PSA: stop using the dropoff and bus loops as parking

[Anonymous]

Please stop.

1. Some schools have magnet buses dropping the kids off about an hour after the school finishes. So, don't use the bus loop as your parking space just because you are too lazy to walk that extra 10 to 20ft. You are blocking the buses from getting through. The bus drivers will not let the kids out of the bus if they cannot pull right up to the school. And if you are in the car waiting, FFS, get out of the way. Drive out of the loop and come back in if you must. Don't just sit there expecting the bus driver to try to navigate around you.

2. If you are picking up your child from after care, don't park in the dropoff loop and get out of your car. You are blocking other cars from getting through. And if you have a toddler in the car, don't leave your car running in the loop with your toddler strapped in, while you go into after care, and the doors close behind you. I was very tempted to say something to the after care provider. I am normally a MYOB type of person, but this is a bonehead move.

I have witnessed both these things at Ritchie Park ES, but I'm betting that this occurs in other ESs.

While I am at it, stop double parking on the street in front of a store waiting for someone. It reduces the street to one lane with cars trying to get through on either direction. It's one thing if the person you are picking up is already outside waiting for you, and it only take a few seconds for that person to get in the car, but it's a whole other thing if that person is in the store, and you are just waiting, blocking traffic. Drive around the block until the person comes out. And FFS, if you are blocking traffic, don't just sit there staring at your phone. Pay attention to what's going around you and you'll notice that people are getting really annoyed with you.

Have a nice day. That is all.

[Anonymous]

I teach at a different elementary school that has several half-day programs (multiple PEPs, PreK, Head Start), and thus, busses coming at various times of the day. Parents think it's totally fine to drive up and just dump their car in the bus/fire lane in front of the school while they go in to drop things off in the office, or even sometimes to have a little meeting with someone. This despite the fact that we actually have ample parking in the actual parking lot.

Our principal finally cracked down and got those big traffic barrels to block off access after initial arrival and before dismissal. When a mid-day bus comes, the driver has to shut off the bus and move the barrels, or radio in for someone at the school to do it, if there are kids already on the bus. Huge hassle, all because some people don't think they have to follow the rules.

[Anonymous]

At my child's elementary school, the bus loop is closed to cars during morning and afternoon bus times but open to cars for parking in clearly marked sports all other times. When I've been to school to pick up a sick kid, I've been thankful to not have to drag a sick kiddo across the parking lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my child's elementary school, the bus loop is closed to cars during morning and afternoon bus times but open to cars for parking in clearly marked sports all other times. When I've been to school to pick up a sick kid, I've been thankful to not have to drag a sick kiddo across the parking lot.

Well, I don't know about your ES, but at our ES, the parking lot is never full on a normal day, and it is an extra 20 to 30ft to get to a parking space vs the bus or drop off loop. Short of a child on a death bed, I'm pretty sure a sick child can walk the extra 20 ft or so. I've had to pick up my kids from school, too, for being sick, one with a bloody head injury that required a trip to the ER. I parked at a designated parking spot rather than block the traffic and the bus. If you're parking in a designated area, then this doesn't apply to.

[Anonymous]

I would ask the principal to send out an email/note. Our principal does this occasionally. And, our after-care provider also sends out reminders sometimes. They would probably be willing to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my child's elementary school, the bus loop is closed to cars during morning and afternoon bus times but open to cars for parking in clearly marked sports all other times. When I've been to school to pick up a sick kid, I've been thankful to not have to drag a sick kiddo across the parking lot.

Well, I don't know about your ES, but at our ES, the parking lot is never full on a normal day, and it is an extra 20 to 30ft to get to a parking space vs the bus or drop off loop. Short of a child on a death bed, I'm pretty sure a sick child can walk the extra 20 ft or so. I've had to pick up my kids from school, too, for being sick, one with a bloody head injury that required a trip to the ER. I parked at a designated parking spot rather than block the traffic and the bus. If you're parking in a designated area, then this doesn't apply to.

The bus loop is an open designated parking lot after the am and pm bus runs. I'm going to use it as such- sick kid, healthy kid, just because.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my child's elementary school, the bus loop is closed to cars during morning and afternoon bus times but open to cars for parking in clearly marked sports all other times. When I've been to school to pick up a sick kid, I've been thankful to not have to drag a sick kiddo across the parking lot.

Well, I don't know about your ES, but at our ES, the parking lot is never full on a normal day, and it is an extra 20 to 30ft to get to a parking space vs the bus or drop off loop. Short of a child on a death bed, I'm pretty sure a sick child can walk the extra 20 ft or so. I've had to pick up my kids from school, too, for being sick, one with a bloody head injury that required a trip to the ER. I parked at a designated parking spot rather than block the traffic and the bus. If you're parking in a designated area, then this doesn't apply to.

The bus loop is an open designated parking lot after the am and pm bus runs. I'm going to use it as such- sick kid, healthy kid, just because.

well, as I said, if that is the rule in your ES, then this PSA is not for you. But, the loops aren't designated parking lots in other ESs, especially when there are still buses coming to the school after school hours.

And if your ES doesn't have after care with a drop of loop, again, this PSA isn't for you, but thanks for chiming in about how great it was that you didn't have to schlep your sick kid an extra 20ft to your car.

[Anonymous]

OP, you need to be clearer that the PSA is just for your school. This isn't the rule at our school (which doesn't have ANY visitor parking; only a staff lot). Our school staff advises that we are free to use the bus loop outside of the bus drop-off and pick-up windows.

[Anonymous]

Also not all schools are magnet drop offs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also not all schools are magnet drop offs

Yes, I know... that's why I said "some schools". If your school doesn't have any of these, or they have explicit rules allowing parking in the loops, then obviously, this PSA doesn't apply to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also not all schools are magnet drop offs

Yes, I know... that's why I said "some schools". If your school doesn't have any of these, or they have explicit rules allowing parking in the loops, then obviously, this PSA doesn't apply to you.

OP, talk to the PTA and the front office about this.

[Anonymous]

We've established that this PSA is worthless. Save your bitching for the front office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please stop.

1. Some schools have magnet buses dropping the kids off about an hour after the school finishes. So, don't use the bus loop as your parking space just because you are too lazy to walk that extra 10 to 20ft. You are blocking the buses from getting through. The bus drivers will not let the kids out of the bus if they cannot pull right up to the school. And if you are in the car waiting, FFS, get out of the way. Drive out of the loop and come back in if you must. Don't just sit there expecting the bus driver to try to navigate around you.

2. If you are picking up your child from after care, don't park in the dropoff loop and get out of your car. You are blocking other cars from getting through. And if you have a toddler in the car, don't leave your car running in the loop with your toddler strapped in, while you go into after care, and the doors close behind you. I was very tempted to say something to the after care provider. I am normally a MYOB type of person, but this is a bonehead move.

I have witnessed both these things at Ritchie Park ES, but I'm betting that this occurs in other ESs.

While I am at it, stop double parking on the street in front of a store waiting for someone. It reduces the street to one lane with cars trying to get through on either direction. It's one thing if the person you are picking up is already outside waiting for you, and it only take a few seconds for that person to get in the car, but it's a whole other thing if that person is in the store, and you are just waiting, blocking traffic. Drive around the block until the person comes out. And FFS, if you are blocking traffic, don't just sit there staring at your phone. Pay attention to what's going around you and you'll notice that people are getting really annoyed with you.

Have a nice day. That is all.

What is getting annoying is people like you thinking that venting on DCUM is actually going to bring about change. How about spending your time volunteering or thinking of solutions of how to fix problems instead of doing PSAs on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I teach at a different elementary school that has several half-day programs (multiple PEPs, PreK, Head Start), and thus, busses coming at various times of the day. Parents think it's totally fine to drive up and just dump their car in the bus/fire lane in front of the school while they go in to drop things off in the office, or even sometimes to have a little meeting with someone. This despite the fact that we actually have ample parking in the actual parking lot.

Our principal finally cracked down and got those big traffic barrels to block off access after initial arrival and before dismissal. When a mid-day bus comes, the driver has to shut off the bus and move the barrels, or radio in for someone at the school to do it, if there are kids already on the bus. Huge hassle, all because some people don't think they have to follow the rules.

Not every school has those rules. Everyone parks in the bus lot after drop off and before pick up, and it's not an issue. No signs or rules about not parking there. And we have a rather detailed policy on how to properly do the drop off---including a video.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my child's elementary school, the bus loop is closed to cars during morning and afternoon bus times but open to cars for parking in clearly marked sports all other times. When I've been to school to pick up a sick kid, I've been thankful to not have to drag a sick kiddo across the parking lot.

Well, I don't know about your ES, but at our ES, the parking lot is never full on a normal day, and it is an extra 20 to 30ft to get to a parking space vs the bus or drop off loop. Short of a child on a death bed, I'm pretty sure a sick child can walk the extra 20 ft or so. I've had to pick up my kids from school, too, for being sick, one with a bloody head injury that required a trip to the ER. I parked at a designated parking spot rather than block the traffic and the bus. If you're parking in a designated area, then this doesn't apply to.

The bus loop is an open designated parking lot after the am and pm bus runs. I'm going to use it as such- sick kid, healthy kid, just because.

Lazy kid, fat kid...