To report the sweet lollipop lady for being too bloody nice

[Pantone363]

She stops and chats to parents and kids in the middle of the zebra crossing. She hugs the kids in the middle of the crossing. She frequently waits on the crossing for people who are twenty meters away. She seems incapable of noticing the traffic jam which is frequently a quarter of the size on the day she is not working.

AIBU and frankly a bit of a bitch (my mate tells me yes) to think that in the middle of a busy town, during school run/rush hour traffic what you need in a lollipop lady is rigid german efficiency. Parents and children ushered across at a forced march. People grouped together and not crossed under a minimum number.

I want shouting. Hand signals. Kids and parents running across the crossing. Not the nice old lady handing out hugs and good mornings.

AIBU?

maybe she is trying to improve road safety by encouraging drivers to find alternatives to driving past a school at drop-off and pick-up times.

LOL at mumof going the other way to avoid assisted crossing.

Lots of embarrassed grownups being crossed at ours.

There was a week when she wasn't at the crossing and it was fab, then my mate said she in hospital. I didn't feel anywhere near as bad as I should have done.

As a parent, I would have asked her to stop preventing the children from crossing quickly by cuddling them in the middle of a road. We keep hammering on about crossing safely and quickly and she (an authority figure in their eyes) does the opposite? What kind of example is that? Why can't she wait for them to come to her on the sidewalk, give cuddles, THEN stop traffic?

There's a lollypop lady in my town. My kids call her "Pretty Lollypop Lady"

Anyway, not only is she on a zebra crossing, which seems a bit pointless. But also she crosses individual kids over rather than waiting for a group. And also crosses individual adults who having nothing to do with the school too.

The whole town grinds to a halt! So, no YANBU!

I think you should add to the love!

Find out her favourite songs, and play them on full blast when you are in the vicinity

Throw sweets as you pass (wrapped of course)

Start a mexican wave out of the sunroof

And things like that.

Sounds to me that she is more interested in her own feelings than whether the road is used properly or not, which is annoying. I would say something. But expect it to be in the local paper the next week Picture of her surrounded by kiddies holding her stick claiming to feel victimised.

Alibaba

I agree! re-read end bit of my post!

Yabvvu she sounds lovely bless her .

You are a bad person op!!! But I agree with you. Lollipop persons should wait until a few people are gathered up and then stop the traffic and then make 'em cross quickly!! We've all got places to be .

There is new school just opened near a brand new housing estate in our town - for some absurd reason there is no pavement on the school side of the road so people living on the same side as the school have to cross to reach the pavement and then everyone has to cross the road again to get to the school. Stupid planning.

I got lollipopped at school crossing once. I was sans kids and was out for a run. I was knackered and was secretly hoping for a quick rest whilst waiting for a pause in the stream of cars. Lollipop lady stopped the bloody traffic for just for me me so I had to carry on across the road whilst trying to look grateful and as if I was loving every moment of it and not about to drop with exhaustion. And be stared at by all the impatient motorists in the queue

I think you might live near me, op.

We have a lollipop lady who is exactly the same. She will stop the traffic after every second or third car to let one child and a carer cross. She will actually stop said traffic when the child and carer have not even reached kerbside yet and are still twenty feet away.

Yes that's her! Does she point her lollipop out into the road like she's in a jousting contest before she emerges?

at jousting lollipop lady.

Right time to go and drive past mine

Be thankful the one at the school near us has just got sacked for attacking a member of school staff because he got annoyed at him!

did the school staff member had a candy cane?

YABU but you k ow that and I did howl with laughter at your OP and the "German efficiency" bit.

Now...here's a lollipop...or more appropriately some x

I'd agree with you, but only because standing in the middle of the road is an inherently dangerous place to be. I would be telling my children to cross and not to stop for a hug or chat until they've crossed the door.

I still remember the name of my primary school lollipop man and I left primary school (shuddering at the realisation of just how long it is!) over 20 years ago! (Sidney, if anyone wants to know.)

"crossed the door" ?!

*road obviously!

Hello!
I’ve name-changed due to very dull Local Authority legislation about social media & message boards. – I’m a real life genuine School Crossing Patrol (Lollipop Lady) and I’m now going to bore you rigid!

OP, you sound lovely, and I’m pleased your Lollipop Lady is lovely too. I’m glad you love her, it’s in our job description. I’d have to say though, that I agree with PP’s that a fundamental part of our job is minimising disruption to road users so yeah, I fear your LL could be a bit inefficient.

I try my very hardest - and feedback from everyone I know says I am - friendly and approachable as in I say “Morning!”, “Hello!”, “See you tomorrow” and “Thank you!” to every single person I cross every day with a big smile. If I know someone’s name I’ll use it. I also thank every single vehicle who stops.

It’s also about efficiency, though – I cover the “leg” and one “arm” of a T-junction with no additional crossings (pelican, zebra) so I suppose I’ve more experience in marshalling folks and moving swiftly from A-B.
So you learn to project your voice and convey very polite but succinct messages whilst moving from A-B “Please wait there for me, I’ll be right with you” and also thanking people for their patience. I’ll chat whilst walking but never for more than a minute and again, I’ll keep my attention focussed so I can break off quickly “Excuse me for a moment, please!”

There’s common sense though so I will ask people to wait a minute and a half to let a queue of vehicles pass – again, people are fine if you explain this to them “I’m just going to let that car/lorry/whatever go past so I don’t cause a traffic jam” especially if you thank them for their patience afterwards.

We’re technically allowed to cross anyone at all, but again it’s common sense and you very quickly learn to read body language if someone actually wants you to cross them. Also no, don’t hold up the traffic for too long because cars have to stop (Highway Code, we’re attached to and answerable to Highways and Transport and we are the only people apart from traffic police with the authority to stop traffic) because it causes queues and pisses people off. Therefore, no dawdling and hugging in the road!

My predecessor was like EatShitDerek’s, she was actually a great character once you got to know her but she did scare the tinies. And some parents. Unfortunately she had to retire due to ill health.

Don’t worry about child protection issues, though ZingTheGreat – we have to pass an enhanced Data Barring Service (was CRB) check.
So YABU and YANBU, OP. If you report her, angry hordes will leap to her defence and anyway, she’ll have periodic performance assessments too so if her immediate superior ain’t happy, they’ll let her know. Nicely, if they’re like my boss who is ace.

Any questions?

excellent post

Why thank you, ZingTheGreat!

Haha brilliant.

She sounds lovely. And clearly doesn't give two hoots about the need to rush everywhere.

You do realise it's wrong to teach children to run across the road don't you? So dangerous.

Aw LollipopLady I feel bad now, but you sound like the kind of efficient lollipopper we need.

She wasn't there this morning . I had a brief moment of panic that she may have read this thread and it broke her little lollipop heart.

I don't think you are being unreasonable, except the last paragraph but I am sure that jokey.
She can chat to the kids/hand out present/give a hug on the pavement once the kids are safely out of the middle of the freaking road
Having a lollipop person any way means they kind of become your eyes and you don't look yourself like you would have done, but she could be also by her behaviour showing that chatting and not having any care for the road is ok.
She waits for people who are 20 meters away , is she completely thoughtless or has a little power and its gone to her head. Why would you even do that, move out the way, go back out when the people are there.