Finally, a parent being a parent and getting recognition for it!

This story is great! ;)


updated 4:52 p.m. PT, Wed., Jan. 9, 2008
DES MOINES, Iowa - Jane Hambleton has dubbed herself the "meanest mom on the planet."

After finding alcohol in her son's car, she decided to sell the car and share her 19-year-old's misdeed with everyone — by placing an ad in the local newspaper.

The ad reads: "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."



Hambleton has heard from people besides interested buyers since recently placing the ad in The Des Moines Register.

The 48-year-old from Fort Dodge says she has fielded more than 70 telephone calls from emergency room technicians, nurses, school counselors and even a Georgia man who wanted to congratulate her.

"The ad cost a fortune, but you know what? I'm telling people what happened here," Hambleton says. "I'm not just gonna put the car for resale when there's nothing wrong with it, except the driver made a dumb decision.

"It's overwhelming the number of calls I've gotten from people saying 'Thank you, it's nice to see a responsible parent.' So far there are no calls from anyone saying, 'You're really strict. You're real overboard, lady.'"

The only critic is her son, who Hambleton says is "very, very unhappy" with the ad and claims the alcohol was left by a passenger.

Hambleton said she believes her son but has decided mercy isn't the best policy in this case. She says she set two rules when she bought the car at Thanksgiving: No booze, and always keep it locked.

The car has been sold, but Hambleton says she will continue the ad for another week — just for the feedback.

:clap :clap :clap :clap :clap BRAVO!!!

I heard about that a few days ago - CNN had a blurb about it early in the morning. That mom has guts, alright.

:clap: Great mom! Wish more people were like that.

harsh.

We breed good parents.


Sometimes.

well, I think it's good and bad at the same time. The son is 19, he can vote, he's likely out of high school, he probably works and goes to college. It's hardly the same thing as handing a 16 year old the keys for the first time. There is a certain age where the kid is grown up enough to no longer answer everything he does to his parents. Especially if the mom believes the beer was his friends', why is she still selling it?

well, I think it's good and bad at the same time. The son is 19, he can vote, he's likely out of high school, he probably works and goes to college. It's hardly the same thing as handing a 16 year old the keys for the first time. There is a certain age where the kid is grown up enough to no longer answer everything he does to his parents. Especially if the mom believes the beer was his friends', why is she still selling it?
She bought the car; I say she can set whatever rules she wants. JMO

She bought the car; I say she can set whatever rules she wants. JMO

Not only that, but said upfront: "no booze and always keep it locked." He violated that.

I'm glad it was sold. Maybe her son will think twice before picking up a friend whose wasted and tell him to call a cab/another friend. Or at least be smart enough to clean out the booze bottles.

well, I think it's good and bad at the same time. The son is 19, he can vote, he's likely out of high school, he probably works and goes to college. It's hardly the same thing as handing a 16 year old the keys for the first time. There is a certain age where the kid is grown up enough to no longer answer everything he does to his parents. Especially if the mom believes the beer was his friends', why is she still selling it?
When she was buying the car she set the rules. He ACCEPTED THE RULES. If he had an issue with the rules she set forth, then he should have gone out and bought the car HIMSELF. Even though he is 19, he sounds very immature to me, especially telling his mom she needs to "get a life" for snooping in his car. Sounds like he was busted and his only defense was to tell his mom that ignorant statement. I don't believe his story that his friend left the alcohol in the car. Regardless, she said NO ALCOHOL and that was the rule he accepted. Sorry.

no comment ..really, i dont know what to say

I don't know what the laws are for the state she lives in, but here in Washington, if even your passenger has the alcohol, you are still responsible for what they do, even if it isn't "your" alcohol. The law here says there is to be no alcohol consumed by even passengers, even if the driver is not drinking.
I would imagine it's the same elsewhere.

well, I think it's good and bad at the same time. The son is 19, he can vote, he's likely out of high school, he probably works and goes to college. It's hardly the same thing as handing a 16 year old the keys for the first time. There is a certain age where the kid is grown up enough to no longer answer everything he does to his parents. Especially if the mom believes the beer was his friends', why is she still selling it?

Yeah, i was just thinking that, but the mom might suffer just as much if she has to bring her son to and from work and school :lol:

If its true about his friend leaving a bottle of alcohol, he should always check after letting people in his car. Heck, for all he knows, one of his friends could've dropped a bag of weed between the seats and never knew about it.

As harsh as it is, I definitely agree with the mom on this case, considering that she was the one who bought the car and set the rules.

:) Great story that 19 year old should be GROWN enough to realize that BOOZE in a car is a big NO NO

I have to give some thought to my actual opinion on this, but for the time being, I'm just LMAO! :lol:

I'm siding with the mom on this one.

If she was the one paying for the car then she had every right to do what she did. Kudos to her! :)

I don't know what the laws are for the state she lives in, but here in Washington, if even your passenger has the alcohol, you are still responsible for what they do, even if it isn't "your" alcohol. The law here says there is to be no alcohol consumed by even passengers, even if the driver is not drinking.
I would imagine it's the same elsewhere.


It's the same up here - absolutely no open alcohol within the car at any time. If you have partial bottles they all have to be locked in the trunk - its the law.
It's the same for seatbelt laws. If a passenger isn't wearing a seatbelt, the driver is considered responsible. I won't take off until everyone in the car has their seatbelts on (my husband used to be terrible for not wearing one - now he always does).

I think what she did was the perfect punishment. Back to the "old school" of parenting.

It's the same up here - absolutely no open alcohol within the car at any time. If you have partial bottles they all have to be locked in the trunk - its the law.
It's the same for seatbelt laws. If a passenger isn't wearing a seatbelt, the driver is considered responsible. I won't take off until everyone in the car has their seatbelts on (my husband used to be terrible for not wearing one - now he always does).

I think what she did was the perfect punishment. Back to the "old school" of parenting.

Can you help my fiance wear his all the time?? :lol:

Can you help my fiance wear his all the time?? :lol:


Hire a gang of four thugs to duct tape him in - permanently! ;)

:lol: If anyone dont put one on they are an idiot. I think some people take it as an insult when i tell them to wear it, because they think i'm saying they are a bad driver. I always say NO i'm not critiquing your driving, but what can you do when a drunk driver slams into you and throws you out of the car?

It's the same up here - absolutely no open alcohol within the car at any time. If you have partial bottles they all have to be locked in the trunk - its the law.
It's the same for seatbelt laws. If a passenger isn't wearing a seatbelt, the driver is considered responsible. I won't take off until everyone in the car has their seatbelts on (my husband used to be terrible for not wearing one - now he always does).

I think what she did was the perfect punishment. Back to the "old school" of parenting.
I get a kick out of this state. It's the law that you have to wear seatbeats but if you ride a motorcycle you don't have to wear a helmet. Quite a lot of people don't around here. :crazy:

I get a kick out of this state. It's the law that you have to wear seatbeats but if you ride a motorcycle you don't have to wear a helmet. Quite a lot of people don't around here. :crazy:


You're kidding me? I thought the helmut law was in everywhere now! I look back at the days when I'd hop on my brother's bike in shorts, a tube top (not a good idea on a vibrating bike!) and that's it - no shoes or helmut. We are so lucky nothing ever happened.

That is an interesting State!

I get a kick out of this state. It's the law that you have to wear seatbeats but if you ride a motorcycle you don't have to wear a helmet. Quite a lot of people don't around here. :crazy:
Lots of people around here don't wear helmets either. Very risky. :crazy:

Can you help my fiance wear his all the time?? :lol:
I hear that sister! :lol: My boyfriend only puts his on when he sees a policeman or policewoman around. IDIOT!!! He knows abt my story when I was 8 months pregnant and even though I wore my seatbelt, when I slammed into a car in front of me (the car in front suddenly stopped) while I was going 35 mph, I still ended up hitting my head on the windshield and shattered it. Physics takes over and your body immediately gets thrust up and forward from a crash like that, which is why I hit the windshield regardless of me wearing a seat belt. This was before air bags were implemented. After the fireman told me that seatbelt saved me from going all the way through the windshield, I never again went without wearing a seatbelt. You think that would drive it into my man's head? Hell no, he has one thick head and let's hope that is what saves him when someone slams into him while in a car. :rolleyes: :crazy:


As for the law of wearing seat belts for all passengers and not having liquor in one's vehicle, we have the same law. You cannot have liquor at all in the vehicle, regardless if it is unopened.

I hear that sister! :lol: My boyfriend only puts his on when he sees a policeman or policewoman around. IDIOT!!! He knows abt my story when I was 8 months pregnant and even though I wore my seatbelt, when I slammed into a car in front of me (the car in front suddenly stopped) while I was going 35 mph, I still ended up hitting my head on the windshield and shattered it. Physics takes over and your body immediately gets thrust up and forward from a crash like that, which is why I hit the windshield regardless of me wearing a seat belt. This was before air bags were implemented. After the fireman told me that seatbelt saved me from going all the way through the windshield, I never again went without wearing a seatbelt. You think that would drive it into my man's head? Hell no, he has one thick head and let's hope that is what saves him when someone slams into him while in a car. :rolleyes: :crazy:


As for the law of wearing seat belts for all passengers and not having liquor in one's vehicle, we have the same law. You cannot have liquor at all in the vehicle, regardless if it is unopened.

I wonder if it's a "man thing" or something where they think only sissies where seatbelts. Yeah right, tell me that when your head is sitting on the hood of your car and your body is still in the car! I've just made it such a habit that it doesn't feel right to even drive down the street to a friend's place without wearing it. I also made sure my new car had 8 airbags in it. If I've ever in a crash, just watch for a white Jetta floating around - that'll be me waving to you happy that I survived!

Wow - no liquor AT ALL even unopened? I don't think we're that strict - I've carried dozens of unopened bottles in the car (usually around Christmas) and they're in bottle bags. No problem with that - but if the seal's been cracked at all, you're nailed. That's the way it should be too.

You're kidding me? I thought the helmut law was in everywhere now! I look back at the days when I'd hop on my brother's bike in shorts, a tube top (not a good idea on a vibrating bike!) and that's it - no shoes or helmut. We are so lucky nothing ever happened.

That is an interesting State!
It used to be like that here but they changed it. :lol: Their's a QB in the NFL , Ben Roethlisberger . He plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A few years ago he won the SB. He was on top of the world. During the off-season he rode a motorcycle right here in PA without a helmet. He got in a serious accident and it almost killed him. He lucked out. He didn't even miss an NFL season although he wasn't the same the next year as far as playing was concerned. He seems fine now though. He really lucked out.

I wonder if it's a "man thing" or something where they think only sissies where seatbelts. Yeah right, tell me that when your head is sitting on the hood of your car and your body is still in the car! I've just made it such a habit that it doesn't feel right to even drive down the street to a friend's place without wearing it. I also made sure my new car had 8 airbags in it. If I've ever in a crash, just watch for a white Jetta floating around - that'll be me waving to you happy that I survived!
:brent Girlfriend, you missed your calling. :lol: You should have been a comedy writer! Oh, then again, you'd be on strike right now. :eek: That's not good. :eek:

I will be on the look out for that Jetta should it ever be on the news. :wave:

I have no idea what men are thinking (if they are thinking at all) abt wearing seatbelts. I too am like you, I feel weird if I don't have it on. It is such a habit now, it feels like part of my clothing. I actually feel safe.

You know what my boyfriends says, (idiot!!) he says, "If I am in an accident and I should crash into a canal (what canal you moron, we live in a city! :crazy: ) or if I crash under water (what water? we have a drought problem! :crazy: and you can't drive into the ocean!) how will I get out from the car?

:brent Girlfriend, you missed your calling. :lol: You should have been a comedy writer! Oh, then again, you'd be on strike right now. :eek: That's not good. :eek:

I will be on the look out for that Jetta should it ever be on the news. :wave:

I have no idea what men are thinking (if they are thinking at all) abt wearing seatbelts. I too am like you, I feel weird if I don't have it on. It is such a habit now, it feels like part of my clothing. I actually feel safe.

You know what my boyfriends says, (idiot!!) he says, "If I am in an accident and I should crash into a canal (what canal you moron, we live in a city! :crazy: ) or if I crash under water (what water? we have a drought problem! :crazy: and you can't drive into the ocean!) how will I get out from the car?
no comment. :lol:

:brent Girlfriend, you missed your calling. :lol: You should have been a comedy writer! Oh, then again, you'd be on strike right now. :eek: That's not good. :eek:

I will be on the look out for that Jetta should it ever be on the news. :wave:

I have no idea what men are thinking (if they are thinking at all) abt wearing seatbelts. I too am like you, I feel weird if I don't have it on. It is such a habit now, it feels like part of my clothing. I actually feel safe.

You know what my boyfriends says, (idiot!!) he says, "If I am in an accident and I should crash into a canal (what canal you moron, we live in a city! :crazy: ) or if I crash under water (what water? we have a drought problem! :crazy: and you can't drive into the ocean!) how will I get out from the car?


(my friggin' smilies aren't working - how frustrating!!!!)


LOL - Yeah, if that were the case, I shouldn't be posting right now! Thanks - I've been told I should have been a comedian by a ton of people. ;)

I used to think the same thing but it's a crock. There's shows that tell you how to get your seatbelt opened in a case like that (under water). And what are the odds of being thrown into a body of water over being thrown onto the road? I could see that excuse if they had to wrap the seatbelt around their "man thing" but that ain't the case!! :lol:

It used to be like that here but they changed it. :lol: Their's a QB in the NFL , Ben Roethlisberger . He plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A few years ago he won the SB. He was on top of the world. During the off-season he rode a motorcycle right here in PA without a helmet. He got in a serious accident and it almost killed him. He lucked out. He didn't even miss an NFL season although he wasn't the same the next year as far as playing was concerned. He seems fine now though. He really lucked out.


I remember hearing about him. The guy must have had a head on him like a rock!

I started wearing long sleeves and jeans on motorcycles after friends of mine crashed. She was wearing only shorts and a t-shirt and the road burns they suffered were incredible! Picking stones out of your skin for weeks isn't my idea of fun. Neither are bugs in your teeth! Wear helmuts people!

(my friggin' smilies aren't working - how frustrating!!!!)


LOL - Yeah, if that were the case, I shouldn't be posting right now! Thanks - I've been told I should have been a comedian by a ton of people. ;)

I used to think the same thing but it's a crock. There's shows that tell you how to get your seatbelt opened in a case like that (under water). And what are the odds of being thrown into a body of water over being thrown onto the road? I could see that excuse if they had to wrap the seatbelt around their "man thing" but that ain't the case!! :lol:
Exactly! Thank you. That is what I tell him. And the old excuse, "I am a great driver, do you think I am going to crash or what?" No!! But what abt the idiot out there who is drinking? Or the person who falls asleep at the wheel? What abt the teen who is speeding? Or the elderly person who goes through the red light? I just turn my face at him like this: :snob: Oh well, learn the hard way I guess. :crazy: