McDonalds under 18 Chavtastic problem

First there was this - McD's banning under 18's from stores in the Meir Park area of Stoke on Trent where gangs of teenagers (and younger) were involved in fights at McDonald's and the local KFC but now, in Manchester, McD's have been pushed into hiring bouncers to keep the peace after months of trouble by schoolkids.

On a serious note, this is the latest in example of the lack of social clubs, youth clubs and spaces for teenagers to be - teenagers.

What's the position in other countries for teenagers I wonder?

Infinite Chaos said:

First there was this - McD's banning under 18's from stores in the Meir Park area of Stoke on Trent where gangs of teenagers (and younger) were involved in fights at McDonald's and the local KFC but now, in Manchester, McD's have been pushed into hiring bouncers to keep the peace after months of trouble by schoolkids.

On a serious note, this is the latest in example of the lack of social clubs, youth clubs and spaces for teenagers to be - teenagers.

What's the position in other countries for teenagers I wonder?

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I don't think it's "teenagers being teenagers" to walk into a place and just start intentionally destroying everything and hurting people for the hell of it. That is not normal for a human being old enough to have developed some sense of theory of mind -- which happens by about the age of 4.

A teenager should not resemble an asocial animal to such an extent that they can't even be trusted in public spaces. This represents a profound failure by whoever is raising them to give them even the most basic socialization.

Someone needs to be teaching them to actually be human beings, not providing a rubber room for them to just beat the hell out of each other.

Infinite Chaos said:

First there was this - McD's banning under 18's from stores in the Meir Park area of Stoke on Trent where gangs of teenagers (and younger) were involved in fights at McDonald's and the local KFC but now, in Manchester, McD's have been pushed into hiring bouncers to keep the peace after months of trouble by schoolkids.

On a serious note, this is the latest in example of the lack of social clubs, youth clubs and spaces for teenagers to be - teenagers.

What's the position in other countries for teenagers I wonder?

Click to expand...

Pretty much the same up to a point I suspect. But I agree the more activities available for free or near free for teenagers, the better. And education of course..

SmokeAndMirrors said:

I don't think it's "teenagers being teenagers" to walk into a place and just start intentionally destroying everything and hurting people for the hell of it.

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You could be right. It could be a cultural thing.

Living on the Costa del Sol, I have seen the good and bad of various nationalities. The absolute worst behaved are the British. Now this can be because there are so many of the, the amount of booze they drink or a number of other factors, but the fact is that when you hear about trouble in the night life here, it more than often involves British citizen to one degree or another.

Now saying that, I fully know that Danes, especially the drunk type, can do absolutely stupid things as well on vacation, and so can any other nationalities. I remember reading about idiot Danes jumping off balconies into pool in Majorca and getting very hurt. But violence is relatively rare among most nationalities, with the exception of the British here. But again for every Dane there are most likely 30-50 Brits, so a true comparison is hard.

So when you hear about this in the UK, then it makes you wonder. But saying that, there is also violence in places like Denmark among teenagers and young people. Most of it is tied to gang activity and is very local to specific areas, but it does happen. The only common thing I can think of the two situations is that the people involved are mostly unemployed restless youth who have nothing better to do.

Infinite Chaos said:

First there was this - McD's banning under 18's from stores in the Meir Park area of Stoke on Trent where gangs of teenagers (and younger) were involved in fights at McDonald's and the local KFC but now, in Manchester, McD's have been pushed into hiring bouncers to keep the peace after months of trouble by schoolkids.

On a serious note, this is the latest in example of the lack of social clubs, youth clubs and spaces for teenagers to be - teenagers.

What's the position in other countries for teenagers I wonder?

Click to expand...

Largely the same here, worse in rural areas.

Where I used to hang out, an old town square that had a night club teenagers could access (just no alcohol).
They changed it to a dinner theater for adults.
Where do we go?
The next place that has some of those aspects, mall, another town square, a different night club, pool hall, etc.
The problem is they don't want teenagers at those places.

In rural areas, there are a few things you can do for fun at night, sex, drugs & alcohol, ride around the small town squares, church.
Only two of those sound fun, all but one is heavily discouraged.

We do seem to have a problem with 'underclass' antisocial behaviour. Behaviour condemned yet rationalised by those of a PC bent who deflect blame onto those calling them chavs, or who demand stricter judicial regimes for naked barbarity. 'It's because they're poor.' But I'm afraid that doesn't wash for the well behaved on the poverty line, especially if they grew up in the Depression.

And for ordinary teenagers, I can't say I'm really all that sympathetic. These groups make more noise than money and just seem to be in the way wherever they go as a result. It's probably because it's hard to find work that kids are a nuisance hanging around and other people feel them to be moreso.

Infinite Chaos said:

First there was this - McD's banning under 18's from stores in the Meir Park area of Stoke on Trent where gangs of teenagers (and younger) were involved in fights at McDonald's and the local KFC but now, in Manchester, McD's have been pushed into hiring bouncers to keep the peace after months of trouble by schoolkids.

On a serious note, this is the latest in example of the lack of social clubs, youth clubs and spaces for teenagers to be - teenagers.

What's the position in other countries for teenagers I wonder?

Click to expand...

By the time they're teens it's probably too late to change them.