Dangers at Primary School

 Vehicle conflict at local school

The school run is well-known throughout the country for the blocking of roads, parking on pavements and drives, stopping on bends and causing frustration and dangers to local residents and other more vulnerable road users.
Whitchurch in Hampshire is no different.

Primary School access road

Danger from drivers
Last week a young cyclist was involved in in an incident at Whitchurch Primary School that led to a message being sent out to parents.
A driver was reversing out of a bay and "almost reversed into a child on a bike".
There was no report of the cyclist doing anything wrong.

The school responded
In what some would claim as classic victim blaming, the school has asked cyclists to get off and walk saying:

"We had a near miss today where a car reversing out of the parking bays along the edge of the field, almost reversed into a child on a bike. Please can all cyclists dismount at the bottom of the hill and walk up the path, and be mindful of cars pulling in and out of bays".

There is no mention of any drivers being penalised, although there is an added line asking 'cars' (rather than the drivers !!) to "please be alert to anyone travelling up the road whilst reversing out."

Removing the danger
Perhaps these 'cars' should park elsewhere and the drivers/adults walk with their children so the cause of the danger can be removed rather than placing the onus on the young cyclists.
Maybe the 'cars' should also look to see if it's safe before moving, which would be in line with the hierarchy of responsibilities as set out in the Highway Code. 

There are solutions
Rather than putting the burden of responsibility on the young still developing child, perhaps there should first be a calling for slower speeds, safer road design and increasing driver skills.
Or is that too alien a concept in today's era of Motornormativity?*

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Not the first time
This is not the first time there has been a conflict on the entrance road to this school. Many may remember when a parent threatened to close the road to prevent the drivers causing danger to cyclists.

Mike Stead, a local resident at the time, who cycled to the school with his family, said:

"You are forcing my hand here. I will not stand by and see my wife and child physically endangered because the school, Hampshire County Council and the police dither and refuse to properly enforce the law/responsible behaviour ..... You have a week to sort this, then I shut the road down. Your call"

Times don't seem to have changed.

Whitchurch Primary School should be addressing the cause of the dangers first rather than penalising children for the dangerous actions of others.

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* Motornormativity

Motornormativity (or Motornormality) is an implicit cognitive bias where society assumes private car ownership and usage is the normal, natural, and necessary mode of travel.

This bias leads to a high tolerance for the risks, pollution, and spatial demands of cars, often treating them as inevitable compared to sustainable travel options. 

and

The bias is reinforced by cultural narratives that supremacise cars and their drivers, and stigmatise and marginalise pedestrians, cyclists, and other modes of transport.