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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:
MarmaladeSun · 06/11/2004 21:21

I drive a 4 x 4 but it's a necessity as we live in a very rural place and often have to drive cross country! TBH, I think it is a certain type of Mum rather than a certain type of car that's the problem. The parking is horrendous and so inconsiderate...dangerous even.

JulieF · 06/11/2004 21:28

I drive dd to nursery. It takes approx 45 minutes to take her in the morning and about 20-30 mins to pick her up.

I could I suppose go on the bus but there is no direct route and would take around 2 hours.

When she is older there is school bus but I think I'd like her to be about 8 or 9 before going alone.

Caligula · 06/11/2004 22:58

Sorry Jampot, but your DH should understand that toddlers running around are not a hazard to a car driver, but a car is a hazard to a toddler. If a toddler steps into the road and a driver runs into them, that may cause some inconvenience to the driver, but probably no harm and no damage to the car; to the toddler on the other hand, it may cause death or permanent disability. Where's the hazard here?

You're probably already aware of that, but I don't think it can be re-iterated too often, in a country with one of the highest death rates on the road in Europe. Car drivers should never consider a pedestrian a hazard; cars are hazards, they kill people. Pedestrians don't.

Original poster
blossomhill · 06/11/2004 23:05

Vict17 - I do not like walking in the rain and that is my choice. I really do not see the point if it is raining in letting my 2 children get drenched. I hate getting wet, it's so horrible and takes ages to get dry.
I also have to get to 2 schools so try doing that, getting to 2 schools at the same time

OP posts:
Mum2girls · 07/11/2004 19:56

I drive both DDs to nursery - about a 20min walk away. Have walked it (then left with an empty buggy to push all the way back), but I drive on to work directly afterwards.

nutcracker · 07/11/2004 19:57

I don't drive so we walk BUT if i could drive then I would.

The kids school is about a 15-20 min walk away.

Original poster
blossomhill · 07/11/2004 20:01

I admit, I am lazy. There, Ive said it

OP posts:
jampot · 07/11/2004 20:05

Caligula - I just feel that ANYONE using the roads should be responsible and that does include pedestrians. Parents should take charge of their children and in particular when they have no road sense.

Caligula · 07/11/2004 22:29

Oh I totally agree. But let's face it, the punishment for being an irresponsible pedestrian is far far harsher than the punishment for being an irresponsible driver. To call a pedestrian, however out of control, a hazard, is just inaccurate. They're never going to do a car as much damage as a car can do them. (Unless the car is stationary and they're wielding a hammer!) I just think it's something all drivers should bear in mind as much as possible, and it's simply avoiding the issue to say that all road users should be responsible - those with the ability to cause the most damage to others and the least damage to ourselves, should be more responsible than those with the ability to cause the least damage to others and the most damage to ourselves. There is simply no equation between pedestrians and drivers. If an obby pain in the arse teenager walks out in front of my car, I will be immensely annoyed and irritated, possibly frightened and shaken; but if I'm not concentrating, s/he'll be dead. There's just simply no comparison.

merglemergle · 08/11/2004 12:32

We walk. Its around 45 m each way, but mainly allewyways and parks (with playgrounds). Ds (14 months) often walks quite a bit of the way, sometimes with a break in between. Then it takes longer .

I tend to subscribe to the "there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing" philosphy. We walk in all weathers, although I might draw the line at snow. Theres no choice- Dh has to have the car for work (its the only reason why we have one at all). I might draw the line at snow though-our route probably wouldn't be shoveled or whatever, so I might then make dh pick ds up.

It IS good excecise, I suppose.

And although we (just about have a tv), now you mention it zebra, we never manage to watch it . Ds was completely bemused at baby rhyme time when they brought out the teletubbies!

jampot · 08/11/2004 12:36

I think a natural reaction to seeing something run in the road is to swerve to avoid it - if I ended up in a lamppost or tree or another car I would be pretty miffed at the parents of the said child.

enid · 08/11/2004 12:38

I walk in the road when I can't get onto a pavement and IMO its up to the car drivers to drive carefully and avoid me, my buggy and my two kids!

jampot · 08/11/2004 12:41

do you mean where there is no pavement or because its full enid?

NomDePlume · 08/11/2004 12:42

Both DS's are driven to school. One is at high school and the other at primary, on opposite sides of the city. DH generally does the morning runs on his way to work and I do the afternoons. DH leaves the house to take DS1 to high school at 7.30am (he is dropped at a friends house and they walk the 200 or so yds from there), he has to leave that early to miss the traffic and be back home for 8.15am. Then he comes back home and takes DS2 to primary school on his way to work at 8.30am. Although DH has been working away for the last month or 2 and so the onus has been on me to do all the school runs, which means that they tale me a grand total of 2.5 hours a day, as the collection traffic is always worse/longer than the drop off.

NomDePlume · 08/11/2004 12:45

If I didn't have to collect DS1 in the afternoons then DS2 could cycle to and from school, as his school is 15-20 mins walk / 7 mins cycle from our front door. But obviously as I have to collect DS1 from across the city, we'd have no way of getting DS2's bike home.

Gobbledigook · 08/11/2004 12:46

Would love to walk but it's a good 5 miles away and have ds2 (age 2) and ds3 (10 weeks) to take with me.

enid · 08/11/2004 12:53

jampot, this is a bit of an issue at the moment in our village. Basically there is a pavement but it is very old and in fact, listed. It is made of old flagstones. They are treacherously slippery and both dd's always fall over if there has been the slightest bit of rain. Consquently, we do our best, but at one point we walk in the road. I have complained to the Highways authority who want to replace it but the older villagers dont want them replaced! Its becoming a pitch battle!

anyway, thats my excuse!

Caligula · 08/11/2004 12:56

You'd think they could put some kind of coating on them which preserved their beauty but made them practical to walk on. I can't understand why that's not achievable in this day and age. Technology etc.

elliott · 08/11/2004 13:05

blossomhill do you want to be motivated to walk or are you happy with your lazy/polluting/congesting habits
I am lazy too but I walk 30 mins to work/nursery every day - because it is honestly the easier option. Every time I think 'oh sod it I'm driving today' (usually when it is wet) I end up regretting it - I have to pay £5 to park, then I inevitably get caught in a traffic jam on the way back - by which time the rain has invariably cleared. Although I know that walking is 'better', keeps me fit and my weight down, the bottom line is that I only do it because driving is such a pita.
You've already pointed out that driving is stressful and parking is difficult, so you might also find that walking is easier. You'd clearly need to think about a way to sort out the logistics of being in two places at once(!) but if you could, you might even grow to enjoy it (not when its raining or snowing, obviously) So if you do actually want to try walking (but I'm not convinced you do ) I suggest you put the car keys beyond reach for a week and see what its like. Maybe in the summer

codswallop · 08/11/2004 13:10

blosson hill
you lazy mare!
we walk
its excatly 160meters

Beetroot · 08/11/2004 13:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Azure · 08/11/2004 13:13

Since we moved last year we are no longer able to walk to DS's nursery - such a shame, as I much preferred walking (a drag in the rain or snow, but bearable with decent clothing). We drove for a few months until our parking permit ran out, but catch the bus now. It's amazing how few people give up their seats for DS (3.2) when it's busy, even if they're only going a couple of stops. I hope DS manages to get into a school local to home and we can walk again.

Marina · 08/11/2004 13:21

We walk but like others here could throw ds from front garden into playground if wind was in right direction, so driving would be utterly ridiculous. Very relieved we don't have to drive anywhere for the school run, I think it is a nightmare for drivers and pedestrians.
Have good transport links locally and both children have been on buses and trains heaps of times so expecting to use public transport for secondary school.
Were considered freaks at nursery by other parents by walking just over a mile with ds in pushchair to get there, come rain or shine. We loved our walk, although it ate into the day it was far nicer than a stress-fest 3 minute drive. Dd's nursery is much closer so it's not an issue.

Caligula · 08/11/2004 13:22

We have a walking bus for our primary schools, very easy to set one up and much safer and greener for everyone.

motherinferior · 08/11/2004 13:57

I had this conversation again with another mother (of a school-age child!) at the Inferiorettes' childminder. I really love the walk there with the girls - dd1 burbles about the world, the universe, the fact her Imaginary Pussycat is riding on a bird - and the pounding walk back. Hate it when I have to drive them because it's dark. I do drive if it's absolutely pouring but not if it's raining a bit.