Kids on scooters during school run 😒

[Heyjude16]

It drives me insane. Small path to school and they come zooming so fast up behind you that if you don't move you get smacked at the back of your legs, and then none of them say please or thank you or excuse me. Drives me insane! 😒

Ds was knocked over by a boy on a scooter, sounds daft, but he is disabled and quite wobbly when he walks (often needs a SN buggy). He was very upset and fortunately just got a grazed knee (he has dislocated his hip before, falling off the sofa, so it could have been a lot worse). However it stopped him walking on the way to school for months because he was scared. The dad of the boy didn't stop, because he was busy chasing his daughter who was scooting off at high speed in the opposite direction to his son.

I was hit from behind by one by a kid as his gormless mother paused in her gossiping to gawp and said nothing. My ankle was bleeding horribly.

An older relative was knocked over and ended up with her wrist in a splint - the scooter kid was whizzing in the park as mum pushed a pram and fiddled with her phone.

They are a bloody menace! I loathe dodging the things around the school.

I strongly suspect it's the lack of pavement etiquette that's the issue rather than the scooter! My daughter used to Scoot to school in Infants and was always polite and careful around others. She pushed the scooter once at school as they weren't allowed to be ridden in school. My 2 yr old scoots to school so that we can walk rather than use the car and even at 2, nearly 3 he knows when to stop for the road and to ride it safely.

I have seen plenty of children not scooting safely and being generally rude and inconsiderate though so I do understand your point!

Much rather every child on a scooter or bike and no cars allowed within 200m of the school. Banning scooters definitely leads to more people driving to school. That extra few minutes, the whingey younger sibling... It doesn't take much to put people off walking. If you are having trouble with other pavement users then surely you can find a way to deal with it?

I will not give way to a child over the age of four using a scooter on the pavement. They should push their scooter on the pavement, not barge past, and not expect me to step into the road with my 5 yr old so they can use the pavement!

I will not give way to a child over the age of four using a scooter on the pavement.

That's the kind of talk I like Woolyheads

Children of four on scooters should take their chances in the road along with the operators of all other wheeled vehicles be they people in wheelchairs, articulated lorries or girls in white trousers and rollerblades in Bodyform adverts.

It's the only language these bastards understand.

I won't give why either for a scooter. They can get off and walk. I've developed a good Paddington stare for these situations.

They are a menace round here too. No idea why people use them, what's wrong with walking? We don't live rurally, but my kids have been able to walk a couple of miles since they were 2 or 3 - they get used to it. And most people aren't going anything like that distance to get to school.

what's wrong with walking

It's dull.

I think instead of moaning about kids on scooters we should blame some parents who allow their kids to be little shits when using their scooters, and don't teach them how to be safe and respectful.
I think YABU, OP refers to some rude kids, with no manners; it can't be a generalisation. Where we live, most kids scoot to school and we never have any problems.
Scooting in supermarkets or shops though, totally not OK...

Can I just add.. or Oxford St!

Or the bloody tube entrance hall.

I banned ours as too busy where we were and I was constantly terrified of cars/ side roads etc
I see some kids using them sensibly, but I know DC would be the type to scoot into the distance and be dangerous for kicks

RoSPA link

People who allow their darlings on scooters to harass people walking in front of them to move or get ankles hit annoy the hell out of me every morning.
Just walk to school ffs

I think scooters are great but kids need to be taught basic courtesy and common sense. I live on a huge residential estate, maybe 1200 houses with 2 primary schools. The pavements are narrow without proper kerbs. The footpaths along the back of the houses are rickety. There are frequently really small children scooting along miles ahead of their parents. I have no issue with the older ones as presumably they are old enough to reliably stop at roads. Twice in the last year I have seen a preschooler overshoot and scoot into the road. I don't get it. All my kids had scooters. They all learnt when they first got them they had to stay with 20 ft of me or get off when roadside.

Our school had to ban the electric ones when a little girl was put in hospital by someone running one into her. Shame they don't enforce it though!

LieInsAreExtinct Every child on a scooter or bike? That would be a total nightmare at our large (600+) primary school. There would be incidents every day.

limitedperiodonly Children of four on scooters should be close to their parents, not pushing past other pedestrians.

Totally agree with others that the problem is really the parents rather than the scooters themselves, but remove the scooters and the problem disappears. I refuse to let my 6 year old DS scoot to school (600m) but on the way we walk pass parents parking and then letting their similar aged DCs scoot the rest of the way.

I have a feeling it is the rude children you come into contact with.
Mine scoot to school everyday without consequence.
All of the other be-scootered children manage to get around without bashing into anyone.
YABU

Mine had a micro scooter 15 years ago so i could do a 2 mile walk in 15 minutes. However, he was not allowed to scoot inside Supermarkets or anywhere that was busy. Nowadays parents have no common sense. I saw children in crowds at the Mayors Thames Festival and down Oxford Street.
My dcs old school now has a sign up in the alley saying "please no scooters*

DD 6 scoots every day. We live at the edge of the catchment and it would take a lot longer on foot.
She has strict rules though, never to pass a pedestrian on the scooter, either stop and wait to the side while pedestrian passes or get off and push the scooter past them.
Remember to say please, excuse me, and thank you. Don't behave like a Wee dobber. Beware cars on pavements and always stop to wait for an adult before crossing the road.

That said, YANBU in the slightest if your local scootees are behaving as you describe!

Perhaps scooter proficiency tests are the way forward?

STDGisan There are people (not disabled) who drive their cars to the end of their road to buy something small from a local shop and drive back to their homes.

Now excuse that. Also many many deaths are caused by cars. Directly and indirectly. I doubt ANYONE has been killed by scooters.

Well yes, cars obviously cause all sorts of death and mayhem. But that doesn't stop scooters being a menace.

YABU about riding them not about getting smacked in legs. I have taught my 3 yo to say 'excuse me please' and not ride into people. She has to do a school run with four, sometimes six other kids in the morning with her auntie/childminder so it's a requirement of hers. It's a pain for me on train and bus though because I have to carry it on and try not to hit anyone's legs with it.

Oh and the thing about supermarkets is she has to push it round because I have to carry all the bags and basket and it hurts your back to push it around. She is doing it less and less but occasionally she gets cheeky and gets on it. I usually stop her though.

Of course scooters CAN be annoying If not properly managed, but cars are MORE of a menace.