But it is the same - there aren't any more, or less weirdos than when we were kids - there's just a lot more media hype and hysteria about it! Think how many abduction stories you know of that happened in the last 10 years... I can think of a handful. Now think how many kids there are in the country... In reality the world is no more dangerous to how it was 10, 20, or even 30 years ago.

Having said all that I'm a properly twitchy parent, and wouldn't let my kids out til they were 18 if I had the chance!