Lazy parents drive me nuts...

ben500

Miss_Penny_Pincher wrote: »

You drive directly past your son's school every day but refuse to give him a lift and expect him to walk THREE AND A HALF MILES every morning?? You are moaning about your travel journey in a warm car yet have you thought about how long it takes your son to walk this distance which is in all weathers, I presume? I find this attitude disturbing and wonder if it is symptomatic of other things you expect your child to endure!

At my school free bus passes were allocated if a pupil lived over 3 miles away as that was the Council's recommended maximum a child should have to walk to school! Personally I think 1 mile a day each way to school should be adequate to keep fit. Does anyone else have any views on minimum / maximum a child should be made to walk when alternatives ARE available?

Have you considered slashing your own tyres and seeing how you would like it?

A bit judgemental of you given you only have a brief summation of the facts, my son does indeed have the option of public transport but does not avail himself of it, would you now given that knowledge condemn him for being irresponsible and ignoring government guidelines on the maximum walking distance? I hope it's not too cold for you at your altitude.

*zippy*

There are four primary schools on our estate so no one has to travel far to get to school. Last week the council increased the yellow zig zags outside the one we live near, which has increased the amount of parking in the side streets. The amount of parents who drive their kids just to the end of the street and then sit there for half an hour until the school opens. It would take them a few minutes to walk it My neighbour even used to start the car up 20 mins before they left so the kids got into a warm car, the school was at the end of the street.

Someone I know was asked to join a commitee to come up with ideas to get parents to walk their kids to school as the parking is so dangerous. They came to the conclusion it was impossible :rolleyes:

Gingham_Ribbon

ts_aly2000 wrote: »

Children are too fat and bone idle.

Adults are too judgemental and make sweeping, inaccurate statements.

Morglin

I think at school opening and closing times, they should stick a quarter mile no-parking zone round the places (other than for residents), to stop these idle and thoughtless parents.

They stop anywhere so they can have a gossip and get in everyone's way.

They also no doubt discuss why it is that their kids are so unfit.........:rolleyes:

Lin

laikadog

its the ones that get there early to park right outside then sit there with thier engines running , whats that all about ?

BungleGirl

I would really like to walk my daughter to school but I work in school hours and it is not possible. I approched the school about setting up a 'walking bus' which one of the local schools has but they weren't interested at all. This is where there is a rota of parents that are the front and back and they have a timetable of stops that children can join the 'bus'. I could wangle it at work to do it one day a week and if other parents can do one day a week then surely it makes perfect sense. I did read yesterday that the govenment is making £1000 grants for schools to set these up but like I said my daughters school is not interested.

(I did walk her to school when I was 'between jobs')

ailuro2

We live close to a primary school and because I'm not usually home during start and end of school it never ceases to amaze me when I do see them how many parents and grandparents park on the yellow zig zags.:eek: Just last week I dropped my window and asked one granny did she know she was on zigzags- she looked at me belligerently until I advised her the police had been targetting the area and handing out fixed penalty notices with 3 points and sixty quid fines- she did make a move after that.:D

We live in Scotland, and at primary schools the kids should come from surrounding areas so should be able to walk,or be walked to school and back.There is only one private school within Dundee, no choices/tiers like England has.

However- due to the parents wanting their kids from (um,how do I say this without sounding stuck up? )- 'down at heel' areas to go to the better off areas' schools, and lying on application forms to get in- we now have at least 10 kids in my dd's class of 32 who live outwith the catchment area- so no more room for any incomers to the area, therefore they in turn have to drive to another school across the city.Thereby adding to the congestion.
I'd love to see an annual check on home addresses for kids attending the school- I'd quite happily provide a utility bill with MY name on it (not gran or auntie's) to prove my child is living within the catchment area.

The wierd thing is- in the areas these kids come from the schools have the best kit thrown at them to bring them up to scratch, and have smaller class sizes.

If I lived directly across the road from that school,as one family we know does, then I think I'd be asking myself which the better school really was?

Queenie

Miss_Penny_Pincher wrote: »

....
At my school free bus passes were allocated if a pupil lived over 3 miles away as that was the Council's recommended maximum a child should have to walk to school! Personally I think 1 mile a day each way to school should be adequate to keep fit. Does anyone else have any views on minimum / maximum a child should be made to walk when alternatives ARE available?

The 3 mile rule applies under an "as the crow flies" measurement and not from a road point of view. In other words, it may well be over 3 miles by car, but, if there is a walking route under 3 miles, no bus pass will be issued.

I walked 3 miles to school each morning and back again - all weathers. Wasn't a problem for me, kept me fit. More than that though, it left me with a walking attitude. I thought nothing of walking with a twin pushchair and a 3rd baby in a baby sling from one end of the city to the other to visit my mum - easily 3 miles or just over.

My lads walk to school, they know all the shortcuts, alleyways; they meet up with other friends along the way (very social!) and understand their local environment quite thoroughly because of it. And being the wicked, evil, selfish mother that I must surely be, they do it in all weathers, even snow (shock, horror!). I suppose I *could* drive them each day, leaving our carbon footprint, adding to congestion etc., but I don't.

Savvy - I suppose it *might* be ok for you to do the Uni trip .... just make sure you don't abuse it

Rachie_B

*zippy* wrote: »

There are four primary schools on our estate so no one has to travel far to get to school. Last week the council increased the yellow zig zags outside the one we live near, which has increased the amount of parking in the side streets. The amount of parents who drive their kids just to the end of the street and then sit there for half an hour until the school opens. It would take them a few minutes to walk it My neighbour even used to start the car up 20 mins before they left so the kids got into a warm car, the school was at the end of the street.

Someone I know was asked to join a commitee to come up with ideas to get parents to walk their kids to school as the parking is so dangerous. They came to the conclusion it was impossible :rolleyes:

OMG do you happen to live in South Wales ???!

azjh77

Our kids school now photographs anyone parked on the zigzags, and does a 'name & shame' news letter once a week.