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Original poster

Do you walk to school or drive?

99 replies

blossomhill · 05/11/2004 19:28

I am so, so lazy as I drive to school and back and I only live 5/10 minutes away.
I do have an excuse in that my children go to 2 different schools and I have to be at both in the same sort of time so driving is quicker.
However, it is more stressful as both schools are busy and hard to park at.
I just think I am breeding lazy children.
I always intend to walk and I do occasionally but I only have to step outside and feel one drop or rain or feel cold and hop in the car

OP posts:
Slinky · 05/11/2004 22:30

We walk every day, both ways - come rain or shine!

I do have a car - but I prefer to walk. Added to the fact that it is an absolute nightmare to park at our school (and many drivers there live minutes away and are NOT going onto work/playgroup etc) that I would probably have to leave my house earlier to park my car, then when we walk.

Caligula · 05/11/2004 22:34

Walk. Wouldn't dream of driving, too much hassle with car seats and no parking. But we only live about 10 mins walk away.

TBH, I'd never use the car for any journey which would take less than about 20 minutes to walk, unless it was to carry back something heavy or awkward. I just think with all the hassle of parking, one way systems and needing small change handy, it's much easier to walk most of the time.

(But that was not true when both my children were under the age of 3. At that stage, it was easier to stay in and never go out at all!)

pinkmama · 05/11/2004 22:36

We walk to school, 15 minutes up hill. However, on the odd occassion i do have access to a car, it takes just as long (and much more stress) to drive, negotiate a very narrow steep hill, and find a parking space. I have to set off at the same time. Have to say, it keeps the weight off as well. In the summer holidays I can really tell the difference on the scales! A fairly big incentive for me to keep doing it!

AuntyQuated · 05/11/2004 22:37

i walk if it isn't raining; car if it is raining; car if it looks like it may rain on the way to school; but risk it if i'm going to pick 'em up.

don't like the idea of 'em sitting wet.

Freckle · 05/11/2004 22:39

We live a 30 minute walk/5 minute drive from school. We walk as often as we can, taking the dog with us (me and 3 boys). However, if we are not ready to go by a certain time (8.15ish), there is no point in walking as we just wouldn't get there on time. Some days we drive because the boys have so much to carry, that it is unfair to expect them to walk 30 minutes with a heavy load. Other days, I have to be at work shortly after dropping the boys off, so the car is essential.

yoyo · 05/11/2004 23:33

I try to avoid taking the car because I get so wound up strapping them in and then the arguments that always occur. Today we walked to school singing "wind the bobbin up" over and over to make Ds laugh and it was a hoot. much better than any car journey. Chicken out when it's piddling down though - got soaked through to knickers the other day and twas not funny (well maybe a lttle bit as the children thought it was incredibly naughty!).

polly28 · 06/11/2004 00:24

Isn't it amazing there is such a traffic problem when everyone is walking to school!

I used to drive my ds ,it was a 30 min walk but now she is old enough to walk with her friends,so I snuggle up with ds and watch big cook little cook!

tallulah · 06/11/2004 10:54

Never been in a situation where we could walk to school. First school was 30 minutes walk along a country lane with no pavements (& cars zooming past a hairsbreadth away). After that, our school run became 17 miles to DS2's school, another mile across to DDs school & then another 12 across to DS3s school... not much fun

Now the LEA says we are less than 3 miles away from school, but I don't know how they measure it because there is no way we could walk it.

My ambition was always to stand on the doorstep & wave the kids off to school, like my mum used to do.

jampot · 06/11/2004 10:59

We drive. ds's school is only half a mile away but we have to drop dd at her school which is 3.5 miles away first. Then at the other end of the day, pick up from ds school at 3.15 then mad dash to dd's school for 3.30 (obviously dont make it for 3.30 but YKWIM. Also when working I have found it impossible to walk to school (when they were both together) as it eats into "travelling to work" time.

jampot · 06/11/2004 11:00

Also love Walk to School Week as there's loads of parking closer to the school

dogwalker · 06/11/2004 13:07

Naughty Jampot! That's not really the reason for having Walk to School Week!

My ds1 now 11 walks himself to and from 2ndry school which is about 20mins away. I walk to primary with ds2, about 15 mins away. When we moved to this house I used to drive, but then along came walk to school week and we decided to try walking, and have walked just about ever since! There are some days when I need the car to go somewhere so we drive then, but I think the walking to school is good for the kids and actually wakes them up, gets their circulation moving and gets their minds working!

misdee · 06/11/2004 13:13

atm we drive dd1 to nursery but its about 6miles away. will be walking to school in january.

motherinferior · 06/11/2004 13:23

Not school, but until it got very dark in the evening I was walking to and back from the Inferiorettes' childminder - dd1 walking, dd2 in buggy - which is a bit more than half a mile (and involves a small hill). You go through an unlit park which is why I've started driving to get them in the evenings - I've walked through but don't feel comfortable with it. Would much rather walk, though. I was going to drive them there, leave the car, walk briskly home and then do the reverse in the evening, in order to get the exercise for me, but the walk with dd1 is just lovely in the morning, really nice time together. The recent Dogshit Morning excepted, of course.

enid · 06/11/2004 13:34

walk. across the fields as it is too dangerous on the roads - not good pavements and lots of madly late mums in 4x4s!

daisy1999 · 06/11/2004 13:43

half the parents at our primary school drive and it makes me fume. we all live within a max of 10 mins walk. they park near the school making it dangerous to cross and drive far too fast.

jampot · 06/11/2004 13:55

Do the parents who drive have to go on to work or elsewhere from school or do you know that they just go straight home?

jampot · 06/11/2004 13:56

Hmmmmm ! to madly late 4x4s

tallulah · 06/11/2004 14:10

When I used to do the school run it was always on my way to work.

MarmaladeSun · 06/11/2004 18:03

The school my kids are at strongly encourages everyone to walk to school. It's a very ecologically friendly school; it has a 'living roof', and recycles rainwater to flush the loos etc. It also has it's own wind turbine to power the computer suite. We usually walk to school, but I have to admit that when the weather is really bad we will take the car. That said it's a lot of hassle with 3 kids and easier to just walk with the pushchair!

MarmaladeSun · 06/11/2004 18:05

Oh dear. Mums in 4 x 4s have got a terrible reputation!

KateandtheGirls · 06/11/2004 18:06

I would like to be able to walk so school, and certainly if school were within walking distance I would (except in the middle of summer when it just wouldn't be sensible here). Once my kids go to the local elementary (primary) school, they will go on the school bus, which is provided because the school is more than 2 miles away.

enid · 06/11/2004 18:06

thats because they are bloody annoying

hmb · 06/11/2004 18:11

By car, but it is 3 miles and I am on my way to work when I drop them. I could not walk them and work, easy as that.

jampot · 06/11/2004 19:47

in my dh's opinion all mums to and from school are bloody annoying whatever vehicle they are with

Seriously, I actually find it really annoying when I see toddlers allowed to run around on the way to school - they are a bloody hazard. One woman gave me a mouthful last week because I turned a corner and she hadn't noticed her pre-schooler stepping off the kerb

vict17 · 06/11/2004 19:52

Jampot - my dh is of the same opinion as yours - he is always moaning about the school run causing him to be late for work. My ds is still a baby but I'll definitely be walking him if possible as I don't drive. I walk 20 minutes to work and even though dont like walking in rain and snow as there is no alternative I have no choice. I grew up with parents who walked everywhere so dont really understand the 'Must say I would never walk in the rain or snow. I just couldn't' Blossomhill!!!