Intolerant neighbour disgusted by chalk drawings.

[Milsey13]

We've been living in a lovely community Cresent of flats where everyone knows everyone, families, couples and elderly. Our children are good natured, caring and kind. They play outside together and all neighbours are used to them and love seeing their chalk drawings, especially through lockdown. We have since had a new neighbour. On first meeting he revved his engine and sped up going very close to my son who was chalk drawing, he always moves out of the way but had very little time. My son was a little stunned. The neighbour then walked towards him glaring at him like he was a juvenile delinquent. I looked at him with raised eyebrows and the neighbour started ranting at me that the chalks are disgusting and he's sick of seeing them when he comes home and we should not be playing outside and to go to the park etc etc. He was very aggressive. I suggested he need to be more tolerant as we are a diverse community with families and those without children have always enjoyed their drawings. He said we have no respect and he will be complaining about us etc etc. My son is autistic and very gentle and kind but is now to scared to go outside incase he sees us. I feel the neighbours aggression and driving was far more disgusting than children chalk drawing. My son is known for his amazing drawings and it's been encouraged as part of his play therapy, so it was very confusing that someone would refer to art as disgusting. The irony also is, that my son has a fantastic engineering brain and it turns out the complaining neighbour is an ecologist and environmental engineer promoting a greener future! Yet, he's revving his engines and intimidating young children! I just can't get over it!

Anybody who wears shoes in the house isn't that fussed about their carpet.

Amused to read that chalk drawing the pavement is considered a middle class pursuit. As a child I was told I couldn't 'express' myself on the pavement with chalks because it was very common

Placemarking for the diagram. The drawing and driving areas dont make much sense without one.

It's a 5mph pedestrian area that cars can go on to park. There is about 1 car per hr max and a sign saying slow children playing sign as that has always been the case. It's a dead ended private area for residents only. The children and families have always played here.

Well there's been a vote and all neighbours barr this guy are happy seeing thds kids in the building playing and drawing outside. So that's the important thing 🙂

There is a difference between a caution sign saying children are playing and them physically playing where cars are driving.

Your comment about 1 car per hr aloud can't be right.

If you say so... Lets hope one of them doesn't get hurt.

howdid you get a vote sorted and passed in a day

All neighbours in our community block are fine with it as we often help eachother and get together. Most barr one neighbour have expressed they are fine and happy to see the joyus pictures that cheered us all up during lockdown. We all communicated and look out for eachother so no assuming.

Oh for gods sake what a miserable thread. Bunch of grumps

It's the difference between being right and being safe.

Yes, you can let your very small kids sit on the floor in a place where cars drive, but should you, as a responsible parent?
Do you like your child?
Do you want them to stay alive?
Or is it okay if they are squished by a car because they were allowed to play in that area, and so the car driver is in the wrong. And that's the important thing.

Even at 5mph a car can do serious damage to a kid who is on their knees drawing.

I wouldn't let DD play anywhere cars are allowed to drive.

Most barr one neighbour have expressed they are fine and happy to see the joyus pictures that cheered us all up during lockdown.

Makes my heart burst. Sounds like such a lovey dovey cul de sac.

Think chalking on the road a bit of a no-no unless no cars present at all. Difficult to see small children crouching down to draw. If it’s on the path then ignore.

You had a vote?

I agree with a pp that I wouldn't let my young child play where cars were allowed to drive. It's not worth the risk.

It's a private residents only pedestrianised area where there is rarely a car, that can only drive 5 mph to park. It was nothing to do with safety. We have all been here for years! The kids can see a car at distance they move to side with a parent also guiding who's usually stationed and waves a car and it's mostly always a neighbour who knows the score. They move neighbour waves and chats. This guy sped up at 25mph swerved towards my child speeding up when they were already on side . . That's bat shit crazy! He also aimed at a 2 yr old and 4yrold who were just waiting on the side whilst thier parent was getting the bike ready. There is no pavement as it is a pedestrian area cars are supposed to go very slow. He's also been throwing plates out of his window at from a height at the neighbours in houses behind and no one knows why. So yea turns out he's a bit bonkers and unsafe and I've been a bit too tolerant of it. He was extremely aggressive and it was about the chalks. The reason I mention the job is because his companies ethos is building future engineers and the importance of creative play for children as it develops thier creative minds. They did a post specifically about this and using natural materials like chalk to draw on stone was promoted! 😄

Of course it’s got something to do with safety. Roads are for cars. It’s not safe. It’s definitely even less safe now you have this new neighbour so o would fine somewhere else for the kids to chalk.

Exactly! We have a lovely community vibe that includes all residents. We have community gatherings like picnics and BBQs together. Everyone checks in on eachother. We all looked after the elderly through lockdown and shopped for eachother. There's never been an issue after 9yrs until 1 angry neighbour makes a fuss. Also at children never at the Dad's just the Mums.

Which fantasy land did this vote take place in?

It's not a street it's a private padestrian space for residents with some grass and paved road that is restricted to 5mph. Pedestrians have right of way. He speeds up when he sees kids and tried to swerve into some younger children and was witnessed as he didn't see the parent who was next them getting bike. Now getting reported for dangerous driving. The guy is a fruit loop for sure!

There's a residents committee that meet once a month. He didn't turn up but everyone voted in favour of the kids being able to draw chalks on the communal area.

Fuck me. I can’t believe there are people so utterly miserable that they get their knickers in a knot about kids’ chalk on the pavement.

If they are playing in the road then that’s a different thing. Chalk is not relevant. Keep them off the road it doesn’t matter what they’re doing on it.

When with this proposed for a vote? And the meeting happened within a day of your thread being posted?

How can you know this guy voted against if he's the only person who didn't attend?

Are you part of a cult?

I think stuff is just being made up now to suit an agenda.

A vote? What, is this guy in your neighbourhood WhatsApp group? Or were you all in a room? How did the voting take place?

Wow yea it's like being in the 50's. Everyone saying kids should play outside like they used to and then complain when they do! These kids are a good bunch. They plant and look after the green areas, they watered all the day care block plants during lockdown and liter pick the area. Who cares how could the chalk drawing is, it's pretty ligh pastels that can hardly be seen and looks far better than the crappy grey broken concrete that's everywhere!