Why do some people have a problem with parents driving their kids to school?

[VolkswagenBeetle]

I realise this up there with P&B spaces etc. but I'm bored so...

I'm not talking about people who park right across the school gate (who are annoying as hell), but people who drive their kids to school and park (properly). My dds' school is 2.2 miles away (just checked that on Google maps ). Atm DH drops me and the kids off at my dad's house (who lives around the corner from the school) at about 7.45am on his way to work, and we then walk the 5 minutes to school from there. But come September when he's being made redundant we'll go straight to school in the car.

It would take well over an hour for my youngest dd to walk to school, so it makes sense to use the car. I usually get 2 buses back home cos I'm a lazy cow walk back home when they're in school, and the same going to pick them up.

I don't know why people get so het up about other peoples choices especially as they may not know their reasons for them.

Just because something is a 'personal choice' doesn't mean that it doesn't have an impact on other people.

I live near a school and generally the parking by parents dropping off is pretty shoddy and the general impression is one of a group of people looking out for themselves and really not giving a damn about the inconvenience they cause others. Of course lots of parents probably manage to drop their children off without being quite so selfish, but the minority are so annoying they make it hard not to judge the entire group.

And whilst completely understand the principle of drop off on the way to work even if you live round the corner, and when the car really is the only means of getting to work. I totally reserve my right to hoik my judgy pants to right under my elbows about any able bodied person using their car to make any journey that can be easily be made by other means. Cars pollute the air, are the real reason that so many people are reluctant to let their children play out and are responsible for far too many deaths and serious injuries, in fact they are a total menace!

Do people worry about this? Certainly not around here. If you live close enough to walk, and don't have a mad rush to get back from work to do pick up, or onto an afterschool club, then walk. If you don't have time, then drive.

and so sorry to hear he is losing his job, what a horrible thing to have looming over you.

I live fairly close (less than a mile) to the primary school DS will attend next year, and I will have to drive him every day as I need to get to work straight after drop off. Thankfully, as I have to leave, I won't be around to hear people comment on my slovenly ways.

Not going to argue about green issues but I don't have to drive or not drive because anyone else tells me to. It is obviously extreeeeeeemly important to some people but not all. We all pursue our passions and causes but they are not all the same priority. I refuse to draw in further to this, green issues really not my bag.

The difference in traffic when the schools are on hols is unbelievable, I can't believe there are that many kids living so far away from their schools that driving is the only option.

I live right next to a big high school. A lot of kids travel a reasonable distance and the buses are often overcrowded.

I've no problem with parents driving kids to school. At all, as long as they use the brain they were given. Sadly it does seem to be the case that at 8am a significant number don't appear to have left the house with it.

It is definitely issues with parking, stopping in inappropriate places, parking on pavements, blocking driveways, stupid u turns, parking across junctions, blocking the entire road whilst they have a conversation with someone going the other way, driving in the middle of the road as the access road is narrow, but wide enough for two cars with car (4 x 4 are definitely the worst offenders), drivers lacking patience, parents letting kids open doors directly into traffic without looking, insistance on parking as close as possible to the school rather than allowing kids to walk a short distance that are the problem.

Just no thought for safety or anyone else really.

As for cycling. I wouldn't let kids do it. Especially since last night some dickhead deliberately tried to hit (kill) DH last night in an unprovoked road rage attack and succeeded on the third attempt. (He's ok, and police are involved and they have a reg and a witness.)

Think alot of people forget most mums of school aged kids work.

Even if the school is 15 mins walk from home it makes no sense to walk if it is on the way to work and you need the car to get to work.

eg leave home 8.35am drop kids 8.45am, in work 9am.

Without car leave home 8.20, drop kids 8.45, back home 9.10 - in work 9.30.

You lose 2 1/2 hours a week pay just from mornings.

My neighbour, every morning without fail, drives her kids 500 yards down the road to school, and then comes back home where she stays until she picks them up again. The school is on the same road as we are and it's not a main road. It doesn't bother me particularly, it's just odd!

I drive and walk on different days according to my work pattern. (And I do drive in torrential rain since we are 30 mins walk from the school). My biggest problem with some of the entitled drivers, who insist on dropping their little darlings on the zig-zag lines, then do a hasty three point turn or reverse round a corner without looking properly. I know they may be late for work etc. but this does not give them the right to put other DCs' lives at risk. I feel particularly strongly since DS1, along with most of his class, is now walking to school with a friend in preparation for secondary in September.

Reasons I have a problem with it:

• clogs up the roads at a congested time of day
• noise on residential streets
• pollution around small children
• lack of parking, selfish parking
• We can't safely cross the road because there are too many schoolrun cars passing and there's no crossing
• makes it dangerous to walk or cycle because of all the cars

Basically every extra child being driven to school is a deterrent to people NOT wanting to blight residential roads by driving everywhere.

I always drove my kids to school. I looked into buses and they tried the bus but it was not a school bus, was unreliable and often late so they ended up in trouble. 3 miles too far to walk.

If there was decent public transport where I live I would ditch the car, but there isn't so I won't.

2.2 miles with consideration to resident's access/pupils road visibility in the area you park I have no problem with.

Parents who drive mahooosive 4 x 4s 15 minutes up the road then just abandon them anywhere...making it difficult for the children crossing the road to see oncoming traffic I have a MASSIVE problem with.

singinggirl - we have a few 3 point turners now too - I dont understand it at all it only takes about 2 minutes to drive round the whole block and end up back in the same place. Totally selfish.

Would anyone seriously expect a child to walk an hour to school and an hour home?

dixiechick that is not necessarily the case - I save lots of time by dropping ds wheeling my bike then hop on it to get to work, which a handful of other mums I know do too. Driving and parking would take twice as long, however if I were lazy or didn't care about the cost to the environment (and my purse), I would still drive. Of course some people need the car to go on somewhere but we all know examples of people who don't, and they often park badly and put others at risk too.

The school is 0.4 miles from my house, so I would be a seriously lazy bastard if I drove there

I honestly just don't care what other people do. Everyone has a different circumstance. Who am I to judge?

I only have issues with people who park their cars stupidly (usually double parking).

Also some people live 15 mins walk from the school and yet they drive.

I don't have a problem with people driving to school as long as they park in the car park (about 3 minutes walk away) as they are asked and not all over the village.

"I find it sad that people say "it's ok as long as they live x miles away" because it really is nobody else's business how you choose to take your kid to school. No conditions, no justification just adult people making decisions that are best for them that do not need to be excused by random people. Judy is definitely wearing her pants today on MN."

This is just a selfish attitude especially if by driving/parking it makes it more difficult and dangerous for everybody. I child was hit by a car recently (well last year) outside my child's school by a driver who didn't want to park in the car park.

We lives about a mile away and have no car so usually walk. Occasionally if it's bad weather we'll get the bus but it can take longer because of the horrendous traffic from the families who drive there. Crossing near the school is really bad and can be quite dangerous.

Poulay - apart from the parking - you could say all the same things about people using their cars to go to work.

why is a mum on a forum responsible for setting the limits? Have you ever been abroad? Going to school in my neck of the woods is an advantage, never mind how your non Boden wearing mum gets you there. Seriously, education is a huge privilege, wherever you are. You all forget that. Your precious carbon footprint is reduced by sending kids to school, lucky old you for having state schools.

'Would anyone seriously expect a child to walk an hour to school and an hour home?'

s'what I did every day from aged 4 till aged 19 when I left. I was slim and fit too. And was completey normal too.