling. hell, it's a free land in the states. what i AM DOWN ON is when the kid(s) don't let those of us they're travelling with what the whole story is so that we can decide whether or not to ride with them.

i didn't know that there where such strict laws in the states. so hoping the boarder and traveling down south is probably a bad idea if your under 18......

 

[IBRRHOBO]

not necessarily. i don't advocate it, but the reality is it's gonna happen. ur dealing w/a extraterritorial deal here. international law would govern say a minor coming from canada into the states. now, say, the sex shit would still be illegal here, but i don't think that the other shit involving trafficing and other stuff covered by the feds would apply 'cause if the person isn't a US citizen then they aren't 'protected' under the US Constitution. might go to a good site like findlaw or one of the law school sites.

i suppose, too, that one could expatriate as a minor. bit out of my league, though. hell, it's good to have a discussion like this, though as maybe folks will read it and what they need to know they'll research and what they don't just throw out w/the dish water, 'eh?!

saw winnepeg was wind chill of -56 last night! stay the fuck warm up there!

in essence most of my ramblings have been IN RE: US citizens.

 

[katiehabits]

ya it is good to have this dialog with folks. there's been some posts that seem like venting which is healthy & just sharing stories between each other too. thanks for giveing me a insight about laws down south.
i'll stay warm i've got some friends to stay with untill i get on my feet.

 

[Dameon]

i was offended by the comment by Dameon above. people should not be discriminated against because of their age. this is not meant to sound like i'm bragging but untill i TELL people how old i am it's assumed that i'm around 20.

Like you know now, the laws in the US dealing with minors are pretty strict. I don't like jail, and I'm not going to risk going there unless I know the person I'm hanging out with pretty well and can be relatively certain they're not going to get me in trouble. A good example was a 15 year old I ran into in Santa Cruz not long ago, he'd just go around all day saying "I wanna get fucking drunk" over and over, flipping off random people in their cars (a good way to get your ass kicked, at the least), and generally just being a dumbass. It's sad but true: most of the minors I run into have that kind of behaviour.

 

[dirty_rotten_squatter]

I had a few encounters with minors and all were bad!! They were all leaving home becuase they didnt get along with their parents and pretty much wanted to be rebelious, but I knew that they would be back home to mommy and addy when they started to get cold or hungry. The erally bad thing about most of them is they attatch themselves to your hip! They want to go everywhere you go and do everything you do its annoying as fuck. but Im sure there are some cool ones ot there somewher, but I really prefer traveling and drinking etc with older folk.

 

[Ravie]

woohoo! *raises hand* im that one minor who watches her own. i leave for the sake of traveling and i get along great with my parent who is just fine with me doing what i do, not because she doesnt care, but she knows i can handle it. but if i never said i was a youngin no one would realize it. i wont even hang out with anyone within five years of my age though. i know what your saying. its all bitch, moan, cry, lost puppy, moochy bullshit. if you cant handle the heat, get out of the kitchen.

 

[IAmTheEndOf]

i'm looking at leaving soon as i've mentioned before and i read ravie's comment about lieing off your ass to the police if you get stopped, well is it a good idea to leave without any form of identification? i've heard having no id can harm you a lot more than not but if i don't have any id they'll never figure out who i am til i break right? which i can keep my mouth shut as long as it needs to be

 

[Ravie]

well without an id they just ask for your full name, birth date, and SSN. the trick is to use your own SSN and say your underage, give them a different name and birthdate. its allways worked for me. if anything using my ID has sucked way worse. not to mention some cops are dicks and lose your id.

 

[IAmTheEndOf]

haha that's clever, i'll keep that in mind.

 

[Dandeforeshadow]

-When a cop asks you for birth date and name, lie your ass off. cops arent god. they dont know all.

They may not be gods, but they do have clubs so another good rule of thumb is to not be a smart-ass to them. I learned this lesson a little too late when I was 11 and an atrocious little asshole. XD

I guess I'm still technically minor since I'm under 23 (Financial aid and loans still need my fathers approval), though I don't consider myself to be. I ditched my mom and aunt when I was 8 and lived on the streets. I never returned home except when the cops pulled me back home the times they caught me, and for a small stint of living with my cousin when I was 11 and also for a year and a half when my father got custody of me when I was 16-almost-17 after my older brother died. My home-life wasn't too good (not going to talk about it unless I know you, I'm sorry), but I feel that doesn't make me that much more legit than some other angsty fucker, only difference was the level of angst and torture between my incest and their parents yelling at them. Everyone has their reason for leaving, so I think it's unfair to judge by that and to be quite honest I've found people over the age of 26 to be the least trustworthy people in my life, so I rather go with the "immature and angsty" kids. Than again I rarely associate with anyone but female bodied people my own age since I've found the same thing about men, so maybe I'm just a really picking kitty that wants to rationalize my pickiness. Who knows?

 

[IAmTheEndOf]

i think that age has very little to do with your level of maturity. it's all on the individual's self to develop their maturity. sometimes the only way to know how mature you are is to test it out and try whatever you're questioning yourself on. you'll find out soon enough... i have

 

[Dandeforeshadow]

i think that age has very little to do with your level of maturity. it's all on the individual's self to develop their maturity. sometimes the only way to know how mature you are is to test it out and try whatever you're questioning yourself on. you'll find out soon enough... i have

I know it wasn't aimed at me or anything, I'm just answering because I'm like that.

Yeah that's true in a way. It's just kinda like a previous poster said, burned street kids don't trust people really and I've only really been burned by adults and guys, thus I irrationally think they're less mature. Maybe one day if I meet a male bodied person that doesn't get drunk, is an adult and isn't a douche than I'll leave that prejudice behind...that mythical creature has yet to show zemselves to me though.

 

[Dameon]

I think age has lots to do with maturity. I've met a few smart, mature 16 year olds, and tons and tons of stupid immature ones. Meanwhile, most of the people I meet in, say, the 25+ range are at least more mature than the 16 year olds, or smarter about being immature. Being young doesn't mean you can't be mature, but it means you're less likely to be.