To think it riduculous that parents in my area allow their kids to do this

[Anenome]

I live in the outskirts of a small city...it's a very nice area, lot's of nice people and nice houses. There are 3 schools within less than a mile's radius of my home.

Every morning I walk DD to her school which is 5 mins walk away...my 2 year old DD comes too, either walking or in a buggy.

We are in constant danger from kids as young as 3 and 4 who ride scooters and bikes to the nearby CofE school (we don't go there).

These kids are hurtling ahead of their Mum's or Dads on very narrow paths, the parents are almost never close enough to stop them as they crash towards me or my kids...the parents never apologise or even attempt to slow the kids down...and it is ME who has to dodge THEM!

The road is a very busy main one...often jammed with traffic and to me it looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Should I speak to the CofE school about it? Maybe suggest they mention to parents about safety for pedestrians? Or AIBU?

Hate, hate scooters. Have lost count of the number of times my DTs and me (they're 3) have been almost run over by another preschooler riding one. Not just on pavements, but also within playgrounds - even when there's a sign clearly saying that scooters, skateboards, bikes etc are banned.
But the thing that really, really clinches it for me and tells me that the parents are utter selfish bastards? When the child running amok on a scooter on the pavement/playground is wearing a safety helmet. No worries about your precious offspring mowing down other kids on the pavement/playground, then. Just as long as THEY'RE nice and safe, who gives a shit about anyone else?

Get a letter sent out telling all the parents to DRIVE their kids to school, can't have kids a.outside and b.active and mobile, esp not in a nice area.

Yes, but Mummy2Bookie, it's not about managing risks - when there's a five-year-old kid hurtling towards a couple of three year olds on a scooter, showing no sign whatsoever of giving way, I'm in no way thinking 'Gosh, I need to wrap them up in cotton wool,' I'm thinking I have to move fast to avoid a trip to A&E. Risk-management isn't the term that springs to mind; potential crisis-management is.
I think the OP is being perfectly reasonable. She's not wrapping her kids up in cotton wool, she's just asking for other parents to show some consideration (and to teach their children to do likewise).

Caz10 - the kids SHOULD be mobile. By putting one foot in front of the other and WALKING, rather than scooting. Healthier for them, safer for other pedestrians. Scooting takes less effort for younger children, which is why it's become a popular alternative to walking.

It's not about managing risk, a five year old is incapable of assessing speed and the parents aren't teaching them anything, they are far too far behind!I speak as a parent who is definitely not over protective but common sense has to prevail. It is drivers like me who have to drive on blue lights past schools to someone who is in cardiac arrest but feels that the ten miles an hour I'm driving at is too fast.The risk of a small child scooting in front of me is just too great. I am always relieved when I see a Mum grip the hand of their child when they see my lights.

Yes Mummy2Bookie....my older DD is allowed to do things PLENTY of other kids are not...such as playing out on my front grass whilst I watch from the window...all the others are safely indoors playing on their xboxes...and preparing for tomorrow scooter spree!

Cottonwool is NOT part of my DC's life....except in the event of an ear infection.

Utterly right Crapsuzette. They also mean you miss all the picking up of sticks and pretending to be an old lady, kicking up autumn leaves and chatting that a walk with an under 5 year old involves.
Leave the scooters and bikes for the park as a toy, where you can learn about the risks involved from grazed knees, the best mode of transport for under 8s is walking.

And shouldn't the parents of the kids on scooters be teaching THEM about 'risk management', ie NOT endangering others? And while we're teaching them stuff, manners?

I know....

Us parents of scooterers - we are All bastards :)

Mine scoot because they have to - they could bike it but that's unacceptable too, apparently.

yanbu
bet the parents will kick of when their kids are run over.

Why do they have to? If it's too far to walk there are buses.

Those christians get everywhere doing their evil!!

Brassband

I already explained why I mentioned that it was a CofE school...because there are 3 in the area and I was distinguishing it from the Catholic one and the Christian one. My DD attends the Chistian school

well - I've had buggies ramming my heels on the way to school (and town and fark knows where else) - should I complain to ermm, err - the local hospital about allowing all these mothers out of hospital with their babies, only to put them in buggies and catch peoples ankles?

And - a scooter with handles at the height of other children......a 3 year old scooter with handles the height of other chidlren's faces????????????

I don't think you're all bastards, I'm a parent of an (occasional) scooterer too! But I would be mortified, and cross with her, if she was inconsiderate of others. It's not that hard to teach a child road safety and manners. If they don't comply, no scooter.

I seem to have written the word manners a lot in my posts tonight, sorry, they are important to me though!

I have three DC's, and a 30 min round trip on foot to school and nursery.

It is a long way but on scooters we manage it without the three year old getting too tired. The six year old walks most of the time because I pick up other children on the way. I would have to get two buses and the logistics of that with 4-5 children and a buggy are too much for my feeble brain.

It works very well for us.

CommanderCool...if you're one of those parents who is able to keep the kids safe and net to you then fair enough..but the people near me are not that type sadly.

MaMoTTA...a buggy is hadly going at the sort of speed a scootr goees at is it now? ANd it's unlikely to knock anyone into the path of a car either.

My DD who is just four has had a scooter for about six months or so. I have taught her that if someone's coming along the pavement towards us, she needs to stop and allow them to pass or steer well away from them. She has no trouble with this and is a perfectly normal four year old, not a genius or anything! If scooters are a problem where the OP lives it's only because parents aren't giving their kids appropriate instructions about how they're allowed to use them, surely?

I let her go crazy fast on it in the park or similar but it's not that hard to teach a child that s/he has to think about other people in a confined space, is it? I don't see a lot of kids being dreadfully antisocial in their scooter-riding round here, tbh, so it's not just mine who appears to get the idea that when there are other people around, you have to go a bit slower and stop sometimes.

What is the difference between a CofE and a Christian school, btw?

Anenome - I have yet to be on a thread with you where you haven't complained about MN or the posters on MN, saying what horrible people we are. I would like to suggest that you might like to either stop that, or find a site you do actually like.

...and really we're in constant danger??? they are small kids on scooters, not the taliban. Get a grip.

I do love AIBU.

OP - "Am I?"
Everyone - "Yes"
OP - "Well, I've never been so insulted. You are all one big conspiracy group.
F L O U N C E".
1 person - "Actually I agree with OP".
OP - "I'm baaaaack".

On topic, my dd scooters to school sometimes, but only at a short distance in front of me. For some reason she's incapable of paying attention to drive ways, etc so I keep her on a short leash.

well - I've sent my own children flying before now when I've run them over

and a scooter ridden by a 3yr old is unlikely to be going that fast either.

Chippingin...I deny thatI have complained on every thread! I said on one thread how very lovely and supportive people were to me regarding a problem I had...since we are suggesting things...may I suggest that if you don't like my posts, then ignore them.

I don't see a problem with children riding to school on scooters or bikes, but equally I don't think Anemone is being unreasonable to want her dc not to get mown down by the children on the scooters/bikes.

Nor is it terribly safe for young children who aren't aware of the hazards to be speeding along way ahead of their parents - as others have said, they might not be visible to the driver reversing out of their drive, and might well not notice the car beginning to move. And if a child on a scooter scoots into a pedestrian child, both are going to get hurt - bumps and bruises at least, I suspect, but the scooting child could get spilled into the road in front of a car.

But no-one is saying get rid of the bikes and scooters - all that is needed is for the children on scooters/bikes to stay near their parents - so they can be warned of hazards like a reversing car, and so they can be taught to respect others on the pavements, be they other scooters/cyclists or pedestrians; and the pedestrian children need to learn to keep an eye out around them too, and be aware of others so they can take avoiding action if needed. Mutual respect.

TechlovingDad
I did flounce off...Im a flouncer...but I also love a bit of a well intentioned row..so this site is perfect for me.