Why do people drive their kids to school??

[brightonbaker]

Every day My oldest DD 11 walks to school, she is at secondary school and it is about 8minutes walk away. There is one road to cross. I walk my younger DD 8 to school, her school is the same distance. I then get home and go to work, I'm lucky I can start at 9:30.
I think it is good for them to walk to school as it is a good start to the day, exercise, fresh air etc.
I have two neighbours with older DDs about 13 and 14 who I am quite sure have never walked to school, ever. So they leave about the same time as us and get back about the same time as its only 8 minutes walk and by the time they have found somewhere to park** illegally it takes the same amount of time. So why? Why are they doing this? one of the parents does not work so no need to rush and I'm not sure what the other one does.
Really gets on my nerves so thought I'd see if there are some legitimate reasons why people drive to a very local school ?

I suspect that neither would my DD if I left her to her own devices! She actually asks me to wake her up at 6.15, as any later and she feels rushed! 😂 2 hours and 5 minutes to get ready? Really? 😕

I can't walk my DD to school, we have to go up a national speed limit road with no footpath (no alternative route). We would walk if we could, but sometimes there is a good reason why it's not possible. Or the parent has to speed off to work straight from drop off and doesn't have time to walk home to get the car.

That was to PollyPelargonium.

No problem dan 😆

I never see the same outrage at people driving to the corner shop.

I am happy to supply you with that outrage. A stupid, pointless short drive to the corner shop, when an equally-short walk would do, is as stupid and selfish and lazy as a stupid, pointless, short drive to school, when walking is possible.

And no one has the right to tell me when and where I can drive it

whosethemummynow you are right, i can't tell you when and when not to drive. But I have every right to tell drivers who don't need to drive how selfish they are being, not only to my kid (who has to breathe air so polluted, we occasionally get directions to stay indoors) but to their own kids, who are missing out on exercise, and being taught learned helplessness in the face of the almighty private car.

I think everyone is coming up with answers to a different question than the one the OP is asking. I read it as "Why, if there is a short and easy walk to school, would you insist on driving your kids there?" She's not talking about cases where the distance is 10 miles, or where there's no pavement, or where it's unsafe, or where there's a disability or an issue that means that the children or adult can't walk. I get fed up on this site of people making a whole range of exceptional cases just to be contrary. It's stupid.

I would love to walk my DD to school OP. I'd love to have the conversations you have on your journeys but I can't because I have a hideously painful joint condition. To look at me, you'd think I was fine but I'm not. I've been chastised for driving by the gobby, self-righteous mums (who all drive themselves and their one child in 4x4s, HELLO? Pot, kettle, black...). I've also been called lazy (to my face) on two occasions. That bit really hurts.

My friends at school know why I don't/can't walk but I don't feel that I need to explain my health condition to people who don't really know me, yet somehow feel they have the right to judge. My condition is genetic and my daughter also has to deal with joint pain, so needs to pace herself according to what is happening that day and does daily physio exercises. You wouldn't know that to look at her, though. See where I'm going with this?

You've said that you're not talking about people with disabilities, etc. but just how well do you know your neighbour? You know which paper she reads (ye Gods, people openly read that cr*p?!) but do you know why she doesn't work or why she's driving, without specifically asking her? Does she walk anywhere? Parents have all sorts of reasons for driving their kids to school. Yes, there are the lazy sods who genuinely cannot be bothered but please don't tar us all with the same brush, OP. Why not take 5 minutes out of your day to ask your neighbour how she is and see if she is okay?

PS. I drive an electric car and would truly give anything to be outside of it, walking with my child...

My son used to go to a school just around the corner and we drove. The reason was 1) there was an extremely dangerous junction to cross at (think various roads all coming into one.. 2) the path along the main road was very narrow and it generally felt very unsafe; and 3) secondly I had to immediately turn round and get into work

Guilty
Op asked for legitimate reasons. Disability is one. Especially hidden disability as it cannot be seen.

I live too far away to walk (we moved after dd started primary and new catchment school has never had a place!) My older dd walks to school everyday as close enough.

But I agree I see lots of people who live within a few minutes walk drive everyday (sometimes arriving 30 mins at least early for pick up to get prime spot) who I think just walk its a nice day and I could I would.

and dont get me started on the parking of some of the ones who arrive bang on time to pick up their lil angels!

it is not the being driven to school thing, it is why can't they park slightly further away legally and let their little darling walk.

dd gets dropped off up the road so she can walk without crossing a road. (her disability means she is not yet capable of crossing roads) There is oads of parking 100 yards away from school. but no parents want to park on blind bends. on the corner of a junction on double yellows.

Some people are disabled and don't look it, some people aren't feeling well, some people might be a carer for someone they have to get home quickly to, some people have work and are on a strict time limit, some people have children with various issues you wouldn't know about.

Why do you care what other people do? Worry about your own life and be smug that you are doing what you deem is right while judging others.

Well done.

I live next door to school so obviously walk. There are many many people who drive their kids to our school who live close enough to walk but choose not to. Up to them really but the number of times I've been blocked in my own drive by inconsiderate parking is beyond a joke.

More bizarre than that though there is a lady over the road from me whose daughter visits her twice a day. She lives a 2 minute walk away but drives EVERY TIME. .....

I think as a nation we have lost use of our legs. My 11 year old son walks 25 minutes to catch a train to secondary school and back each day with his friend on our road. I wouldn't dream of driving him there. I promotes independence. Yes there are people with very good reasons not to walk but in general we are a nation of lazy arses.

No wonder there is an obesity crisis really. It's a bit like people who go to the gym who park in the parent and child spaces because they don't think they should have to walk across a car park!

For me it's time, I need to be in work at 9 and can't get there in time if I have to walk home to get the car. We walk whenever I'm not working though.

Exactly Professor! None of us should judge what other people do. There’s almost always a good reason.

This reminds me of people making comments about children in trolleys who are “big enough to walk”. My son is autistic and his trolley was a godsend when he just stopped in the street and flatly refused to walk further. He was big enough but it was impossible. I used to get tutting onlookers all the time.

ProfessorCat
read the thread, you are completely missing the point. I am judging others who are putting my own kids in danger, and I have to worry about other people when their actions impact on my own children.

On another note, disability and so one might be valid reasons to drive, but absolutely not an excuse to park illegally or worst dangerously.

Well done you for being selfish and not very bright if you comment without even reading the thread.

it is not the being driven to school thing, it is why can't they park slightly further away legally and let their little darling walk.

Where I live, that would be parking in their own parking space and walking

Our school does have a drop off and run system but people still prefer parking on the pavement, in other people's spaces, double park in the middle of the road...

danTDM Thu 28-Sep-17 09:37:00

Is it 11 or 10 when children can walk on their own in the UK?

Varies from school to school. Some, including my kids' primary, allow it from Y3, which is age 7-8, some not until Y6, age 10-11.

My kids were the first in each of their classes to walk home alone in Y3, but we live local and have no major roads to cross. Those who live on the other sides of the main roads tend to start walking alone in Y5 or 6. Mine didn't start going to school alone until back end of Y5 though.

Forgot to say that if everyone who walked could then it would be obvious that those driving needed to, for whatever reason, and it wouldn't be a big deal as there wouldn't be as many cars on the road and around the school.

Why do you care what other people do?

ProfessorCat I care about it because it impacts on me, and more importantly on my DS (and other people's DCs). When pollution gets so bad we get warnings about it in London, we all have a responsibility to do something about it, and that includes not making stupid, unnecessary car journeys. (And if you are using a car because of a disability, then that journey is necessary and we are not referring to that here.)

You can't compare lazy parents driving, and kids in shopping trolley or in buggies who have no effect whatsoever on other people. "school run" cars are a nuisance at best, but more often than not dangerous.

I must admit that I sometimes drop DD off in the car on fine days & we are only 5 or so minutes walk from the school. It is lazy. I will feel better about it when we move further away although it's only going to be about another 5 mins from there.

I don't think anyone got a lift to school when I was at secondary school (not that long ago!) - you either got the bus or you walked. Being dropped off would have been considered very embarrassing!

I never went to a primary school near enough to my house to walk or cycle unfortunately. It's something I'd really like for my own children though.

I have to drop my primary age DD off by car even though the distance is walkable (and the school is supposed to be non car drop-off). The reason is that I can only get into work on time if I drive on from school to work - walking back home to collect the car then drive in means I can't get there on time. There's no breakfast club so I can't go earlier; and I also have a chronic joint disorder which means I need to pace myself throughout the day or I end up with a lot of joint and muscle pain.

It's all very well to aim to have no car drop off but realistically some people are going to need to go by car, even if many walk. The days of affording to have one parent at home all day are gone for most families now.

For those who are concerned for the health of my neighbour, she walks the dog every morning before the school run. She gave up her job when they got a dog. So she gets a nice walk but the kids don't.
The other neighbour may well have a health issue, I have no idea, don't even know what paper she reads!
But there are plenty who are perhaps just lazy then.
As PP said, and I said, not criticising those with long journeys, health issues etc just wondered how those who, like my neighbour, live 8 mins away and drive justify this.

Because some may not live local. I know of parents children that has had to attend a school a long way off. Unable to get into a school near them. And with limited transport to that particular school, no other choice than to be taken by car. I work P/T for a taxi company on the school run. Most have a disability of some sort, and have to go to a special means school. But with my new contract, I pick up a nine yo girl that lives on a farm. Council contract. The track to her house is a muddy unmade farm track. Across fields, no lighting or proper place to walk (car looks like been bathed in mud after a few days). Then half a mile on a country road without a pavement or any lighting until get to residential roads. Not too bad in daytime. But driving the country road when dark is hazardous. Cyclist without lights, and pedestrians unable to be seen. Certainty no place to walk, let alone a nine yo girl!