Operation School Run

[dune]

I'm going out with my camera today to take photographs of the atrocious school run parking up my cul-de-sac and in the surrounding area. Yesterday the mothers completely blocked my road off as I was inbetween trips to the tip with gardening rubbish and I was fuming. I went up to the school and complained and the poor head mistress agreed and has sent out countless letters requesting that they show some courtesy to residents and while I was chatting to her she pointed out that a 4x4 was as we spoke parked on the zig zags outside the school.

 

To this end Operation School Run commences in a few hours time. The morning run isn't normally that bad, but the 1530 run is a nightmare.

 

A few questions:

 

1. What is the legal distance you can park from a junction?

 

There was a 4x4 (the standard school run car ) parked right on the corner of my road yesterday and I stopped and asked her if she'd passed her driving test because you're not allowed to park on a junction - reply "there was nowhere else to park".

 

2. What is the legal distance I can park from the kerb?

 

The road is fairly narrow and you have to park right close to the kerb so cars can get by or on the Kerb for larger vehicles (i know this is strictly illegal but the council allow it where I live because there's no other solution). So far as I can assertain it's 50cm so i'm going out with a rule and will park 49cm from the kerb today so they can't get there 4x4's by for the duration of the school run.

[trousers]

I'd be more worried about the steady creep of European words into the English language if I was you.

 

"cul-de-sac"?

 

It's the thin end of the European domination wedge, I tell ye.

 

;-)

[dune]

I'd be more worried about the steady creep of European words into the English language if I was you.

 

"cul-de-sac"?

 

It's the thin end of the European domination wedge, I tell ye.

 

;-)

 

Agreed. I should have used the term "Close".

[Atticus Finch of Maycomb]

dune finds an excuse to take pictures of children

[trousers]

Good luck with your mission though.

 

Having participated in school runs for the last 10 years (as a parent rather than resident) it amazes me how 90% of the parents ever passed their driving test. They haven't got a clue about spatial awareness and etiquette.

 

I'm sure the fact that 90% of school run drivers are women is an unfortunate coincidence... ;-)

[SO16_Saint]

dune finds an excuse to take pictures of children

 

There is a serious undertone here.... Seriously be careful when taking photos.

 

Any male showing any interest in kids nowadays are automatically labeled a peado.

[trousers]

There is a serious undertone here.... Seriously be careful when taking photos.

 

Any male showing any interest in kids nowadays are automatically labeled a peado.

 

Sadly true. Welcome to 'Great' Britain 2011

[JustMike]

at my kids schools the quite often have those part time coppers standing about making sure people dont park on the zig zags / grass verges etc. It does work but last week some chap dressed in a tracksuit drove his nova and parked right in front of the school gates, completely ignoring the police. Still, he returned to his car and a £60 fine.

[norwaysaint]

This is political correctness gone mad.

[Baj]

Yeah theres generally traffic wardens at my kids school too. I drive them each day but have the presence of mind to realise its better to leave 5 minutes earlier, park 500m away and walk the last bit as a) ill always have a parking space and b) i dont get caught in the crush of cars trying to get away from the school after (stoke park infants)

[dune]

dune finds an excuse to take pictures of children

 

Just been down and took a couple of snaps of cars parked on the bus stop. I just called in at the school to tell them what I was doing (told them I was gonna do it yesterday) just to make sure they knew. Can't stop. The main run commences now.

[Atticus Finch of Maycomb]

This is a true story:

 

One of my ex-gf's dad did something similar to this. He began complaining about the traffic near his house and the noise coming from a nearby nursery school every morning.

 

He drummed up quite a bit of support doing it, and even got mentioned on Have I Got News for You.

 

The council, in retaliation, made him a hate figure in the local press, like 'local man wants to shut down nursery school.' He then began to gate hate mail and threats as a result.

 

Then, when he refused to back down, he got a phone call late at night from the council, saying that they would suggest to the local press that he was a paedophile, unless he backed down.

 

100% true. Now I never liked the guy, and he never liked me, and he was being an arse about the school (don't buy a house near a school then, stupid!) but no way did he deserve that.

 

That was down in Hampshire. I now live in the Midlands and the way the councils up here do business is almost exactly the same, according to some people I know.

[dune]

Very quiet this morning so gave up and continued felling some bloody leylandii. Last year got rid of 20 leaving 7 for this year to remove. yesterday got rid of 5 and so far this morning have felled 1 then the bloody angle grinder packed up (not exactly the right tool but it was doing the job). I'm now on the last one and am felling it with a drill ha ha.

 

The 3.30 run will be a lot busier.

[holepuncture]

The difference between driving to work during term time and out of term time puts about an hour on my journey to work. Working in Sussex is a f-ing nightmare. I think that school runs should be banned from clogging up the roads. Let the people who contribute towards the economy get to work in a reasonable and timely manner, then let all the mums jam up the roads. All these workers turning up stressed, over tired, late and so on so that mrs jones can drive one child 1/2 a mile to school (in a chelsea tractor) seems wrong to me. My point being, people that are producing and providing wealth and resources to the countrys coffers should be given priority over those who are consuming said wealth and resource. The difficulty being, it is not safe for kids to ride bikes on the road (nor adults in my opinion).

 

This morning, I was caught in a ten minute bottle neck jam, not for soccer mums in range rovers, or for a cyclist... but a jogger, on the road!... ffs. On a national speed limit (60) windy country road, at 8am, how stupid could she possible be!>!?!

 

time for a caawwffeee

[dune]

The problem is that parents are allowed to choose where they send their brats.

 

Under the old system only the village and designated villages used the school. Those in the village walked, those in designated villages caught the bus. Now that it's a free for all they all have to drive. It's ridiculous.

[bridge too far]

I absolutely sympathise with people who suffer from traffic caused by the school run. But please don't stereotype those who do the dropping off.

 

Both my daughters drop their children off at nursery on their way to their places of work, where they do highly productive work. They simply don't have time to walk to the nursery and back and then go to work, given that they both work 40 hour weeks over 4 days.

[GenevaSaint]

I absolutely sympathise with people who suffer from traffic caused by the school run. But please don't stereotype those who do the dropping off.

 

Both my daughters drop their children off at nursery on their way to their places of work, where they do highly productive work. They simply don't have time to walk to the nursery and back and then go to work, given that they both work 40 hour weeks over 4 days.

 

In fairness BTF they probably do need to park relatively close then, but 80% of the cars at my kids school could park 3-4 hundred metres away and walk, instead they drive right to the gates, park on double yellows or zig zags and cause mayhem. Added difficulty is that the school is right on the Woolston side of the Itchen bridge so it's busy all of the time.

 

Personally, I park less then 5 minutes walk away, stroll past them all waiting in traffic and then not finding parking spaces. They're a joke, alot of it is laziness and poor planning.

[dune]

Operation School Run is back on...

 

Car safely and legally parked off the pavement awaiting the 4x4 influx.

 

Of course i'll move it, but not before i've put my shoes on and found the keys etc. 5 minutes that should take.

[tpbury]

Oh Gollygosh, Dune, can you not wait 20 minutes to do your tip run? They must have built that school behind your back when you were complaining about the liberals! I remember a cantankerous old man who always complained about people dropping off the kids near school. Everyone thought he was a hideous cantankerous old man - is that you Dune? What are these parents doing, dropping their kids off and firing sidewinder missles into you rhouse, or simply dropping your future health care workers off? Yes, buddy, every time you need your arse wiping, it's entirely likely that one of the kids will be doing it - and they'll remember your face - and they wont care how rough they will be!!!!

[Pancake]

Oh Gollygosh, Dune, can you not wait 20 minutes to do your tip run? They must have built that school behind your back when you were complaining about the liberals! I remember a cantankerous old man who always complained about people dropping off the kids near school. Everyone thought he was a hideous cantankerous old man - is that you Dune? What are these parents doing, dropping their kids off and firing sidewinder missles into you rhouse, or simply dropping your future health care workers off? Yes, buddy, every time you need your arse wiping, it's entirely likely that one of the kids will be doing it - and they'll remember your face - and they wont care how rough they will be!!!!

 

What an arsehole you are!

 

I'm with Dune on this. In one of the worst cases of school run madness, I saw an ambulance held up for 15 mins whilst various slummy-mummies tried to move their husbands Range Rovers from blocking the entrance to a side road near our local school. Luckily the old dear who was suffering heart pains was OK, but imagine if it had been a fire engine needing to get down the road? The even more sad point was the at least 3 of the Mums lived on the same road as me, which is only 10 mins walk from the school. Disgusting.

[qwertySFC]

There is a serious undertone here.... Seriously be careful when taking photos.

 

Any male showing any interest in kids nowadays are automatically labeled a peado.

 

?? Strange sounding Veg or typical incorrect use of the appropriate word - reminds me of the people who attacked the paediatric doctor because they thought he was a Paedophile

[Ken Tone]

What an arsehole you are!

 

I'm with Dune on this. In one of the worst cases of school run madness, I saw an ambulance held up for 15 mins whilst various slummy-mummies tried to move their husbands Range Rovers from blocking the entrance to a side road near our local school. Luckily the old dear who was suffering heart pains was OK, but imagine if it had been a fire engine needing to get down the road? The even more sad point was the at least 3 of the Mums lived on the same road as me, which is only 10 mins walk from the school. Disgusting.

 

There is indeed some appalling, inexcusable, driving and parking near schools, but at the same time anyone who buys a house near a school must realise what it is going to be like surely? It will be reflected in the price of the house. On the plus side it wil be quieter and easier to park in the holidays, than if there were houses there instead of a school.

 

As for anyone who buys a house next to an alleyway near a secondary school .. certifiable behaviour!

[Pancake]

There is indeed some appalling, inexcusable, driving and parking near schools, but at the same time anyone who buys a house near a school must realise what it is going to be like surely? It will be reflected in the price of the house. On the plus side it wil be quieter and easier to park in the holidays, than if there were houses there instead of a school.

 

As for anyone who buys a house next to an alleyway near a secondary school .. certifiable behaviour!

 

Most the residents in my village probably liked in the houses before people drove their kids to school. This "school run" is a pretty recent thing, no? I dont recalled ever being dropped off at school when I was growing up (left school 16 years ago). Plus there is a vast difference between congested & busy roads, and callous, illegal & dangerous parking.

[Ken Tone]

Most the residents in my village probably liked in the houses before people drove their kids to school. This "school run" is a pretty recent thing, no? I dont recalled ever being dropped off at school when I was growing up (left school 16 years ago). Plus there is a vast difference between congested & busy roads, and callous, illegal & dangerous parking.

 

Don't think it is that recent. Of course it has got more common but I can remember my father when I was a kid remarking on the roads being busier in term time than in school holidays -- and I'm 57!

 

I remember this vividly because it really surprised me at the time ... especially since I went to school on the bus!

 

My kids are now aged 25 upwards and there was congestion and bad parking around their primary schools (when I walked them to school!)

[Ken Tone]

The problem is that parents are allowed to choose where they send their brats.

 

Under the old system only the village and designated villages used the school. Those in the village walked, those in designated villages caught the bus. Now that it's a free for all they all have to drive. It's ridiculous.

 

Sounding suspiciously like you're slagging off Tory policy there Dune. Surely you're all in favour of the free market in schools, rather than propping up lame duck schools by forcing parents to send their children there, rather than to a better one down the road?

[trousers]

Sounding suspiciously like you're slagging off Tory policy there Dune. Surely you're all in favour of the free market in schools, rather than propping up lame duck schools by forcing parents to send their children there, rather than to a better one down the road?

 

It was Labour who introduced the pseudo 'free market' choices for schools as a way of preventing the true free market operating (i.e. Parents choosing where they live ergo which school they went to)

 

The real free market was far too unfair though as it meant that clever(er) / rich(er) parents could determine what schools their kids went to...and real choice would never do in an equal society... ;-)

[View From The Top]

It was Labour who introduced the pseudo 'free market' choices for schools as a way of preventing the true free market operating (i.e. Parents choosing where they live ergo which school they went to)

 

The real free market was far too unfair though as it meant that clever(er) / rich(er) parents could determine what schools their kids went to...and real choice would never do in an equal society... ;-)

 

I'm sure the tories will be changing it forthwith then.

 

Oh wait, they have no plans to.

[trousers]

I'm sure the tories will be changing it forthwith then.

 

Oh wait, they have no plans to.

 

On their list of Labour mess to sort out I would venture 'school choices' is fairly low down.... ;-)

[View From The Top]

On their list of Labour mess to sort out I would venture 'school choices' is fairly low down.... ;-)

 

£20 (for charity of course H4H in my case) that by the next election it hasn't been changed?

 

After all, they mentioned it all the time from 97 onwards and it was such a key element of their manifesto and Gove has said it's a priority. Oh.

[bridge too far]

£20 (for charity of course H4H in my case) that by the next election it hasn't been changed?

 

After all, they mentioned it all the time from 97 onwards and it was such a key element of their manifesto and Gove has said it's a priority. Oh.

 

He does more u-turns than the plumbing in a palace.

[trousers]

£20 (for charity of course H4H in my case) that by the next election it hasn't been changed?

 

 

I'm not going to take a bet on something I agree with you on. :-)

 

They haven't changed their minds (in principle), I just don't believe they'll have the time to do anything about it over and above other priorities.

 

Just rejoice in the knowledge that we agree on something ;-)

 

( I'll make a £20 donation to H4H tomorrow anyway when I see the chaps collecting outside London Bridge station as it's a good cause)

[dronskisaint]

It was Labour who introduced the pseudo 'free market' choices for schools as a way of preventing the true free market operating (i.e. Parents choosing where they live ergo which school they went to)

 

The real free market was far too unfair though as it meant that clever(er) / rich(er) parents could determine what schools their kids went to...and real choice would never do in an equal society... ;-)

 

What sort of 'choice' is can't afford?

 

Does your world allow those who can't afford to pay for medical treatment to 'choose' to die?

 

Un fuc*ing real!!

[trousers]

 

Does your world allow those who can't afford to pay for medical treatment to 'choose' to die?

 

No.

[View From The Top]

I'm not going to take a bet on something I agree with you on. :-)

 

They haven't changed their minds (in principle), I just don't believe they'll have the time to do anything about it over and above other priorities.

 

Just rejoice in the knowledge that we agree on something ;-)

 

( I'll make a £20 donation to H4H tomorrow anyway when I see the chaps collecting outside London Bridge station as it's a good cause)

 

Oh really? I'll ask Gove when I see him next week if plans that in the future.

[trousers]

Oh really? I'll ask Gove when I see him next week if plans that in the future.

 

Ok. Bear in mind politicians of all persuasions are prone to change their minds (which isn't always a bad character trait. Some call it 'listening'; others call it 'u-turning')

[View From The Top]

Ok. Bear in mind politicians of all persuasions are prone to change their minds (which isn't always a bad character trait. Some call it 'listening'; others call it 'u-turning')

 

I can really see the SoS for Education backing an idea that removes the choice of schools from everybody and allows it to be solely decided on the wealth of the parents.

 

Yep, that's a vote winner for sure with the aspiring middle classes. Can see them running with that one, it's such a well thought out plan.

 

Well done, you've completely re-written the tory education policy that they spent years doing consultations on before the election. If only they had just asked you.

[Barney Trubble]

I absolutely sympathise with people who suffer from traffic caused by the school run. But please don't stereotype those who do the dropping off.

 

Both my daughters drop their children off at nursery on their way to their places of work, where they do highly productive work. They simply don't have time to walk to the nursery and back and then go to work, given that they both work 40 hour weeks over 4 days.

 

Can't they get up earlier and walk with them?

 

I work a 50 hour week and I still can manage it and I have to be in the office, just like anyone else. I get tired excuses like this all the time, others are:

 

a) My kids go to different schools and then I have to go to work

 

b) I'm very important and the rules that apply to everyone else don't fit into my agenda

 

c) If I don't take them in the car, they might get wet

 

d) I can't expect them to walk with a friend, who goes to the same school with her/his kids as there are sex offenders everywhere these days, they could get abused unless I drop them off right outside the school gates.

 

e) My kids have issues with their mobility but they don't qualify for SEN transport.

 

I never understand why it's an issue for most parents to have to drop the kids off in the same street, or outside the school gates. Baj seems pragmatic about this and at least tries to find a happy medium. I see so many parents who pass streets with plenty of parking within the immediate area of the school but don't park up and walk those two minutes.

 

I was in a school in Mere Green, Birmingham a few months ago, it's quite an exclusive area and the abuse I got from the 4x4 drivers was quite astounding, the verbal abuse was a lot worse than if I was at a school on a poor council estate. It's very strange how the posh get very upset they get when you go against th grain with them, I guess if you scratch beneath the surface, they are just as bad, if not worse.

[bridge too far]

@ Barney Trubble

 

No they can't get up earlier. They already get up at 5.30 to do the domestic stuff, feed the babies, get the babies to nursery at 7.30 so they can get to work at 8 or 8.30 (depending on which daughter we're talking about). They then work until 6 / 6.30, collect the babies, go to the shops if necessary and get home to cook the family meal at around 7 / 7.30 - in time to get the babies into bed.

 

Nurseries arem't usually as close at hand as schools (certainly not within walking distance) and also they have limited hours (i.e. you've got to collect your child by 7.00 pm).

 

They simply don't have enough hours in the day to manage without driving the babies to nursery - the alternative would be to work their hours over 5 days but that would cost them each another £60 per week in nursery fees and mean they would miss out on their one day a week they devote solely to their small children.

 

I'm sure you probably do, but just for the record - do you also organise the laundry, shopping, cooking and cleaning on top of your 50 hour week and walking your children to and from school?

[Atticus Finch of Maycomb]

What an arsehole you are!

 

I'm with Dune on this.

 

That's because you are an arsehole.

[aintforever]

Kids should walk or cycle to school like I did.

 

It's typical of today's society that the lazy fat spoilt c*nts are driven to school by sl*gs in ridiculous 4x4s who not only inconvenience Dune but ruin the environment with their arrogant selfish lazyness.

[View From The Top]

I can understand people wanting to drive their kids to school in mid-winter when it's lashing it down but it's nice to walk or ride your bikes when the weather is good.

 

My kids are walked to and from school and if we do need to drive we park at the local children's centre and walk around.

 

Some of my mates who live in more rural areas seem to have no choice but to drive as the "local" primaries are miles away as schools have become merged doing to decreasing numbers of kids. This is partly driven by youngsters leaving rural areas to find work and affordable housing and being replaced by an older demographic who have done their parenting.

[mcjwills]

Simple just give out parking permits for residents within a 100 yard radius of the school and put a parking ban around all schools at morning run and evening run time. Fine anyone £50.00 if they are caught flouting the ban.

[Weston Super Saint]

In defence of some of the parents - I'm one myself and can assure you we walk the little one to school every day - but our pub is about 1/2 a mile away [it's not it's 150yds, but to walk round as there's no gate in the fence it's 1/2 mile].

 

I have offered the car park of the pub [free of charge] to the local council to use as a park and stride scheme.

 

This was about 3 years ago when we first started talking to the council!

 

I received more communication from them in January stating that they were still trying to sort things out!

 

Effectively what is needed is : Two dropped curbs on either side of the road, with warning signs painted on the road to notify a crossing point, a couple of road signs putting up and another on the car park pointing out the scheme. I reckon it's probably about a day's work altogether to put everything in place.

 

Sadly, the local council for whatever reason - they seem to be up for going ahead with the scheme - seem to be taking an incredibly long time to get their arses in gear!

 

If the goons that run our local councils could manage to organise things better and put more of these schemes in place, then perhaps these local bottlenecks wouldn't happen.

[hamster]

Your problems will ease once that fire engine can't past yer car and the old girl at number 23 gets fried. The council will be forced to act.

 

 

Were you aware dune that parking on scholll zig-zag lines is not illegal? They are classed as 'advisory'

[Red and White Army]

I'm going out with my camera today to take photographs of the atrocious school run parking up my cul-de-sac and in the surrounding area. Yesterday the mothers completely blocked my road off as I was inbetween trips to the tip with gardening rubbish and I was fuming. I went up to the school and complained and the poor head mistress agreed and has sent out countless letters requesting that they show some courtesy to residents and while I was chatting to her she pointed out that a 4x4 was as we spoke parked on the zig zags outside the school.

 

To this end Operation School Run commences in a few hours time. The morning run isn't normally that bad, but the 1530 run is a nightmare.

 

A few questions:

 

1. What is the legal distance you can park from a junction?

 

There was a 4x4 (the standard school run car ) parked right on the corner of my road yesterday and I stopped and asked her if she'd passed her driving test because you're not allowed to park on a junction - reply "there was nowhere else to park".

 

2. What is the legal distance I can park from the kerb?

 

The road is fairly narrow and you have to park right close to the kerb so cars can get by or on the Kerb for larger vehicles (i know this is strictly illegal but the council allow it where I live because there's no other solution). So far as I can assertain it's 50cm so i'm going out with a rule and will park 49cm from the kerb today so they can't get there 4x4's by for the duration of the school run.

 

Why don't you get a proper job you lazy parasite and then you would be at work at 3pm instead of worrying about the school run.

[GenevaSaint]

Your problems will ease once that fire engine can't past yer car and the old girl at number 23 gets fried. The council will be forced to act.

Were you aware dune that parking on scholll zig-zag lines is not illegal? They are classed as 'advisory'

 

Are you sure about that Hamster? I'm sure that the sign on our school zig-zags says no parking from 8 - 9:30 and 3 - 16:30.

 

Waiting and parking (238-252)238

You MUST NOT wait or park on yellow lines during the times of operation shown on nearby time plates (or zone entry signs if in a Controlled Parking Zone) – see 'Information signs' and 'Road markings'. Double yellow lines indicate a prohibition of waiting at any time even if there are no upright signs. You MUST NOT wait or park, or stop to set down and pick up passengers, on school entrance markings (see 'Road markings') when upright signs indicate a prohibition of stopping.

[Ken Tone]

Are you sure about that Hamster? I'm sure that the sign on our school zig-zags says no parking from 8 - 9:30 and 3 - 16:30.

 

Waiting and parking (238-252)238

You MUST NOT wait or park on yellow lines during the times of operation shown on nearby time plates (or zone entry signs if in a Controlled Parking Zone) – see 'Information signs' and 'Road markings'. Double yellow lines indicate a prohibition of waiting at any time even if there are no upright signs. You MUST NOT wait or park, or stop to set down and pick up passengers, on school entrance markings (see 'Road markings') when upright signs indicate a prohibition of stopping.

 

The legal position is complicated, and different from place to place. Some councils just paint the lines which have no real legal status on their own beyond 'advisory', whilst others put them there with proper traffic enforcement orders, signs on posts etc. The usual interpretation is that you can park on them outside of any hours shown on posts, or otherwise outside school opening hours..some say outside of 10 minutes either side of start/end times of school day. To be honest though, regardless of the legal niceties a) if an accident happens when you are ignoring a legally purely advisory sign such as these lines, you will receive very little sympathy from a court if charged with reckless behaviour in some form, and b) they are there to protect kids by giving drivers clear lines of sight of pedestrians, so anyone who parks on them during the school day is a selfish, irresponsible **** IMO regardless of the law, and that includes parents who stop on them for 'just a moment to let little johnny get out' ... by doing that they are putting other children at risk.

 

I was always grateful for the zig zag lines outside King Edward's when we were at the Dell, because people tended not to park on them in evenings or at weekends even though the school was closed, gate locked shut, and it was perfectly safe and legal to park, so left me a nice easy space.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

If they are on yellow lines, then stealthily let their tyres down while they're waiting. That'll learn 'em.

[Patrick Bateman]

I'm going out with my camera today to take photographs of the atrocious school run parking up my cul-de-sac and in the surrounding area. Yesterday the mothers completely blocked my road off as I was inbetween trips to the tip with gardening rubbish and I was fuming. I went up to the school and complained and the poor head mistress agreed and has sent out countless letters requesting that they show some courtesy to residents and while I was chatting to her she pointed out that a 4x4 was as we spoke parked on the zig zags outside the school.

 

To this end Operation School Run commences in a few hours time. The morning run isn't normally that bad, but the 1530 run is a nightmare.

 

A few questions:

 

1. What is the legal distance you can park from a junction?

 

There was a 4x4 (the standard school run car ) parked right on the corner of my road yesterday and I stopped and asked her if she'd passed her driving test because you're not allowed to park on a junction - reply "there was nowhere else to park".

 

2. What is the legal distance I can park from the kerb?

 

The road is fairly narrow and you have to park right close to the kerb so cars can get by or on the Kerb for larger vehicles (i know this is strictly illegal but the council allow it where I live because there's no other solution). So far as I can assertain it's 50cm so i'm going out with a rule and will park 49cm from the kerb today so they can't get there 4x4's by for the duration of the school run.

 

Do you not work??

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Do you not work??

 

Course he does, he canvasses for the BNP.