Ken,
With the traffic at our field I see the same things you are talking about on a regular basis but with a little bit of a twist. In Los Angeles with the combination of wealth and "fast living" life styles I see people get into the hobby, become addicted (I think they usually are in a twelve step program) and buy TONS of planes and pay people to build them. They usually leave the trainer behind as fast as possible because they want to fly overpowered warbirds or turbines without ever learning to use their left hand. Many of these guys last three to six months and then disapear. The good thing about them is they support the shops and resell stuff making the hobby cheaper for the rest of us! I guess it's better than drinking and drugs but I usually never get involved with them and can spot them a mile away.

Parents dropping their kids off is good and bad as long as they don't expect anyone to babysit them. One kid asks me to start his plane because his dad's one rule is he's not allowed to get his hands near the engine running and I gladly do it. He's a good pilot and dad does hang out sometimes so I don't mind him. A lot of the guys at the field have been coming out since they were kids but times have changed and I doubt I'd leave my kid at the field untill he's at least 13 or older. To leave and expect me to be responsible for the kid is neglegent parenting and I'd have given that guy an earful.