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@Robgilmo Imagine this.......
On the school pick up tonight your child, for some inconceivable reason breaks away from your grasp and runs into the road and his hit by a 4x4 because they did see your child due to inconsiderate parking.
Are you going to "No worries mate, easily done as parking is a right bitch round here. Oh and by the way cool car!"?
No, no you are not.
Accidents happen, but you have the duty to reduce all possible risks to yourself and others, even more so when children are involved.
From your posts on here I can conclude that you are either a complete idiot who really cannot understand that you are wholly in the wrong, or you realise that you are in the wrong but don't have the intelligence to say "Fair play you are right" and admit you are wrong.
I really hope that no children, including your own are hurt at that school.
The latest initiatives are around prohibiting motor vehicles from entering school streets at start and end times; it addresses parking, promotes exercise (walking, cycling, scooting g) and helps improve air quality.
It’s not suited to main roads and busy through routes though.
Exactly. These are cars that probably wouldn't well survive going off road.
Big estates and saloons are a problem too - my dad dropped me off in town in his mondeo and it was a bloody nightmare, they're just so long and the turns are so tight. In my car (which is sort of like a go kart with a roof in comparison) I can whip around these turns without a thought. It's still tight!
Another problem car that's a semi-frequent visitor to this area is a Bentley. I didn't realise until I saw it in the flesh, but Bentley cars are fucking massive. Clearly the owner has money, but rather than spend a few grand on a little inner city runaround that won't raise his blood pressure, I'll all too often see him three point turning down a side a street, gesturing to cyclists and other drivers and generally looking very flustered. It has to be an image thing, because there is no other sensible reason to drive such a large car through central old city roads and tiny car parks.
I have seen said Bentley with a front wheel stuck in the huge gutter channel as he was turning left down a side street and he didn't look like a cool, relaxed guy who was enjoying driving his Bentley.
An old landy wouldn't be as bad, especially as owners seldom tint all their windows which means you can still see through them to help keep traffic flowing... A friend has just restored a very old landy and it's a pretty compact car tbh, even inside. Again, not a choice for day to day comfort, very much a vehicle designed for off road and work...
The hazard lines on bends and at junctions, zig-zags at pedestrian crossings and yellow 'restricted parking' lines are there for a reason. These areas have children coming in and out of school - vulnerable yougn people with no skill at assessing danger to themselves and easily distracted.
If all drivers recognised the danger that their driving and vehicle is capable of posing to others, and drove appropriately or parked sensibly, then we wouldn't need these laws and markings to reduce the danger. Some children are alive today because of these safety measures. Some are not - despite all attempts to mitigate against poor driving/parking skills or mistakes.
What is it with people assuming I have car envy?
I LOVE cars, my favourites are the hot rods and muscle cars. I admire the styling and the engineering behind most of them and wish the owners the very best.
Would I ever own one? Hell no, they are a money pit that cost a fortune and with little return and most likely a loss.
I own a small Hyundai i20 which is easy to drive, park and run. I don't look on a car as a status symbol.
To be honest there should be a size limit on cars in towns, you just don't need these huge wally wagons in a suburban environment.
A 4x4 in a rural setting makes perfect sense, even a flatbed with a crew cab for builders, but not for popping down to Tesco for a lottery ticket.
Like preventing idiots from parking where there are likely to be a lot of kids around, for example. And slowing cars down in the area, not or.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson
On a clear road, both the child and the driver will have a better view of the hazards that they are being faced with (and potentially being faced with). That's why banning parking outside school entrances and on zebra crossings is the law - it works. In an ideal world of responsible driving, drivers would notice the child and start planning for the possibility that the child might run out in front of them. That's what kids do - run into the road without thinking. So, without any parked cars obstructing your view, I'd hope you'd prepare for the possibility they might run out and have a plan for what you'll do if that happens. Mayb you'd slow down a bit, or move away from the pavement they're using to give yourself more time if they did do something daft.
Parked cars are not a barrier preventing kids from running out. The gaps between are plenty wide enough AND hide the kids until they're under your wheels.
The fix-all which tries to cover all scenarios is for drivers to treat driving as a skill they should develop and maintain. And it's achievable.
If anyone is interested in finding out a bit more, I'm a big fan of the book Roadcraft (or Motorcycle Roadcraft if you're on two wheels).
In my area, since the council started running a road safety camera car around the roads out side school the incidents of irresponsible parking have almost stopped.
Motorists are licenced to drive their vehicle, a condition of the licence is compliance with the law including the high way code and local by laws. It is s pity that a sizable proportion of drivers cant manage this, if they did the roads would be a much nicer place.
My feedback thread is here.