I read in the paper last night that some councils in London (and elsewhere in the country) are using cameras now to clamp down on school run mums who park illegally while they’re dropping off their kids at school.
Hallelujah. But it’s really just the tip of the iceberg.
When No 1 Son was at our (very local) primary school, I used to walk him there every day; and every morning we had to dodge 4x4s driven by mums who seemed to have no concept of safe driving; if they weren’t mounting the pavement or parking (illegally) nose to bumper outside the school, making it impossible to actually cross the road safely, they were stopping right outside the school gates to let their kids out… with little regard for passing traffic. Forget White Van Man. School Road Rage Mums take ‘road hog’ to a whole different level. Something happens to these women when they get behind a wheel and it ain’t pretty.
I once saw a School Road Rage Mum sarcastically applaud my elderly mother as she tried to get her way out of a tight parking spot where she’d been hemmed in. That’s the kind of mentality some of these women have. It’s as though they live in a tin bubble where the only thing that matters is how they get to and from the school gates.
Every time I walk past the primary school it’s the same story – mums (and it is mums where we live) parking insanely, either on the pavements, making it almost impossible for anyone with a pushchair to get past, or on double yellows, or just about anywhere. And they are DANGEROUS.
Hopefully the threat of being caught will make some of these women think about what they’re doing and the possible consequences (which could be so much worse than a fine). But what I really don’t understand is why they’re driving to school in the first place. The point about a local primary is that you can walk there. Isn’t it?
I agree!
I cycle past a primary school every morning and evening and people just don’t seem to know what the yellow zig zags are for. There’s even a banner drawn by kids hung on the school fence asking people to not park on the zig zags, but it seems people assume they are exempt?!
I know many people think that using CCTV in this way is very big brother, and yes it probably is, but come on – be a good example to your children and drive carefully/park properly and it wouldn’t be needed.
I don’t think people can walk anymore, unless it’s round a supermarket or a shopping mall. Folk are lazy, last minute, disorganised. Cars have become a necessity wherever you live, even if you do send your kids to a local primary.
We don’t have any local schools in this area because it’s quite remote. I used to drive Amy to a little village school many years ago and I hated it. Everyone had to drive to it or use taxis as it is out of walking range. However, the school has been there for 150 years so how on earth did children get there before their lazy parents got a car? Oh, I wonder if they walked…
The school Amy goes to now (special school) is an 80 mile round trip every day so obviously a little impractical to walk to. There are a few parents who run their kids there and back, but around 90% of kids use transport; Amy gets a taxi there and back with an escort. They don’t allow parents/guardians to take their cars through the gates or park anywhere near the school which is why most kids have transport.
It’s the same here too and our school is at the end of a cul-de-sac so they park both sides of the road causing traffic chaos from both directions as only one car can get past at a time. It’s often gridlocked and there was even a serious accident last term.
I’m fed up if pushing my buggy into the road and worrying my kids will be knocked off their scooters by this maniacs who mount the kerb at speed.
I Live less than a 5 minute walk from my school so we walk come rain or shine and what gets me is a family opposite drive EVERY morning which adds to the chaos. I beat them there and back on foot and they always come straight back home too!!