Naughty kids get night at Alton Towers to stay out of trouble

Geez, I TP'd my French teacher's house back in High School and all I got was dentention.

What a stupid idea. I agree that it gives the wrong lesson. It's like giving a treat to a begging dog -- you may temporarily quiet the dog, but the positive reinforcement ENCOURAGES the dog to beg again in the future.

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--Greg, aka Oat Boy
My page
"Friendship -- more lasting than love, more legal than stalking."

I think they should make them scrape gum (by themselves) for the weekend and watch other people having fun.

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"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

Oh those pesky NEDS. lol.

Geez they throw bricks now?

All we did for Mischief Night was throw eggs at cars, make bonfires and get trashed. Now I feel old. lol.

I think it's more than sending the wrong message. Instead of keeping them off the street they are just going to vandalize the park now. Now THAT's discipline! lol.

Most of the grocery stores around here WILL NOT sell eggs to minors on Mischief Night. I think it's actually a city ordinance. Such amateurs! Don't they know that you have to buy your eggs at least a WEEK before mischief night and let them sit outside (hid of course). That way they will be nice and rotten. ;-)

Oh such memories. lol

-Tina

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Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!*** This post was edited by coasterqueenTRN 10/20/2003 2:51:43 PM ***

Hey, adults can "trick" too... ;)

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"I go out at 3 o' clock for a quart of milk and come home to my son treating his body like an amusement park!" - Estelle Costanza

Alton Towers seems to figure highly on the list of 'ned rewards' these days and there have been a few reports of incidents at the park :( Guess I'll stick to BPB then - well, it's a bit closer anyhow :)

Tina - I hoped you typed that 'ned' comment when your own two were away from the PC LOL

-Jim (gone to chuck a few eggs to see if he can get a free trip to ride Nemesis;))

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Coasters, NEDS!, beer n buddies - life *is* sweet

What an absolutely idiotic idea.

Kids and teenagers have more than ever to do nowadays. They have good access to bowling, social clubs, after school clubs, cinemas, arcades, fun fairs, computers and the internet, and they STILL have to pay for them to go to Alton Towers (GBP 28.50) as if they're being rewarded? Kids.

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Comprehensive European ride and coaster reviews
http://www.ukrollercoasters.co.uk

Marcus -

Check out the NEDS link in Coasterqueens post and you'll see what kind of kids are likely to be going on the trip. Sadly I just see the mischief being relocated rather than cancelled.

-Jim (yes, I actually have to live with those neds in my home town LOL)

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Coasters, kitties, beer n buddies - life *is* sweet

Invy,

That link is pretty funny.

I'm in the UK, too, and don't like the thought of going to Alton Towers with loud-mouthed thugs really. I also don't like the fact they're being paid to go virtually.

We have had a lot of problems with thugs in our area hanging out at a playground over the road. Fortunately, the police responded quite well and have nipped the problem in the bud, but the thought of them giving tickets to a theme park to these people is frankly idiotic.

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Comprehensive European ride and coaster reviews
http://www.ukrollercoasters.co.uk

Marcus-

Have to agree with you that it's a crazy scheme. But hey, at least those who thought it up can remain hip and PC with their colleagues.

The small *park* we have just outside Glasgow is also pretty dodgy most of the time and it's not somewhere I'd consider visiting after dark these days.

Oh for the return of common sense to society ;)

-Jim (not sure what point he's making here :))

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Vekomas, NEDS, beer n Buckfast (hey, look it up LOL) - life *is* scary :(

I think its a great idea, but not exactly in its current form. Perhaps if they awarded admission to those who have been good for an extended period of time. Example - Kid A got into some trouble for spray painting a building, and a week later for something else, and so on. Local laws then put the kid on a 'sober' period of some sort where if the kid goes for x amount of months, he will get a day at Alton Towers for changing his ways.

Just getting troubled youths and giving them a day at Alton Towers without making them work for it is useless. But if they make it so that its more of a reward for becoming civilized, I think its well worth it. Especially with how much crime there is in the world.

Are there any non-for-profit programs in the UK to offer assistance to these kids like a halfway house or someting similar? I am not talking about a homeless shelter but somewhere they can go if they truly want to better themselves but they have to work for it? Any programs where adults can become involved like a Big Brother/Big Sisters type of program? It's obvious their parents don't care.

Just sending them to a park for a day is more or less encouraging them to *expect* handouts and will do much more harm than good, and they will just end up back in the streets the next day. It makes so sense.

-Tina

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Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!

Alton Towers are just desperate for visitors as the park is getting less popular. This way they can fill up and hope the kids buy some stuff in the park.

Tina-

Nothing like the Big Brother/Big Sister program that I know of although in Glasgow we have various youth projects in certain areas which are run by a few paid staff supplemented by volunteers. Whilst it does have an effect on some of the kids it is completely volutary on their part and in a lot of cases it's seen as *wussy* to be seen doing that kind of thing. Sadly there seems to be more failure than success in these things though :(

Ross-

I'm wondering if Alton Towers are a part of the scheme or whether they will just turn up en masse and go for the group discount. I know when I used to organise work trips we didn't have to make any arrangements for reduced prices - just turning up with a group of ten or more was enough for them.

-Jim

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Coasters, kitties, beer n buddies - life *is* sweet

Or steal stuff. lol

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Gimme speed, height, airtime and plenty of LAUNCH!!!

I do think this is just a little stupid. What they are basicaly saying is little vandals who terrorise neighbourhoods get to go to alton towers as a reward! What the hell is the world coming to!!

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ToXiCiTy