To be a feel a bit funny about this

[DozyDuck]

Maybe I am being over precious about my son, he is disabled and goes to a special school where most of the children get transport (mainly single taxi drivers with carers not mini buses) my son doesn't get transport as he's too high risk...but he might be able to one day, but I'm not sure I want him to anymore.

The taxi drivers basically queue up and drive around the car park dropping the kids off one at a time, I join the queue but in my own car.

Today while waiting for the queue to move round (the gates were open) a taxi driver got out of his cab, cig in gob, and walked away sparking up, when he saw the queue moving he dropped his cig and got back in the cab, so all the kids saw him smoking and probably smelt it when he got back in etc.

Every afternoon at pick up time a group of taxi drivers walk to the wall just outside the very small car park (so very visible to all the kids) and lean on the wall having a cig. Then drop them on the floor outside the school and go back to their taxis.

I see them every day and wasn't very comfortable with it really, but didn't say anything until another parent came up to me today and said she thought it was really inappropriate because of the littering and the kids seeing them smoking etc.

On one occasion I have seen a taxi driver smoking in the cab on the way out of school (with no children)

I know people smoke, I don't have a problem with it, a lot of my friends do (though never around DS) but surely if they needed one they could walk away from the school so they were out of sight, and surely they can't be that desperate that they can't wait the extra 10 minutes in the morning until the children have been collected?

I am very prepared to be told I am being unreasonable. It doesn't effect my child (yet) and I am very over protective (for a lot of valid reasons, but I do know I'm a ridiculous about things sometimes hence asking opinions here)

[Pollymagoo]

School should have a policy about smoking. Check and if they don't ask them to sort one. Now. This week.
THe law has been around a while. They should take charge and ask for people who make a lot of money out of driving kids to school to do it in a way that adheres to hi standards. The taxi companies need to understand they have a responsibility here.

[DozyDuck]

I am parent governor and special needs governor at the school so it should be easy for me to ask the policies, I just wanted to check I wasn't being ridiculous first

I used to smoke and I was a teacher. I never ever smoked anywhere near the school or when I was working, like most other teachers. Maybe that's why I think it's so inappropriate, because I wouldn't dream of it.

[DozyDuck]

I think it's also worth adding that the school, like most, is in a residential area. So there are houses outside of which the cigs are being dropped.

[nickeldaisical]

the law is you're not allowed to smoke in a place of work - that includes company cars and taxis.

you're not overreacting, you definitely need to raise it.

[DozyDuck]

Nickel but apart from that one taxi driver I saw one time (I can't remember which one now) they aren't actually inside their taxis or inside the school.

[cozietoesie]

Dozy - check your local Council's laws on littering. They might be offending against those.

[nickeldaisical]

it's hard to prove that they might be then.
:(

it's still wrong - they shouldn't be smoking so close to kids.

[DozyDuck]

Thanks everyone I will check. Nickel I do think it's wrong, especially in front of certain children at the certain type of school it is that are inevitable extremely impressionable...

I really don't understand, especially the dude this morning, it was 10 minutes max before the kids would have been out of his taxi and in the school.

[solidgoldbrass]

Their exhausts are probably as much of a threat to the DC's health as their fags. These drivers are smoking outside and in the open air. As to the DC seeing them, some of their parents or parents' friends will smoke, so it's not like they're going to be petrified of the concept.

[DozyDuck]

Solid gold thank you that's kind of why I was thinking I was being a bit over dramatic about the whole situation. Off on the school run now but will check when I'm back

[scentednappyhag]

I don't understand why it's a problem if children see people smoking seems like a strange thing to get worried about.
If they aren't smoking around the children, I don't see a problem personally.

[WorraLiberty]

They're seeing people smoke - not watching a massacre.

The fact is people do smoke and it's perfectly legal to do so.

The littering however should be sorted out, but apart from that I don't see the problem.

[DozyDuck]

I don't know why it just makes me uncomfortable... I'm not entirely sure why. I wouldn't want them to think its a good thing to do I suppose. I wish I'd never have started when I was younger, although none of my adult role models smoked that was just my peers as a child.

Unreasonable then?

[FeckOffCup]

YANBU about the one smoking inside his taxi, I would be annoyed at that too if children were going to shortly be inside that car but I think YAB a bit U about them having a smoke outside the taxi while waiting for the kids to come out of school. I see your point about these children being possibly more impressionable but at the end of the day smoking is legal, the taxi drivers aren't doing anything wrong by having a cigarette on their break time (possibly littering if they don't put the butts in an ashtray/bin I suppose) and kids will see people smoking in all kinds of settings, in the street, outside shops etc so you can't prevent them from ever seeing it.

[DozyDuck]

Very glad I posted here first would rather be told I'm being ridiculous on here than by people who I see in RL

[WorraLiberty]

How is a taxi driver a role model to the children though?

They'll see lots of other people smoking when they're out and about too.

[WilsonFrickett]

I don't think you are BU. I would be if I saw a teacher doing this outside school, so why wouldn't I feel the same way if I saw a taxi driver do it?

Presumably they are employed by a firm, and presumably that firm makes a lot of money out of the school contract, so I would definitely raise it through the school via the procurement office at the LEA. I imagine a strongly-worded email from the person who signs off on the contract would put a stop to it.

And btw, our last school was like an episode of Mad Men (with tracksuits and large dogs on chains) so I do get that children will 'see' smoking, I just don't think they need to see it from council employees.

[JoanBias]

They should pick up the fags from the ground. Disgusting.

[pookamoo]

Do they have chaperones in the taxis too?

If not, I would be quite concerned that the drivers are leaving children unattended in the car to go for a cig.

[CwtchesAndCuddles]

My ds goes to a special school too - I take him. There is a strict no smoking policy on site which the school enforce but some do smoke outside their vehicle on public areas outside the school.

Smoking in a taxi / mini bus is illegal even if there are no passangers - I have seen one drive smoking in his minibus twice and reported him to school transport and his employer.

[DozyDuck]

They do have chaperones in the taxi so they aren't alone.

Because it's the same taxi driver every day the kids do probably build up a relationship with them.

I'm not going to say anything now though thank everyone

[CwtchesAndCuddles]

I would say something and would raise it with the head - as a parent governor you are perfectly entitled to raise this especially as a parent has brought it to your attention. I would be questioning what the transport policy says regarding drivers getting out of the vehicle when there is a passenger onboard that they are being paid to transport.

[SoleSource]

I dp not think there is anything you can do aside from asking for a smokers 'bin' or remind the drivers to dispose of their cigarette butts in a responsible manner.