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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that the person who wrote this is quite simply a twat?

169 replies

Mouseyinmyhousey · 22/04/2013 21:27

From FB.

Over the Easter holidays the roads were traffic free. Proving that rush hour I'd caused by parents taking their kids to school. It should be law that all parents should be made to walk to school whatever the weather, getting rid of rush hour, and obesity. Also if people want a better school they'll have to walk further, or better still, make everyone attend they're local school thus making a fairer society.

Complete nob, right?

OP posts:

MrsMelons · 23/04/2013 14:15

Its not even true - the reason it is quieter is not down to people not driving their children to school it is down to the fact that many people take the school holidays off work.

I leave for work at 7am (have to work part of school holidays too) so way before the school run, it usually takes me 1 hr 25 to get to work term time and takes 45 mins in the holidays. The traffic jams tend to be before 8am so unlikely to be school traffic.

If I drive the children to school it is because I have to go straight onto work and do not have time to walk back and get the car even though it is the closest school.

Tortington · 23/04/2013 14:20

people take the holidays off work - that's the reason

if this is a fb friend of yours -defriend them - you don't need to know twats like that.

Also on the walking issue - this only applies if a SAHP - and TBH most parents are at work when their kids are at school - so they have to drop em off in the car to get to work on time

TheRealFellatio · 23/04/2013 14:21

I think the point is that people should not make demands of others to do things they are not prepared to do themselves. If you drive to work when you could walk or take public transport then you do not have the right to tell others they should not drive. It's completely irrelevant whether they are going to school or to work, and whether they are 5, 25 or 55.

YoniYoniNameLeft · 23/04/2013 17:05

I, personally, don't know anyone who lives within walking distance to school and drives there .

All the people I know who live within walking distance to school do actually walk! The only people I know who drive to school are the ones who are going elsewhere afterwards ie. to work. Otherwise parking is such a nightmare, that by the time you've found a parking space, you could have walked the journey about 6 times because of the time it takes to park .

Also, when it's school time lollipop people stop the traffic for children to cross. No school - no lollipop person, therefore no need to stop!

Hoviscat · 23/04/2013 17:11

Plenty of parents where we live would love their children to go to the local school.

Due to a total lack of school places, lots of children are being sent to schools several miles from their homes.... parents therefore have very little choice but to drive!

GrowSomeCress · 23/04/2013 17:14

Way too many people drive their children to school even when they actually live on the bus route or in walking distance.

Some circumstances where it's unavoidable though.

TheSecondComing · 23/04/2013 17:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Cakecrumbsinmybra · 23/04/2013 18:51

YANBU, that would piss me off too. And all the bollocks about choosing a local school, therefore one can walk - do people not realise that the catchment area for schools outside of large towns/cities are several miles in radius, not several hundred metres? I live on the edge of a village, Ds1 goes to the village school. However, it's a still 30 minute walk, sometimes more and he's 6, DS2 is in a pram and would therefore be stuck in it for about 75 mins, unless I let hiim walk part of the way back, making the school run last about 2 hours - not practical. However, the main reason I don't walk is that for most of the journey there are no pavements! With speed that some people drive, it is really stressful and I've all but given up to be honest until they're a bit older.

Idocrazythings · 23/04/2013 19:09

Her I'd love my child to go the local school and to walk there? we've only been on the waitlist 15 months?

skaen · 23/04/2013 19:16

I live just outside a city with excellent public transport, cheap and readily available park and rides and well marked and maintained cycle lanes. The traffic is always appalling.

I either bus or cycle and watch the long line of cars with one occupant driving to work. I know there are people who have to drive as part of their work, but there are an awful lot who don't but don't consider alternatives.

How about businesses changing their standard hours / refusing to provide car parking for staff/ encouraging home working etc? The locsl Councils have decided they can't solve this so they're waiting for it to reach capacity when people will sort it out somehow for themselves.

Btw, schools only tend to get extensions when there is sufficient local demand to justify an extra class per year or a combined double class as an LEA can't justify the ongoing cost unless there really is massive excess demand.

ryanboy · 24/04/2013 08:22

'Way too many people drive their children to school even when they actually live on the bus route '

you are kidding right? If you pay for a car, you pay to insure it and tax it, then they are damn well going to use it rather than paying bus fares!!!

GrowSomeCress · 24/04/2013 15:22

ryanboy ...why? you still have to pay for petrol, try to park, add to congestion, take time to drive them

chibi · 24/04/2013 15:37

the children at our catchment school are v similar to those at my kids' school in terms of ability, background, proportion of fsm/sen/eal

we did not send them there because

the teaching was weak
leadership of the school was and is weak
expectations of students (what is expected of them) are low
pastoral support weak

maybe some parents choose schools entirely based on who goes there, but it is only one factor affecting what a school is like

bit disingenuous to suggest that if we all went to the local school all would be fabbo. my kids will have zilcho impact on the strength of the things i listed above- why should they be subject to it in the interests of 'fairness'?

ShadowStorm · 24/04/2013 21:38

ryanboy - I have a car. I don't automatically use the car just because I have it.

I look at how much the journey costs on public transport vs cost of diesel and parking; speed & convenience of public transport vs speed & convenience of driving and parking.

I expect that most car users do the same, and will use public transport if they think it's going to be cheaper or easier.

Cakecrumbsinmybra · 25/04/2013 13:22

If you live rurally, I can virtually guarantee that no journey you could possibly make would be cheaper or easier by public transport than your own vehicle. Especially with kids.

digerd · 25/04/2013 13:31

It's always rush hour on the M25, 24/7. Also during the day on the A roads - London north outskirts.

One Sunday, it was bliss going to the shop round the corner, and reminded me of the good old days. I was told it was an important football match - World Cup I think?

thebody · 25/04/2013 13:37

But parents usually drop and drive to work.

Is this women know your place is in the home.

WhereDoAllTheCalculatorsGo · 25/04/2013 13:48

What about rural areas? My DS's primary school was the nearest and was about 6 miles away; 2 villages removed from us.

expatinscotland · 25/04/2013 14:24

We are also in a rural area: very expensive and limited public transport, no pavements in many spots and it's not exactly safe for children to cycle on 40-60mph roads.

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