"Can you please stay with your car?" My request for him to stay with his car was politely delivered. No response. He just stared me down. I guess technically that is a response. I kept smiling hoping he'd just say, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was a safety issue." He was already annoyed with my directive ways. I had gestured him forward in the Kiss and Ride lane just a bit earlier so the cars behind could pull up as they all waited for their children to be dismissed. We have a lot of cars to move and kids to load. It gets tricky. The Kiss and Ride backup causes a bus backup which then adds more backup to the Kiss and Ride lane. You get the picture.At Kiss and Ride those on duty open car doors, deposit cute kids in the car with, "Don't forget to read and have a great night." We are generally pretty pleasant. But "Safety first" is our motto.
He had stared at me as my arms flailed and pointed not moving an inch. I swear I heard him say, "Make me." Then he just got out of his car, past dozens of kids, past the Head Start, kindergarten and first grade teachers who are always out there to help the process along and walked over to get his child just coming out of the school door a hundred yards away. Wait... your car is running. "Please stay with your car. I'll get your student. What's your child's name? What grade?" I was practically running after him with my questions as he purposely walked fast right by me without one word. Didn't he see the long line behind him? Was he trying to be rude? Maybe he didn't understand me? I was running along pretty fast. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. But now I just doubted his cooperative spirit.
On his way back I kindly delivered another explanation, with full rationale of why we want adults to stay with their running cars or not park in the Kiss and Ride lane or why it's just not polite to stare and walk past people who are talking to you.
For the first time in awhile, today I just couldn't muster the usual friendly wave goodbye to a parent.
4 comments:
I went into this post thinking you were writing about the Washington DC Area Metro Kiss and Rides. I was surprised to find this post... about a school with Kiss and Rides.
My gosh, that parent was so rude! Not only was he inconveniencing other parents, but he was also creating a safety risk by leaving his idling car unattended. (Let's add a public health risk to it since we all know that running cars emit exhaust, which can make asthma worse.) So, with all that being said, I think it's MORE than okay that you couldn't muster a friendly wave good-bye.
This guy clearly needs some manners and elementary school is just where they will get them. Let me at 'em!
Wouldn't it have been fun to move his car? Not that I would advocate it, but just to think about it makes me smile!
I love that your school calls it "Kiss and Ride". The parent is rude and inconsiderate. I wouldn't have been friendly to him either!
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