why do some parents leave the gate open in playgrounds?

[Spooner]

Not wishing to moan but...... I cannot understand why a select few parents don't shut the gates at playgrounds. Their own children could get out along with anyone else's. It only takes a nanosecond to shut the gate but makes a much safer environment for everyone to enjoy. As a parent of more than one toddler, the playground can be full on enough without one or both of them rushing off out the open gate. Am I missing something?

[Fuschia]

Yes, drives me mad ... ESP when my twins were toddlers!

ESP at goose green, the gate is right by the road

Horniman sandpit, too

[Saffron]

I like the gates at Ladywell Fields playground. They have a spring which closes the gate automatically behind you.

[Belle]

i am constantly wishing goose green had those! The busy road really gives me the creeps.

[Saffron]

Would it be expensive to install such? It's just a big spring and some nuts and bolts,no? I guess a few strategic holes might have to be drilled, but that sounds pretty easy to me. Who's the contact for that sort of thing?

[Spooner]

That's a great suggestion. Goose Green is the only risky one we've found in the area as it's near the road. Great playground but there's a lot of human traffic coming in and out of it and of course the road traffic right there. I'm happy to get on the case if anyone knows who I should contact. Otherwise I'll just try the council.

[snowboarder]

Worst thing about GG is that there are 2 gates that are never shut - one of them doesn't actually seem to work properly and argh my not yet 3 year old can open the other one...as he did yesterday and scooted casually off as I strapped the baby into the buggy....Gah....

[Saffron]

Spring-loaded gates help keep dogs out of playgrounds too.

[Otta]

Surely these people have just forgotten, I doubt they do it on purpose. I've walked in to GG playground before, and realised I'd forgotten (I thenm ran back and closed them), but it's not so difficult to do, especially when you're knackered, and the little one is being a pain in the arse.

[snowboarder]

It's mostly school children leaving them open in the afternoons - and constant traffic....