Local Dad Questions His Parenting Until He Remembers People Send Their Kids Into Traffic On Unrestricted E-Bikes

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

A Betoota Heights man has faced an unwanted period of introspection this week as he questioned his own parenting briefly before coming to his senses.

Brendan Doolan prefaced his admission by saying nobody is perfect, but on the spectrum of parenting, there are some that are less perfect than others.

"We all have regrets, don't we?" he said.

Doolan is referring to his eldest son, Hoolan, who recently put his Prado into a table drain at medium speed while high on alcohol.

Hoolan is fine. His car is rooted and the police are up him. He has the brainpower to acknowledge he is very lucky.

But it led to Brendan doing some serious soul-searching. Perhaps his tales of delinquent drink-driving and tomfoolery had an impact on young Hoolan. This made him question the choices he made.

"Maybe I wasn't the best role model," he added.

"Hoolan was ejected through the sunroof — it was a Grande Prado, mind you — on the last rotation. He's lucky. He actually landed on his feet. A miracle, really. But I can't shake the feeling it's all my fault."

Then Brendan said he remembered there are parents out there that let their kids ride around in traffic on unrestricted e-bikes, which made him feel better.

"As if you'd buy your kid an unrestricted e-bike," he said.

"It's absolutely crazy. The kid might be a handy bike rider. That doesn't mean the bloke in the car is a good driver. Most people on the road are killed because other people can't fucken drive. You put a deadshit teenager on a bike and send him into traffic, the risk is immense."

"I'd never do something like that. Hoolan didn't even have a Razor scooter. He had to fucking walk!"

More to come.