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Original poster

Please don’t wave children across the road.

46 replies

Goposie · 05/04/2019 19:47

Lovely lady stopped and tried to wave me
And my children across flashing her lights. Trouble was a motorbike was coming along the bus lane. Clearly I didn’t cross and I explained why to the kids. But I do worry that the driver will do this to children on their own who will be encouraged to step onto the road when other traffic may be coming.

OP posts:
Duchessofealing · 05/04/2019 19:49

I hate this too! I know people are being kind but how do you teach children how to cross the road safely if people keep stopping?

Nicknacky · 05/04/2019 19:50

It drives me nuts when people try to be “nice” and wave people out of junctions etc when they don’t have right of way.

It’s an accident waiting to happen.

3teens2cats · 05/04/2019 20:04

I hate this too. I have had drivers shout at the dc and get agitated that they won't cross while they beep and wave. I taught them to only cross when they feel it's self not when someone else tells them too. Also sometimes when they were younger they were waiting for me to catch up to cross together.
I hate it as a driver too tbh. I'll go when I think it's safe thank you not when someone else tells me to go.

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Driving & parking
Original poster
Goposie · 05/04/2019 20:20

Glad it is not just me! All the kids could see was a nice lady waving and flashing her lights. I don’t think they would have noticed the motorbike on their own.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 05/04/2019 20:21

I get exactly where you are coming from and have often thought the same. I always follow it with a reminder that you must always double check for yourself and make sure you are sure the car has stopped before you step out.

MakeUpGirl · 05/04/2019 20:22

I hate it too, dd is 4 and we have to cross two busy roads going to and from school. I’m teaching her road safety and making sure she only crosses when it’s clear and i feel it undermines what she’s learning. Really wish people wouldn’t do it and sometimes I stand there and refuse to cross anyway

Jinglejanglefish · 05/04/2019 20:24

You're right. I did this once during a driving lessob (not to kids, just a guy crossing) and my instructor really told me off. I don't do it now.

megletthesecond · 05/04/2019 20:24

Yanbu. It's potentially deadly.
I tell mine not to budge.
We often watch drivers looking confused and pissed off before they eventually drive off.

Still18atheart · 05/04/2019 20:24

Yanbu I hate this when driving at a junction and some waves me to go right and there’s clearly someone going to the other way. Let alone with dcs crossing a road

Shakeitoutnow · 05/04/2019 20:25

Agree! And when driving and people try to wave you out at a junction etc then get cross when you don't move as quickly as they want you to! Leave me alone!! Angry

Gizlotsmum · 05/04/2019 20:25

I will stop but I won't indicate that people should cross. I will make eye contact so they know I have seen them. However I have seen some night mare driving so am always cautious

NottonightJosepheen · 05/04/2019 20:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ShatFic · 05/04/2019 20:29

Thanks for highlighting this.
I often wave children across at a junction on my morning school run but only if I can see that no one else is coming from the other directions.
It hadn't occurred to me that they may have been taught not to go when waved across.

FenellaMaxwell · 05/04/2019 20:30

It’s so dangerous - they have no idea what might be coming the other way, if someone might suddenly overtake them etc.

Original poster
Goposie · 05/04/2019 20:32

Yes, it is not just car from the other direction, it is bikes and cycles coming along the inside.

OP posts:
Jinglejanglefish · 05/04/2019 20:35

Gizlotsmum

You'll stop where? I don't think op is talking about designated crossings

OP posts:
hugoagogo · 05/04/2019 20:37

Oh I am glad not to be the only one who gets annoyed about this.
I have been sworn at and had rude gestures at me for not crossing, but i like to make my own decisions about crossing the road.

Original poster
Goposie · 05/04/2019 20:37

I am talking about drivers stopping in the middle of the road... this morning we were crossing where there was an island but no designated crossing.

OP posts:
onemouseplace · 05/04/2019 20:38

I hate this as well, for the safety aspect, and also because as a pedestrian I often can’t actually see the driver that well because of the angle of the windscreen and, while I assume they have stopped and are waving us across, I can’t tell for sure.

Dvg · 05/04/2019 20:43

I was nearly run over as a child because of someone doing that, I try to ignore them now but it's so hard! You feel rushed rather than them being polite. I remember walking past the car into an Incomming car who thankfully just missed me.

bigbluebus · 05/04/2019 20:49

I regularly mutter to myself every time someone does this on the main road into my local town. There is a secondary school on that road too. A footpath/cycleway crosses the road and there are road humps all along that road - but people will insist on stopping and waving people across at the road hump by the cycleway/footpath. It is NOT a crossing, it has NO stripes on it and there is a pelican crossing 50 yards further down the road. I think it is only the fact that the traffic is going slowly due to the series of road humps that has prevented anyone from being knocked over.

TheNoodlesIncident · 05/04/2019 20:51

This drives me mad (no pun intended) - I understand the drivers think they're doing a good deed but surely the highway code says not to for good reason?

Once had driver doing this when we were waiting to cross at a junction of a minor road joining a major one. Driver turned into minor road and stopped immediately and started waving at us. I waved a "No YOU go" but she just sat there waving her hand. At that moment, DS started to cross, I grabbed the hood of his coat and the driver behind lost patience and overtook the stationary car using the wrong side of the road. If I hadn't pulled DS back, he would have been hit by the accelerating car.

I saw this on an episode of 24 Hours In A&E; a Year 7 boy had crossed the road on the say-so of a driver who stopped for him, and he was struck by a motorcyclist coming up the outside. His first day at secondary and he spent it in A&E...

It does anger me a bit as I've invested a lot of time teaching DS to cross roads safely, and people like this are putting children at worse risk than letting them assess for themselves.

Gizlotsmum · 05/04/2019 21:53

Both designated crossings and also by the school there is a dropped kerb, which has the raised bobbly pavement but no crossing markings, just off a junction from a bend which is a nightmare.

Also if I am in a traffic jam I will leave space if I see someone waiting to cross

Gizlotsmum · 05/04/2019 21:55

But you often have to stop by the school crossing because of parked cars and cars coming the other way.. Which is part of what makes it a nightmare