gategrrl | (no subject)

Unfuckingbelievable. I just went to drop off Tall Boy at school (it's a short day, so he starts at 8am instead of 8:15), and there were two cars parked in front of the school double. One of them was this big white sedan in front of a big dark SUV. I drove around and past both cars after dropping him off, and then took my left turn at the corner. Half-way down the very short block I noticed that white sedan was making a bombing run up my car's ass, and was about to try and PASS ME ON MY LEFT as I was coming up on my next left turn. I signaled I was about to turn so the she-bitch behind me wouldn't cause an accident and she HONKED at me as I took my turn! What a fucking bitch! In a residential neighborhood, no less. I was driving at my normal pace, which is slightly above legal.

Parents dropping their kids off in the morning are beyond fucking insane, some of them. It's a wonder I haven't heard of parent morning rage, or a parent running over a child yet in southern California.

I wish I'd gotten her license plate. I have reported people for unsafe driving around schools before.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What an absolute nutter. I see so much crazy driving at the college that I work at, but at least most of them are new to driving. (Though, given, it was a faculty member that accidentally drove her car into our library.)

We've got a group of parents here who insist on ignoring the No Parking signs in the circle drive in front of the Elementary, and park there to wait for their Jr. Highers to get out.

It's not a big drive in the first place, they park on both sides, and I drive a Ford Expedition. I swear, one of these days, I'm just gonna let myself run into one of them. They're sitting in front of a No Parking sign; I've got the right-of-way. Let's see how many of them insist on parking there after that.

But yes, I do agree, there's something inherently batshit about parents dropping off their kids at school. The ones who drive the wrong direction in the circle drive grate on my nerves like crazy. I feel like being that woman from Mr. Mom, and leaning out the window yelling, "It's West to drop off and East to pick up, dumb ass!"

The administration put out a warning to parents last year? Or the year before that. I think it's an annual thing. The traffic got *so bad* that they finally started a service at a gate that rarely got used because it's farthest away from the main gate--so when I can, I use that.

The parking police also come by at least every other week, too, and when it gets bad again, I see a patrol car making its way down the streets a few times.

Perhaps your school's admin could be more proactive, or you could take photos/video one or two mornings as visual proof?

I might start doing it, if I could drag myself outside in the morning earlier. NOT a morning person here.

It really IS like some psychosis sets in when people drop their kids off. I remember from my own childhood, but also I saw this at schools I used to drive past on the way to and from work. I understand that it's time-consuming and annoying, and in L.A. there's never enough room at the school which makes it even more inconvenient, but it's not like tossing an accident into the middle of all that is going to help. Honestly!

*nods*

It's even worse at the Middle School Mermaid used to go to. Traffic is HORRIBLE beyond belief. Let's put it this way: it's *worse* than trying to drive from the 405 onto the 110 toward Ventura County. For those that don't live in the LA area, it's the worst-rated ramp/intersection in the entire LA area.

I wait in front of the 4th & 5th grade school for the bus to deliver 1st - 3rd graders for library programs two times a week. I can't tell you how many parents regularly drive past the buses *as they're loading students* with their flashing lights on and the stop sign out. (It's at least three each day, sometimes as many as a dozen.)

The buses load on one side of the school, while parent pick up is at the front, so there's a stop sign for the parents. (The library parking lot also feeds into the same small section of exit.) Do the parents stop for that stop sign? Nope. They'll race each other to get out in front of the bus. And the ones that do stop? Someone behind them will lay on the horn, because they're not moving fast enough.

We have had one parent strike a biker, and one car hit a bus. Frankly, I'm surprised that there haven't been more accidents.

Those parents really should be pulled over and ticketed steeply.

With the need for municipal funds being so desperate, perhaps a quick call to the police, so they can bolster their coffers.