I had to drive the kids to school today. We got to the end of our street at 7:33 a.m. — exactly one minute before the earliest time the bus has ever arrived — only to see the back end of it a few hundred yards past our stop.
I pulled up to Girly Girl’s school about 30 minutes before school was supposed to start, but there was a “duty” (adult in charge) and lots of children on the playground. The drive ends at a gate into the playground, and I usually park on the gravel strip to the right of it. Someone was parked there, at a diagonal, covering the first two spaces. I could have parked in the third space, but I didn’t want Girly Girl walking in front of the other car, just in case the driver suddenly pulled out (GG is almost half the size of a typical Fourth Grader, so she’s easy to miss).
Across the road are three or four painted parking spots. The first is handicapped, so I pulled into the second spot, and opened the van door that faced the playground. She gathered up her backpack and climbed out.
Just as she took her first step across the handicapped space toward the playground, though, I caught a flash of movement in my peripheral vision. I glanced into the rear-view mirror to see a car zoom around the back end of my van and head into the handicapped parking space.
The parking space my daughter was just stepping into.
I screamed, “STOP!”, a guttural scream that tore my vocal chords.
And for once, thank God and all the powers that be, my recalcitrant daughter obeyed immediately, without question.
The car pulled into the space, and I’m not sure the dad driving ever even looked in our direction. He was focused entirely on getting his child out of the car and onto the playground.
I made Girly Girl stand there, right beside the door, until the car had backed up and driven away. I didn’t want her anywhere near that vehicle in motion. And least, not any closer than she’d already come.
Next time, I am SO parking in the handicapped spot.
March 28, 2008 at 6:58 pm |
Oh man. My little heart jumped just reading this post. Some people are so unaware of their surroundings!
March 28, 2008 at 10:36 pm |
Ahhhh….the morning rush….I hate it!!! Our drop off works well though…I just drive around to the sidewalk and my kiddo jumps out on to the sidewalk. Now…the pickup…that’s a different story. Cars start lining up about 30 minutes before school is out!!! I just have my boy dropped off by the bus at my office.
March 29, 2008 at 9:24 am |
Every morning I pass a school on my way to work. It never ceases to amaze me how badly people drive on their way to drop the kids off – especially given they have their kids in the car and their are over 200 kids in the vicinity.
The other day I was passed by a woman driving at over 80mph on a country lane – she was late dropping her son or daughter off.
I think the schools could to do something to educate the parents – maybe a big sign that says ‘We like our kids arriving on time; but we don’t want you to kill yourself or a child in the process’ at the entrances!
March 29, 2008 at 12:10 pm |
That was too scary reading!! My heart was standing still. Thank the Lord, GG obeyed you quickly that time. I’m about to cry, just reading about it.