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General => The Shed => Topic started by: iain on May 18, 2007, 00:01:32

Title: School Runs
Post by: iain on May 18, 2007, 00:01:32

I was taking my son to school this morning.
I noticed that some people are lazy, they take their kids in the car and they  live less a mile from the school they still use the car.
I am not against cars but what I hate is when they live so close to school they still have to use the car, 4x4's people carriers just to take 1 or 2 kids
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on May 18, 2007, 07:51:18
All they're doing is turning their kids into couch potatoes.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Tulipa on May 18, 2007, 08:00:19
It's a difficult one if Mums are rushing off to work for 9.00am say, and school starts at 9.00am which I think happens in a lot of cases.  Our local schools are taking away parking spaces to try and stop the school run but it needs more thinking out than that as it has made cars parked more haphazardly in the area of the schools and created more chance of accidents.  It is a nightmare.

I think there needs to be more discussion with parents in each area and decide on a strategy, it is easy for the local councils to come up with ideas but it is a huge problem these days with both parents working and the rushed lifestyle most people lead.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Jeannine on May 18, 2007, 08:09:47
Personally I think it is difficult to generalise on this subject. I agree there appears to be many people living close to school who drive their kids in,but..I as don't know where those parents are going after they have dropped off their kids  I would feel uncomfortable making a judgement  on them. I should add that some parents with two or three or even more little ones to organise,feed etc in a morning find it difficult to get their kids to school on time,especially if the littlies walk slow. Driving them in avoids the stress of hurrying them along all the time.XX Jeannine
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: greenscrump on May 18, 2007, 08:22:25
I'm one of seven and we were never late and all walked to school........ I do think in most cases it is plain old laziness and ignorance of the consequences
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Tulipa on May 18, 2007, 08:24:57
Jeanine, you put it better than me, there are so many factors in why people drive.

One of my sons has Asperger's Syndrome and the only way to get him to school was by car.  He was hugely stressed by school and the extra time taken walking just wound him up so much.  I used to feel very guilty about driving.  We have "Walk to School Week" in our area and trying to cope with that was bad enough.

I always walked to school before he started and was aware of people judging me.  One Mum said to me she was glad I drove to school as it meant she could too!

People have lots of reasons for driving though and we shouldn't judge them all.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: emmy1978 on May 18, 2007, 11:04:19
Iain - Don't get me started on the private school mummies and their 4x4's for one child! Although do agree with J and Tulippa that you can't generalise I do know what you mean!!!
I walk all the blimmin time and would appreciate a drive to school week sometimes!
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: DadnDom on May 18, 2007, 13:26:22
Teacher across the way from us drives her huge 4x4 thing to school. The school is literally 300 yards away.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Mrs Ava on May 18, 2007, 13:31:45
Loathe 4X4 and people carriers unless you have a reason to off road regularly or have more than 4 children. 

As for mums/dad/aunts/uncles/nans/grandads/babysitters etc driving to school, you can't call them lazy unless you know the reason why they are driving.  I'm a mum of 2.5 and yes, I drive to school mostly and yes it is under a mile away.  I drive because I need to start work at 9, school bell rings at 8.50.  I take the children, then straight on to work.  I pick them up on the way home from work, in my work gear, covered in mud and plant life, hence the other parents tend to stand well away from me.  An awful lot of the mums I know are going to work straight from school.  What do you expect them to do?  Sprint home, grab the car and drive to work, only to arrive late?  If the parent isn't going on somewhere, then yes, why not walk.  In our village we are lucky, we have a walking bus scheme 3 days a week and because we are a small village, probably as many parents walk as drive.  Today I have my daughter home sick after having an operation on her face yesterday.  We walked this morning, took is leisurely.  Now she is feeling like rubbish, sore and grouchy.  Do I walk to collect son?  No, her health comes first, so we will drive.  You cannot generalise on this one, and it is one I can climb happilly onto my soap box about.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: kt. on May 18, 2007, 15:25:21
My OH drops kids off at school 1 mile away, for the bell at 0850hrs. She then has a two mile dash to get to work for 9am. When I get the occasional mid week day off work, I always walk these times. Traffic street wardens regularly appear outside our schools at peak school times. More so the pick up than the drop off though.

Mondays - I start at 11am, leaving home at 0930hr. I always allow my kids to ride their bikes / scooters to school this day. (Then muggins has to carry them all the way back home again as the child-minder picks 'em up). If it is raining - they love walking in it and take their kiddies umbrella.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Ceratonia on May 18, 2007, 17:09:51
Quote from: tulippa on May 18, 2007, 08:00:19
It's a difficult one if Mums are rushing off to work for 9.00am say

I walk one of my sons to school, walk home again and then drive right past his school a few minutes later, on the way to work. I do it because the exercise is good for both of us and it's nice to have a chat with him on the way and with other parents at the school gate. 

Large majority of mums and dads dropping their kids off at our village school are in a big hurry because they have to be at work in Cambridge by 9 sharp. If I had a job with inflexible hours, I'd be one of those driving a child a couple hundreds of yards to work, too.

The sad part is that it becomes a vicious circle - one of the reasons few people are willing to let primary school age children in our village walk themselves to school is that there is so much dangerous traffic at that time of day. I feel safe allowing my 8 yr old walk home from school at 3pm, but I wouldn't be happy letting him (or any of his friends) cross the roads by himself  to walk to school at 8:30.

I also think that there isn't too much schools and local councils can do about this - they can't put the clock back to an era when mums stayed at home and there was little traffic on the roads.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Mrs Ava on May 18, 2007, 18:33:45
I wouldn't let my 8 year old daughter walk home alone from school.  Maybe we are over protective, but within my lifetime I have known 2 children vanish from school, a lad in my sisters class at school aged around 10, and a girl the year below me at primary school, aged about 8 or 9.  She turned up dead, killed by the caretaker, he has never been found.   My mum accompanied my sister and I to school until I was old enough to drive and I never minded and never received any ribbing from other kids.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: emmy1978 on May 18, 2007, 18:35:15
Quote from: ktlawson on May 18, 2007, 15:25:21
I always allow my kids to ride their bikes / scooters to school this day. (Then muggins has to carry them all the way back home again as the child-minder picks 'em up).

KT - I whizz home on Moo's scooter, carrying Frou's over the handlebars!  ;D ;D ;D
Do feel bit silly sometimes but I've lived here long enough for nobody to be particularly surprised!
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: ACE on May 18, 2007, 18:47:21
Why is it always 4x4's that get the stick. They brake better, stronger bodywork in the event of a crash, the diesel versions are economic.  Thanks to all you wingers I now have to pay extra road tax on my 4x4 single cab pickup which is an essential tool in my work. So do a lot of tradesmen who use them. So keep on wingeing and your bills will keep going up as we pass the extra expenses on to our customers.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: iain on May 18, 2007, 18:53:08
i know what you are all saying but i have seen 1 lady just jump in the car drop the kids off then drives home again like I said less then a milepartner, mainly walks to the school with the little 1, unless she is taking the others to school and  college, or going to the shops. we did have a people carrier, but there is 5 of us in our house, so I think that is acceptable !
We don't have the people Carrier now and we now have a small car
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: emmy1978 on May 18, 2007, 20:15:02
Quote from: ACE on May 18, 2007, 18:47:21
Why is it always 4x4's that get the stick. They brake better, stronger bodywork in the event of a crash,

That is fantastic provided you're the one driving it and not the person in the wee little car who's just been squished.
4x4's are fine if you really need one although i'm sure tradespeople got along fine before they came along!
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Trevor_D on May 18, 2007, 20:50:02
We have two large secondary schools up the road from us. Most school days our main road resembles a car park till after nine. We often can't get out of our drive.

We walked to school alone (in the '50s); our son walked to school alone (in the '70s). I know we live in uncertain times, but if we have to protect kids that much we've lost the battle! (We both worked as teachers, so had to be in work earlier than our son; no chance of either running him to school or picking him up. And I never saw him play for his school or do a class assembly.)

Children are more robust than most adults care to think.

(Sorry - don't mean to offend anyone, as I know all circumstances are different. I nearly didn't post this, but as an ex-teacher it's important to me.)
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: asbean on May 18, 2007, 22:16:40
We live near a school and it's hell.  The mothers don't drop their kids off (they all drive people carriers or 4X4s and a lot come from the next street).  The have to drive up to the top of the road, turn, then drive down again so they're facing the right way, park, walk their kid to the school, then back to the car and then drive off the estate.  If we time it wrong in the mornings it can take 10 minutes to get out of our road.  The school is addressing the problem, as most of the residents are up in arms about it, but don't know what they'll do.  They had a walking bus, which was great, but don't know what happened to that.  My two walked to school a mile down a country lane (and, as my son always reminds me - carrying a trombone)
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Mrs Ava on May 18, 2007, 22:19:15
Trevor, I feel the battle was lost a long time ago.  I will protect my kids for all I am worth, the same way my mum and dad protected me.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: iain on May 19, 2007, 00:22:41
Quote from: ACE on May 18, 2007, 18:47:21
stronger bodywork
That's the point if a 4x4 hits a child, it will most certainly kill due to the height of the 4x4
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Bambi.1 on May 19, 2007, 00:53:54
My kids are grown up now,but l would feel worried about the safety of my kids if they had to walk to school these days  :(

I feel some of the smaller cars are more dangerous than the 4x4's as peeps in smaller cars seem to drive faster in my opinion.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: legendaryone on May 19, 2007, 09:04:02
Quote from: Trevor_D on May 18, 2007, 20:50:02
We walked to school alone (in the '50s); our son walked to school alone (in the '70s). I know we live in uncertain times, but if we have to protect kids that much we've lost the battle!

Watching the news about the little girl who has gone missing they said that 5 to 7 children were killed by strangers 25 years ago and that that statistic hasn't changed its just we hear more about missing children now days, it's that awareness that makes us more fearful for our children.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Multiveg on May 19, 2007, 12:21:49
I walked to school "alone" when i was I think 7-8. I lived in a street where there were 4 other children about the same age as me that went to the same school and there was at least one parent from the street with them on the way. I had the feeling of independence, etc, and my mother felt I was safe what with the others walking that way. There was only one nasty road (well, wasn't a main one) but I crossed that by the secondary school.

My mother is a bit sceptical about the now 4 year old girl gone missing that was left alone with 2 year old twins on holiday in a strange place with the doors unlocked. There was a story a couple of years ago about a 3 year old boy that left his mother sleeping, opened the front door, caught the bus as if he was going to a playground or something. When the bus reached the end of the journey, the bus driver spoke to the boy who was able to recite name, address, phone number and was reunited with his mother.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: asbean on May 19, 2007, 18:18:48
How times have changed.  When I was about a year old and my sister , then aged 9, our father was working in Eritrea, we were in Port Said (Egypt) with our mother, who became ill and was admitted to hospital.  While she was in hospital we stayed in a flat with a nanny, and my sister clearly remembers giving the nanny the slip and roaming Port Said docks. Doesn't bear thinking about now.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Jeannine on May 19, 2007, 18:48:26
I remember as a kid of about 8 or so ,I invited a friend to walk  our dogs together.We decided to walk to my Dads houseboat which was  about 15 miles fro home(we didn't know that as it was very short in the car) We got about 6 miles  and my friend started to cry so we went to a nearby house for help. They rang the police and we were taken home.

I couldn't understand why my Dad was so mad,we only went for a walk!!!

The funny thing is ,my friend had always been my hero and she got scared,I thought she was a wimp.

I pass that house regularly and think of this adventure every time I do.

When I look back now we were incredibly lucky,walking for half the afternoon, roads,some very isolated areas and knocking on a strangers door.

XX Jeannine
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Bambi.1 on May 19, 2007, 21:35:04
I remember walking to school and going on bike rides to collect bluebells,it was Ok,in those days.
Shame things have changed,l don't even like walking on my own in the countryside these days .
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Grandma on May 20, 2007, 09:35:03
This happened a couple of weeks ago but it's still worrying me.

Walking back from the shops (with me shopping trolley!) at 'school-out' time in the afternoon, I stood behind a row of youngsters aged, I'd guess, between 8 and 11 and waited to cross at a pedestrian crossing.

The traffic lights turned from amber to red and our 'little green man' lit up but no one in front of me moved. I was about to do my 'grumpy old woman' bit - "Get a move on - you can cross now!" - when a people-carrier shot through just in front of the children's feet!!!!!

I just couldn't help myself shouting out loud - "She went through a RED light!"

"They're always doing that," said the little lad nearest me. "You don't take any notice of the lights - you wait 'til the cars have stopped - then you can cross".

I learned a valuable lesson. Not just that if I'd been at the front I might well have been squished, but also that these children have been taught (or have had to learn) that motorists don't abide by the rules.

What kind of drivers will they be in a few years time, if they follow this example?

Scary.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Multiveg on May 20, 2007, 11:09:11
We have a nice lollypop lady at our traffic lights on the way to school. Yes, still a lot of cars that go through red lights. Still a lot of children not wearing seatbelts. There was something on the radio re police needing to keep arrest rate up (so arresting people for silly offences) - perhaps they should wait at traffic lights near schools during the school run. Perhaps also they'd do something about the amount of litter dropped by some parents and children especially icecream/lolly related when the ice cream van parks near the school.

Quote from: Grandma on May 20, 2007, 09:35:03
This happened a couple of weeks ago but it's still worrying me.

Walking back from the shops (with me shopping trolley!) at 'school-out' time in the afternoon, I stood behind a row of youngsters aged, I'd guess, between 8 and 11 and waited to cross at a pedestrian crossing.

The traffic lights turned from amber to red and our 'little green man' lit up but no one in front of me moved. I was about to do my 'grumpy old woman' bit - "Get a move on - you can cross now!" - when a people-carrier shot through just in front of the children's feet!!!!!

I just couldn't help myself shouting out loud - "She went through a RED light!"

"They're always doing that," said the little lad nearest me. "You don't take any notice of the lights - you wait 'til the cars have stopped - then you can cross".

I learned a valuable lesson. Not just that if I'd been at the front I might well have been squished, but also that these children have been taught (or have had to learn) that motorists don't abide by the rules.

What kind of drivers will they be in a few years time, if they follow this example?

Scary.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: emmy1978 on May 20, 2007, 20:58:20
Quote from: Grandma on May 20, 2007, 09:35:03

The traffic lights turned from amber to red and our 'little green man' lit up but no one in front of me moved. I was about to do my 'grumpy old woman' bit - "Get a move on - you can cross now!" - when a people-carrier shot through just in front of the children's feet!!!!!

I just couldn't help myself shouting out loud - "She went through a RED light!"

"They're always doing that," said the little lad nearest me. "You don't take any notice of the lights - you wait 'til the cars have stopped - then you can cross".


Good lad, that's what i tell my girls.
I've had people shoot across when i was pushing a pushchair- terrifying. I have a thing about 4x4's driven by those who don't need them as i have sat in my friends and at 5' i cannot see around the pillar at all. Total blind spot not covered by wing mirrors. She says she struggles at 5' 5" and has to really lean. I've been nearly knocked down by busy private school mummy in HUGE 4x4 with reg plate DIVA 1 about 4 times.
Title: Re: School Runs
Post by: Multiveg on May 21, 2007, 09:42:19
The traffic lights turned red, the green man showed, the lollypop lady walked into the road and then a car, blue small thing (Ka?) with "baby onboard" dangling, went full speed through the traffic lights.