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AIBU?

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Original poster

To lock DD's scooter at school?

66 replies

Eurydice84 · 30/12/2023 07:38

DS (5yo) asked for one of those Micro scooters with light-up wheels for Xmas. It was her main Xmas present and an expensive purchase (£140), but it should hopefully last her for many years. AIBU to lock the scooter at the school gates? Most kids just leave them unsecured but this is a brand new expensive one and DD would be so upset if it goes missing - she's been wanting one for ages.

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Ariela · 02/01/2024 00:22

I used to simply scoot home and back on DD's scooter to save time (we're a 12 minute run away)

Ponoka7 · 01/01/2024 23:40

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There's building work going on around the school. Before that there were council flats for over 55's and they had a wall with enough of a gap that the school couldn't be accessed. The two school handymen/caretakers are having to act like security during the day. The building work will be finished in a few months.

avocadotofu · 01/01/2024 18:30

It's never occurred to me lock up DS's scooter. All the scooters most of which are micro scooters are left in the playground scooter racks and the gate is locked so I think they'd be hard to steal. But I guess I'm in the minority so in your case I'd lock it up.

MargaretThursday · 01/01/2024 18:27

I used to put a plastic bag over the handlebars, which meant they were dry if it had rained, but also immediately obvious that it was ours.

Although the school didn't suffer from people pinching scooters deliberately. It was more common you'd have a red-faced parent going round because they'd suddenly discovered they had two identical scooters because they'd accidentally picked up one from school thinking it was their's and then found their own (often in boot of car).

Lindy2 · 01/01/2024 18:26

It was perfectly normal to lock bikes and scooters to the bike racks at my children's school.

Theft wasn't a problem but kids taking the wrong ones home by mistake was sometimes a problem.

At that price a good lock is a very sensible decision.

clara778 · 01/01/2024 18:26

Take it home, otherwise it will be out in the Rain and will rust. I dragged them backwards and forwards for years.

Longma · 01/01/2024 18:23

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Longma · 01/01/2024 18:19

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Longma · 01/01/2024 18:17

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CherryBlossom100 · 01/01/2024 18:02

Last year we could use the bike shed on school grounds and didn't lock it then but her classroom now is right at the entrance so we use the public accessible rack which is unsecured all day which is why I lock it. School is also a big school in a very mixed area and I scrimped and saved to get her a nice bike. I may get her a cheaper one next time.

Bainbridgemews · 30/12/2023 20:34

Ponoka7 · 30/12/2023 10:01

Good scooters go missing at my GC school. Although the school is locked, the fence is climbable. Prams and bikes can no longer be left.

Blimey, if they've got random people coming onto their premises in school hours then they've got more to worry about than missing scooters.

BusyMum47 · 30/12/2023 17:28

DustyLee123 · 30/12/2023 07:43

For £140 I’d put up with the faff.

Me too! It's not the school's responsibility if it gets taken or something happens to it.

AnneElliott · 30/12/2023 17:05

I used to lock DSs at the bike rack. No issue doing that.

SpaceJamtart · 30/12/2023 11:02

I ride the scooter home, there isn't an easy way to lock it up and it makes the walk home faster.
I lock up bikes though, loads get stolen from our school, mostly when the gates are open at the end of the day but after school clubs are on, so some bikes are still there and nobody is really watching them

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 30/12/2023 10:55

Agree with the lock. A friends DS had his stolen from middle school bike shed. Luckily there was CCTV. The Headteacher made it to the culprits house before he did!

Squirrelsbite · 30/12/2023 10:38

Why risk it
locks can be broken, just take it home or don’t let her ride it to school

Mynewnameis · 30/12/2023 10:18

I'd lock it to the bike rack. Why not... you have the lock. I don't see the issue.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 30/12/2023 10:14

I’d scoot home on it

PeskyPotato · 30/12/2023 10:12

We have one too. We used to lock it up but now carry it home as less faff. Have occasionally left it unlocked and it's been fine, but I was worried and stressed just easier to carry home.

Spookymormonhelldream · 30/12/2023 10:03

Definitely lock it. My son's scooter ('big' Christmas present) was stolen from school.

Ponoka7 · 30/12/2023 10:01

Good scooters go missing at my GC school. Although the school is locked, the fence is climbable. Prams and bikes can no longer be left.

Sirzy · 30/12/2023 09:58

Mariposistaa · 30/12/2023 08:59

Does it not fold down? If it does could she n it fold it and put it with her coat and PE kit?

Most schools barely have enough space for the coats and Pe kits let alone scooters

raspberrybeeret · 30/12/2023 09:55

If you think it's likely to get stolen then yes, but given no one else locks up is it really necessary?

Tiredalwaystired · 30/12/2023 09:45

My kids had relatively cheap bikes but I always got them in the habit of using a lock in the school bike rack - that way when they went to high school and needed better bikes it was muscle memory to put the lock on - just another lesson learned in my view.

I didn’t even notice if others did or didn’t use locks to be honest. I’m sure it’s the last thing you would be judged on anyway as people are in a rush in the school run, but so what if they do? You do you.

Singleandproud · 30/12/2023 09:40

@Eurydice84 I scooted back on DS on more than one occasion.
It's not a question of not trusting the other children, mistakes happen. If anyone mentioned it to you I'd just turn it back on then and say I was surprised that they didn't lock theirs up as children get confused often and might take the wrong one etc. It's also not just parents that have access to the school grounds, in our area we had a small spat of bike thefts at the start/end of the day and thieves would just come on site and take the bikes at drop off/ pick up time.