The 10 types of drivers you see at Canberra school drop offs

For most people who say it is too difficult to cycle or walk, because they have children, I would speculate that most didn’t cycle or walk to work as their main means of transport before having children. Now the children are just a convenient excuse for something they never did anyway.

watto23 said :

To be fair to parents who do bubblewrap their kids, its not like the perception being far worse than the reality is just related to taking kids to school. Society in general is like that. A freak accident that kills one person can create a whole raft of rule changes, even though its happened once. So many laws are in place because someone may have got hurt once and it may have even been their fault.

People generally do make up some pretty lame excuses as to why they do things and tend to not think there is a choice. Pay car parking is one such argument, where people have made every excuse possible as to why they must drive, when reality is driving is the easiest option and the other options are too hard to make work for them. There are still other choices though!

Often just harder, not too hard, For pay parking I think of healthy people with no family commitments who live within 6-7 km of work who cannot contemplate anything but driving. Too lazy to seriously consider buses or bikes. Yes, just too lazy.

To be fair to parents who do bubblewrap their kids, its not like the perception being far worse than the reality is just related to taking kids to school. Society in general is like that. A freak accident that kills one person can create a whole raft of rule changes, even though its happened once. So many laws are in place because someone may have got hurt once and it may have even been their fault.

People generally do make up some pretty lame excuses as to why they do things and tend to not think there is a choice. Pay car parking is one such argument, where people have made every excuse possible as to why they must drive, when reality is driving is the easiest option and the other options are too hard to make work for them. There are still other choices though!

Maya123 said :

Piratepete said :

Firstly to all the people saying what about mentioning the alternate ways to get to school – the article is called “The 10 types of drivers you see at Canberra school drop offs” therefore she is writing only about drivers in this article. She was making no statement that she was including the other forms of transport (be it bus,legs,scooters or bikes).
Secondly, I think all the people on here saying back in my day…….please remember that cars now drive faster, there are more cars (due to population), there are more distractions (smartphones) and so people are much more hesitant to let their kids walk or ride especially if they have to cross a road.
I used to walk from Curtin to Hughes from age 6 to go to school, continuing to walk to Deakin, and then on to Phillip for college. Yes I drive my two under age 8 kids to school.

More cars now yes, that statistic increased by all the parents driving their kids to school, but cars don’t go any faster than fifty years ago. Faster than a hundred years ago, but who’s personally remembering that to comment here. If the child is too young to walk by themselves, one of the parents (or local parents taking in turns) should walk the child to school. Some of the danger of cars to children would likely come from children NOT walking to school and never getting the experience of the dangers and where it is safe to walk. Cocoon them and naturally the big bad world of roads is dangerous to them.

Yep. The only significant change since we walked to school has been parental perceptions of increased danger, as opposed to the reality.

Maya123 said :

dtc said :

How many of the whingers (‘why cant kids walk’) actually have kids?

You will find two things quite quickly

a. most kids do walk or ride to their local school (way more than 1/2 if my kid’s school is any sample) or bus in when in high school (most primary schools do not have bus services)

b. of those in primary that don’t walk or ride, many come from several suburbs away (due to things like school closures) or have parents who have assessed the danger from various busy streets etc and decided the risk was too high for the age of the kid. There is a lot more traffic nowdays than when we were all kiddies, for a start (and, as a parent, I’m not scared of the ‘random stranger’, I’m scared of traffic accidents)

There are, of course, parents who do drive, or parents who find it more convenient to get the kids ready at 830 and drive in rather than have them ready by 745 for the bus. Or who drive past the school on the way to work. Or work part time themselves.

How do y’all get to work? Anyone drive? Or just whinge about other people driving?

Answering your question, when I worked (a few years ago), I cycled, or on wet days bused part of the way and then walked 2 kms the rest of the way to work. I rarely whinged (as you put it) about other people driving, because I didn’t experience the stop, start of traffic, although I could see it it times from the distance. And the few times I drove to work, I would think, “This is madness!”. Then I would shake my head in bewilderment at why these people wanted to be stuck in traffic everyday.

I know how you feel. When you’re used to the smooth flow of Canberra’s cycle paths, the very short Canberra peak hour feels like a eternity! Always a relief to get back on the bike.

Piratepete said :

Firstly to all the people saying what about mentioning the alternate ways to get to school – the article is called “The 10 types of drivers you see at Canberra school drop offs” therefore she is writing only about drivers in this article. She was making no statement that she was including the other forms of transport (be it bus,legs,scooters or bikes).
Secondly, I think all the people on here saying back in my day…….please remember that cars now drive faster, there are more cars (due to population), there are more distractions (smartphones) and so people are much more hesitant to let their kids walk or ride especially if they have to cross a road.
I used to walk from Curtin to Hughes from age 6 to go to school, continuing to walk to Deakin, and then on to Phillip for college. Yes I drive my two under age 8 kids to school.

More cars now yes, that statistic increased by all the parents driving their kids to school, but cars don’t go any faster than fifty years ago. Faster than a hundred years ago, but who’s personally remembering that to comment here. If the child is too young to walk by themselves, one of the parents (or local parents taking in turns) should walk the child to school. Some of the danger of cars to children would likely come from children NOT walking to school and never getting the experience of the dangers and where it is safe to walk. Cocoon them and naturally the big bad world of roads is dangerous to them.

dtc said :

How many of the whingers (‘why cant kids walk’) actually have kids?

You will find two things quite quickly

a. most kids do walk or ride to their local school (way more than 1/2 if my kid’s school is any sample) or bus in when in high school (most primary schools do not have bus services)

b. of those in primary that don’t walk or ride, many come from several suburbs away (due to things like school closures) or have parents who have assessed the danger from various busy streets etc and decided the risk was too high for the age of the kid. There is a lot more traffic nowdays than when we were all kiddies, for a start (and, as a parent, I’m not scared of the ‘random stranger’, I’m scared of traffic accidents)

There are, of course, parents who do drive, or parents who find it more convenient to get the kids ready at 830 and drive in rather than have them ready by 745 for the bus. Or who drive past the school on the way to work. Or work part time themselves.

How do y’all get to work? Anyone drive? Or just whinge about other people driving?

Answering your question, when I worked (a few years ago), I cycled, or on wet days bused part of the way and then walked 2 kms the rest of the way to work. I rarely whinged (as you put it) about other people driving, because I didn’t experience the stop, start of traffic, although I could see it it times from the distance. And the few times I drove to work, I would think, “This is madness!”. Then I would shake my head in bewilderment at why these people wanted to be stuck in traffic everyday.

dtc said :

How many of the whingers (‘why cant kids walk’) actually have kids?

You will find two things quite quickly

a. most kids do walk or ride to their local school (way more than 1/2 if my kid’s school is any sample) or bus in when in high school (most primary schools do not have bus services)

b. of those in primary that don’t walk or ride, many come from several suburbs away (due to things like school closures) or have parents who have assessed the danger from various busy streets etc and decided the risk was too high for the age of the kid. There is a lot more traffic nowdays than when we were all kiddies, for a start (and, as a parent, I’m not scared of the ‘random stranger’, I’m scared of traffic accidents)

There are, of course, parents who do drive, or parents who find it more convenient to get the kids ready at 830 and drive in rather than have them ready by 745 for the bus. Or who drive past the school on the way to work. Or work part time themselves.

How do y’all get to work? Anyone drive? Or just whinge about other people driving?

Yes, I have junior primary school kids. Sometimes drive, sometimes ride sometimes get the bus. The kids get driven or ride their bikes with me or my wife. You can mix it up. You don’t have to drive all the time!

rubaiyat said :

Southmouth said :

And of my 4 who have not walked to school in years ( we moved), 2 are state level athletes and the other 2 just as fit. Childhood obesity is largely diet.

No it isn’t, it is a combination of diet AND lack of exercise. Obviously your kids get the later to excess.

When we were all kids our diet was not the best, not todays processed junk food just plenty of fatty food, but we walked/ran everywhere and were skinny as rakes.

My father is 91 and has cholesterol problems but not weight problems. Never had. Despite my Mum’s Austrian cooking.

It’s bulk quantities of sugar and refined carbohydrates that are the enemy. I doubt your father had anywhere near the amount of these that kids have now days. Fat is not all bad either. There is no way that walking 3km to school can offset the diet that obese kids have.

Piratepete said :

please remember that cars now drive faster, there are more cars (due to population).

What like today’s 40km/hr speed limits in school zones and 50km in suburbia? 70km on main roads?

We also had open speed limits on country roads.

The thing we didn’t have was all the crazy excuses that condemn our kids to being kept like precious pets that might run off, and having to run the gauntlet of the car mash up at the school gates, a huge contributor to the “more cars on the road” syndrome.

If your kids are so precious why does half the population now have 4WD and a barrel of excuses when they run over their children in their driveways?

This affects the parents as much as the kids, as they are usually in even more advanced obesity than the children.

I really do not buy the “necessity” argument. It is a choice, a lazy easy way out “choice” supported by massive advertising and marketing, one that you can change if you want to.

You do not have to do what you are told. You manage to ignore all the sensible advise, try doing the same to the sales propaganda.

Southmouth said :

And of my 4 who have not walked to school in years ( we moved), 2 are state level athletes and the other 2 just as fit. Childhood obesity is largely diet.

No it isn’t, it is a combination of diet AND lack of exercise. Obviously your kids get the later to excess.

When we were all kids our diet was not the best, not todays processed junk food just plenty of fatty food, but we walked/ran everywhere and were skinny as rakes.

My father is 91 and has cholesterol problems but not weight problems. Never had. Despite my Mum’s Austrian cooking.

Great list and I’d like to add one more – The Smasher

A close relative of the Blocker, the Smasher has the spatial awareness of a piece of wet spaghetti. Easily identified by the numerous scrapes and dings on their usually small car, this driver somehow manages to hit kerbs and poles even at walking pace. When not being driver you can identify a Smasher’s car as it will be parked straddling two bays.

And of my 4 who have not walked to school in years ( we moved), 2 are state level athletes and the other 2 just as fit. Childhood obesity is largely diet.
My father walk 6 miles to school jumping from cow pat to cow pat as he was too poor for a horse or shoes. Apparently.

Firstly to all the people saying what about mentioning the alternate ways to get to school – the article is called “The 10 types of drivers you see at Canberra school drop offs” therefore she is writing only about drivers in this article. She was making no statement that she was including the other forms of transport (be it bus,legs,scooters or bikes).
Secondly, I think all the people on here saying back in my day…….please remember that cars now drive faster, there are more cars (due to population), there are more distractions (smartphones) and so people are much more hesitant to let their kids walk or ride especially if they have to cross a road.
I used to walk from Curtin to Hughes from age 6 to go to school, continuing to walk to Deakin, and then on to Phillip for college. Yes I drive my two under age 8 kids to school.

Southmouth said :

shellcase said :

The world has changed for the worse. Why can’t the little darlings walk, ride their scooters or bikes to school? It’s all just too precious.
My horse knew the way to school, I didn’t have to handle the reins, Pete knew the drill, he did the driving and I sat in the saddle with the Lithgow across my knees popping rabbits, foxes, anything feral that came within range. Great days.

So where was this school that had stables and gun racks for the students?

No gun racks, but my uncle rode a horse to school. The school had a paddock for the horses.

How many of the whingers (‘why cant kids walk’) actually have kids?

You will find two things quite quickly

a. most kids do walk or ride to their local school (way more than 1/2 if my kid’s school is any sample) or bus in when in high school (most primary schools do not have bus services)

b. of those in primary that don’t walk or ride, many come from several suburbs away (due to things like school closures) or have parents who have assessed the danger from various busy streets etc and decided the risk was too high for the age of the kid. There is a lot more traffic nowdays than when we were all kiddies, for a start (and, as a parent, I’m not scared of the ‘random stranger’, I’m scared of traffic accidents)

There are, of course, parents who do drive, or parents who find it more convenient to get the kids ready at 830 and drive in rather than have them ready by 745 for the bus. Or who drive past the school on the way to work. Or work part time themselves.

How do y’all get to work? Anyone drive? Or just whinge about other people driving?

The scene outside too many Canberra schools (and, no doubt, schools throughout the country) often reminds me of this French and Saunders gem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc7t5zGrWlw

Southmouth said :

shellcase said :

The world has changed for the worse. Why can’t the little darlings walk, ride their scooters or bikes to school? It’s all just too precious.
My horse knew the way to school, I didn’t have to handle the reins, Pete knew the drill, he did the driving and I sat in the saddle with the Lithgow across my knees popping rabbits, foxes, anything feral that came within range. Great days.

So where was this school that had stables and gun racks for the students?

In Texas they call it ‘kindergarten’.

shellcase said :

The world has changed for the worse. Why can’t the little darlings walk, ride their scooters or bikes to school? It’s all just too precious.
My horse knew the way to school, I didn’t have to handle the reins, Pete knew the drill, he did the driving and I sat in the saddle with the Lithgow across my knees popping rabbits, foxes, anything feral that came within range. Great days.

So where was this school that had stables and gun racks for the students?

The world has changed for the worse. Why can’t the little darlings walk, ride their scooters or bikes to school? It’s all just too precious.
My horse knew the way to school, I didn’t have to handle the reins, Pete knew the drill, he did the driving and I sat in the saddle with the Lithgow across my knees popping rabbits, foxes, anything feral that came within range. Great days.

Kids are driven to school for “safety” reasons but they are at more risk of injury as a result of being driven.

Maya123 said :

Funky1 said :

Wow! Talk about hijacking!

What is obviously a light-hearted original post is suddenly turned into a “justify you life choices” thread.

I’m sure most school have a mixture of kids who walk or ride to school by themselves, those who walk or ride with a parent and those who are driven (for whatever reason that needs no justification to anyone, let alone strangers on an online forum).

Please let’s try to keep these sorts of thread light-hearted, as the OP intended.

But this offered no alternative to the car drop-off, implying that only this is the normal thing to do. It might be the common thing to do, but it isn’t normal, not when it deprives children of exercise, and teaches by bad example. If alternative drop-offs to the car were included your argument might have had some basis, but as it was limited to cars this made a statement that needed replying to.

I’m also not sure that I like where this “I’ll make whatever choices I want, and I don’t give a rats about the impact on other people, and certainly will not justify them to anyone” attitude is taking our society. We could do with a smidgin more consideration and courtesy towards our fellow community members, and this is not consistent with “I’ll do what I want, wherever I want, to whomever I want”. We live in a city, not alone on 100 hectares.

Funky1 said :

Wow! Talk about hijacking!

What is obviously a light-hearted original post is suddenly turned into a “justify you life choices” thread.

I’m sure most school have a mixture of kids who walk or ride to school by themselves, those who walk or ride with a parent and those who are driven (for whatever reason that needs no justification to anyone, let alone strangers on an online forum).

Please let’s try to keep these sorts of thread light-hearted, as the OP intended.

But this offered no alternative to the car drop-off, implying that only this is the normal thing to do. It might be the common thing to do, but it isn’t normal, not when it deprives children of exercise, and teaches by bad example. If alternative drop-offs to the car were included your argument might have had some basis, but as it was limited to cars this made a statement that needed replying to.

Maya123 said :

Southmouth said :

The buses are genuinely zoos on wheels. My 4 are all at different levels of the food chain so their experiences are varied.

Tell me then, how does this vary between how they are treated in the school yard to the bus? From my experience at school, the school yard was a far worse place than the bus to be mistreated.

I haven’t been to school in a long time and have no kids but I think the school bus can create a more claustrophobic environment and thus a more “condensed” and intense type of environment for bullying. It can provide bullies with an uninterrupted teacher-free window of opportunity to pick on people.

We sit here and panic about the public menace that is obesity, while offering parents pick-up and drop-off valet service. Most of them could use the regular (short) walk to the carpark.

Wow! Talk about hijacking!

What is obviously a light-hearted original post is suddenly turned into a “justify you life choices” thread.

I’m sure most school have a mixture of kids who walk or ride to school by themselves, those who walk or ride with a parent and those who are driven (for whatever reason that needs no justification to anyone, let alone strangers on an online forum).

Please let’s try to keep these sorts of thread light-hearted, as the OP intended.

Maya123 said :

Southmouth said :

The buses are genuinely zoos on wheels. My 4 are all at different levels of the food chain so their experiences are varied.

Tell me then, how does this vary between how they are treated in the school yard to the bus? From my experience at school, the school yard was a far worse place than the bus to be mistreated.

My school sounds similar to yours but for my kids things are pretty tame once they get to school. Given that the only adult on the bus is the driver, not much oversight

Maya123 said :

Southmouth said :

The buses are genuinely zoos on wheels. My 4 are all at different levels of the food chain so their experiences are varied.

Tell me then, how does this vary between how they are treated in the school yard to the bus? From my experience at school, the school yard was a far worse place than the bus to be mistreated.

Another manifestation of Canberra bus phobia?

Southmouth said :

The buses are genuinely zoos on wheels. My 4 are all at different levels of the food chain so their experiences are varied.

Tell me then, how does this vary between how they are treated in the school yard to the bus? From my experience at school, the school yard was a far worse place than the bus to be mistreated.

Number 6 is sad.

Maya123 said :

Rollersk8r said :

Ahh yes, no.9 Friends of ours HAD TO buy two 4WDs for climbing gutters at school drop off! That was their honest reason!

My two wheel drive can climb gutters. You only need enough clearance, which my car has.

But seriously, why don’t more children walk to school? I was walking to school by myself (insisted) at age four. Fortunately in my case school wasn’t far. But then very few children were taken there by their parents. That would have been ‘so’ embarrassing. Those further away would ride a bicycle, as I did when a later school was some distance. No good examples are being set here for the children by driving them. No wonder many children are unfit and overweight. (Likely like their overweight parents.) The example being set is, the world is dangerous, you must never walk or cycle anywhere that you can drive to.
The world is not a more dangerous place than it was when I was a child; only that we hear about incidents more often. I am not advocating four years olds walk to school by themselves; that was too young, and I believe my mother would stand at the gate and watch me get to school safely. But parents could get off their lazy behinds and walk/cycle with their children. If this is too difficult; pick a school closer to home, not across town.

I have this conversation with people all the time. As much as I love to ridicule the parade of European 4WDs at Radford – I also drop my 5 and 7 year olds at their school.

I walked to school from day 1 myself, although we had safety in numbers (about 10 kids in my street) and didn’t have to cross a single road to primary school or high school.

Times have unfortunately changed – and I also don’t trust my kids yet (and drivers) when it comes to crossing a very busy road.

Strange.

I pick up and drop off semi-regularly and we never seem to have problems with traffic, parking, etc. There’s plenty of room, people generally behave considerately and children have designated points for crossing streets, etc.

The (primary) school has about 900 children attending. Surely not all schools have the problems described in this article?

Southmouth said :

I have 4 that ride the bus. They hate it, and i would too given what they endure. When i’m on leave i drive them. I am surprised by the number who are driven. I’m also surprised by the number who insist on turning right across the traffic, into one of the school carparks. I always go around the block to be on the left turning side. The other side is backed up for 100m and single lane. Why

What is it that they endure? I too would like to know. For several months at the end of high school I lived on a farm out in the country and caught the school bus to school. There was nothing from where I caught the bus for me to endue, as I was only about six kms out, although after I was picked up, the bus would turn into a side road to pick up there too (unless the road was flooded, which happened at times, such as the day over 380mm of rain fell). My bus trip was only half an hour. But some poor kids had to catch the bus at 7am each morning to get get to school, and then had another long trip home in the evening. They came in from fifty or so kms away; plus the bus likely added more distance by covering side roads too, making the trip even longer. The buses were old, with matching hard bench seats and the road was winding and hilly. I doubt your kids have anything like this to endure. But please tell us what you mean.

The buses are genuinely zoos on wheels. My 4 are all at different levels of the food chain so their experiences are varied.

Southmouth said :

I have 4 that ride the bus. They hate it, and i would too given what they endure. When i’m on leave i drive them. I am surprised by the number who are driven. I’m also surprised by the number who insist on turning right across the traffic, into one of the school carparks. I always go around the block to be on the left turning side. The other side is backed up for 100m and single lane. Why

What do they endure? Our kids say they hate riding to school. But I think because the other option is being driven.

I have 4 that ride the bus. They hate it, and i would too given what they endure. When i’m on leave i drive them. I am surprised by the number who are driven. I’m also surprised by the number who insist on turning right across the traffic, into one of the school carparks. I always go around the block to be on the left turning side. The other side is backed up for 100m and single lane. Why

Clearly, as noted, this is a generational thing. Back in my day I walked or rode to school if possible.

When I was living too far away to make my own way and was dropped off it was at an out of the way location that wasn’t right by the front gate. If a school bus was possible at the time I dare say I would have been on that too.

I assume school buses are still a thing?

bryansworld said :

Maya123 said :

Rollersk8r said :

Ahh yes, no.9 Friends of ours HAD TO buy two 4WDs for climbing gutters at school drop off! That was their honest reason!

My two wheel drive can climb gutters. You only need enough clearance, which my car has.

But seriously, why don’t more children walk to school? I was walking to school by myself (insisted) at age four. Fortunately in my case school wasn’t far. But then very few children were taken there by their parents. That would have been ‘so’ embarrassing. Those further away would ride a bicycle, as I did when a later school was some distance. No good examples are being set here for the children by driving them. No wonder many children are unfit and overweight. (Likely like their overweight parents.) The example being set is, the world is dangerous, you must never walk or cycle anywhere that you can drive to.
The world is not a more dangerous place than it was when I was a child; only that we hear about incidents more often. I am not advocating four years olds walk to school by themselves; that was too young, and I believe my mother would stand at the gate and watch me get to school safely. But parents could get off their lazy behinds and walk/cycle with their children. If this is too difficult; pick a school closer to home, not across town.

Welcome to the new Australia. A much more dangerous world of big people in big cars and big houses, and their mollycoddled children.

LOL!

Maya123 said :

Rollersk8r said :

Ahh yes, no.9 Friends of ours HAD TO buy two 4WDs for climbing gutters at school drop off! That was their honest reason!

My two wheel drive can climb gutters. You only need enough clearance, which my car has.

But seriously, why don’t more children walk to school? I was walking to school by myself (insisted) at age four. Fortunately in my case school wasn’t far. But then very few children were taken there by their parents. That would have been ‘so’ embarrassing. Those further away would ride a bicycle, as I did when a later school was some distance. No good examples are being set here for the children by driving them. No wonder many children are unfit and overweight. (Likely like their overweight parents.) The example being set is, the world is dangerous, you must never walk or cycle anywhere that you can drive to.
The world is not a more dangerous place than it was when I was a child; only that we hear about incidents more often. I am not advocating four years olds walk to school by themselves; that was too young, and I believe my mother would stand at the gate and watch me get to school safely. But parents could get off their lazy behinds and walk/cycle with their children. If this is too difficult; pick a school closer to home, not across town.

Welcome to the new Australia. A much more dangerous world of big people in big cars and big houses, and their mollycoddled children.

You too can help solve the mystery of childhood obesity and diabetes.

Millions are suffering throughout the first world from an ailment that has puzzled modern medicine since it first appeared a decade or two ago.

Possible causes are children eating too much vegetable and fruit. Also could be a sports related affliction, or exposure to the outdoors. There are even theories that merely thinking about Light Rail could be causing both the children and their parents severe mental anguish which is leading the body to defensively build fat reserves to get through the long hard winter when civilisation as we know it ends.

Whichever of these likely causes is the real culprit, you can do your part by donating at your Macdonalds, Service Station or local Car Park. Every bit counts.

Rollersk8r said :

Ahh yes, no.9 Friends of ours HAD TO buy two 4WDs for climbing gutters at school drop off! That was their honest reason!

My two wheel drive can climb gutters. You only need enough clearance, which my car has.

But seriously, why don’t more children walk to school? I was walking to school by myself (insisted) at age four. Fortunately in my case school wasn’t far. But then very few children were taken there by their parents. That would have been ‘so’ embarrassing. Those further away would ride a bicycle, as I did when a later school was some distance. No good examples are being set here for the children by driving them. No wonder many children are unfit and overweight. (Likely like their overweight parents.) The example being set is, the world is dangerous, you must never walk or cycle anywhere that you can drive to.
The world is not a more dangerous place than it was when I was a child; only that we hear about incidents more often. I am not advocating four years olds walk to school by themselves; that was too young, and I believe my mother would stand at the gate and watch me get to school safely. But parents could get off their lazy behinds and walk/cycle with their children. If this is too difficult; pick a school closer to home, not across town.

Why are there now “drop off lines”? I don’t ever recall there being that much vehicle traffic at my primary school or high school. What has changed in the 18 years since I was at school? And why can’t kids just be dropped off at a convenient road nearby the school, and walk the rest of the the way?

Any room in there for the mother who lets their child walk to school or catch the bus?

Or is this only for future contestants on The World’s Biggest Loser?

We’ve had lots of problems at our school with the sub-species of “creator” that thinks its OK to mount the kerb and park on the grass. For some reason they don’t understand why it’s dangerous to have herds of cars and trucks moving around on a lawn that primary school children are trying to walk across. This sub-species perceives itself as unable to walk the extra ten or twenty metres from a legal and safe parking space.

Ahh yes, no.9 Friends of ours HAD TO buy two 4WDs for climbing gutters at school drop off! That was their honest reason!