minor traveling with friends

[Seph]

What is the name of your state? Idaho

I am currently 16. I have been wanting to travel with my friends to southern Idaho for some time now. I will be traveling with my close friend and his parents. My father knows all of them, however not the friends I am visiting. He told me that it is illegal for him to let me travel if I'm not visiting relatives. He said something about it being illegal and he would be considered an irresponsible parent. He also said that if I do go and get injured a hospital would not take me in. I realize that it is ultimatly up to him if I go or not, but I would still like to know if it is llegal or not. Thank you.

 

[tigger22472]

What is the name of your state? Idaho

I am currently 16. I have been wanting to travel with my friends to southern Idaho for some time now. I will be traveling with my close friend and his parents. My father knows all of them, however not the friends I am visiting. He told me that it is illegal for him to let me travel if I'm not visiting relatives. He said something about it being illegal and he would be considered an irresponsible parent. He also said that if I do go and get injured a hospital would not take me in. I realize that it is ultimatly up to him if I go or not, but I would still like to know if it is llegal or not. Thank you.

No, it's not illegal.
The hospital thing could be settled also. However, you are right, it's ultimately his decision, one you have to accept.

 

[Seph]

No, it's not illegal.
The hospital thing could be settled also. However, you are right, it's ultimately his decision, one you have to accept.

How can the hospital thing be settled? Is it a matter of contacting my parents or am I allowed to be admitted to a hospital by friends?

 

[tigger22472]

How can the hospital thing be settled? Is it a matter of contacting my parents or am I allowed to be admitted to a hospital by friends?

Your parents could have a letter notarized giving the other parents the right to seek medical attention for you and within that letter give contact information as well a copy of an insurance card.

 

[Seph]

Your parents could have a letter notarized giving the other parents the right to seek medical attention for you and within that letter give contact information as well a copy of an insurance card.

I don't believe we have medical insurance. Last time I was hurt I think it had to all be paid by us. Does that matter?

 

[LdiJ]

Hon, the bottom line is that your father says you can't go. Even if he is giving you excuses that you can "rebutt" by asking questions on a forum like this....he still isn't going to let you go unless you can convince him that its a safe trip for you to make.

The way to have any chance of making that happen is for your dad to be in contact with the friends that you want to visit and for your dad to feel confident that they are safe people for you to visit. That may or may not be possible.

I wouldn't have allowed my daughter (when she was a 16 year old) to travel out of state to visit people I didn't know. I might have let her take a vacation with the family of a friend of hers however....if I truly trusted them.

 

[Seph]

Hon, the bottom line is that your father says you can't go. Even if he is giving you excuses that you can "rebutt" by asking questions on a forum like this....he still isn't going to let you go unless you can convince him that its a safe trip for you to make.

The way to have any chance of making that happen is for your dad to be in contact with the friends that you want to visit and for your dad to feel confident that they are safe people for you to visit. That may or may not be possible.

I wouldn't have allowed my daughter (when she was a 16 year old) to travel out of state to visit people I didn't know. I might have let her take a vacation with the family of a friend of hers however....if I truly trusted them.

That's the point of asking. If he realizes it isn't illegal it makes it that much more of a safer trip. And he does know the people I am traveling with. And it isn't out of state I am in northern Idaho going to southern Idaho. He keeps avoiding the situation and I want to know why. I am extremely trustworthy, I NEVER lie to him. I never get in trouble, I never do drugs, I am not sexually involved and I don't plan on doing any of those things. Infact I will not allow those things to happen. He tells me if I continue to act this way he will trust me with bigger things. It has been a year and he hasn't allowed me to do anything I couldn't already do. He keeps saying how I am a teenager and can't make decisions on my own. If I can't, then I would be on drugs and sexually involved because I had plenty of opportunities too. I just want him to trust me like he says he does.

 

[tigger22472]

That's the point of asking. If he realizes it isn't illegal it makes it that much more of a safer trip. And he does know the people I am traveling with. And it isn't out of state I am in northern Idaho going to southern Idaho. He keeps avoiding the situation and I want to know why. I am extremely trustworthy, I NEVER lie to him. I never get in trouble, I never do drugs, I am not sexually involved and I don't plan on doing any of those things. Infact I will not allow those things to happen. He tells me if I continue to act this way he will trust me with bigger things. It has been a year and he hasn't allowed me to do anything I couldn't already do. He keeps saying how I am a teenager and can't make decisions on my own. If I can't, then I would be on drugs and sexually involved because I had plenty of opportunities too. I just want him to trust me like he says he does.

Odds are that he DOES know that it's not illegal ... he was banking on the fact YOU wouldn't know that. You can't force him to give you less reigns. If he says NO, no matter what the reason, the answer is no.

 

[juliejulie]

Not too much longer.....

Two more years babe and you can do anything you want. It seems like a lifetime now but it's really not. I promise. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders. You'll have plenty of time to go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want to do. Let Dad have this time. Look at it like - you're doing him a favor. You've got a good Dad who wants to protect you. I had a Dad like that too. It sucks, but it's only for a short while longer.

 

[acmb05]

Odds are that he DOES know that it's not illegal ... he was banking on the fact YOU wouldn't know that. You can't force him to give you less reigns. If he says NO, no matter what the reason, the answer is no.

Maybe maybe not. It all depends on how the court order for custody is written and what is in it about the child traveling out of the state. If he allows the child to travel without a parent it could very well be against the court order.

 

[tigger22472]

Maybe maybe not. It all depends on how the court order for custody is written and what is in it about the child traveling out of the state. If he allows the child to travel without a parent it could very well be against the court order.

This poster has never indicated that his parents are divorced.... hence there's no reason to believe there is a court order. Besides the fact that he's not traveling out of state.