As students, we have a responsibility to arrive at school on time. Some of us drive ourselves, others hop on the bus, walk, or bike, while others still get the VIP treatment: chauffeured by our parents.
However, thanks to the recent PUSD budget cuts, nearly all school buses have been grounded, plunging Westview into a traffic conundrum that could make even an apocalypse look like a tea party. Truly, it has transformed what once were peaceful morning drop-offs and pick-ups into a bumper car extravaganza.
When I’m dropped off in the morning, I’ve started to notice more restrictions on how cars can navigate the parking lot. They’ve added a “Cone Obstacle Course” where cones block off half of the parking lot, creating a maze-like sequence of chaos. Despite these efforts, some parents take matters into their own hands by simply moving the cones themselves. This creative rebellion has worked wonderfully many times and has saved precious time for students leaving or arriving at school. It’s the ultimate DIY traffic control.
Some parents need to rush to work after they drop-off their kids in the morning so they end up being extremely competitive, trying to get a good spot. But others seem oblivious to the fact they’re not the only ones trying to navigate the chaos. It’s troubling to see the lack of common courtesy towards fellow drivers. I’ve witnessed things such as cars speeding through the road as if it were a racetrack, parents making their kids walk through ongoing traffic instead of parking at the designated drop-off spot, and some going as far as making sure kids walking or biking get blocked to ensure their own kid doesn’t have to walk an extra three feet. The choices and behavior parent’s take when dropping off their kid reveal something about a person’s priorities and thought processes. It shows how some people would rather prioritize their own convenience when it’s really not necessary.
It’s a zoo. And it only gets worse when it’s almost time for school to start. It’s almost as if the urgency makes parents act out. going as far as making sure kids walking or biking get blocked to ensure their own kid doesn’t have to walk an extra three feet. It shows how some people would rather prioritize their own convenience when it’s really not necessary. Their intentions are clear, but patience and consideration makes a big difference for everyone involved.
The saga of school traffic is a universal experience. I don’t think it’ll ever end as long as we live in a car-centric country. Especially with how hard it’s been for anyone trying to get into the staff parking. There’ll be times where some parents don’t arrive to drop-off their kids on time, leading them to forget to drive more recklessly. While it’s understandable that parents do everything they can to drop-off their kids on time during the brief rush before school starts, it can still be a formidable challenge. Trying to fit hundreds of cars into 2 narrow lanes won’t be an easy task for anyone involved. With how fast paced morning drop-offs are, it’s easy to feel the urge to rush. While we may not be able to fix the chaos ourselves (and maybe even catch ourselves being part of the problem), we can still learn from other’s mistakes in hopes we don’t act irrationally on the road, for everyone’s safety. After all, navigating the school parking lot shouldn’t feel like a gladiator battle but rather a simple exercise in common courtesy—if only in our wildest dreams.
