We collect to get our girls home quicker that they would by the transport provided that obviously has to drop off en route. They are home about 1700 instead of 1900. The problem with picking up is at least fourfold.
Firstly, too many people are clearly too lazy to use the parking spaces provided if they are roughly (as far as, shock horror) 200m from the gate. I get there five minutes early and the first college, then have plenty of space. Waiting does not do me any harm, anyway it gives me time to watch what is going on.
Secondly, nobody has had the sense to 'stagger' when pupils come out. It could, for example, start at five to four and be every five minutes which would thin the traffic out a little. However, as often as not, nobody saunters over to open the gate until well after the bell has rung and a single person checking the school cards seems insane with all classes in a scrum anyway. Any little glitch or dispute then it stack up. That is compounded by the bell ringing late, teachers not finishing classes on time and probably other inefficiencies.
Thirdly, talking to other parents outside both colleges, in fact the groups of pupils hanging out outside the school, especially those doing wheelies on their bikes, racing haphazard along the roads, skateboarding in the road, running about chasing each other and sometimes falling in the road, makes the school area a bit too dangerous for drivers to drive normally, but some drivers get impatient, therefore road use is a mess. The kids are still in loco parentis during school hours but 1cm outside the gate and the schools no longer take any responsibility. It compounds problems.
Fourthly, there has always been a potential for something to happen anyway. For instance, I am a stranger very few people know or recognise because I come from nearly 30km away. Many people huddle together in their own little familiar groups and are so engrossed in chat they often miss or ignore their offspring which is the reason they are there. Kidnaps or other things would be very easy, even with a bit of a fuss given that there are parents who treat their children so appallingly it shocks me but is generally ignored.
These measures could be gainfully used to introduce some order into dropping off and picking up, overseeing that properly and attempting to discourage the kind of generally terrible road use all round. I am, needless to say, sceptical and suspect the intent is good but enforcement is likely to fail.
