Rules? What rules?

Something that brings out the worst in me: the elementary school parking lot.

This year, I've been blessed with wonderful friends who have helped with carpooling for school. I take kids in the morning and they bring my kids home. Especially wonderful because the afternoon pick-up scene is a nightmare. The drop-off scene isn't so bad because people are dropping their kids off at different times, so the chaos is staggered. But everyone (for the later track) comes at the exact same time to pick up their kids and, let me tell you, it isn't pretty. People cutting in front of each other, people blocking traffic to get out of their cars and get their kids, and on and on. And the ugliest part of all is the scene inside my own car. I've never gotten out and yelled at anyone (I've wanted to, though, believe me) but I'm usually muttering and/or yelling about this crazy parent or that crazy parent. So, it's been delightful to avoid that mess for the past few months.

However, I've discovered another big annoyance this year--the afternoon kindergarten drop-off. It's different in that there are a lot fewer parents in the parking lot because there's only one afternoon kindergarten class. Seems good, right? Wrong. Because there are fewer cars, parents feel like they can completely disregard the rules. No teacher guarding the bus lane? Well, that must mean we can charge on through and pull right up to the curb! Never mind the little five year-old kids walking on the crosswalk that goes through the bus lane. There are only a few of them, and we wouldn't hit them! And maybe we should park our cars right over the crosswalk so rule-abiding children whose silly parents have told them they have to cross at the crosswalk will instead run all the way down to the other crosswalk. Nice, don't you think?

I try to not let this annoy me, but would it really be that big of a deal to pull up to the drop-off lane like the rest of us? Does your child have a problem with walking an extra 100 feet? I can't tell you how many times poor H has stood at the curb, waiting an extra amount of time to make sure no crazy parents will come blazing through the bus lane. In the morning, they post teachers and cones in front of the bus lane so parents won't drive there. I remember the principal saying last year that she's had teachers repeatedly come in after this duty scared out of their minds because crazy parents in SUVs tried to mow them down.

I've e-mailed the principal about the bus lane issue but haven't heard anything back. I do feel slightly better having vented about it now. Perhaps I'll be able to silence my loud mutterings in the car every day from now on. Or maybe not. :)