banned with my bike from daughter's school

[Mark1978]

It's curious what the causes of it are? It is to do with the parents right to choose schools so they tend to go to a school further away? House prices? Or just that as households have gotten richer it's now normal to have two cars, the same as it's normal for both parents to be working?

I'm 35 and when I went to school, primary and secondary, the 'school run' didn't exist. Everyone walked or in rare examples got the bus to school. On the occasion my Dad gave me a lift in, it was notable enough for others to comment upon it. Then again I was fortunate that the primary school was 10 minutes walk away, the secondary school 2-3 minutes walk.

Mind you Gateshead in the 1980's was an area of high unemployment with car ownership low.

[meic]

On the occasions that I take my stinky diesel to collect my daughter, I park outside of the concentration zone of parents, My daughter and I can mange to walk 50 metres fairly easily and it cuts out a lot of car maneuvering and queuing.

At the risk of not appearing totally positive and supporting cyclists (right or wrong) is it so bad that a cycle has to remain outside of the school premises? A genuine question as my area is pretty "nice" and things dont get stolen or vandalised.

[Postboxer]

I think the problem here is there isn't another convenient/safe place to unload the child from the bike.

I think it's bad that there isn't any facilities for children to cycle to school and also that it would be good if schools were also encouraged to make cycling to school more convenient for parents.

[meic]

I think the problem here is there isn't another convenient/safe place to unload the child from the bike.

I think it's bad that there isn't any facilities for children to cycle to school and also that it would be good if schools were also encouraged to make cycling to school more convenient for parents.

I am certain that all the motorised parents would make exactly the same argument in their defence.

[Postboxer]

Yes but cars are freestanding and easily lockable and the parents are already parking by the roadside to unload their children. I don't know how much planning goes into traffic and school run drop offs when they design new schools.

My sister went on holiday to the USA and arranged for her boys to experience a day at school, there was a drive through drop off place, possibly with lights, so several cars would pull in, unload, then all leave, then the next lot were allowed in - but then I did once see a documentary where a kid got a lift from his garage to the bus stop which was in front of the next house!

[Postboxer]

Maybe it could be graded so the kids who need a longer walk have to park further away.

[Mark1978]

Yes but cars are freestanding and easily lockable and the parents are already parking by the roadside to unload their children. I don't know how much planning goes into traffic and school run drop offs when they design new schools.

My sister went on holiday to the USA and arranged for her boys to experience a day at school, there was a drive through drop off place, possibly with lights, so several cars would pull in, unload, then all leave, then the next lot were allowed in - but then I did once see a documentary where a kid got a lift from his garage to the bus stop which was in front of the next house!

The USA also has a school bus scheme. However in my local secondary school they also have school buses which pull right into the school grounds, and they seem popular enough.

[Vorpal]

My sister went on holiday to the USA and arranged for her boys to experience a day at school, there was a drive through drop off place, possibly with lights, so several cars would pull in, unload, then all leave, then the next lot were allowed in - but then I did once see a documentary where a kid got a lift from his garage to the bus stop which was in front of the next house!

Most schools in the USA have some sort of drop-off zone, where parents can easily drive up and drop off their children. And I think that it is reasonable to plan for this in building new schools. However, I think it is far more important for schools to have active travel plans and find ways to encourage students to cycle or walk rather than be driven.

The bext way to control traffic at the school gates is not to have any

[pete75]

Most schools in the USA have some sort of drop-off zone, where parents can easily drive up and drop off their children. And I think that it is reasonable to plan for this in building new schools.

There wouldn't be a problem here if that's what parents did - drop off their children. The trouble is so many park up and then hang about gossiping with other parents. A teacher I know says it's not the working mums who cause the congestion but the housewives who regard the school run as some sort of social occasion.


If I was the OP I'd challenge the headmistress by ignoring this silly ban.

[Mark1978]

Most schools in the USA have some sort of drop-off zone, where parents can easily drive up and drop off their children. And I think that it is reasonable to plan for this in building new schools.

There wouldn't be a problem here if that's what parents did - drop off their children. The trouble is so many park up and then hang about gossiping with other parents. A teacher I know says it's not the working mums who cause the congestion outside the school but the housewives who regard the school run as some sort of social occasion.


If I was the OP I'd challenge the headmistress by ignoring this silly ban.

I do believe pickup time is the worst for this as many will arrive a good 15-20 minutes before and thus hang around until their kid comes out.

[Tonyf33]

I do believe pickup time is the worst for this as many will arrive a good 15-20 minutes before and thus hang around until their kid comes out.

they do this because otherwise they'd have to park 75-100 metres away, much too far for either them or their precious ones to walk

[[XAP]Bob]

I do believe pickup time is the worst for this as many will arrive a good 15-20 minutes before and thus hang around until their kid comes out.

they do this because otherwise they'd have to park 75-100 metres away, much too far for either them or their precious ones to walk

And because they want to ensure they're not late and therefore don't get charged for being late. The journeys people allow time for are those which directly cost them money if they are late.

[Mark1978]

Parents get charged if they don't pick their kids up? How times have changed!

[thirdcrank]

It's easy to see all this as a brief twice-a-day traffic problem and "isn't it amazing how quiet things are during the school hols" but it hardly takes a B.Ed., to know that schoolchildren are constantly learning the lessons which will guide them for the rest of their lives; those lessons are more than what they are taught in the classroom. IMO, the school run is not only socialising the bad drivers of tomorrow, it's also teaching attitudes some of us would aspire to avoid: the devil-take-the-hindmost/ might-is-right/me-first/they-can't-touch-you-for-it society.

IMO any headteacher who doesn't actively encourage children to go to school under their own steam should reflect on their own values. ( don't consider the introduction of backside-covering rules as active encoragement.)

[Mark1978]

I think the attitude of the head is typical of officialdom "I support cycling" and yet actively peruses policies to discourage it.