Bloody scooters (I know IABU)

[Moanyoldcow]

I just want to start by saying I know IABU but I'm 29 weeks pregnant, suffering with SPD and the school run is really hard at the moment even though school is only about 400m away.

We live on the road the school is on so it's obviously very busy. The pavement is reasonably narrow with a grass verge and it's heavily parked so you're quite closed in with no 'escape'.

I'm struggling to keep up a good walking pace (just about managing) but I'm constantly being run into by children on scooters who are totally out of control. Most seem to be younger siblings of school children - around 3 - who can't seem to control the scooter.

This morning alone I've been run into 3 times plus 2 rushed past and then stopped dead in front of me so I nearly tripped over them.

Then the parents either tandem scooting VERY fast or just alongside on separate scooters so they're two abreast - it's so inconsiderate!

Sorry for the moan - I know it's a helpful way to speed things up in the morning but I just feel so downtrodden today.

The buggers. I think children who use scooters should have to do a proficiency test, and their parents, like the old style cycling proficiency where you get a certificate. They will be taught not to sail past people at breakneck speed, not cut people up, give way and not run over cats/pigeons etc.

Perhaps if adults stopped parking their cars on the bloody pavement, there'd be more room for the kids.

OP YANBU but it's hard to see the kids as villians here

I don't get why you think you're BU?

Scooters are a menace and a danger when being used by small children in that way.

Cars have to park in designated spots on the pavements here, because the roads are so narrow.

A couple of years ago a car was parking up outside the school and very slowly reversing. A little girl (probably 4 or 5) came tearing up on a scooter, lost control and nearly ended up under the wheels.

I instinctively grabbed her by her hair braids and dragged her out of the way. I felt so guilty when she burst into tears!

YANBU - the scooters are a pain in the proverbial and people will never get their kids to give way to pedestrians. And how they are acceptable in shopping centres I'll never know.

It would be good however if people would stop parking on pavements. It's illegal in a few areas, sadly not all, but it IS illegal to drive on them, and by definition if you've parked on one, you've driven onto it. Also look at the road and consider how little room there is for pedestrians already. Is it really reasonable to block up the pavements?

Cars aren't on the pavement-it's just very busy and so there no space to duck.

I don't see the children as villains! I just don't think they should be scooting if they can't not bang into people.

I feel like IABU because I know how hard the school run can be so anything that shaves a few minutes off or gets a recalcitrant child out of the house is a godsend but it still irritates me.

My son is 4 but I don't let him ride it to school because he's a bloody menace on it (poor balance and coordination).

Thank you for supporting a grumpy pregnant lady.

Could you have a word with the school to say something to the children (& possibly a letter to parents) about considerate use of the pavements when en route to the school. We used to get stuff like this all the time. but it was mostly relating to one mum and the fucking inconsiderate parking of her 4x4

Nope yanbu. Might be worth telling the school to see if they'll put something in their newsletter about scooter users being considerate/watching out for pedestrians on the school run. Op doesn't actually say the cars are on the pavement - if they are that's unacceptable but surely the parents shouldn't let their kids scoot if there isn't enough room? It's not good enough to let them scoot into people and blame it on the parking

YANBU

Scooters are a nightmare around here too - it was brought up with School and the best they could do was to ban kids riding in school so as soon as they pass the gate they have to walk. A note went home asking parents to encourage their children to be more considerate on pavements. Maybe your school would be supportive?

The problem isn’t the scooters themselves, nor the children but the parents who don’t watch their children and keep them in arms reach at least.

I agree Sirzy.

Thank you everyone - I think i will email the school but I doubt it will do much good - they have a little scooter park for all the kids who scoot in and lockers for helmets.