Hi Cyzmra
I'd be genuinely interested to know what it is that makes you feel you're in Russia?
I lived in Munich for three years, Paris for seven and Israel for one year so have some idea of how things are outside of the UK.
I am completely in agreement with Swanny. Parental control could go a long, long way to solving the problems that have been mentioned. It seems to me that people look to schools, police and the like to sort out issues involving nuisance youths and more or less invite the Nanny State to exist - but they tend to skip over the obvious responsibilities - or lack of - of what goes on at home.
Although I have to say, Swanny - I take issue with the 'sad mothers' bit
I was a sad mother and drove my son to school because his first school was six miles away and his second was twenty
I'm not adverse to a bit of exercise but I'm not hiking those type of distances and back twice a day.
Seriously though, it isn't always the case that mothers drive their kids to school out of molly-coddling tendencies. In some cases the mothers have to work so can't find the time to walk and/or there are far more cars on the roads these days and traffic and kids aren't always a good mix.