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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that adults should proceed to cross the road correctly...

18 replies

MrsPeeWee · 27/09/2013 17:02

When small children are present?

We cross a huge main road on the way to school in the mornings, and I am beginning to get very miffed off at adults/parents crossing irresponsibly. It is no wonder that two children have been knocked over on the same road since starting school at the beginning of the month.

For example - parents running across the road dragging DC behind when there's a car 10 feet from them, while the rest of us wait with 10+ children for the car to pass.

Traffic lights being another. We're all waiting for the green man, while other adults are running across, just skipping a car. Can we not just think more carefully about all DC watching this behaviour?

As my granddad used to say - "You never need to be anywhere fast enough that's worth killing yourself for." Grin

OP posts:
DawnOfTheDee · 27/09/2013 17:04

Agree. I always wait for the green man if i can see that children are waiting to cross the road too.

Original poster
MrsPeeWee · 27/09/2013 17:04

Sorry for any typos, cooking and mobile MN doesn't mix! Smile

OP posts:
HeySoulSister · 27/09/2013 17:17

agree if you have dc WITH you.....but not so much if an adult is unaccompanied. you need to be able to judge crossing roads where crossings aren't present,you cant wrap them in cotton wool forever

xuntitledx · 27/09/2013 17:20

My husband and I get really cross about this on our drive to work - we pass a million schools on the journey and despite there also being two billion lollipop people, there's always parents ignoring them and crossing dangerously just feet away!

I'm really unsure why these parents do this? Particularly if they're walking in the same direction as to where the lollipop people are so it's not like they're walking back on themselves or anything (although that shouldn't matter either - I was always taught to cross at lollipop crossings or zebra crossings even if it meant doubling back!)

BuskersCat · 27/09/2013 17:21

DD shouts at people who cross without waiting for the green man Grin

anon2013 · 27/09/2013 17:25

This drives me crazy, there's a street near where I live that people look at you like shit for driving on the road.

lottiegarbanzo · 27/09/2013 17:25

Hmm, with children yes but when I'm alone and it's clearly safe to cross, I'm not necessarily going to wait for the green man because someone else has children there. I wouldn't cross dangerously in front of them but I won't stand about for no reason either.

I'd hope the parents would be able to use other people as examples of what not to do, or how adults can act on their own judgement in a way that children should not.

HeySoulSister · 27/09/2013 17:27

I agree lottie

Meglet · 27/09/2013 17:30

Yanbu. I have a bee in my bonnet about this.

If I'm with the dc's we always use a pedestrian crossing. I'm in the minority on the school run. Most parents take a short cut, walking a few extra metres to cross safely adds, oooo 2 minutes to your journey Hmm.

Original poster
MrsPeeWee · 27/09/2013 17:33

Buskers My DS does exactly the same! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsPeeWee · 27/09/2013 17:35

I agree with not wrapping the DC in cotton wool forever, however this is an infant school - DS is 5. I am not quite ready to peel of that first layer of wool WRT crossing the roads yet.

OP posts:
sparechange · 27/09/2013 17:36

OP, do you mean other people who have children with them, or other people full stop?
Because this isn't New York and there is no law against jay walking, and therefore no reason for your DCs to shout at people who cross the road when they judge it safe to do so...

ProudAS · 27/09/2013 17:37

I saw people not waiting for green man when I was a child but knew better than to copy them. Have taken it up since but its no different to crossing a road with no pelican.

Justforlaughs · 27/09/2013 17:58

If a parent is waiting for a green man with a young child then i think that adults should wait as well. However, I would encourage children who are a bit older to assess a road crossing themselves, not necessarily relying completely on a pedestrian crossing to tell them when it is safe. There are many times when there is a red man and yet there are no cars in sight and it is perfectly safe to cross.

noisytoys · 27/09/2013 18:00

The lollipop lady on DDs school run won't go into the road if she is chatting to her friends, and some days doesn't turn up at all. At least DD won't get upset that she's not helping her to cross if she's not there Hmm

BackforGood · 27/09/2013 18:02

Same as Lottie - if I can see somewhere is safe to cross, then I'm not going to stand and wait for green man if I don't have small children with me.
I'd be more aware if I were ever crossing near a school entrance at dropping off time, but not when I'm off shopping in the High Street.

Turniptwirl · 27/09/2013 18:04

I hate seeing parents running across the road dragging dc with them

But as an adult on my own I will cross the road when u judge it safe to do so, regardless of someone else's DCs.

I agree to make little ones wait, but make sure they don't just rely on the green man and you are actively checking the road and getting them to as well. Always good to be aware of the rare idiot drivers!

freddiefrog · 27/09/2013 18:09

As above. Parents dragging kids across the road - no

But if I'm on my own, I'll cross the road when I see fit. If a road is clear, I'll cross it

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