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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

136 replies

VolkswagenBeetle · 31/05/2012 11:47

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 Grin). 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.

OP posts:
PatFenis · 31/05/2012 23:52

I don't have problem with parents driving their kids to school a short distance if they are on an onward journey to work but I get a bit peeved with a mum who lives at the top of my road who drives her kids to school and goes straight back home again .....to watch The Wright Stuff!!! .....the walk to and from school takes 10 mins max ffs!

What I do object to is the lazy fuckers who park across the zig zag lines or even worse - pull onto the pavement beyond the zigzags. I flipped on a woman last week (and I am very easy going) who pulled in across a busy road to park her car , mounted the pavement in front of where my DS was walking and then proceeded to reverse to park up and hit my son in the thigh with her car - I did go a little bit nuts and tourettes but it was well justified.

I called the local council the same day to complain about it and the following morning they had a caught on camera car out .....and caught 3 other lazy fuckers parking outside school on zigzag lines - it doesn't take much to find a street nearby to park in and not cause a hazard surely!

MintChocAddict · 31/05/2012 23:52

I often drive to school despite only a 10 min walk to get there (although I do park sensibly)
I'm sure other parents hoick up their judgey pants, but hey ho.
I've got a very wriggly one year old who hates being in his buggy and TBH I find it much less stressful to stick him in the car seat and go.
I'm often also running late trying to get both out the door, while eating toast/looking for tie/finding shoes etc.
I'm not remotely organised and probably get out of bed a bit too late. I also work out of the home and when I get home at night just want to spend time with my boys, and not all evening preparing for the next day.
It's all a bit slap dash and I'm sure I'll be judged but I don't really care. Works for me. Think folk who get hung up on other peoples choices of can't have much else think about.

LucieMay · 01/06/2012 00:08

pugs- I presume state schools don't have the money? Or the room? Not sure I would want DS's field being turned into a car park.

KalSkirata · 01/06/2012 10:19

I do judge if its under 2 miles. If you're rural or had to pick a school miles away for SN reason sthen fair enough. But in cities? This is why our cities are polluted and a third of kids are fat.
The parents at dd's school (half a mile catchment area) arrive 40 mins to nab a space (and every week the Head writes in the newsletter about parking and selfishness). Who wastes 40 mins of their day sat in a car rather than walk half a fucking mile?
And drivers choices do affect us. Increased traffic, increased pollution. Why should we have to breathe in the fumes. I bet those same parents would have hysterics if someone lit of a ciggie within half a mile of their children get they spew filthy fumes al over mine.

pugsandseals · 01/06/2012 11:12

LucieMay I agree if it's a very old school with limited space, but there are so many brand new schools out there that haven't been designed with the car in mind. I can think of one school in particular with huge beautiful fields & playgrounds yet the front of the school is always blocked by cars parked half on the pavement because the road isn't wide enough to let 2 cars pass each other. This is on a brand new housing estate! Surely they could have designed it better?

fuzzpig · 01/06/2012 11:25

We have a tiny catchment and lots of people drive to school and back (ie not going on to work). We live on the outskirts of the catchment and it only takes 15min to walk - like a PP, we have loads of footpaths and it really does take longer to drive. I would love a car and hope to learn to drive in the next few years but there is no way I will drive to school.

On a reception trip recently I noticed that the children whingeing about all the walking were the ones who get driven to school - the walkers were still full of energy and seemed to enjoy the day much more.

Hulababy · 01/06/2012 11:31

DD's private school only has parking for about 10 cars. I don't park in there ever. Can be a nightmare. I never understand why people bother, esp if in big cars. OI park on street and walk a couple of minutes.

No parking at all at the state primary I work at, not even for teachers. We have to park on the nearby roads. It is double yellow lines outsude the actual school, and all down that road.

ComposHat · 01/06/2012 11:45

I used to live near a school down a narrow suburban road . The school was in quite a well to do area and I'd regularly see kids ferried to and from school when they lived not more than half a mile from the school.

These monster 4X4 would be slewed all over the place, parked on top of people's driveways, completely blocking the street, their attitude screamed 'nothing matters other than the fact that I am not inconvenienced in the slightest.'

Even more galling was that the street would be blocked up with these monster truck size vehicles and then out of them would emerge one tiny stick thin woman and one very small child.

JosephineCD · 01/06/2012 11:51

I think there should be a 1/2 mile vehicle exclusion zone around all schools.

pictish · 01/06/2012 11:56

Because if you're jumping in your car to save you and your dc from having to walk a mile even though you could make time to, and are physically capable of it, you're a lazy bugger.

It's up to the individual if they want to be a lazy bugger....so long as they accept that that is what they are.

Bunnyjo · 01/06/2012 12:00

DD's school is over 2 miles away, across a busy A road (trunk road between Carlisle and Newcastle) and the rest of the roads between us and the school have no lighting, footpaths and are national speed limit. It realy isn't a safe walking route. DD is entitled to school transport and usually goes by that, as do most of the kids that are entitled to transport at her school. On the rare occasions I pick her up/drop her off, I park nearby without blocking anyone in or causing an obstacle - it's basic common courtesy!

ledkr · 01/06/2012 12:01

Because in the uk parents and children are seen as second class citizens and thus can do nothing right, Middle aged business men can drive 2 minutes down the road but a parent darent drive their children around or they will be accused of all sorts.

People can be loud smelly and obnoxious in restaurants but if you breast feed or the baby cries you may be asked to leave.

I walk to school mostly but if i need to drive-weather,feeling ill,in pjs,on my way to work etc etc,i will do,its not anyone elses business.

belgo · 01/06/2012 12:02

YANBU. I don't understand why it's parents who get the sole blame for traffic problems and pollution. What about all the lone people who sit in their cars, when they could take the train, bus or walk? There are many unnecessary car journeys made by all sorts of people.

Parents, particularly working parents, are some of the busiest people around. They may simply not have the time to walk to school and get to work on time. Not helped by the fact that so many children are refused places at nearby schools, forcing them to travel a lot further.

Bunnyjo · 01/06/2012 12:02

Really, not realy. Damn sausage fingers!

belgo · 01/06/2012 12:02

oh cross posts ledkr!

Glittertwins · 01/06/2012 12:04

We live 1 mile walk from their nursery and we usually walk it and then I walk on to work. There is only one other child who walks to nursery, everyone else drives which does make it a nightmare as parking is non existent.
Come Sept, their school will still be a mile walk but in the wrong direction for me to walk on to work plus the after school club is not on site so illneed the car to get there.
I'm planning on borrowing a supermarket's space which is 400m from school so on my working days we can drive/walk. Walking 2 miles home at 6 pm is a bit OTT for reception.

pictish · 01/06/2012 12:15

We live just under two miles from the school (and nursery) and my dc aged 10, 4 and 3 walk there and back every day come rain or shine. I occasionally use a wee foldy uppy buggy for the youngest, in order to make it on time, but other than that, it's just us and our legs.

So far none of my children have collapsed from exhaustion, dissolved in the rain, been carried off by a tornado, worn their legs down to stumps, or any other terrible fate that parents who can't be arsed to walk pedal out in their defence.

KalSkirata · 01/06/2012 12:25

'YANBU. I don't understand why it's parents who get the sole blame for traffic problems and pollution. What about all the lone people who sit in their cars, when they could take the train, bus or walk? There are many unnecessary car journeys made by all sorts of people.'

I judge those lazy feckers too Grin
They should have big bags over the exhaust to take their fumes home. Like dog shit owners. Only bigger. I havent thought through the rest of the plan yet Wink

OldGreyWiffleTest · 01/06/2012 12:28

My neighbour drove to and from school every day, then came home........the village school is 400 yards away, no busy roads, etc.

And if she couldn't make it for any reason she asked me to collect them. She did this until they left for Secondary!

Hulababy · 01/06/2012 12:34

KalSkirata - do you also judge driving parents who are then going on to work? I can understand being Hmm about those getting there 40 minutes early - but many parents do the school run on their way to work, and to walk would mean they were late.

Mrsjay · 01/06/2012 12:36

I have no problem with parents driving kids to school at all but i know parents who drive when it really is quicker to walk it really is none of my beeswax though just seems really lazy , the only time i see these parents walking is when its walk to school week and on a friday i see the kids skipping out with certificates and into the car Grin

KalSkirata · 01/06/2012 12:37

depends on whether I have my matching set of judgey knickers and bra hula. With hat

starmaker7 · 01/06/2012 12:41

I was shocked the other day when one of my friends said she was glad the school run is over till september ,her child is 16 , whats wrong with the bus?? You wouldnt catch me taking mine to school at that age and we live in the middle of nowhere!!

fuzzpig · 01/06/2012 13:00

I completely agree about parents not being the worst offenders!

fuzzpig · 01/06/2012 13:00

(but this thread was about schools)

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