View Full Version : Wick High School pupils
Today I was at Caithness General with my dad and a friend. On the way into Wick dad commented on the new(ish) zebra crossing, and the fact nobody seemed to be using it, just as twenty or so High school pupils ran out of the side street and onto the road. Three of the boys ran side by side in front of the car right along the road to the traffic lights then straight across the road into the Cliff Bakery without looking for traffic on the main road.
I slowed right down, much to the anger of the cars behind me, but if one of them had tripped and fallen I would not want it on my conscience I had run them over, as the motorist is always in the wrong when battling pedestrians.
My OH would have had a rant at them, but I didn`t see the point in remonstrating............. should I have, or would I have come off worse in the end?
It is bad enough the uniform is almost all black, smart, granted but on a dark day not the best for seeing and being seen in.
One thing you can guarantee with pedestrian crossing is that there are always some people who will just not use it, even if it is only a few feet away!
Today I was at Caithness General with my dad and a friend. On the way into Wick dad commented on the new(ish) zebra crossing, and the fact nobody seemed to be using it, just as twenty or so High school pupils ran out of the side street and onto the road. Three of the boys ran side by side in front of the car right along the road to the traffic lights then straight across the road into the Cliff Bakery without looking for traffic on the main road.
I slowed right down, much to the anger of the cars behind me, but if one of them had tripped and fallen I would not want it on my conscience I had run them over, as the motorist is always in the wrong when battling pedestrians.
My OH would have had a rant at them, but I didn`t see the point in remonstrating............. should I have, or would I have come off worse in the end?
It is bad enough the uniform is almost all black, smart, granted but on a dark day not the best for seeing and being seen in.
Yes quite agree with you, they never look and cross the road wherever it takes their fancy and as you say one does not want to run them over but they have no concept of the dangers. Strange that they just decide to cross wherever without looking for traffic?
I was actually in Inverness yesterday speaking to the Highland Council road safety officers and also the man who was responsible for the design and engineering of the new traffic calming measures which have been put in at Wick. They are fully aware that the crossings are not being used in Wick by the High School pupils as it was intended for when they received the grant for Safer Routes to Schools.
Road safety education has been delivered by these people in the majority of schools in the Highlands and they will shortly be identifying two police officers in Wick to deliver this education here.
I think the pupils are fully aware that they are causing a nuisance for car drivers but unfortunately it's one of these things that will not go into the heads unless they experience an accident themselves. Depending on the person, I think if you were to say anything to them, they would just turn a blind eye to it, especially if you were to get out of the car and shout at them for being so dangerous. If you did this, they will probably, after realising they have done something wrong, be frustrated with themselves but fire it all back at you and blame you whereas if you take a calmer approach, they may listen although it is very difficult to get the message across especially when many of the pupils lead by example. It just seems to be a chain process now as you will see the majority of pupils just walking onto the road whenever they feel like it expecting cars to stop for them and if you sound your horn, they will probably just turn and stare and wonder what you're doing. I observe this behaviour every day but can also safely (or unsafely to speak) say that it's 50/50 - there are some irresponsible pupils but also drivers under this category too especially those that don't observe the big flashing sign with a (20) on it. I am not saying this is you though. You just have to keep an eye all around and have good space awareness and be prepared to expect anything.
Maybe they need to be taught how to use the crosssings or something. After seeing them lots of times I reckon they are oblivious to what they are meant to do.
Maybe they need to be taught how to use the crosssings or something. After seeing them lots of times I reckon they are oblivious to what they are meant to do.
I think it's more likely that they just don't want to be seen as 'uncool' using a crossing or possibly because they are too lazy to walk down the pavement a bit to get to the crossing.
I don't think uncoolnes comes into it. It either lazy or don't know the etiquette.
What about those railings that make you use crossings on the areas in question as a solution?
What about those railings that make you use crossings on the areas in question as a solution?
There are railings there but they usually walk around them and cross.
I don't think uncoolnes comes into it. It either lazy or don't know the etiquette.
I'd vote for lazy.
They might get away with it in Wick, but when they eventually head off to the cities for a real education, no-one's going to slow down for them... or if they choose to stay in Caithness, it will soon be them complaining about the next generation of WHS kids!;)
It's not just Wick High pupils. I have seen people of all ages dodging round the railings and not using the crossing. I even seen a young mother struggling to get her pram around the railings rather than walk up to the crossing.
that might off been me!!
i think this thread was about the crossing at the front of the hospital??
anyway,the crossings near the coop are all wrong.why didnt they just put it from the optitions corner?as a walker and a motorist i cant think of any problems with this.
the one at the coop isnt the problem but the one round the corner is. i dont use it as i have been crossing on it when cars come round that corner and its not their fault but its too close to the corner and i just dont think its safe to push my pram out onto the road when you cant see whats coming round the corner,i wouldnt do it anywhere else,so why would i do it there?and as a driver,again you cant really see antil you are round the corner and then the car behind nearly runs into the back of you when you stop!
get rid of them!!the school kids will always cross at the optitions anyway.and the railing that tries to make them use the crossing just makes them step out onto the road
that might off been me!!
i think this thread was about the crossing at the front of the hospital??
anyway,the crossings near the coop are all wrong.why didnt they just put it from the optitions corner?as a walker and a motorist i cant think of any problems with this.
the one at the coop isnt the problem but the one round the corner is. i dont use it as i have been crossing on it when cars come round that corner and its not their fault but its too close to the corner and i just dont think its safe to push my pram out onto the road when you cant see whats coming round the corner,i wouldnt do it anywhere else,so why would i do it there?and as a driver,again you cant really see antil you are round the corner and then the car behind nearly runs into the back of you when you stop!
get rid of them!!the school kids will always cross at the optitions anyway.and the railing that tries to make them use the crossing just makes them step out onto the road
Because that would mean half of the crossing would be into the wall and it is not very practical or safe having a crossing on a corner as it would mean cars would be stopped in the middle of a crossroads creating congestion from other roads / blocking access.
Car drivers should not be travelling around corners so fast that they run into anyone and the are is clearly marked out with yellow signs and road markings. If people would just use the crossings properly I do not see anything wrong with them and do not believe they should be taken away just because some people decide not to use them.
The mob coming from the side road near the school was expected and I was more than prepared for that, it was the audacity of the three hooligans who blocked the road in front of my car and ran ahead along Thurso Road to the junction, then straight across the main road into the Cliff Bakery. If they had slipped and fallen it would have been a disaster. It is the one and only time I wished I had a mobile which took video (mine is an original housebrick) and I would have been straight to the police with it. Of course, then I would be in the wrong for taking the video of children without parental consent and driving whilst using a mobile. Just can`t win.
Perhaps a police presence an odd day would calm them down. If they want to run about the road they should have to pay road tax! Rant over.
I was in Wick today and as i came up to the traffic lights beside Homeaid I had to stay behind a van parked outside it and wait for the lights to turn green,as they did I went to pull out and about 10 kids ran out infront of my car and across the road!One even had to balance himself on my bonnet to make it through the gap :eek: this was about 10 feet away from the crossing! x
im amazed none of the kids have been run over before now! I sit outside the high school as school finishes & I cringe at how most of the kids cross the road! They run out between parked buses without looking, cross the roads in front of cars & expect them to stop & walk down the street in large groups with half of them on the road.
I think the school should be having words with them all.[evil]
Reckon road safety and how to behave should be part of the 'Curriculum For Excellence'.
dragonfly
20-Mar-09, 00:41
its not only in Wick Poppet, have you ever driven up/down Ormlie Road when schools coming out? Atrocious! they walk right on road not giving 2 hoots if you braking hard as you are about to come into contact with them, just give you dirty deeks - had 2 girls on Brownhill Rd just yesterday stand in the middle of the road looking at me, they did eventually move when I put my hand on the horn and left it there [evil][evil] they think they are invinsible
2little2late
20-Mar-09, 00:46
Take the crossings away and supply a lollipop man and let the kids be embarrassed having to wait at the side of the road until it is safe to cross. Treat them all with the contempt they deserve they are nothing but arrogant and cocky anyway.
its not only in Wick Poppet, have you ever driven up/down Ormlie Road when schools coming out? Atrocious! they walk right on road not giving 2 hoots if you braking hard as you are about to come into contact with them, just give you dirty deeks - had 2 girls on Brownhill Rd just yesterday stand in the middle of the road looking at me, they did eventually move when I put my hand on the horn and left it there [evil][evil] they think they are invinsibleLol, nothing's changed since my day then. :lol:
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