To make the kids walk 3miles to school?

[DHdoingmyheadin]

Due to ongoing roadworks, the main road through the village to my kids school is closed and will be for c. a month. We are right at the edge of where the roadworks are so we have two options:

(A) A 15 mile detour by car, down the road all the traffic is being funnelled down (a main A road that is congested even when the road through the village is open). Which I trialled yesterday, and took me 45 minutes each way. This was with no school traffic as schools go back tomorrow. So I’d be doing at least 90 minutes of driving each morning and DH 90 mins in the afternoon.

(B) The kids walk to school and back. 3 miles each way.

DH is adamant I can’t possibly expect them to walk. It’s hilly. It’s due to rain. I think they walk. I think it would be insane to drive when it’s literally faster for them to walk. It’s 3 miles. I’m not asking them to swim the channel and then scale Mount Everest. Kids are 12 and 13.

AIBU to put my foot down and refuse to drive?

3 miles is a long way to walk if you're not used to walking. I walk from my house to the dentist which is approximately 2.5 miles away. This takes me around 50 minutes, and is up 2 big hills both ways. This is about the limit of how far I'm happy to walk before I resort to getting a bus. (Mostly because of the hills not the distance.) Also would you be happy to let your child ride a bike or scooter on a main road if they weren't used to it?

OP yes the trains are weird round there, we have looked at using public transport to getting to somewhere near Hastings, (declined to specify exactly where as possibly outing), but the routes get tortuous. I can see why the nearest station may not be useful..

Also we did the road diversion round Battle last year when there was some issue and added an hour to our journey. Must try to avoid going anytime soon.

I’ve also made my point which is a very simple opinion, and you’re behaving like someone pissed in your cornflakes. Just move on, it’s not that deep!

You're the one making a fuss. You are annoyed that people are counting your argument and not just letting you spout nonsense with no comeback.

There is no argument… by all means wind yourself up trying to create one.

If you’re going to stick your beak in, at least spell correctly. It’s ’counter‘. I shan’t be engaging with you further as it’s lowering my IQ, have a fun day trying and failing to troll strangers on the internet 😘

The average person walks at 3mph, so it would take a while allowing for teens messing about, but they should be perfectly capable of the distance at their age.
I'm assuming there is no public transport options.

It's not possible to have a minus IQ I don't think so I wouldn't worry yourself unduly.

I wonder if you'll carry on replying just to get the last word...?

Why is everyone acting like 3 miles is a long way? Everyone is so reliant on cars.
no wonder we have a problem with obesity in this country

As for long detours
ours was shut for a couple of weeks …new roads being added / joined up for a new housing estate. The detour was 20 plus miles. Son was mad because it split the farm for feeding animals . Can’t walk with a ton of hay on your back . I lived 2 miles from a motorway. When the road was shut because of demolished bridge …car crash, or resurfacing or any reason, the detour was 60 miles.

At their age I lived in Richmond in Yorkshire, cycled everywhere and I lived up at the Police Station., primary school in the town. I’m sure the hills were a lot steeper than that. And I only had a 3 speed gearbox ☺️

No, 3 miles isn't far in the grand scheme of things but walking every day would extend the school day by 2 hours, whereas driving would only extend by about 30 minutes.

In the original poster’s very first post, she said:

A) A 15 mile detour by car, down the road all the traffic is being funnelled down (a main A road that is congested even when the road through the village is open). Which I trialled yesterday, and took me 45 minutes each way. This was with no school traffic as schools go back tomorrow. So I’d be doing at least 90 minutes of driving each morning and DH 90 mins in the afternoon.

Your maths ain't mathing.

I used to walk just over a mile to grammar school and back. It was alright unless it was snowing or raining. I can't imagine walking three miles after a full school day.. They would be wiped out.

Google “comma splice” before questioning others’ intelligence

Indeed, but there is an empathy bypass on this thread!

Yes it is!

3 miles there, 3 miles back = 6 miles at an average speed of 20 minutes per mile = 2 hours. Similar journey by car (based on my last drive to work) 15 minutes each way = 30 minutes.

Sorry, I wasn't basing it on OP's current situation in which I agree that driving would not be a sensible option. I was replying generally to a previous poster, who I quoted, who said that a walking a 3 mile commute isn't far and that everyone was too reliant on their cars.

I would agree that in OP's situation, the children walking is the least bad option if there really is not another alternative.

The law here in Scotland is that if a pupil has to travel more than 3 miles to their catchment high school, the council has to provide transport, so the Scottish Government doesn't think that it is unreasonable for high school pupils to walk up to 3 miles each way to get to and from school.

Yes, I did the same, with a friend who lived a bit further away. We did it in preference to waiting for the bus. Our other friend who was 2 miles away never walked and I certainly wouldn't have done either. We didn't envy the girl who lived 50 yards from the school (just too close for comfort) but we had another friend who lived about 5 minutes walk away and thought that would be the ideal.

Who knows what they think! Free transport over 3 miles has been the law (also in England and Wales) since 1945. I don't think many pupils walk if their journey is, say, 2.99 miles - the family just bears the cost of the travel themselves.

Kids should all walk to school, then there would be less traffic on the roads and fewer kids would be overweight or obese.

I walked grades 1 thru 12. Knee deep snow, ice, rain. We had raincoats and rubber boots, heavy coats, hats, gloves. The exertion kept us warm. Not with lightening or tornado warnings, we waited that out. It was actually a challenge sometimes but fun. We walked in the tracks of others mostly. My older brothers taught me and my little brother all sorts of things. Then I became my brother's guardian and coached him. I live those memories.

Trishby, if 3 miles of walking daily to and from doesnt improve your health after just 3 or 4 weeks, and strengthen you, something is wrong with you. Perhaps you are a smoker, or enjoy beer or need to lose some weight? Im in my 60s, have RA and Osteo arthritis. Got really weakened. Got a standard poodle who must have exercise and tedious grooming to help me recoup strength. Starting bout, I made it one block then returned. Within a month, I was fast walking a mile. 2 months I made 2 miles daily and lost some budget fat I didnt need. My core is stronger and I reversed my osteoporosis down to osteopenia. My doctors were amazed that fast walking daily improved my health so much. It also reduces cholesterol and helps to prevent plaque in your arteries and atherosclerosis. Exercise is required for good health and fitness along with good habits and nutrition. Forcing yourself to do an hour of exercise could only benefit one and save transportation fees. However, you would have to wear supportive sneakers designed to reduce shock and stress to your bones. Wear socks for absorption, carry bottled water to stay hydrated. If you dont, you risk muscle cramps and dehydration. Walkers should also do stretches before and after. Use backpacks or rolling bags. Several sips of water often but dont guzzel until you slosh or barf.

Trishby, if 3 miles of walking daily to and from doesnt improve your health after just 3 or 4 weeks, and strengthen you, something is wrong with you. Perhaps you are a smoker, or enjoy beer or need to lose some weight? Im in my 60s, have RA and Osteo arthritis. Got really weakened. Got a standard poodle who must have exercise and tedious grooming to help me recoup strength. Starting bout, I made it one block then returned. Within a month, I was fast walking a mile. 2 months I made 2 miles daily and lost some budget fat I didnt need. My core is stronger and I reversed my osteoporosis down to osteopenia. My doctors were amazed that fast walking daily improved my health so much. It also reduces cholesterol and helps to prevent plaque in your arteries and atherosclerosis. Exercise is required for good health and fitness along with good habits and nutrition. Forcing yourself to do an hour of exercise could only benefit one and save transportation fees. However, you would have to wear supportive sneakers designed to reduce shock and stress to your bones. Wear socks for absorption, carry bottled water to stay hydrated. If you dont, you risk muscle cramps and dehydration. Walkers should also do stretches before and after. Use backpacks or rolling bags. Several sips of water often but dont guzzel until you slosh or barf.

No idea how my friend who lived 50 yards from school managed to stay so slim. Or the janitor's kids at my son's school, Walking would be totally unrealistic for many children, I live near 3 schools, 2 primary and 1 secondary and rarely see an overweight/obese child - young and youngish adults are another story!

I agree that many parents drive their children for quite short journeys but often they are driving to work anyway. I know we used to turf DS out of the car on what would have been a 5 minute walk to school, but it was directly on our way to work.