Why can't they follow the rules? Are you a rule follower?

[Marseeya]

I'm such a rule follower. Maybe I just need to relax, but rule breakers really tick me off, especially when it comes to their kids!

In our school district, the elementary school, the high school, and the county vo-tech are all on a piece of land up on a hill away from town. The way it's set up, there's a road that runs within the perimeter of the schools, circling a central parking lot. When I drive my kids there, I drop my son off in front of the high school to my right (it's not very strict where you drop off the high schoolers as long as you drop them off in front), then circle around to the left where I wait in a line of cars to drop my DD off at the elementary school where it's more strict.

You have a choice -- drop them off in the line of cars that's ONLY for drop offs, or park and walk them in. For drop offs, a teacher opens the car door, they walk a few feet to a crossing guard (crosses where the buses enter), then a few feet more to the door to the school where another teacher is waiting. Very efficient and you only wait about 2 minutes in that line. Another option is to park in the visitor parking lot and you have to walk them to the crossing guard, cross, and walk them to the door. The school makes this very clear to everyone, and there are signs posted as well if you're too stupid to see what everyone else is doing.

So why is it that some parents are too self-absorbed to follow the rules? Some of them will drive down by the vo-tech and let their kids out there to cross traffic and walk to the door. Some of them will pull up in the parking lot and let their kids walk themselves to the door. All to save what? 30 seconds of time? Ridiculous. I've almost hit a few kids that way. Today, two parents decided to just parkand leave their cars in the drop off line, causing everyone else to have to cross the bus lane to pull out and making more work for the crossing guard..

So anyway, that's my gripe for the day. I got to thinking about how much of a stickler I am for following rules and I was wondering if anyone else was as anal as me.

 

[Nancy]

Didn't you see the disclaimer on the sign that said "everyone except __________ and ___________"?

That really ticks me off too. We had rules for pickups and drop offs at my dd's pre school. There was always 1 or 2 people that just could not follow the rules. The owner would tell them over and over, not to park, to just get in the line (almost the same procedure, teachers would open the door, walk kids to the door, another teacher sent them up to the classrooms) but they just couldn't do it. Drove me crazy, especially when they would be 3-4 cars back and they would get out, get their kids out and walk them to the door. In the meantime, the cars in front them already were moving, but all of us behind couldn't move because they were parked. We couldn't get around because it was jsut enough room for 1 car.

 

[dg39]

I can't say that I always follow the rules, because I just don't. BUT, when it comes to safety, you can be sure that I'm the first one in line to do the right thing. Especially, where driving and kids are involved. We have more or less the same type of set up for dropping off..Wait in line, kids get out of car and then go on our merry way. Thats one rule I don't/won't break.. To much chaos and crowds of kids in the morning to do something wrong...

 

[mickeyfan2]

I try to follow rules. If I think a rule is bad, I will try to get it changed. When it comes to safety, I am anal too.

 

[Marseeya]

Didn't you see the disclaimer on the sign that said "everyone except __________ and ___________"?

That really ticks me off too. We had rules for pickups and drop offs at my dd's pre school. There was always 1 or 2 people that just could not follow the rules. The owner would tell them over and over, not to park, to just get in the line (almost the same procedure, teachers would open the door, walk kids to the door, another teacher sent them up to the classrooms) but they just couldn't do it. Drove me crazy, especially when they would be 3-4 cars back and they would get out, get their kids out and walk them to the door. In the meantime, the cars in front them already were moving, but all of us behind couldn't move because they were parked. We couldn't get around because it was jsut enough room for 1 car.

Do you mean to say that they did this knowing there were cars behind them stuck until they moved?? Or did they do it before anyone pulled up behind them? Either way is bad, but the first seems SO wrong.

 

[Marseeya]

To much chaos and crowds of kids in the morning to do something wrong...

Exactly. There were a few times when a parent would drop off more than one kid in the wrong place and the kids would be fooling around near the traffic. One time one of the kids pushed the other right in front of my car just as I was getting ready to move forward, but it was fortunate I was kind of watching them out of the corner of my eye because I had a "feeling." What a tragedy that would have been for everyone involved! The child would have been badly injured and I would have been traumatized for life. The parent was clueless and didn't even see it because she was halfway down the road on her merry way.

 

[Nancy]

They did it all the time knowing that cars were behind them. These were the Mom's that had to walk the kids to the door and do the big production number with them before they sent them off with the teacher.

 

[crz4mm2]

I am a rule follower too. Ticks me off when others don't. Just saw a woman park in front of my clinic yesterday in the "NO PARKING" lane to 'just run in' to the pharmacy...... Dang it. It says NO PARKING that means everyone.

sigh.

 

[delilah]

I hate it, too, when people park their car in the drop off line, and then go inside the school for a prolonged period of time. This happens all the time at our school, and it's always the same parents. I know who they are, and I recognize their cars. I'm not sure what they are doing, either. Before the bell rings, all children are supposed to be in the Parish Life Center, not in the classrooms. I can't imagine that anybody would have such issues that they need to come early to talk to the teacher every day. I think these people are just lazy, and don't want to park their car and walk the extra 20 feet. One afternoon, as a matter of fact, there was a parent parked in the pick up lane, talking on his cell phone. He was still there, talking away, when I had found my son, gathered his belongings together, etc, at least 15 minutes later. Why don't you just park your car, mister!? You could use the exercise!

 

[ElizaB39]

They don't call me the game police for nothing!

Tag fairy are you reading?

 

[ZachnElli]

I'm a rule follower too. I'm betting you won't get an answer from those who don't follow the rules. This use to drive me nuts at ds's old school too. But we moved and thank God for bussing here! I don't have to deal with it anymore! I did marry a rule breaker though and that drives me even more nuts!

 

[CathrynRose]

I'm a rule NON follower.... it's almost as if I purposely wont do things, cuz they "conform". It's gotten me in trouble with jobs, cuz of it...

My past boss was a real piece of work - and there was this area within our program we had to type in Preplacement - but she wanted it to say Pre-Placement .... but thats incorrect, and it annoyed that this woman, whom claimed to be a prefectionist, and would catch and critique any mistake anyone made, INSISTED on using Pre-Placement.... when the word is Preplacement....

I no longer work there.... hopefully the new girl is using "Pre-Placement" :eyeroll

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

At my DD's school the traffic goes in one way and out another. Both entrance and exit are on the same road, and cars are backed up for almost 2 miles on that road in the afternoon trying to pick up the kids. The school staff have the pick ups very well organized. Here is the problem. There is a clear sign at the exit...NO LEFT TURNS between the school drop off and pick up hours. If a person waits until they can turn left, no one can move. The pick ups come to a halt. So do you think people pay attention to this? No. There are idiots who still wait for an inch in the line on the road to bully their way in with a left turn . With traffic rules, there are pretty good reasons for the rules. So yes...I am a rule follower.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Can I ask a question - Why are the kids getting dropped off and not riding the bus? This would be the safest situation at the school.

 

[Disney Doll]

I tend to follow rules. It's easier. I also don't like people who do not follow rules, as if they are superior to everyone else and the rules don't apply to them.

 

[kidshop]

Yes, I am a rule follower. I hate, yes, hate the parents that stop in the drop off lane. Why do they think they are so special that the rules don't apply? They screw it up for everyone else and I do think they are oblivious to the frustration they cause. It's all about them, with no concern or thought for others. You selfish selfish people, you know who you are!!

 

[LMC]

This is when you start blowing your horn.
The only time I leave my car "in the line" is when we are at least 10 min's from pick up time to start rolling and DS age 4 "has to go potty". I am usually boxed in and can't get out to park so I have to just leave the car there. If we are close to pick ups starting the poor thing has to hold it until I can get out of line and park the car.

As far as bus riding, they mix the kids here from High school down to elementary so there is no way my dd is riding the bus with those older kids. Plus they pick up around 7 am and don't get home til at least 4pm!

I'll just drive her thank you.

They did it all the time knowing that cars were behind them. These were the Mom's that had to walk the kids to the door and do the big production number with them before they sent them off with the teacher.

 

[kadaten]

Didn't you see the disclaimer on the sign that said "everyone except __________ and ___________"?

That really ticks me off too. We had rules for pickups and drop offs at my dd's pre school. There was always 1 or 2 people that just could not follow the rules. The owner would tell them over and over, not to park, to just get in the line (almost the same procedure, teachers would open the door, walk kids to the door, another teacher sent them up to the classrooms) but they just couldn't do it. Drove me crazy, especially when they would be 3-4 cars back and they would get out, get their kids out and walk them to the door. In the meantime, the cars in front them already were moving, but all of us behind couldn't move because they were parked. We couldn't get around because it was jsut enough room for 1 car.

We have a couple of these people at our school. Some manage to compound the problem by insisting on taking their infant out of the car to walk the 6 feet (literally) to the rolling cart where parents check their kids' folders on the sidewalk. WHY??? She is only 6 feet OR LESS from the car at all times. WHY does the baby have to come out??? Then we have to wait for her to re-strap the baby in, then walk around and strap her other kid in....ARGH. (And she isn't one of your normal quick-moving moms...every day is like it's the first time she's ever used a car seat!) If you gotta make it a family affair, she should park and walk in. But that's about 25 feet of walking and I guess that's too much.

 

[kadaten]

Can I ask a question - Why are the kids getting dropped off and not riding the bus? This would be the safest situation at the school.

Well, my situation, the kids are at a preschool. It's not a daycare, so most of the kids are gettting dropped off/picked up at the same time each day.

As for the left-turn scenario, that also happens at our local elementary school. There are no buses there as our elem. school has NO buses at all. Everyone who attends this school is a neighborhood resident, and all residents are within the 2-mile radius of school...hence, no buses. Most of the kids walk or ride their bikes alone or accompanied by their parents, but there are some who are dropped off/picked up by car each day. And yes, their parents make a mess of the area, especially those turning left at the "no left turn" sign!

 

[pooh6890]

From the time my daughters started school until they graduated, I would always take them to school and they would ride the bus home. I used that morning time as quality time to spend with them before I had to leave them for the day. So, the bus to school in the a.m. was never an option for us. And, yes I would follow the drop off rules ALWAYS. Why put everyone else out? Some people think rules just don't apply to THEM.