While we've seen countless story regarding children using Grand Theft Auto as their inspiration to do wrong, it's extremely rare that we see news about GTA being cited as a cause for good. It happened on August 27th around 9pm, as the Norris family of five was heading to Diamond, Illinois to visit relatives. Their 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee swerved off the road, hitting a guardrail and flipping four times before coming to a stop, caving in the roof and smashing out the back window. With her mother hanging upside down and her father pinned against the steering wheel, 11-year-old Audrey Plique climbed out of the back window and helped her parents and two younger siblings escape the car. The motivation for her heroic act, according to her mother Karen Norris?
"She just knew, from playing 'Grand Theft Auto.' She saw on there that when a car rolls over, it can blow up. She knew that could happen to us"
I know, I had to make sure the story was true as well, going so far as to call the story's writer, Craig Wieczorkiewicz, to verify the details. "It's amazing the sort of information that comes out when you ask the right questions," he offered, after I commented on the rarity of such stories.
So yes, the Grand Theft Auto series can easily become the scapegoat for any number of crimes, but it can also inspire heroism in the heart of a preteen girl with an unrealistic grasp on automobile physics. Of course this will be discounted as a freak occurrence by those that choose to believe violent games cause violent children, but for us the story can serve as an example of video games teaching us helpful, if relatively inaccurate things.
[URL="http://kotaku.com/5044866/grand-theft-auto-helps-preteen-rescue-family-from-crashed-car"]That's pretty darn odd.[/URL]
"unrealistic grasp on automobile physics."
>_> I think I realised that leaking petrol was a bad thing when I was about 5
Now the question is why an 11 year old got her hands on a GTA game, especially when the parents knew about it.
And isn't it basic knowledge to get out of a vehicle if its upside down?
Plane, car, train.. its the first thing you should do isn't it?
These parents sound unintelligent at best.
Lmao yeah it's pretty much common sense that upside down car= big boom but I'm glad she said her motivation was from GTA, shows people that video games are not as bad as they thought.
Lmao yeah it's pretty much common sense that upside down car= big boom but I'm glad she said her motivation was from GTA, shows people that video games are not as bad as they thought.
The problem is, GTA is as bad as most people think, and the fact that a pre-teen had her hands on it is just bad parenting >_<;
The problem with the public's conception of gaming, is that they apply the 'monkey-see-monkey-do' mantra to all games being played by all gamers. Playing GTA is less likely to make you a murderer than Tesco doing a discount on butcher knives, do the media rip Tesco apart every time there's a killing using a kitchen knife? nope.
Lmao yeah it's pretty much common sense that upside down car= big boom but I'm glad she said her motivation was from GTA, shows people that video games are not as bad as they thought.
The problem is, GTA is as bad as most people think, and the fact that a pre-teen had her hands on it is just bad parenting >_<;
The problem with the public's conception of gaming, is that they apply the 'monkey-see-monkey-do' mantra to all games being played by all gamers. Playing GTA is less likely to make you a murderer than Tesco doing a discount on butcher knives, do the media rip Tesco apart every time there's a killing using a kitchen knife? nope.
Yeah I agree it is bad parenting but do you think she would have saved her family if she hadn't got hold of GTA?
You guys do realize cars flip over everyday and not explode, right? Car "explosions" are fairly rare as uncontained gasoline burns, it doesn't explode. I hope there was a tone a sarcasm in some of those statements.
Anyway, yeah, the parents shouldn't let that news out as it does not reflect well on them. Who knows, maybe their 11 year old also learned to never go to a drug deal without having armed back-up, the proper way to court a woman, always take out snipers before entering a gun battle, and any number of curse words... but I guess we don't know the circumstances of her playing. They might turn the sfx down and only let her drive (which would be ok for the most part.. so long as she stays on the road).
....yes.
Any child is going to attempt to save their parents if they're trapped
D4rk speaks the truths of the human nature.
Lmao yeah it's pretty much common sense that upside down car= big boom but I'm glad she said her motivation was from GTA, shows people that video games are not as bad as they thought.
The problem is, GTA is as bad as most people think, and the fact that a pre-teen had her hands on it is just bad parenting >_<;
The problem with the public's conception of gaming, is that they apply the 'monkey-see-monkey-do' mantra to all games being played by all gamers. Playing GTA is less likely to make you a murderer than Tesco doing a discount on butcher knives, do the media rip Tesco apart every time there's a killing using a kitchen knife? nope.
how can you say it's bad parenting when you dont know how she is being raised? for her to learn something positive from GTA shows maturity.
the public's and media's conception of gaming is an ignorant one. why should gamers or game developers be constantly walking on egg shells because the ignorance of others?
how can you say it's bad parenting when you dont know how she is being raised? for her to learn something positive from GTA shows maturity.
You're telling me a girl who is 11 should think if a car crash happens and the car is tipped upside down she should just sit there and do nothing? I wouldn't exactly call some one mature if they'd sit and watch their family possibly die in a car crash, possibly.
how can you say it's bad parenting when you dont know how she is being raised? for her to learn something positive from GTA shows maturity.
the public's and media's conception of gaming is an ignorant one. why should gamers or game developers be constantly walking on egg shells because the ignorance of others?
It's bad parenting because the parents bought an 18-rated game (Well, it's 18 rated in the UK) which means that it's legally unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18. The fact her parents bought her an 18 rated game at such a young age does show some bad parenting IMO.
Let me point out that a 16 year old playing GTA doesn't really bother me, because by that point you're going to be mature enough as it is. But an 11 year old should not be subjected to the level of violence, sex and profanity present in GTA games. At that age, it's probably enough to cause some major personality warping if it's played for extended periods of time.
And I do agree that the public/media's view of gaming is a bad one because they're perpetuating it as something to be blamed for all of society's piss-ups. To be honest, I don't think developers need to 'walk on eggshells' because that's what a country's rating organisation is for. They should tell them when they've stepped the lines. If the rating organisations were truely unbiased then the game developers wouldn't need to step on eggshells. The BIG problem is that the moaning people of this world that just enjoy taking things away from people, use the media as a mean to constrict the organisations into banning something they've taken a dislike to.
One of the main reasons the moaning people don't like GTA is because it's mainly underage people playing it. Which is a valid point. What's the point of ratings if no-one pays attention to them? Every time some parent comes into GAME to buy GTA for their underage child, I have to inform the parent of the content and then advise against the purchase of it. In one situation an 8-year-old boy bought it up with his mother and I stared giving my content speil, and her response was "Yeah, he loves all that stuff". An 8-year-old shouldn't even know about that stuff, let alone 'love it'!
So yeah, I put it down to bad parenting.
No, its not the rating organization, it should be the law looking over this stuff.
It should be illegal for a person under the restricted age to buy such a game, and it should be a felony for a person to buy the product for such a person.
(ie, its illegal to buy alcohol for minors, same should apply for video games)
Of course, if the government and law enforcers backed this law I think it'd be fair to ease on the ratings.
GTA should be fine as a M game, but it's pushing it.
(another good debate idea here... when are we getting this section?)
Off topic aside, last time a video game taught me something, I was playing Number Munchers.
Man that game was awesome.
Off topic again.. I just found a download for number Munchers... awesomeness.
It should be illegal for a person under the restricted age to buy such a game, and it should be a felony for a person to buy the product for such a person.
I don't know about the american countries, but It's illegal in the UK. Even the seller is liable if they don't ID someone who is underage, I could get upwards of £5000 fined to me if the VSC catches me serving a high rated PEGI/BBFC rated game to an underage customer.
how can you say it's bad parenting when you dont know how she is being raised? for her to learn something positive from GTA shows maturity.
You're telling me a girl who is 11 should think if a car crash happens and the car is tipped upside down she should just sit there and do nothing? I wouldn't exactly call some one mature if they'd sit and watch their family possibly die in a car crash, possibly.
too many variables. is this her first car crash? is she injured, disoriented? ive read articles where a kid capable of saving themselves dies with their trapped burning parent. without the knowledge of the car possibly exploding or other consequences, maybe she wouldnt have acted with urgency.
D4rks right but I've had instances were I've went to a counter with an 18 rated game (GUN in this case) with my grandma' and they didn't warn or anything, just rung it up and I was on my way.
Also, if there was a even more stricter selling then I would only be able to purchase 3+ games pretty much. Some of my local stores won't sell me a PG or 12 DVD because apparently even though I'm the right age I need a guardian there. At one point they wouldn't let me buy some jelly for a packed lunch because they said I would of used it anti socially.
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And, rawr. Find a topic that we heavily disagree on >:U
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And greaser, yes you're right to an extent but that's stretching it. A 11 year old should know a car crash is bad.
how can you say it's bad parenting when you dont know how she is being raised? for her to learn something positive from GTA shows maturity.
the public's and media's conception of gaming is an ignorant one. why should gamers or game developers be constantly walking on egg shells because the ignorance of others?
It's bad parenting because the parents bought an 18-rated game (Well, it's 18 rated in the UK) which means that it's legally unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18. The fact her parents bought her an 18 rated game at such a young age does show some bad parenting IMO.
Let me point out that a 16 year old playing GTA doesn't really bother me, because by that point you're going to be mature enough as it is. But an 11 year old should not be subjected to the level of violence, sex and profanity present in GTA games. At that age, it's probably enough to cause some major personality warping if it's played for extended periods of time.
And I do agree that the public/media's view of gaming is a bad one because they're perpetuating it as something to be blamed for all of society's piss-ups. To be honest, I don't think developers need to 'walk on eggshells' because that's what a country's rating organisation is for. They should tell them when they've stepped the lines. If the rating organisations were truely unbiased then the game developers wouldn't need to step on eggshells. The BIG problem is that the moaning people of this world that just enjoy taking things away from people, use the media as a mean to constrict the organisations into banning something they've taken a dislike to.
One of the main reasons the moaning people don't like GTA is because it's mainly underage people playing it. Which is a valid point. What's the point of ratings if no-one pays attention to them? Every time some parent comes into GAME to buy GTA for their underage child, I have to inform the parent of the content and then advise against the purchase of it. In one situation an 8-year-old boy bought it up with his mother and I stared giving my content speil, and her response was "Yeah, he loves all that stuff". An 8-year-old shouldn't even know about that stuff, let alone 'love it'!
So yeah, I put it down to bad parenting.
again, this girl could be smarter and wiser well above her age. it's not uncommon. everyone has different morals and ethics.why be complacent to these ratings/guidelines? seeing as how well the game has sold, and the news isnt littered everyday with GTA-inspired violence, i really dont think violent games have such a negative effect on kids as the media leads to believe.
do you share the same sentiments in regards to movies? is it okay for a kid to watch an R-rated movie? the ratings arent law. it's there to be informative for the consumers and parents. most theatres will let a kid watch an R-rated movies as long theyre with a parent or someone who is of age.
Yeah let's just stick around in an upside down car so we can get a headrush. xD
But sure, if the game made it all the more urgent for her, that's great. But if she needed a video game to tell her staying in an upside down car was a bad idea, I think she (and her parents for that matter) need more help then they realize.
No, its not the rating organization, it should be the law looking over this stuff.
It should be illegal for a person under the restricted age to buy such a game, and it should be a felony for a person to buy the product for such a person.
(ie, its illegal to buy alcohol for minors, same should apply for video games)
not all video games are rated M. do you really want 'video games' used in the same connotation as 'alcohol'?
i also dont like the idea of the government telling us what we can and cant play. the last thing i want is my tax money housing a kid juvenile detention because he was caught buying an M rated game.
At one point they wouldn't let me buy some jelly for a packed lunch because they said I would of used it anti socially.
Lmao! That's crazy.
Anyway, the girl shouldn't of been playing the game in the first place but if it saved lives then I'm glad she got her hands on it.