On breakfast radio today there was some discussion about illegally parked cars being photographed and infringement notices being mailed to the owner later (it sounds a bit like this practice in Sydney). One dope phoned in to complain that his car had been photographed while picking up his daughter from school - there were no parking spaces so he parked on some sort of reserve. The caller then went on to say that "we just live around the corner" to which my response was "Well walk then, you lazy bastard!" (I've really got to stop shouting at the radio).
If fat-arsed slobs like him walked down to the school to collect their fat-arsed kids then there wouldn't be traffic snarls around schools in the afternoon and they might get a bit of exercise for a change.
And they wouldn't get a parking ticket either.
[Dismounts high horse]
Comments
Now you get back on that high-horse Treadly because the point you made is extremely valid. And it harks back to a previous discussion we've had ..... you can always tell when its School holidays just by the drop in traffic on the roads. I wonder what would happen if you eradicated all on-road car parking around schools? (bus parking provided ofcourse). After everyone stopped whinging, would parents find alternative ways to get their kiddie-winks between school and home? Would we see more bicycle parking at schools? Would childhood obesity levels drop? It might be an experiment worth trying!
treadly: offspring not old enough for school then?
There are times... many times, when walking to school - even a short distance - is not feasible. I have, for many years, taken children to school - about 1km. - without the use of a car, but weather, time constraints, stuff you have to carry, all take their toll on one's resolve.
On the other hand, my blood boils when I see the drivers/parents stopping to allow their cargo to alight, parked over crossings, double parked, parked in disabled spots, parked across driveways, parked on corners... book 'em mercilessly!
Of course I'm talking out of turn here woowoowoo!
However I continued this rant among family over the weekend (all of whom have school-aged kids) and they agreed. In addition my sister-in-law, who is involved in active transport initiatives for a local council, added heaps of stats and anecdotes - including these two gems:
about 80% of car trips to drop a child at school are solely for that purpose (i.e. the parent is not going on to work or off to do something else on the same journey)
her local school teachers report that parents arrive 30 minutes or more before school finishes so that they can get the best parking spots near the school gate (apparently they just sit in their cars and wait)
For sure "stuff" gets in the way sometimes, and sometimes it's all too hard. Although I am surprised that someone as hardy as your good self let's the weather get in his way!
But if someone has half an hour to spare to just sit in their car and they're just going to turn around and drive straight back home anyway, well I stand by my statement: leave the car at home and walk you lazy bastard.