St Anthony's Catholic Primary School - (traffic congestion caused by a stupid parent)

[Jamma]

Anyone see the traffic congestion caused this morning by a stupid parent of the aforementioned school parking right on the corner of Friern and Etherow streets and thereby preventing the Number 12 from getting by?

It's not the first time. Etherow Street is chaotic of a morning as parents don't park, they just abandon their cars on corners and across driveways to drop off kids at the school. It's inconvenient to residents but most of all it's dangerous. Some even stop on the yellow zig-zags outside the school.

Surely parents don't need to drive to the school? How far are they travelling to get there?

And what can be done to control them?

St Anthony's likes to show off about their Ofsted report and league table results. But as a part of the community their reputation is poor as a result of a proportion of diddy drivers.

[star13uk]

Complain the the Safter Neighbourhood Team - they should get the PA's to target them. Traffic PCSO's if they see the problem can issue ?40 tickets for "Uneccessary Obstruction" if they can get to the scene. And if genuinly dangerous (tricky to prove) they can also issue an FPN which would put 3 points on their licence. Make a noise, make complaints... it will get targeted. I get up their when I can - funny shift patterns and long bus rides - and will see what I can do.

[dancet]

Same on Turney Road outside Dulwich Hamlet Junior especially in the afternoon with selfish parents parking on the yellow zig zags, makes it really dangerous trying to cross the road with little ones because you can't see cars coming unless you walk right out into the road. They just sit in their cars waiting for their children, once I complained to some mother just got a load of abuse. I got the head to remind parents about the dangers of parking on zig zags in news letters but it didn't make any difference. Hate to say it but I would love to see a parking warden out there at 3.25.

[FatherJack]

That could read the name of any primary school situated near a road......I just can't be bothered to list the idiotic driving/parking I have witnessed outside our local school and other schools......

[cathg]

Surely scope for some joined-up thinking here - why don't the ticket-happy traffic wardens on work-related bonuses head for the schools at 3.30pm - they can make a killing and still get back to Lordship Lane in time for the lucrative 4.01pm restrictions.

They might even be a bit more popular?

[eater81]

The problem of idiot parents using excessively large vehicles to drop their kids off in this area is a big one. Calton Aveune in Dulwich is a graveyard for car wing mirrors as these clowns attempt to pass each other.

1. Why are you using a car to drop your kids off at school? Do you really live so far away that it is you only option?

2. If you must drive you stinking brats to school at least have the consideration to take a small car. Piss off with your oversized 4wd status symbols.

3. If you do walk your kids back, at least have the decency to keep them quiet until they get home. There is nothing more irritating that the daily precession of un-controlled brats screaming as they pass up my road.

[SeanMacGabhann]

eater - are you SURE you want to live in one of the world's big cities?

[grabot]

Travelling to and from work I am keenly aware of the number of children coming into East Dulwich to attend primary schools and at the same time I read posts that indicate that parents cannot get a primary school place within walking distance of their homes. What on earth is going on? Is there a shortage of primary school places in East Dulwich? Or, is the allocation of school places in East Dulwich subject to significant fraud?

If the latter is the case, and I have no evidence of it, can the council not do something to ensure that places are allocated to people who live in the area?

I know that this may seem a non-sequitor, but it seems to me that this may be a case of killing two birds with one stone.

Equally, I have suggested before that the private schools enforce some sort of catchment area. Alleyns boast that they are over-subscribed. Perhaps subscription could be reduced by imposing a catchment area and reducing the traffic clogging our streets.

[James]

Are you suggesting that because the traffic bothers you people's liberty to choose where their children are educated should be taken away? That's taking it a bit far!

This reminds me of the dogs-in-parks & children-in-pubs issues so often debated on this forum. As with both of these, a lazy, antisocial minority give the law-abiding majority a bad name.

The answer lies not in taking away people's freedoms, tarring everyone with the same brush. It's simple - enforce the law strongly and uncompromisingly against those who selfishly break it.

In other words, yes - let's have some traffic wardens around here. I have often seen lazy parents stopping in totally unsuitable places creating obstructions and traffic problems outside this school and others (notably Francesca Cabrini). They need to learn the hard way not to be so selfish and inconsiderate. A ticket should do the trick nicely.

[????]

eater81 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The problem of idiot parents using excessively

> large vehicles to drop their kids off in this area

> is a big one. Calton Aveune in Dulwich is a

> graveyard for car wing mirrors as these clowns

> attempt to pass each other.

>

> 1. Why are you using a car to drop your kids off

> at school? Do you really live so far away that it

> is you only option?

> 2. If you must drive you stinking brats to school

> at least have the consideration to take a small

> car. Piss off with your oversized 4wd status

> symbols.

> 3. If you do walk your kids back, at least have

> the decency to keep them quiet until they get

> home. There is nothing more irritating that the

> daily precession of un-controlled brats screaming

> as they pass up my road.

HIYA LENK

*waves*

[Jamma]

Of course there may be an issue with folk driving to St Anthony's because it's catchment area is not geographical but theological. That is quite a different issue.

I tried emailing the school with my complaint but the email address on their website didn't work. Anyone got a contact email address for them?

[Fuschia]

This happens outside Heber as well. The police do attend at times. The tarffic wardens rarely do. I have a feeling the yellow zig zags aren't actually enforceable.

[siousxiesue]

Could this thread also appear in the family room? More likely to been seen by the offenders!

[Mellors]

I don't really get this either. Given that the catchement for most primaries is so small (well under 1km, or 15 mins walk) why are people driving to school?

I get it for private schools, but it doesn't make sense for the very oversubscribed state schools (I also know people who tried to get in St Anthony's on faith ground this year but failed as they were too far away on Forest Hill Rd - not very far at all).

[craigy]

I too am wondering why people are driving to all the primary schools when the catchment area can be as little as 500m from the school and they are so over subscribed by the local population.....

When my child goes to school all I really want is a school I can walk him too...

[Ann]

Jamma,

My children used to go to St Anthony's and I can assure you this issue is nothing new. The school feels just as angry about his as you do; strongly worded messages were included in the weekly newsletter time and time again. From what others have said it's a problem with other schools, although St Anthony's catchment was traditionally wider so perhaps more journeyed by car.

I live near Goose Green and walked my children from Reception. I often see children from St John's and Goose Green walking to school as I leave for work, it seems such a nicer way to start the day.

[eater81]

To hear that some of this idiocy is caused by religion makes me more and more angry. There should no place for such outdated superstition in this country's education system.

I have no problem with people who believe in such mumbo jumbo, they have the freedom to do what they like so long as it doesn't impact on other people. It is however wrong that this country should pay for such clap trap out of public funds and allow it in state funded schools.

Allowing religion in schools:

a) promotes racial division,

b) panders to the idiots who should have been banished from intelligent debate a long time ago.

c) is wrong for many many more reasons.

[SeanMacGabhann]

what the sweet F*** has that got to do with idiots parking selfishly?

Go find a religion thread a spout away there

[eater81]

Because people who want their kids to go to this Catholic school, which is the subject of the discussion, have decided to send their kids there instead of a school which is nearer, thus giving them an excuse to drive their cars to school. Hence religion and the numbskulls who practice it are partly responsible for this problem.

[sillywoman]

eater81, I think I hear Tunbridge Wells calling you. It's saying "come home, come home" . . .

[????]

give eater a chill pill please nurse

[dancet]

"Or, is the allocation of school places in East Dulwich subject to significant fraud?

If the latter is the case, and I have no evidence of it, can the council not do something to ensure that places are allocated to people who live in the area? "

Fraud? don't get me started!!! They come from miles away using fake addresses (look at earlier threads on cheats). One mum drives an hour every day to get to the Charter (he uses a Dulwich address). That is one reason why so many of them are in cars.

[Bellerophon]

eater81 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Because people who want their kids to go to this

> Catholic school, which is the subject of the

> discussion, have decided to send their kids there

> instead of a school which is nearer, thus giving

> them an excuse to drive their cars to school.

> Hence religion and the numbskulls who practice it

> are partly responsible for this problem.

eater81, your posts have gone from mildly relevant/amusing to outright religious discrimination.

We Catholics currently tend to lead quiet existence at St Thomas Moore Church, minding our own business

Little wonder that the parents should desire a place for their offspring at the nearest RC school

We're an easy target, but if you're feeling really brave, why not have a crack at my Muslim/Sikh next door neighbours

[SeanMacGabhann]

Bellerophon

That's as an irrelevant post as eaters

[Rockets]

Be careful - this is how wars start......