Walk to school week starting May 21..in East Dulwich

[reggie]

Just to let you know that it's Walk To School Week starting May 21.

The campaign is supported by the suburban pirate, the satirical broadcaster, which is working with Living Streets to encourage a safer and healthier walk to school.

http://www.thesuburbanpirate.com/e_tsplogo.jpg

[mockney piers]

Sounds like a good idea. They could do with one of those in Camden as it's appalling the level of one mum one child 500 yards 4x4ing that goes on here.

Is east dulwich as bad in people's experience (I'm long gone by school run time)?

*incidentally will the growth of the suuburban pirate result in global cooling?

[SeanMacGabhann]

My walk along Etherow St on those mornings I'm around (up behind the plough) suggests it's every bit as bad down here

The school just before the corner of Barry Rd has cars from as far away as ... ohhh the top of Friern Rd

[Ted Max]

Used to see a walking bus thing going up CP road to Heber school on a few mornings. Does that one still happen? Seemed a good idea to me.

[citizenED]

Brilliant idea - should be supported by all.

citizen

[TillieTrotter]

Nightmare traffic around East Dulwich Grove with too many :Xmummies picking up kids in 4x4s that they cant drive properly. Its a danger to the kids if nothing else

[reggie]

ah ..all together now

The Animals go in 4 by 4s hurrah hurrah

The Animals go in 4 by 4s hurrah hurrah

The Chelsea tractor keeps the kids safe

Oil and breeding going to waste

And they all go much to fast down on the old school run

[TillieTrotter]

I dont usually join in the 4x4 debate, but I can tell you when you have 4 or 5 of them looking for spaces down a very narrow two way street getting more and more flustered, its a blinking nightmare.

[SeanMacGabhann]

And to think when I were a wee lad on those rare days I wasn't forced to walk the mile and a half to school (hail, rain or shine) , the 3 of used to squeeze into a little tiny Renault with nary a word about "visibility", "feel safer" or "needing the space"

Just imagine if everyone walked to school how many more people would be on the streets, thus making it both safer and more community-feeling. People less likely to get up to no good if there are more people on the streets instead of zooming around everywhere

(feels the soapbox totter after getting it out so early in the day)

[mockney piers]

Yep, walked or cycled, or walked with cycle the 2 miles everyday for 14 years. That's where I had fun with mates and larked and so forth.

I feel sorry for kids who know nothing but home, school and the inside of a bloody car, it's just plain wrong.

[borrows sean's soapbox for 2 minutes]

[TillieTrotter]

Can I borrow it for just a sec.

Just started letting my 10 year old walk from East Dulwich Grove down to the Hamlet with a few of his mates. Very nervous at first and trailed him from behind and was amazed/chuffed at how sensible and responsible he was. Its hard to let go but it gives them a real buzz to know that theyre grown up enough to be let loose a little.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Tillie

In a few more years they may even be shirking work, talking to strangers on the internet and then getting muellered in the pub with them later

.... oh wait

Back on topic: It's something parents and adults find all too easy to forget - that joy of doing stuff on your own. I used to love being asked to go to the shops to do "the messages" (one for DulwichMum that) all on my own and when I was walking back I had my head buried deep in a newspaper. I felt so grown up. And I was only 6 (true - a nerd even then)

[TillieTrotter]

Think we must all be getting old Sean, I remember "the good ole days" when we had camps and red bus rover days etc. I was brought up pretty strictly but still had ten times more freedom than my kids have got.

[professordingo]

Ah, so Sean's a Scot!!

We walk to school every day, and I think most of the Heber parents who are quite local do so too. But why are parents (i.e. mothers) always slated for increasing the traffic, when it's (car)commuters who are worst? Blame the mothers, that's what I say!!!

[trinity]

Oh Sean - you have taken me back - I haven't heard that expression for years. The number of times I did my mammy's messages - quarter of ham, loaf of plain bread and a pint of milk. Of course growing up then in Northern Ireland there was always the chance that your kid could get caught up in something life threatening with bomb blasts/ shootings but I was still walking to school age 5 with my older sister. After all she was seven! Who says that times are more dangerous now?

[clare]

We started up a walking bus to Goodrich School about 5 years ago now. We tramp up to school up CPR come rain or shine 3 mornings a week wearing our stylish fluorescent tabards. What's happenning now though is that as the school catchment area has shrunk we aren't getting families from down CPR any more.

If any one interestd in starting up a walking bus at your local school contact Southwark Safer Routes to School. They did road safety training with the children and the parents.

It is hard work keeping the commitment going but much better than driving for all the obvious reasons. Nice and sociable too!

[bawdy-nan]

I love the Goodrich walking bus! My two smalls watch out for it as we go (walking, of course with 2 year old sturdy legs) to nursery. They think its great and thinks its absolutely part of what you do when you goto school

[clare]

That is lovely to read B-N. Say hello next week on Wed morning. We'll be there!