Vandalized Robot
Well, my only point was that "budding criminals" are more likely when nurtured to bud as criminals.
I can see a parent being worried about someone chasing their kids, and wanting to get protective initially. However, the comment "you should have been with your equipment" assumes the kids did in fact try to destroy it and that there is nothing wrong with that as long as they don't get caught. Transmitting this kind of mindset into a child is criminal in itself in my opinion.
If the parent had said "you come one step closer to my kids I'll shoot you". I'm okay with that as long as the parent then follows up to find out what happened and takes appropriate action.
Yes, it's important to throw rocks at survey equipment when one is young. But only because you then learn right from wrong before you are large and mean enough to cause real trouble. Absent the corrective action when caught in the act, throwing rocks at total stations is part of the training to become a criminal.
And that is the same in Texas, New York, or Timbuktu.
Vandalized Robot
I did get myself into some serious mischief, and when my dad found out I got my arse wooped. I am very thankful to my parents for instilling discipline into me very young. That whole scenario would be a whole lot different in the case of my kids.
Vandalized Robot
One of several reasons I'm not Robotic.
One thing in perspective is those kids and us as kids are a different era. (20,30,40,50? years ago) and the worlds a different place.
Just the following home and knocking on the door would have knocked sense into me.
I have often been challenged by modern kids 'stuff' knowing full well the stupid and unmentionable things I engaged in.
Then I do a reality check but am constantly aware of the different intolerant, inconsiderate and undisciplined side of life many embrace in 2011, that wasn't so 'up your nose' back in those wild days of my youthfulness.