That'll Learn Ya'! Iowa Mom Sells Drink-Stashing Teen's Car
CNN reports that Jane Hambleton of Fort Dodge Iowa discovered booze stashed under the driver’s seat of her 19-year-old son’s car. Hambleton immediately placed this for-sale ad in a local newspaper: “OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet.” Prospective used-car buyers aside, Hambleton says she’s received more than 70 phone calls from the likes of emergency room technicians, nurses and even school counselors who phoned in to congratulate her for being a “responsible parent.” The hapless teenager– who claims the alcohol was left in his car by a passenger– is "very, very unhappy." While the car has been sold, Hambleton is letting the ad run an extra week. Common sense from the nation’s heartland.
Glenn is a baby-boomer, born in 1954. Along with his wife, he makes his home in Connecticut. Employed in the public sector as an Information Tedchnology Specialist, Glenn has long been a car fan. Past rides have included heavy iron such as a 1967 GTO, to a V8 T-Bird. In between those high-horsepower cars, he's owned a pair of BMW 320i's. Now, with a daily commute of 40 miles, his concession to MPG dictates the ownership of a 2006 Honda Civic coupe which, while fun to drive, is a modest car for a pistonhead. As an avid reader, Glenn enjoys TTAC, along with many other auto-realated sites, and the occasional good book. As an avid electronic junkie, Glenn holds an Advanced Class amateur ("ham") radio license, and is into many things electronic. From a satellite radio and portable GPS unit in the cars, to a modest home theater system and radio-intercom in his home, if it's run by the movement of electrons, he's interested. :-)
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From the wording of the ad, it sounds like the mom even made the teen write the copy! That's what it looks like to me anyway. If so, then the teen brought the attention to the situation, not the mom. So who DID write the ad? (Sorry, no time to check the link). EDIT: FYI, I used to own a 99 Intrigue. Best GM sedan at the time. It's a shame it's gone (or lives on as the Lacrosse).
Il faut laver son linge sale en famille.
Strippo: Il faut laver son linge sale en famille. "Don't air your dirty laundry in public."
Public Shame is an incredibly powerful tool that is under used in this country. We need to bring it back. Neon, It didn't matter whether the bottle was his or not. And yes, I remember when I was 19 better than most people. I even remember when I was 17 and a friend of mine wanted me to drive him to his dealer's house to get some drugs. I refused because I didn't want them in my car. He got pissed, and we were not friends much longer. Last time I saw him he looked like crap and was broke. He went from being a popular kid with all the advantages to a being a loser. I made plenty of mistakes, and I learned from many of them. I know people who never had to learn from them, and they still have no sense. No, it is not fair that the drinking age is 21 and the draft age is 18. What's really not fair is trying children as adults. (However, if you are ever drafted, they will let you drink on the Army post.) Either learn not to break the rules, or learn not to get caught. Everyone needs at least one of those skills.