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My eldest is at a school with around 1200 puppies
I would have loved to go to that school. Dogs are so much better than children.
[quote=ceepers ]Sorry, forgot the smiley wink for that line!
Poe's law - as amedias mentions, it's a line people use seriously.
Poe's law - as amedias mentions, it's a line people use seriously.
I know! I would just politely refer them to rules number 5 and 9!
I got so wet on my ride earlier I might as well have showered fully clothed!
Completely off topic but.....Got a mate who lives in California. He visited a couple of years ago with his three year old. It rained while they were here, apparently just the second time his son had experienced being outside in the rain in his life! If only!
I went to an independent school (so fee paying, but exam to get in so not private per se) and after a couple of years of getting the bus in I got bored with that and cycled there and back about 4 miles each way per day. I knew a few people who did the same. It was a while ago now but there were quite a few that got dropped off in posh cars when they only lived a couple of miles away.
So, perhaps the thread title should read:
'Why do kids who attend fee paying schools because their parents made that informed and advantaged decision to make the sacrifices necessary to pay for an education that they felt they wouldn't get in a state school and may also live in a nice area which might be quite far away from said school along dangerous country roads, choosing instead to drive in their expensive but somewhat uncesessarily blingy statement cars which they consider safer for their precious children not ride to school'
More affluent people have more choices. Stop to think that they might be rich because they work hard long hours in stressful senior roles or for themselves with the inherent stresses that this brings and not for any other reason. They therefore use this to make choices that less money would not offer. They have more choices about where they live (Cobham for example), where they send their kids to school (Cobham for example), what car they drive (a Range Rover for example), and whether the wife in the family needs to work or not (although many do in order to afford to send their kids to fee paying schools, live in Cobham and drive a Range Rover).
Unfortunately the world is split into 'have mores' and 'have lesses'. Have mores are not inherently better or worse, but they do have more choice. Have lesses are not inherently worse or more worthy, but whether we like it or not, less money offers less choice. It's just life. All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Let's not be so judgmental about the have mores and the have lesses.
The state education system generally works according to catchment areas meaning that that school is more likely to be a closer commute away. Fee paying schools work on an affordability and often selective entry basis, they are fewer and further between, sometimes in more remote leafy/semi rural areas and therefore have a wider catchment where cycling is a less viable option. House prices are often kept high around decent state schools precisely because of the attractiveness of the school, leading to much the same phenomenon of being driven to school and owning an expensive car despite a shorter distance to school. Not sure it is in fact purely a private school phenomenon, and even in state schools I see fewer kids riding to school than when I was a kid.
Fantombiker
I'll be the one in the 4x4 bucking the trend and waiting patiently behind you for a space to overtake!
Christ no! But I think they'd walk instead of bike.If for example the school was closer* and had a nice safe traffic free route to it then would the amount of stuff to carry mean you still use the car?
Yes, but many parents take time off work during kids holidays so there's going to be less traffic anyway - it's not all school traffic.The easter hols were bliss and then back to rush hour hell right after.
Our local state school [in a village] has a fair number of kids walking/biking to school from the surrounding area - say 1 mile radius - so the activity isn't dead.
I think it's basically down to distance, road type, traffic volume and whether it's feasable for the kids to bike with the bags.
My son often rides in with me but he's only 5. It's a 4km ride and we're amongst the closest.
We take him in our big 4x4 when it rains (well, our nanny drives) 🙂
I think independent schools often have larger catchment areas so riding is less practical although I rode to school 12 miles each way for a term once as my parents said I could have the school bus money for some Judy XCs if I did.
Independent schools are also likely to have more after school activities meaning by the time they finish, it's getting late. School here is from 8:00-3:40 but the school's only beginning to get quiet around 5:30. Sports, games, music, performances and every other club you can imagine.