Gross Stupidity

Discussion of all things non-11 Plus related

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Gross Stupidity

Post by Snowdrops »

I have just returned from the school run absolutely seething!

I always have a bee in my bonnet about bad driving, but this morning just broke the donkey's back.

We all know how icy it is outside and that we have to take more care when driving in these conditions.

Would you believe I actually saw a mother drive across the school car park this morning, which is incredibly icy, with children dashing all over it with the usual excitement of children on frosty mornings whilst she was talking on a mobile phone and steering the car with only ONE HAND.

Why do some people think they are so special that 'it' will never happen to them. That they'd never crash or slip on the ice, that they'd never knock a child over, that they'd never get caught for not buying a £10 blue tooth connection?

The police often do speed checks along the village high street, I just wish they'd been in the car park this morning.

The best of it all is if you 'dare' to say anything you risk getting your head bitten off or worse.

Please God there is never an accident because of this particular moron.
Image
AB
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:40 am

Post by AB »

Maybe she was talking on the mobile to her child asking him/her to watch out on the icy surfaces and to look out for cars driving erratically! :lol:

I agree that that is very dangerous indeed.

Seeing as this is in the school grounds, I would be inclined to bring this up to the Head (short phonecall to school office now should sort it out) and perhaps if you knew who it was, the school can take the appropriate action (you were seen this morning by Mrs. Snowdrops, driving crazily across our school car park etc etc :lol: ...)

I would not consider it safe to let the matter go. It will be too late if any child suffers an injury or worse, if nothing is said or done. Where morons or children are involved, you have to do something, Snowdrops!
essex-mum18
Posts: 218
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:09 am

Post by essex-mum18 »

Hi
I agree with AB. Things need to be done before any ancident happens. I do not understand why parents are allowed to drive across the school car park in the first place. Ay my son's school, we are not allowed to do that anyway.
AB
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:40 am

Post by AB »

A school I pass by every morning has 2 teachers (male) at the school gates watching the traffic as parents do the drop-offs and pupils stream into the schools. There is heavy congestion at this point but I have never seen a mishap considering the volume of road users.

I take my hat off to these guys as their presence,come rain or shine, no doubt encourages civil behaviour. It is a shame though that there are some who behave only when they are in the presence of the long hand of the law.

This thought from you, Snowdrops, wishing the police could have been there to see the 'offence'.

Throwing ciggie butts out of car windows is my bee in the bonnet. Many a time, I have felt like chasing the miscreants down the high street to bring them up on their uncivic actions. But for the presence of a patrol car....
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Post by Snowdrops »

Unfortunately the car park doesn't belong to the school, otherwise I would bring the matter up.

It's a village school and the car park belongs to the village who allows free access for parents to pick up and drop off their children (it then involves a very short walk to the school).

It's amazing how many villagers actually use their cars to take their children to school, some whose walk would be no longer than 1 minute and no-one, anywhere in the village, would have a walk of longer than ten minutes.

It was actually a villager mum and not a townie mum who offended this morning.
Image
essex-mum18
Posts: 218
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:09 am

Post by essex-mum18 »

Snowdrops

Ah! I see.
AB
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:40 am

Post by AB »

A village mum in a village carpark endangering the village school children!!!

I say, let's hang the woman!

oh sorry, I am getting carried away by the gross stupidity of it all, after remembering how many ciggie-butt-litter-bugs I have allowed to get away.

Is it someone you know, Snowdrops? From your OP you were concerned you might get your head bitten off.

I still think it is worth mentioning to the school. At best, a letter sent home reminding parents to drive carefully when using the 'school' village carpark might help. It will help as well if it was mentioned in the newsletter that a mum was seen driving and using a mobile phone and there were a few near misses of late....We have been threatened with closure of the school carpark for many years due to irresponsible driving from a few people and finally, last year, the carpark became a no-go area for the safety of the children!
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Post by Snowdrops »

Not someone I know to speak to, but I do know her by sight (it's quite a small school).

The head bitten off remark (or worse) is a general comment on today's society really, it's how people are - too aggressive and not accepting responsibility for their own actions when confronted (however politely).

The school regularly sends out letters reminding parents about safe parking etc, but they work for a week or two then 'they' slip back into their old habits.

Mind you, parents are just as daft with their kids.

Since being in year 4 I have allowed my dd to walk into school with a friend (out of the car park, down a driveway and along a little path, nowhere near a main road and no longer than 3 minutes' walk) so as a consequence of this I just drop her off and pick her up again from the car park - which gives me the opportunity to witness some incredible near misses.

At the end of school parents allow their children to run ahead of them and there's nothing wrong with that in the main, but when they get to the end of the path, they have to go down a drive way and then around a corner from the path into the car park - cars can come from the car park and down this drive way (most of them at incredible speeds when you think it's a car park and not a high speed motorway!), but parents still let their children run at full pelt down the drive way and around the corner without stopping to check for traffic. The number of near misses over the years have been incredible.

Oh I think I'll start a Grumpy Old Woman's Thread :lol: :lol: :lol: (although sometimes there's not a lot to laugh at) :lol:
Image
perplexed
Posts: 490
Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 1:18 pm
Location: kent

Post by perplexed »

No-one should be driving using the mobile phone in the public car park, ice or not. It could also be an offence same as while driving on the road. See the quote below.

If you think she or others are likely to repeat this use of mobile phone while driving, I would ask the headteacher to provide the number plate of the offending vehicle in their next newsletter, and ask people to record instances of this behaviour prior to shopping her to the police.

Has to be more effective than the usual "please drive carefully in the car park"! But it might be better to ask her why she can't use a hands-free kit if she has such important calls to take / make while driving. You could buy her one for Christmas!


"Gavin

Whilst there is no reference to 'other place' in 41D RTA it does appear, to me at least, that driving a vehicle on a carpark which is not a road whilst not having proper control of the vehicle (by using a hand held mobile phone) would be caught by by 41D(b)


26 Breach of requirements as to control of vehicle, mobile telephones etc.



(1) Before section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 insert—



"41D


Breach of requirements as to control of vehicle, mobile telephones etc.


A person who contravenes or fails to comply with a construction and use requirement—



(a) as to not driving a motor vehicle in a position which does not give proper control or a full view of the road and traffic ahead, or not causing or permitting the driving of a motor vehicle by another person in such a position, or



(b)as to not driving or supervising the driving of a motor vehicle while using a hand-held mobile telephone or other hand-held interactive communication device, or not causing or permitting the driving of a motor vehicle by another person using such a telephone or other device,



is guilty of an offence."





Edited by RonBarker on 03 April 2008 at 07:49
Back to Top

Gavin
Admin Group


Solicitor
BTMK



Joined: 20 February 2004
United Kingdom
Posts: 3991 Posted: 03 April 2008 at 08:53 | IP Logged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ron,

I agree with your view. There does not seem to be any reference to whether driving on a public or private road makes a difference to the offence - strange really.


__________________
Gavin Burrell
Criminal Solicitor Dot Net
http://www.criminalsolicitor.net "
AB
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:40 am

Post by AB »

Oh I think I'll start a Grumpy Old Woman's Thread
I think that title's taken somewhere on the forum already.
Maybe if you have the time and the the energy, you could volunteer to be the HVLO (Head Village Lollipop Officer). Every school needs one.

Imagine the power you will have, stopping all and sundry.
It will be highly cathartic to bop 'morons' with your lollipop for all the careless mistakes they have been perpetuating since Yr 4!

If you do that, I might find the courage to be the TCBE (Townie Ciggie-Butt Enforcer) in my neck of the woods.
:lol: :lol:

A short spell of closing the carpark (for a trial period) might be the only other drastic alternative to drive the message home.

perplexed,
I think Snowdrops does not have said woman on Christmas List. :lol:
Post Reply