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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Jobsworth lollipop man

152 replies

badheadday · 14/10/2021 09:37

Due to moving house and not wanting to change my kids school we have to drive past a couple of other schools before we get to ours.

There is one particular lollipop man that seems to make a point of stopping as many cars as possible. He's constantly on the lookout for people walking towards the crossing and will stop cars before the pedestrians have even reached him. This includes parents that have already dropped their kids at school and clearly don't need any help to cross the road as they are fully grown competent adults. He has been known to cross a group of people, let one car go through and then stop the next car. Surely he needs to let at least a couple of cars through to help keep the traffic flowing?

Would I be unreasonable to complain about him?

OP posts:
Original poster
badheadday · 14/10/2021 13:04

@Bloodypunkrockers

Sounds a bit annoying

However, anyone who uses the term "jobsworth" sounds thick as fuck and is unlikely to have a reasonable opinion on anything 🤷🏻‍♀️

Now that was uncalled for Shock
OP posts:
TobysGreatAunt · 14/10/2021 13:09

If the lollipop person was t there it would likely to be chaos as a heavy flow of pedestrians would keep the traffic at a standstill.

At least he's controlling the traffic flow albeit not to your travel plans.

Rno3gfr · 14/10/2021 13:12

Poor drivers having to wait 30 seconds by the nasty lollypop man. Do you know how difficult it is for pedestrians to get around and cross the road during the school rush? It takes me a lot longer to get anywhere by foot that it will for anyone in a car but somehow drivers are the ones suffering.

Original poster
badheadday · 14/10/2021 13:14

I take everyone's point about the need for the lollipop man. I am NOT suggesting they get rid of the lollipop man just that he is creating more traffic problems and in turn, as previous posters have pointed out, increasing traffic pollution outside the school.

OP posts:
shatteredmama · 14/10/2021 13:15

You must live near me! I feel exactly the same about our local lollipop man, might even be the same guy! Once he even tried to stop me so that he could direct another car out of a junction 😂.

Dojacatpaws · 14/10/2021 13:16

The way to get rid of traffic fumes outside schools is to stop driving outside schools, schools streets schemes etc, not increase the speed of traffic

Sirzy · 14/10/2021 13:21

@badheadday

I take everyone's point about the need for the lollipop man. I am NOT suggesting they get rid of the lollipop man just that he is creating more traffic problems and in turn, as previous posters have pointed out, increasing traffic pollution outside the school.
The increased traffic pollution is due to the increased traffic though not the pedestrians who are simply trying to safely cross the road.

As you have chosen to use a school which is a drive away you really can’t complain about traffic pollution near schools when you are part of the problem

Original poster
badheadday · 14/10/2021 13:31

@shatteredmama

You must live near me! I feel exactly the same about our local lollipop man, might even be the same guy! Once he even tried to stop me so that he could direct another car out of a junction 😂.
That's ridiculous! I'm glad it's not just me that feels like this!
OP posts:
viques · 14/10/2021 13:38

@CimCardashian

I got bollocked by a lollipop lady for crossing the road not at her crossing.

I didn't even have kids with me?!

Maybe next time make yourself a good example to the kids crossing there so that they and their parents choose a safe place to cross. Takes a village etc...
girlmom21 · 14/10/2021 13:44

@Georgist the OP said this issue has literally arisen because they moved house and didn't want to move the kids schools. She wouldn't have this issue if she'd chosen to move to a more appropriate location or been willing to move schools.

Staffy1 · 14/10/2021 14:12

The one near my sons old school used to be the same. I thought it would have been better to wait for a group of people before stopping the traffic, but he would stop it every time anyone appeared, whether they were on their own or there was someone not far behind. Instead of waiting for the second person to catch up he would stop the traffic, let the one person cross, then stop it again, one or two cars later when the second one got to the crossing. It really held up the traffic and didn’t seem the best way to do it.

soapboxqueen · 14/10/2021 14:39

I get what you mean OP.

My nearest two lollipop men are excellent (one an absolute legend). Always keep the kids safe and manage the traffic really well. Champion.

One a few villages away was ridiculous. Had to drive through it 4 times a day. Similar to yours, stopping traffic when pedestrians were really far away or just waiting on the middle of the road for people who were too far away, caused massive tail backs. It was a running joke that you knew when there was a replacement lollipop person because the queues where considerably shorter.

However, lollipop people are really hard to come by so I don't think there'd much point in complaining.

Georgist · 14/10/2021 15:51

[quote girlmom21]@Georgist the OP said this issue has literally arisen because they moved house and didn't want to move the kids schools. She wouldn't have this issue if she'd chosen to move to a more appropriate location or been willing to move schools.[/quote]
Perhaps you should have said that in your letter instead of mentioning the commute!

Wauden · 14/10/2021 20:24

Dear County Council Road Safety Department,

I wish to complain about a lollipop man near Lollipop School.

He is preventing children from getting killed on the roads by doing his job diligently.
This is disgraceful behaviour from your employee and it must be stopped.
The fact that the job is difficult, on minimum wage, is very near to toxic fumes including mine and that drivers are held up by one minute is completely beside the point.

Yours faithfully,
Angry Driver.

Deadringer · 14/10/2021 20:34

He sounds like a right bastard. Get him fired post haste.

girlmom21 · 14/10/2021 21:11

@Georgist why?

Moonface123 · 14/10/2021 21:35

This reminds me of our lollipop lady when l was a young girl, , she had a short skirt, high heels and a lot of attitude. She was a real character, lovely to the mum's and kids and more than capable of holding her own with disgruntled drivers. She had this erratic way of just leaping into the road, and probably caused more accidents than prevented them, needless to say she wasn't there long, but me and my sisters have never forgotten her.

Georgist · 15/10/2021 10:42

[quote girlmom21]@Georgist why? [/quote]
You wrote: "This is causing delays to my long morning commute, which exists because I chose to move to an inconvenient location."

Long commutes are a general problem and unavoidable for many people (many people can't afford to live near their job, or can't afford to move every time their job location changes).

The OP doesn't mention commuting and possibly doesn't even have a job!

girlmom21 · 15/10/2021 13:23

@Georgist fuck me it was lighthearted

RobertClementHughes · 15/10/2021 17:42

I think you might need a hobby.

toocold54 · 15/10/2021 18:09

YABVU how long are you waiting in traffic? A minute or 2 at tops?

If it was lights the traffic will be stopped before and after people are waking across, it’s to make sure all cars are definitely stopped before people start crossing the road.

He is letting people cross safely yet literally stopping a serious accident and you’re annoyed because it’s making you a few minutes late, maybe you should leave a couple minutes earlier then it wouldn’t be an issue.

Daphnise · 15/10/2021 18:23

"Put a peasant in a uniform...."

Diva66 · 15/10/2021 18:24

Yes, YABU. Also mean.

BakedTattie · 15/10/2021 18:25

That is literally his job.

Leedsfan247 · 15/10/2021 18:32

He’s doing his job - get over yourself and the idea that your journey is more important than child safety