Mammy dropping kids to school in the car

My primary school was according to google maps 4.2 kilometers away... a route in busy traffic including a kilometer approximately of dual carriageway so 90% of the time I got a lift to school as my dads work was 5 minutes around the corner...otherwise I got the bus home and sometimes there too if he was away with work as the mother didn’t drive yet....

my secondary was about 2.5 kilometers away, 70 % of the route had a segregated bike lane, otherwise it was quiet enough roads, so little to no danger. I cycled...

the OP and whoever else might like to factor in that in this country the weather at 8.15 am from November - April will be a couple of degrees away from freezing at times worse and generally wet and rainy quite often... so if you can as a parent cut your kid(s) a break by giving them a lift, brilliant....

Industry is only a couple of percentage points behind travel as in contributions to climate change....yet as always ‘business’ gets a hall pass where some are concerned...

Wonder how it compares to when it comes to pick up time after school. One primary school I pass regularly faces onto a road that has a bus lane and one lane of traffic. There are always cars parked up along the bus lane even though there are double yellow lines. Whenever I'm cycling through there at this time, I've had to go into the next lane to avoid the chance of getting doored by someone coming out of a car.

The Census data tells a different story.

It tells you that loads and loads of people use their cars for short journeys of distances that are easily walked or cycled. For many people, the car is the lazy, comfy choice with no consideration of the broader impact on society - kids being bullied off the road - toxic pollution - traffic chaos.

In fairness you're not above posting ridiculous anecdotes yourself.

Not everyone lives in Offaly and cycles to school on a road with a 100kph limit. I'm not entirely sure what the purpose of posting such examples like the one of 25km motorway trips to school in the middle of nowhere.

What you're basically saying is, you don't really care about anyone else once it suits you. Talking about unnecessary car journeys is really a conversation about society and improving it, not what suits the individual. We all have days where we need a car.

i dont see kids playing football all evening. its dark around 5pm now. alot of schools dont allow kids run around at break time as they could have a fall and thus a compo claim. a brisk walk or cycle to school for a kid in the morning is great for helping hit the WHO guidance of 1 hour of moderate-vigorous exercise a day.

i think it means their blood is flowing better and they are more alert. i used to cycle to college and then i was given a car in my granny's will. it was terrible. i was no longer getting exercise, i looked terrible and was tired in classes. a bit of fresh air, sunlight and exercise was better than stuck in a metal box for 30min on way to and from college. and the car traffic was stressful.

im not trying to argue with people who drive their kids to school. im just trying to show the benefits or walking or cycling to school.

i wonder if there is a shame to it. if someone sees me walking my kids to school, does it imply im too poor to have a car. Or abusing my kids by having them out in the elements.

I have no words for why you'd choose such examples when you are obviously in Dublin.

Its completely disingenuous as is the faux outrage.

The irony being you are dismissing valid safety concerns in every other post.

I think the people in Ireland who choose to live in the middle of nowhere miles from schools etc are a lost cause and will drive everywhere no matter what. Leave them to it.

What annoys me is that I live in an area with plenty of schools, and it turns into absolute chaos in the mornings and when they finish school. People from my road drive to the schools that are probably only about 1km away. Then they all park and drive all over the footpaths beside the schools, so much so that they had to put up a load of barriers on the footpaths to stop them doing so recently (in the form of pencils they look pretty cool).

There are many who could easily walk or cycle with their kids to/from school, and it would benefit the kids greatly and set a good precedent for them. But people are just f*cking lazy.

Wholeheartedly agree with this.

I live in Switzerland and the kids from 5 years of age all walk to school. They are automatically enrolled into the school nearest them, and the Mammy Taxis are verboten. Works pretty well. Gives the kids great independence and routine.

You should try walking or cycling some of that frustration off

Thanks for having more patience than me Loueze. :)

:)

You just made me think of the time myself and another guy in my class were made to stand at the back of the room facing the wall all day with our schoolbags on our backs for letting a few crisps fall on the floor.

Toughened us up though :)

There is a large element of chicken and egg - parents worried about safety because of car volumes, then driving their children to school adding to the volumes.

In rural villages, there is an infrastructure problem of a lack of footpaths, even within walking distance of villages. Yes, people built in or brought in ribbon development and this is a consequence, but that would certainly remove a barrier to active travel (for both children and generally). There is very little focus on footpath provision - it's all greenways (which are predominantly recreational).

Dire planning, Ireland in general