Irckon that they should be banned from rallies with a 16 year old age limit on it.  don't get me wrong I am not anti kid, but I think its the wrong place for a kid to come, with all the boozing swearing, and occasional nakedness.  I dont want to bust some teenagers parties, so am fed up with seeing kids at motorbike rallies.  Am I on my own with this train of thought.  Why dont the people with kids just have a kids only motorbike rally where all the like minded mums and dads can mingle with all the others who take their kids.  I for one would not want to go to that. Surely kids have enough activities of their own without coming to bike rallies.?   This will probably spark off some shitty comments back, but I dont care....I have spoken to a shitload of folk who think like this, and yes I do know that there are some rallies with 018 on them, jsut reckon they should all be like that......   I know I am having a rant, but up the Leeds rally at certain times, there were kids right at the stage hogging the space and pissing about..........I dont think its the right place for them.  They have enough activities going for them.......   I don't care if this annoys anyone either.....just my point of view of which we are allowed to express aren't we?                                                                                                                                                                             

Apparently not!                                                                                                                                                                              

  Crikey and I thought I was blunt lol.     Certanly you are allowed to have an opinion but I would have preferred it without the cuss words.   If you mean the Leeds Lions Rally then I can well understand what you mean about the kids. LL was my first and only rally, a few years ago, and I was shocked at the adults totally naked and young kids around. Not my idea of entertainment, seeing total strangers in the nude or sharing my evenings out with kids. I don't have that problem these days as I don't go out.     However most kids at rallies probably take it in their stride as probably been going to rallies since they were babies, if their parents are bikers and same can be said of other bikers, they wouldn't go if they really disliked kids being there, and to be fair there are loads of rallies besides that one. Can't expect parents to miss out just cos some folk don't like kids around.                                                                                                                                                                                  

But i do agree with you bikerbird. I wouldnt dream of taking my lad to a bike rally, even though he probably knows more swear words than me(ok, maybe not!). There is stuff that goes on at rallies that i wouldnt wish to subject him to, and at the end of the day its where i can let my hair down and do what i like. I know there are single parents out there that find it difficult to get someone to look after their children for a weekend and i feel sorry for them. Maybe bike clubs should think about organising child friendly weekends, and publicise such things so that those who struggle could still go out and enjoy themselves. I dunno...I can see the plusses and minuses for both sides                                                                                                                                                                              

right then seemed to have putthe cat amongst the pidgeons, I just think its not the ideal enviorment for children, going back to the nakedness and swearing bit, and so what if i cuss a little, it's only words, and I can always put a * in the really naughty bits, sometimes a swear word or to can accentuate a sentance with vibrancy and urgency..............anyway, back tot he topic which is not edible (btw used to f**ng topics ) those peanuts used to make my blood curdle..........who on earth invented the topic.

we all have our pet gripes, I can understand where you are coming from, perhaps a curfew could be the solution to this problem, no kids at the bar/stage after 19:00, though you may be woken at some unearthly hour like 09:00.

for me the issue that gets to me is a nice restaurant in the evening with feral kids running wild at 21:00, surely they should be home in bed, the same applies to pubs, these are not kid friendly locations when adults get drunk.

it would be nice to get along, but i sometimes think that the parents of kids feel that i should share in their joy, which I am happy to do that in office hours or even early evening, but i like a kid free zone in the later evening.

Peace is nice as is time with the young, they are the future.

Yay Dude,   You know where I am coming from..........   Only referring to motorbike rallies......   I genuinly like kids......well they are okay anyway                                                                                                                                                                             

BB im in  agreement with you, there are times wen kids shouldnt be around, and adults need child free times. If it is a rally where children are allowed to go then they should be well supervised by their parents/carers And yes BB your allowed to express your views, we all are                                                                                                                                                                             

It's what happens when you allow cars in - whole families turn up.   I think the answer is to make certain rallies 'family friendly' then peeps have a choice.                                                                                                                                                                             

!Yeah maybe 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I wouldn't be going to that, even if I could rock in the rally doing a handstand whilst riding my bike!!!!                                                                                                                                                                             

  I'm sure you can still get your emotions/opinions across without cussing. It's one of the rules of the site, not cussing(number 12)                                                                                                                                                                                 

Tis true - Rule No. 12...No bl**dy swearing!                                                                                                                                                                             

  for me the issue that gets to me is a nice restaurant in the evening with feral kids running wild at 21:00, surely they should be home in bed, the same applies to pubs, these are not kid friendly locations when adults get drunk.   If us Brits brought our kids up to visit public places, such as restaurants and bars, from an early age, like the Spanish do, then they would probably behave like the Spanish kids do, quietly and without any running around.                                                                                                                                                                              

Hmm, difficult one this. I've seen some kids at rallies having a great time, with their parents and with other bikers. On the other hand, some rallies are the last place where I would want to see kids present. An all night piss-up, which is what some events turn into, is certainly not the place for youngsters.   Perhaps some sort of curfew would be in order, but to me, there's too many rules and regs in this world, without adding more.   p.s. wonder if I'll get splinters sitting on this 'ere fence ?                                                                                                                                                                             

I personnally have to agree with you BB. Im a single parent and Ive took mine to camps (when other kids were going) and bike shows but never a rally ... not the kind of environment I want them in till over 18 ... and ... thats 'me' time ...lol                                                                                                                                                                                 

I agree with most on here,,,,,kids should not be at rallies !!!!!! Although kids these days are very streetwise bike rallies are not the ideal place for them to hang out.....Years ago when my kids were younger,,there was no chance whatsoever of them even visiting a rally,,,,and we all know why,,,and what goes on!!!!(not guilty myself) Besides bike rallies are the ideal weekend retreat for people with kids to have some personal time away from them,,,,,which is good for all,,,and for the parents to maybe get a little tipsy without the worry of the kids seeing everything.................................craig                                                                                                                                                                               

Call me a bluff old traditionalist if you will, but IMO a bike rally is for bikers, on motorbikes/trikes. I'd prefer not to see any kids or cars at all, downed/disabled bikers in cars excepted of course.                                                                                                                                                                              

"No, Cissy, don't say anything!".... is what went through my head reading this thread, but since when did I listen to anyone lol. I have two kids, aged 12 and 11. They have been coming on the back of bikes since they were 5 (and could reach the foot rests - legal requirement) - and been coming to certain rallies with me for the past 6/7 years. They are well behaved, worldly-wise and know how to act around adults (although somethimes, they are more 'adult' than the adults!). As a family, we only go to rallies that I know welcome children, and are held at venues where there are things for them to do. Once we arrive and get the tents up, they are gone, meeting up with the other kids they have made friends with over the years. I make sure that they go to their tent at a reasonable hour, and check on them every half hour   For some strange reason I feel like I am defending my decision to take kids to bike rallies! At the end of the day it comes down to being able to make 'responsible parent decisions' without others telling us how to - bit like the whole smoking in cars debate. They are my kids, I know how they behave and how they would react to drunkedness and even nakedness (which, hand on heart, they have never witnessed at any bike rally!).   As a single Mum, with no on tap babysitters for whole weekends, I wonder what you would have me do? Stay home permanently until they are 16? never attend a rally? The 'real' biker world welcomes children, and when at rallies, the kids often say that it's like having a thousand parents, all watching out for them! Never do I feel that my kids are safer than when at a rally. If the entertainment is of an adult nature, the kids are told to stay out, and they do. No argument, no tantrums, no running around screaming.   For me the key is 'real' bikers, who take no offence at children, and advertise their rallies as 'family friendly'                                                                                                                                                                              

Like cissy I wasn't going to put my two peneth in, but what the ....   I see both points of view, if you have kids and no one to look after them put want to go to the rallys, then there is the other side that doesn't want kids at the rally (suppose I slightly fall into this camp).   What really gets me is the parents that bring the kids then just abandon them to do what they want and leave them to run amuck and annoy the rest of us.   BB you certainly got a good debate going                                                                                                                                                                              

This debate reared its head last year and at the time I'd never been to a rally so reserved judgement.

At the weekend there was a couple near us with small children and they seemed to disappear come darkness so obviously doing the right thing by getting the kids inside/to bed.

There was also a group of kids around 8/10 years old that were still out unsupervised at 11.30 at night while their parents were obviously in the bar. We were listening to them practice shouting F**K YOU across the site!

I've got no problem with kids at rallies provided the parents take responsibility for them but peeps who intend a weekend on the lash while their kids tag along is irresponsible.

Cissy, thousands of drunken parents doesn't make one good one and I personally wouldn't want a field full of drunken/stoned peeps watching out for my kids for me. I'd rather be a 'real' parent than a 'real' biker any day of the week. Only my opinion of course