Parking and the school run, what are your views?

[WideWebWitch]

Well, if mumsnet is anything like real life, this thread should degenerate into a slanging match but I hope not

At ds's school the majority of the (mostly middle class, I feel I should point out) parents on the PTA committee take the view that driving to school is a heinous crime and that daring to park outside the school (even legally!) is just as bad (although they seem to think it's OK if you're a teacher. Hmm). Apparently we should all walk or park miles away and then walk the remainder of the journey so our kids don't have traffic anywhere near them. In my view this is unrealistic since many parents have no choice - they have to drive to get their child/ren to school and get to work on time and simply don't have the time to park and walk. Or, like me, they have other very small children or babies with them. I walk sometimes but others it just isn't possible - if I have somewhere to go straight after school, for example. Also, we live in a city and I feel the kids should be taught road sense - they're far more likely to get run over in Sainsbury's car park since I think the parent drivers are very careful on the whole.

It seems to me that parents get a hard time for driving to school despite the fact that the majority of morning and pm traffic is NOT the school run, but commuters (I assume, but I think I'm right). So, my questions are:

• What do you think? Is there a big old row/driving drama going on where you live too? IME parking and driving the school run is a huge preoccupation of many parents I know.
• Anyone know where I can get some stats re traffic, the school run, accidents and where they happen etc etc? I'm torn between staying out of it at our school or wading in to the battle with both feet and joining the transport committee to argue for The Drivers. Eeek!

I am responsible for encouraging walking at our school ( I was "given the job"!!).

The government is pouring a lot of money into all sorts of measures to promote it wehre possible - because of the health reasons, sociablilty etc etc.

Walk to school week in May

Ah - sorry GeorginA - didn't think of that - contact lens wearer here!

Whenever I wear a cagoule I get soaking wet thighs

Those Aussie coats (Drizabone?) are great - get one of those, Georgina, and a hat with a nice large brim. You might look ridiculous but you'll be able to see where you're going!

Oh and I DO think it is a VEry important thing for schools to deal with actually.

I wear wellies, I dont give a shit. The pleasures of being over 30!

And I ma normally quite well dressed(if that doent sound too cringey)

www, I haven't got time to read the replies to your question but just wanted to say at our school to there is no big argument about parking and driving to school. No one at the PTA has suggested parents park their cars away from the school environs. We do have a traffic issue - there is no lollypop lady to guide children across a very busy road. And no warning school slow down signs either. Parents and teachers are trying to get the council to rectify this.BAd words are also said about drivers who shoot down the road and do not always stop at the traffic lights. Very dangerous. So our ememies therefore are outside the school!

From what you say, your PTA seem to have an unrealistic view of other people's lives and morning routines. I will come back to this thread later.

way to go Coddy!!

ah finbar a fellow Mum at our school

she harangues people.

Codswallop, genuine question here, don't want a fight, honest! If you're responsible for walking to school (you're a governor, right?) does your school accept that some parents really don't have any choice but to drive? And if so, what provision does it make for them?

As an aside, DP pointed out that actually, this issue should be outside of the PTA's remit and is a matter for the governors/school/council/traffic patrols. But understandably, parents do have concerns and views on the subject.

I love walking back from school when it rains

DD2 wears her waterproof dungarees under her coat and wellies and when I was in France, I bought myself a proper seafarers waterproof jacket - in white! - so I can be seen by the "inconsiderate" parkers

coddy I think your points are different though from saying that people shouldn't drive to shcool full stop- which is www's point.

I live a 25 minute drive away from ds1's school so walking really isn't an option. However I only ever park in places I am meant to (which is why I've had to ask to use the staff car park, as the places I'm allowed to park aren;t safe for ds1 when he is in "running" mode.)

People who park dangerously annoy me, if people drive a 5 minute walk then I think they are mad (it's far more hassle surely?), but that's not what www's post was about.

yes thats the thing. we are in a new estate too and there is a car park across the road, 2 and a half minutes away.

oh I see.
OOps

ds2 nagging me sorry

our school accepts that parents may have to drive - they are welcome to use a free car park two minutes walk away...but stil they park outside the school or even worse drive right in to the staff car park. That's just lazy!!

we also have exemptions for people who need to use the staff car park Jj - that may apply to you, like kids being fostered in taxis and disabled kids

LOl fostered in taxis..

You know what I mean

I got my coat with a hood from New Look and it cost £5 in the sale b4 xmas, it may not look very fashinable but hey ho who cares when you're dry. Do you not have wellies for when you do gardening in winter or when the grounds wet? Does what other people think of you realy matter that much that you'd rather your feet were wet?

If your children have shoes that cost £30 then great but surely you should have thought about what happens when it rains b4 buying them?

Ds has dd's old wellies and they were the old wellies of a friends little boy so they've lasted years (literally) and cost me nothing but a new pair for dd only cost £6 - and a very nice shade of yellow they are too.

Not getting at www in particular but do find some of the excusses in general laughable!

Oooo that does sound good, JanH! I have no objections to looking like an idiot!

I have often threatened to get in the pushchair and make ds push me when it's tipping it down

Not always finbar- and I have asked permission. Actually part of the reason I haven't asked permission to use the staff car park before now is because I know that I'm going to get tut tutted at by people who don't know me. It's taken several close shaves in the last week, and a decision to go for a blue badge that has given me the courage to ask!

thanks coddy- hope the other parents know that Otherwise I may well be lyched (ok at the moment though as we go in later than everyone else)

good, that seems totally correct.

Does your ds scoot pretty fast when the whim takes him?

Today's news about possibly reducing penalty points for "minor" speeding offences also talks about increasing penalties for speeding near schools:

They've also changed traffic warden responsibilities recently, haven't they? Maybe they could now roll the 2 things together, get even more traffic wardens, increase road markings near schools and introduce specific penalties for dangerous driving/manoeuvring/parking there.

Finbar is tooling up to become one

I don't drive ATM but would certainly drive my kids to school if it was P***G it down (if i could drive that is). At DD's school parents are not allowed to park on school premisis unless by prior arrangement, and the gates are now closed at opening and closing time. Most people park on the car park of a nearby pub, but every now and then the manager of said pub blocks it off so noone can get in (or out sometimes).

DD's school is one of 5 (all at least 300 pupils) on a single lane residential road (about 1 mile long) in an area of high density housing. Fortunately she goes to before and after school care so we miss the worst traffic. Last term (before job change) i used to walk (about 40 mins) from school to home. I left the pram in a store room at school when we dropped her off. We regularly froze/got drenched. A couple of times the HM's wife drove us home which I thought wsa above and beyond the call of duty!

The local plice tried to introduce a sytem where the road becomes one way at peak times but residents object to this, so chaos reigns.