Thoughts on the new Churchill principal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was late to school today and there was still traffic surrounding Churchill at 8:00.

Parents can speed as much as students. The school dropoffs are also on neighborhood two lane roads which are prone to being congested. Just because the driver was a parent doesn't mean the school community should dismiss the incident. Any earlier, a student pedestrian could have been struck when the car left the road.

A van with a speed camera is regularly parked on Gainsborough near Cabin John. Why can't one be parked in front of Churchill or a permanent camera errected like Wootton has? Is the county waiting for a magic number of accidents or a fatality before doing something?

Speeding is not the only issue. DO you know how many times I see parents on their phones? You would think with all the fancy cars parents at Churchill drive, they would learn to use the Bluetooth.

So is running the red light at Gainsborough/Tuckerman to get to school drop-off in the morning which I've seen parents do MANY times. Very dangerous. There needs to be a red light camera there.

They need a turn signal at that intersection. It is incredibly difficult to make a left onto Gainsborough from Tuckerman in the morning and afternoon. If they want to disable it during other parts of the day fine, but I've seen where only 2 cars can get through that light and mostly it's on the yellow turning red.

Yes-- there needs to be a full traffic study. But I'd recommend a stop sign on Victory to help cars get out of the lot, particularly to go straight and turn left onto Victory (so traffic isn't stuck in the lot, unable to exit). And some mechanism to smooth the departure along Gainsborough so cars don't get so backed up going that way. I was wondering about a stop light to help cars turn left from Victory onto Gainsborough, that operates as a stoplight during morning/afternoon drop off and blinks red/yellow at other times of the day (which would also slow down cars on Gainsborough, generally). Most parents are probably wanting drive to Tuckerman, but might find that turning left onto Gainsborough gets them out of the traffic tangle faster, even if it means driving a few extra blocks.

I don't typically drive in the morning but I did today and a student was in a car that turned left from Victory into the lot into that new lefthand lane, but then zoomed past me (in the righthand lane to go straight to park in the spots that are straight ahead. Occasionally sending security guards out to confiscate the parking passes of poor drivers in the lot would both help increase safety in the lot and maybe make these new drivers more responsible drivers in all contexts.

The problem is that they have made it so difficult for students to use the senior lot. I'm not excusing anyone's bad driving, but between buses, parent drop-offs and pick-ups, and students trying to park their cars in their assigned spaces it is a bad situation. My DD who graduated a few years ago told me that parents would block her parking space and when she asked them to move they just ignored her and could not have cared less. Given that these are fairly inexperienced drivers, why don't they make the senior lot as safe as possible by giving students easier access and not having to contend with all of these extra cars and buses in the lot. As the parent of a senior, I am really upset about this. Also, I see so many parents holding their cell phones while dropping off/picking up students. They are just as bad as the kids and should know better since it's against the law in Maryland to hold your phone while driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child was late to school today and there was still traffic surrounding Churchill at 8:00.

Parents can speed as much as students. The school dropoffs are also on neighborhood two lane roads which are prone to being congested. Just because the driver was a parent doesn't mean the school community should dismiss the incident. Any earlier, a student pedestrian could have been struck when the car left the road.

A van with a speed camera is regularly parked on Gainsborough near Cabin John. Why can't one be parked in front of Churchill or a permanent camera errected like Wootton has? Is the county waiting for a magic number of accidents or a fatality before doing something?

Speeding is not the only issue. DO you know how many times I see parents on their phones? You would think with all the fancy cars parents at Churchill drive, they would learn to use the Bluetooth.

So is running the red light at Gainsborough/Tuckerman to get to school drop-off in the morning which I've seen parents do MANY times. Very dangerous. There needs to be a red light camera there.

They need a turn signal at that intersection. It is incredibly difficult to make a left onto Gainsborough from Tuckerman in the morning and afternoon. If they want to disable it during other parts of the day fine, but I've seen where only 2 cars can get through that light and mostly it's on the yellow turning red.

Yes-- there needs to be a full traffic study. But I'd recommend a stop sign on Victory to help cars get out of the lot, particularly to go straight and turn left onto Victory (so traffic isn't stuck in the lot, unable to exit). And some mechanism to smooth the departure along Gainsborough so cars don't get so backed up going that way. I was wondering about a stop light to help cars turn left from Victory onto Gainsborough, that operates as a stoplight during morning/afternoon drop off and blinks red/yellow at other times of the day (which would also slow down cars on Gainsborough, generally). Most parents are probably wanting drive to Tuckerman, but might find that turning left onto Gainsborough gets them out of the traffic tangle faster, even if it means driving a few extra blocks.

I don't typically drive in the morning but I did today and a student was in a car that turned left from Victory into the lot into that new lefthand lane, but then zoomed past me (in the righthand lane to go straight to park in the spots that are straight ahead. Occasionally sending security guards out to confiscate the parking passes of poor drivers in the lot would both help increase safety in the lot and maybe make these new drivers more responsible drivers in all contexts.

The problem is that they have made it so difficult for students to use the senior lot. I'm not excusing anyone's bad driving, but between buses, parent drop-offs and pick-ups, and students trying to park their cars in their assigned spaces it is a bad situation. My DD who graduated a few years ago told me that parents would block her parking space and when she asked them to move they just ignored her and could not have cared less. Given that these are fairly inexperienced drivers, why don't they make the senior lot as safe as possible by giving students easier access and not having to contend with all of these extra cars and buses in the lot. As the parent of a senior, I am really upset about this. Also, I see so many parents holding their cell phones while dropping off/picking up students. They are just as bad as the kids and should know better since it's against the law in Maryland to hold your phone while driving.

Do kids have an actual assigned spot or just permission to park in the lot? If assigned spots, that actually explains some of the student driving-- in some cases, I've wondered why a kid doesn't just park in a part of the lot that is easier for them to access at that particular time.

This may not help your kid at all, but I would recommend that for kids who need to drive in straight ahead after turning in from Victory, that they actually drive around the block so they can enter using the right lane rather than the left. The left lane requires them to change lanes in front of impatient parents trying to drive up curbside and who aren't expecting merging. Likewise, for kids who want to park to the left after entering from Victory, it would be helpful if they drove a route that had them turning left into the lot so they are in the correct lane to easily enter that lot. (No advice for the kids forced to park right next to the entry from Victory-- that must be really hard with the two lanes set up the way they are.)

[Anonymous]

Yes. Seniors in the student lot have assigned spaces. I agree the zig zigging once they are in the lot is hazardous. I don't think this was considered when they made entrance changes to the parking lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Seniors in the student lot have assigned spaces. I agree the zig zigging once they are in the lot is hazardous. I don't think this was considered when they made entrance changes to the parking lot.

Perhaps not, but since they didn't, kids can drive around the block to enter the lane that is most suitable to their spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Seniors in the student lot have assigned spaces. I agree the zig zigging once they are in the lot is hazardous. I don't think this was considered when they made entrance changes to the parking lot.

Perhaps not, but since they didn't, kids can drive around the block to enter the lane that is most suitable to their spot.

Well sure, that will only take another 15 minutes in morning traffic. No matter what, this does not solve the disaster that they've created in the student parking lot (of which all spots are ASSIGNED).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Seniors in the student lot have assigned spaces. I agree the zig zigging once they are in the lot is hazardous. I don't think this was considered when they made entrance changes to the parking lot.

Perhaps not, but since they didn't, kids can drive around the block to enter the lane that is most suitable to their spot.

Well sure, that will only take another 15 minutes in morning traffic. No matter what, this does not solve the disaster that they've created in the student parking lot (of which all spots are ASSIGNED).

+1 if everyone has to drive around the block just to access their assign spots then that will create even more traffic on the smaller side streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's the thing people aren't understanding.

#1 Traffic studies are expensive.

#2 You can't just add an arrow at Gainsborough and Tuckerman without changing the timing on the light which then impacts all of the traffic along Tuckerman, Falls, Seven Locks etc... all carriers of massive amounts of traffic during that same time period.

#3 Given #1 and #2 the traffic study would likely be more extensive and expensive than just this one intersection.

#4 Given all of the above and the variety of needs in our county I don't know how anyone could justify this expense just to shave 5 minutes off of the 15 minute experience of this small subset of citizens.

Here's what you aren't understanding, the traffic study is needed for safety. The current situation is only a matter of time till a student is injured or killed.

That's right. Won't someone think of the children. This is all easily solved if the adults will all just be patient and wait their turns. If parents would stop dropping their kids off in the middle of the street. Why don't some of you volunteer to help direct and manage traffic? Or put your kid on the bus - drops them right at the door.

[Anonymous]

Traffic is horrendous around the school. A 10 minute trip turns into a 25 minute trip just because the roads and school lots weren't designed for the population the school currently has. The line for student drop offs has reached almost to Post Oak Rd. so anyone in the line at 7:35 am will be late to class.

My child has started riding a bike because it's faster than driving. However, I do worry about his safety because a car hit him on his bike this year but luckily he was just bruised. The kid driving didn't stop though to make sure my kid was ok. Anyone driving should slow down and watch for bikes and pedestrians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Traffic is horrendous around the school. A 10 minute trip turns into a 25 minute trip just because the roads and school lots weren't designed for the population the school currently has. The line for student drop offs has reached almost to Post Oak Rd. so anyone in the line at 7:35 am will be late to class.

My child has started riding a bike because it's faster than driving. However, I do worry about his safety because a car hit him on his bike this year but luckily he was just bruised. The kid driving didn't stop though to make sure my kid was ok. Anyone driving should slow down and watch for bikes and pedestrians.

So first bell is 7:40 am. If you know the traffic is bad, here's an idea LEAVE EARLIER. It is amazing how many Churchill parents expect their little snowflakes to be able to be dropped off at the front door and not have to wait more than 1 minute for that privilege. So much of this problem has to do with selfish behavior and expectations of this community, cutting through the parking lot, speeding, on their phones, dropping kids in the middle of the street etc. And you wonder why the kids do the same thing? Look in the mirror.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Traffic is horrendous around the school. A 10 minute trip turns into a 25 minute trip just because the roads and school lots weren't designed for the population the school currently has. The line for student drop offs has reached almost to Post Oak Rd. so anyone in the line at 7:35 am will be late to class.

My child has started riding a bike because it's faster than driving. However, I do worry about his safety because a car hit him on his bike this year but luckily he was just bruised. The kid driving didn't stop though to make sure my kid was ok. Anyone driving should slow down and watch for bikes and pedestrians.

So first bell is 7:40 am. If you know the traffic is bad, here's an idea LEAVE EARLIER. It is amazing how many Churchill parents expect their little snowflakes to be able to be dropped off at the front door and not have to wait more than 1 minute for that privilege. So much of this problem has to do with selfish behavior and expectations of this community, cutting through the parking lot, speeding, on their phones, dropping kids in the middle of the street etc. And you wonder why the kids do the same thing? Look in the mirror.

Yes, thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Traffic is horrendous around the school. A 10 minute trip turns into a 25 minute trip just because the roads and school lots weren't designed for the population the school currently has. The line for student drop offs has reached almost to Post Oak Rd. so anyone in the line at 7:35 am will be late to class.

My child has started riding a bike because it's faster than driving. However, I do worry about his safety because a car hit him on his bike this year but luckily he was just bruised. The kid driving didn't stop though to make sure my kid was ok. Anyone driving should slow down and watch for bikes and pedestrians.

So first bell is 7:40 am. If you know the traffic is bad, here's an idea LEAVE EARLIER. It is amazing how many Churchill parents expect their little snowflakes to be able to be dropped off at the front door and not have to wait more than 1 minute for that privilege. So much of this problem has to do with selfish behavior and expectations of this community, cutting through the parking lot, speeding, on their phones, dropping kids in the middle of the street etc. And you wonder why the kids do the same thing? Look in the mirror.

Yes, thank you!

The child was riding a bike. Are you saying the child needs to leave earlier to avoid being hit by a car?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Traffic is horrendous around the school. A 10 minute trip turns into a 25 minute trip just because the roads and school lots weren't designed for the population the school currently has. The line for student drop offs has reached almost to Post Oak Rd. so anyone in the line at 7:35 am will be late to class.

My child has started riding a bike because it's faster than driving. However, I do worry about his safety because a car hit him on his bike this year but luckily he was just bruised. The kid driving didn't stop though to make sure my kid was ok. Anyone driving should slow down and watch for bikes and pedestrians.

So first bell is 7:40 am. If you know the traffic is bad, here's an idea LEAVE EARLIER. It is amazing how many Churchill parents expect their little snowflakes to be able to be dropped off at the front door and not have to wait more than 1 minute for that privilege. So much of this problem has to do with selfish behavior and expectations of this community, cutting through the parking lot, speeding, on their phones, dropping kids in the middle of the street etc. And you wonder why the kids do the same thing? Look in the mirror.

Yes, thank you!

The child was riding a bike. Are you saying the child needs to leave earlier to avoid being hit by a car?

he started biking because it was faster than driving. If he biked earlier then there would be less traffic and he would be safer. There is going to be a high volume of traffic around there no matter what you do. THere is no magic bullet to make the cars go away unless parents start using the busses.

[Anonymous]

I drive my kid to Churchill because teenagers need more sleep than a 7:45 AM school start allows (as discussed many times on this forum). He gets almost an extra 30 minutes of sleep by being driven to school instead of taking the bus (with its multiple stops and roundabout route). I have not encountered traffic problems at Churchill when we arrive at 7:25 AM. The new traffic patterns are certainly an improvement from last year.

My kid always takes the bus home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I drive my kid to Churchill because teenagers need more sleep than a 7:45 AM school start allows (as discussed many times on this forum). He gets almost an extra 30 minutes of sleep by being driven to school instead of taking the bus (with its multiple stops and roundabout route). I have not encountered traffic problems at Churchill when we arrive at 7:25 AM. The new traffic patterns are certainly an improvement from last year.

My kid always takes the bus home.

Just curious - which loop are you using to drop off? Trying to see if I changed routes if that makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I drive my kid to Churchill because teenagers need more sleep than a 7:45 AM school start allows (as discussed many times on this forum). He gets almost an extra 30 minutes of sleep by being driven to school instead of taking the bus (with its multiple stops and roundabout route). I have not encountered traffic problems at Churchill when we arrive at 7:25 AM. The new traffic patterns are certainly an improvement from last year.

My kid always takes the bus home.

Just curious - which loop are you using to drop off? Trying to see if I changed routes if that makes a difference.

Agree with extra 30 mins of sleep. Buses pick up VERY early.

Here's the primary red light running problem I've seen over the years: the parents coming from Gainsborough south of Tuckerman toward the school in the morning (continuing on Gainsborough through the intersection). Between 7:35 and 7:45 look out -- they are trying to get their kids to school on time and I've seen 2-3 in a row go through a red light to do it. Not just one racing through a yellow, multiple cars on the red. AND, there's a crosswalk there that they blow through. Student pedestrians are at risk there.