The School Run

[Ducati]

Am spitting feathers this morning - on my cycle in to work this morning, a woman in a bloody great 4x4 (had to be really - how does that old joke go...what's the difference between a hedgehog and a 4x4? - the hedgehog has the pricks on the outside) pulled up in front of me (in a cycle lane) yanked open her door, resulting in me swerving and falling off - saw what had happened, jumped back in and effed off. Bitch.

 

So, my question is, what measures can be taken to stop these lazy cows driving their precious bloody kids to school. A school run tax? A get your fat ar5e out of your car you fat moose and walk your fat kids to school and get some exercise levy?

 

Mine is a resonably small town, where everything is walkable - there is no excuse to fire up a car if you live in the town (I accept some people have to drive their kids to school.

 

Half term last week was a delight, the roads were vitually deserted - so that argument that they do not add to the rush hour congestion because they are dropping their kids off on the way to work is utter bo11ocks.

 

GRRRRRRRRRRRR

[spammylou]

was this outside a school? would you recognise her again? If so I would wait until you see her again, and give her a piece of your mind.  What a selfish bitch.

can I just say that I do own a rather large 4x4 7 seater. but I bought it to use at the weekends, I have 3 growing sons and a large husband. We like to go out in it altogether and there isn't much room in my car. I won't use it in the week as I don't need to 1) it drinks too much diesel 2) It is pointless for the school run. There is only me using it for the rest of the day. So my husband takes it to work, leaves it all day and then comes home in it.  I have a Golf and that is fine. I did not want the 4x4 for school runs but yes you are right there are plenty that do and they cannot drive them to save their lives, generally they have too much money and lost their manners at the point of purchase.

[Ducati]

Have calmed down a bit from this morning - don't think I'd recognise her, but I'd know the car becuase it had a personalised plate - another pet hate: huge act of vanity, but I digress - so shall be having words if I see her again. Thankfully, the lady behind me slammed on her brakes quickly so at least I wasn't run over.

 

Don't mean to tar all 4x4 drivers with the same brush, but it does annoy me knowing that this car after the school run was probably then going to go to Sainsbury's and then home again, and not to be used again until the afternoon school run.

[justineo]

I've felt the same when I'm driving past our local private school.  The enormous bars they have on the fronts annoy me particularly. I often relieve my frustration by shouting such childish things as 'why don't you get a bigger car' and 'have you seen many kangaroos or cows around this morning'? There are some families who need such a vehicle, my friend has got 4 boys under 10 and just cannot manage with a normal car.  Of course, it could be that I'm just a bit jealous that I drive a crappy old car and have to drop my children off before going to work. I'd much rather go home and have coffee with the girls or go shopping or whatever it is I imagine these mothers doing. 

[jake-the-peg]

Sounds to me like your real rant ought to be people who don't respect cycle lanes - just happened to be a 4x4 on a school run this time could just as easy be a 5 series BMW next..

How about a concrete lip to cycle lanes? do you think that'd keep the alloy clad vanity mobiles out?

[acw]

Ducati your post was FANTASTIC!!!!  Brilliantly put, even if it contained a few 4 letter words! :-)

The school where my Dad used to be the head has just started a scheme with a church hall down the road.  Mums (and Dads) are encouraged to park their and walk their kids the rest of the way, thus reducing the congestion around the school.  It also might help with health matters too I hope.

I think that 4x4s should be taxed very heavily for people who live at addresses with urban postcodes (unless they can prove some necessary excuse)(Spammylou - this is my disclaimer to say I'm not having a go at you! :-) ). 

Sadly, for some rich b*stards that won't help.  Muttering under ones breath about small appendages works with idiot males driving BMWs etc, but not so well for Mums on the school run. 

As it happened recently Ducati, I suggest contact your local police and explain that you'd recognise the plate again.  And hopefully she'll get in trouble for failing to stop/report an accident.  Hopefully the police would have to meet her at the school and humiliate her in front of the other Mums. 

Failing that, I "suppose" your pedals could one day "accidentally" scratch the paint of her car.  If she were parked in a cycle lane per chance?!.  Obviously this is illegal and so I wouldn't reccommend it.  But accidents do happen!

[jake-the-peg]

Failing that, write a polite but firm letter to the school explaining that you are not holding them directly responsible for the actions of the parents but that if it continues to be a problem you might be sollicit the interest of the local press and that could result in unfortunate poor publicity for the school (schools hate that like nothing else). Then ask them to add a note to one of their regular newsletters saying that due to somebody's carelessness dropping of their children a member of the public was knocked his bike and narrowly escaped injury.

Even if none of the mums know who it was there'll be a ton of gossip and speculation. These sort of women hate being talked about behind their backs so it should be effective. 

[KebabMeister]

I'd just get the number plate details and then report her to the Police.  Then write to the school informing them and then threaten to write to the local paper.

Where I used to live there was 3 schools within 400 metres of my home.  One was a nightmare because if you got home early then you'd meet them all picking their kids up.  If I had right of way though I would go about 2 mph and make then wait, or make them backup.  I'd simply refuse to!  It was a very small road,a crescent and definitely not designed for so many cars and 4x4s etc.

Another school was a really posh one.  On going to work I have to pull out onto a busy road.  Often they'd be dropping their kids off and the annoying thing is that they'd pull out of the laybys without indicating.  Therefore I'm just about to pull out, or pulling out, and all of a sudden they'd enter the road and have right of way, yet not giving me enough notice.  I really hated that.  I had another woman drop her child off and they opened the door onto my car as I was passing her.  Luckily the door only hit my wing mirror and I stopped and checked for damage.  I think she realised then just how lucky she was, couldn't have been really nasty.

[Shire]

I used to have to pass a school on the way to work, and there were always cars parked on the zig-zag lines that are supposed to be there for the safety of the pupils.  The school was on the corner of a busy junction, and it was quite dangerous at times.