Apparently, the Carpool Monster is a common phenomena. I am not sure why I was so surprised to see that the mums here are just as crazy as they are in the US. I think it is because the English seem so polite. I have noticed a dad or two in the fray, but they tend to park on the street and walk up to the school, along with the other mums who apparently do not want to have to deal with the daily trauma.
I am not sure what about a carpool can turn a seemingly pleasant woman into such a thoughtless monster! It is quite amazing if you think about it. Put a woman behind the wheel of a hideously large and expensive car they apparently mistake it as Game On!
At St. Nick's there are challenges, parking challenges. People come onto campus and depending on their arrival they may have to wait a bit before drop off or pick up. If arrival is not timed correctly, then the said parent is waiting in the carpool line. Occasionally, there are cars abandoned in the drive as a mom hurries to get her child, and I am guilty of doing that myself. The funny thing was, I get myself and Youngest Son back to the car before traffic starts moving again....
The parking lot of the school is very small. I am not even sure the exact number of cars that it holds. But I get infuriated every day at how people park. Just this morning, there were at least two separate instances in which, if the offending driver had taken the time to park straight and in their space, there would have been one other space available. If the carpool line was not such a big deal or there were more spaces then, really who cares how they park. Unfortunately, neither is the case!
Some of the cars are also ridiculous! In the US you seen Escaldes, big GMC's and an occasionally Mercedes. Here, the status symbol is the Range Rover or a Land Rover. Personally, I think they are ugly. But hey, if you want to pay extra to drive around a gas guzzling car shaped like a box, have at it. I will stick with my cheap, bare bones little Skoda (The Tin Can) or my The Tank, er Renault! By the way, they both get over 40mpg! (and when I come back to the states, I am getting the most fuel efficient car that I can, even if it means sardine time for the kids when we vacation!)
The other interesting issue seems to be that even though they drive these big cars, they apparently live by the same principle as Evelyn Couch in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, "I am older and I have more insurance". They must have more insurance....
I am not sure what about a carpool can turn a seemingly pleasant woman into such a thoughtless monster! It is quite amazing if you think about it. Put a woman behind the wheel of a hideously large and expensive car they apparently mistake it as Game On!
At St. Nick's there are challenges, parking challenges. People come onto campus and depending on their arrival they may have to wait a bit before drop off or pick up. If arrival is not timed correctly, then the said parent is waiting in the carpool line. Occasionally, there are cars abandoned in the drive as a mom hurries to get her child, and I am guilty of doing that myself. The funny thing was, I get myself and Youngest Son back to the car before traffic starts moving again....
The parking lot of the school is very small. I am not even sure the exact number of cars that it holds. But I get infuriated every day at how people park. Just this morning, there were at least two separate instances in which, if the offending driver had taken the time to park straight and in their space, there would have been one other space available. If the carpool line was not such a big deal or there were more spaces then, really who cares how they park. Unfortunately, neither is the case!
Some of the cars are also ridiculous! In the US you seen Escaldes, big GMC's and an occasionally Mercedes. Here, the status symbol is the Range Rover or a Land Rover. Personally, I think they are ugly. But hey, if you want to pay extra to drive around a gas guzzling car shaped like a box, have at it. I will stick with my cheap, bare bones little Skoda (The Tin Can) or my The Tank, er Renault! By the way, they both get over 40mpg! (and when I come back to the states, I am getting the most fuel efficient car that I can, even if it means sardine time for the kids when we vacation!)
The other interesting issue seems to be that even though they drive these big cars, they apparently live by the same principle as Evelyn Couch in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, "I am older and I have more insurance". They must have more insurance....
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