School Run

[kwackers]

I normally miss the school run, I leave before it starts and it subsequently occurs on the latter part of my commute on roads where the 'school runners' aren't particularly prevalent.

Yesterday however I couldn't be bothered getting out of bed and so I left pretty much bang in the middle of it.
And all I can say is "wow".

Have I simply forgotten or has it always been that bad? Perhaps it's all the new parents (being the first week back).
The roads were full of aggressive chancers and with no good reason since they were all just queuing up at the next set of lights or junction.

At one point I came to a traffic calming pinch point in which I in theory had right of way - except there was no way any of the traffic coming through the other way were going to let me go. In the end I forced my way through much to the obvious annoyance (and in a couple of cases blind panic) of those coming the other way.

In just two miles I had more pee poor overtakes than I could count, risking collisions with me or oncoming traffic or simply based on hope and again for no reason because often there'd visibly be a queue just yards ahead. Speed limits were irrelevant (although massive acceleration and braking was required due to the aforementioned congestion), folk fiddling with their phones, kids (and dogs!).

Utter madness.

[Bonefishblues]

It's feral. That is all.

[Psamathe]

Near me it's quite horrendous. Not only for cyclists but also driving a car.

Apart from the pulling out without looking, opening doors without looking, walking out without looking, etc., etc. one school near me is on a fairly tight bend, 2 way road. Normally when driving the bend is no issue because 2 cars or car with oncoming lorry, etc. can pass without problems. But school run drivers park illegally on the bend making drivers from on direction pull out onto the opposite side of the road whilst vehicles coming the other way can't see any issues and it's really dangerous and really illegal.

I've e-mailed the school about this and got back a "we've tried to stop it but it didn't stop it" - which angered me as quite pathetic. My next e-mail pointed out e.g. get local Police Officer to visit at 15:00 and issue tickets to every illegally parked car (and after 3 days there would no longer be an issue) or send out a teacher with a smartphone and take photos of illegally parked cars and when a parent asks what they are doing say "they are being submitted to the Police as you are illegally parked" and work will soon get round and people will stop. I identified loads of things they could do .... but nothing done, problem continues and school seems unmotivated to even recognise the danger they are creating.

I had to drive out through a local one yesterday and parent standing in roadside door then pushing door fully open just as I was alongside (I was in a car) - but they did give me time to swerve (if you can call it swerve at 10'ish mph).

Ian

[LollyKat]

Consider too what sort of an example the parents are setting to their children. What kind of drivers will they be?

[Tangled Metal]

What can you do to get schools you act with purpose? Fine them? They're probably already running on a deficit if they're primary schools.

[Bonefishblues]

Talking about examples to set to kids, one for me only yesterday. Usual afternoon congestion, I'm halfway across a roundabout, going slowly because the exit's blocked, and Mrs Angry comes tearing across from the rhs having only just joined the roundabout effing and jeffing and shaking head and insists on slicing diagonally across the centre marking in front of me. No big deal, she think she has priority over traffic already on a roundabout, but:

a. Why be so upset, it really was wholly disproportionate to the situation.
b. You have young kids in the back, for goodness sake, what must they think?
c. I was letting you go, anyway, I really don't want the *rse-ache of any confrontation for the sake of one car length's 'advantage' on a Friday afternoon where no-one's going anywhere quickly.
d. Had you used the roundabout as the Highway Code indicates, there would have been no conflict anyway.

But hey, I smiled sweetly and had a pleasant journey.

[thelawnet]

I sometimes do it on a bike. Never in a car. There are several neighbours to the school who loathe the parents and stand outside hands on hips watching infractions and sometimes submitting complaints.

the problems are the size of the cars, the lack of offroad parking, and the desire to park near school.

you can actually park 3 minutes walk away on another road, and it is empty and perfectly pleasant. but most want to get as close as possible, so won't do that.

[Cyril Haearn]

Could one form a vigilante group to record offences?

[reohn2]

The whole problems stems from no one in authority doing anything to stop it.
If drivers knew they'de get ticketed for their illegal driving and parking they'd soon stop it,as it is they know they won't so carry on regradless.

[Cyril Haearn]

If they were caught and punished they might desist for a while
As soon as the cops were gone, the parking criminals would be back, bleating the the girls in blue should be chasing Real Criminals

[Bonefishblues]

Near me it's quite horrendous. Not only for cyclists but also driving a car.

Apart from the pulling out without looking, opening doors without looking, walking out without looking, etc., etc. one school near me is on a fairly tight bend, 2 way road. Normally when driving the bend is no issue because 2 cars or car with oncoming lorry, etc. can pass without problems. But school run drivers park illegally on the bend making drivers from on direction pull out onto the opposite side of the road whilst vehicles coming the other way can't see any issues and it's really dangerous and really illegal.

I've e-mailed the school about this and got back a "we've tried to stop it but it didn't stop it" - which angered me as quite pathetic. My next e-mail pointed out e.g. get local Police Officer to visit at 15:00 and issue tickets to every illegally parked car (and after 3 days there would no longer be an issue) or send out a teacher with a smartphone and take photos of illegally parked cars and when a parent asks what they are doing say "they are being submitted to the Police as you are illegally parked" and work will soon get round and people will stop. I identified loads of things they could do .... but nothing done, problem continues and school seems unmotivated to even recognise the danger they are creating.

I had to drive out through a local one yesterday and parent standing in roadside door then pushing door fully open just as I was alongside (I was in a car) - but they did give me time to swerve (if you can call it swerve at 10'ish mph).

Ian

On the subject of illegality, it isn't always clear-cut. For a couple of years we had a local resident who habitually parked a very large Transit equivalent opposite a T junction (i.e. on the junction, as it were), causing an obvious hazard. The police advised there was nothing they could do, so he continued to park there.

[Psamathe]

Near me it's quite horrendous. Not only for cyclists but also driving a car.

Apart from the pulling out without looking, opening doors without looking, walking out without looking, etc., etc. one school near me is on a fairly tight bend, 2 way road. Normally when driving the bend is no issue because 2 cars or car with oncoming lorry, etc. can pass without problems. But school run drivers park illegally on the bend making drivers from on direction pull out onto the opposite side of the road whilst vehicles coming the other way can't see any issues and it's really dangerous and really illegal.

I've e-mailed the school about this and got back a "we've tried to stop it but it didn't stop it" - which angered me as quite pathetic. My next e-mail pointed out e.g. get local Police Officer to visit at 15:00 and issue tickets to every illegally parked car (and after 3 days there would no longer be an issue) or send out a teacher with a smartphone and take photos of illegally parked cars and when a parent asks what they are doing say "they are being submitted to the Police as you are illegally parked" and work will soon get round and people will stop. I identified loads of things they could do .... but nothing done, problem continues and school seems unmotivated to even recognise the danger they are creating.

I had to drive out through a local one yesterday and parent standing in roadside door then pushing door fully open just as I was alongside (I was in a car) - but they did give me time to swerve (if you can call it swerve at 10'ish mph).

Ian

On the subject of illegality, it isn't always clear-cut. For a couple of years we had a local resident who habitually parked a very large Transit equivalent opposite a T junction (i.e. on the junction, as it were), causing an obvious hazard. The police advised there was nothing they could do, so he continued to park there.

I had always been taught not to park within a set distance of a junction. Highway code says the same BUT just says "DO NOT" (i.e. not "MUST NOT" nor "SHOULD NOT"

243 DO NOT stop or park

near a school entrance
....
opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space

with no reference to the law so I guess it's equivalent to a "SHOULD NOT"

BUT

242 You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road.
Laws RTA 1988, sect 22 & CUR reg 103

Which I'd argue (to a school or Police would cover the case I argued with the school (as nobody could argue the specific parking is anything other than very dangerous).

Ian

[Cyril Haearn]

Parking dangerous? Obstructive parking on the road could be safer if everyone goes Dead Slow

[Mike Sales]

Parking dangerous? Obstructive parking on the road could be safer if everyone goes Dead Slow

Good point. It is the same as labelling bridges or corners dangerous.

[Tiberius]

Most school runners are young women and, in my honest opinion, young women are the worst drivers on the road.

I drop off/pick up my Grandson from school. I park up in a quiet little street that is a ten minute walk away from the school and I avoid the whole pantomime. OK, In my case time is not an issue as I'm retired, but no way would I try to park near a school when a pack of young women (wet hair, toast in hand) are giving it 'crash bang whallop' in their 4 X 4s !!