Worst Pickup Line

[Cathy McCaughan]

Elementary parents and grandparents, do you have a school pick-up line experience that made you feel like you were on Candid Camera? Were you expecting Ashton Kutcher to jump out from behind a tree and tell you that you were being Punk'd? Tell School Matters about the drop-off and pick-up lines at your school. The school with the most votes HERE will receive biscuits and coffee during a morning drop-off line. Voting ends Sept. 1, 2009.

Rules: No purchase necessary. Must be 18 or older to enter. Limit one entry per person. Drivers in line to drop off students at the winning school will be treated to free Hardee’s biscuits and coffee on a date to be determined. Employees and immediate family members of the News Sentinel and Hardee’s are not eligible to enter. Entries must be received by 11:59 pm on Sept. 1, 2009. The winning school will be announced in an upcoming SchoolMatters section in the News Sentinel and at schoolmatters.knoxnews.com.

Vote for the school with the worst pick-up line HERE.

[Debi]

What about when the car in front of you starts to move & suddenly there are 3-4 safety patrols & teachers waving for me to move up the two-three car lengths. Like we parents don't have any idea we're supposed to move forward. I mean, we've only been in the car line 20-30 minutes & they think we're suddenly gonna think, "Na....I'm not gonna pull forward."

[Cathy McCaughan]

Which school Debi?

[Debi]

All of 'em. I've seen it happen at several schools. I think everyone means well, it's just one of those meaningless pet peeves of mine.

[Karin Cavanaugh]

Actually, I wish we had someone doing this at Halls Elementary. I've seen people leaving way too much room between cars. If everyone pulled up closer to the car in front of them it would allow more cars to get in off the road. Also, to your point, when the car in front moves, I've seen people not paying attention, when again, there are people needing to pull into the school drive and get off the road. Thanks for letting me vent, Karin.

[Vic Spencer]

The traffic lights are not working on Gay Street. The police lady walks up to Dr. McIntyre's car motioning to roll down his window.
"Oh my God!" - as she struggles to breath - "It's only one more block sir. I hope that you will make it."

[Doug McCaughan]

The entitlement of some people is what screws up our carpool lines at Rocky Hill Elementary.

The one person who thinks he is special enough to drive past everyone else, park half way in the street, and walk his child to the front of the line is jaw dropping.

Like Andrea said, those people who ignore the no left turn sign really slow things down.

The parents who turn down the school road, driving against the line of traffic, then cut through the waiting line of cars, turn into the shopping center parking lot, drive as far up the line as possible then cut into the line not only mess up traffic, endanger the other drivers and children, but are teaching their children that 1) they are more privileged and special than the people who legitimately showed up on time and patiently waited in line, 2) rules don't matter, 3) cutting in line is completely okay (I bet these are the same children you cut in line in the cafeteria and other places), and 4) totally selfishness. No one should be turning off of Morrell onto that road to only make a u-turn. It takes no extra time to drive to Northshore, turn left, then turn onto that road at the CVS. Doing so would make that road safer too.

The cars that get impatient and try to drive around the car ahead that is still letting a child out is asking for an accident. For goodness sake, for the safety of our children, the extra 15-30 seconds they have to wait isn't going to make a lick of difference. If they look in the rear view mirror at the stop sign that person the dangerously passed is probably sitting just behind them.

[Ginevra]

If I were the Empress of Everything and the universe would cater to my every whim, Rocky Hill School would have a sidewalk from the shopping center on Northshore Drive over to the school.

Then families (and even dogs) could walk from the shopping center to the school and back, get a wee bit of exercise, and stop at Butler & Bailey, the hardware store etc. to pick up whatever goodies you need. Maybe even a pizza for the afterschool activities.

But I'm not the Empress of Everything (sob)

[Doug McCaughan]

I'd like to see a greenway trail paralleling Nubbin Ridge Road that connects Rocky Hill Elementary to Bluegrass Elementary. All those subdivisions poorly planned that only allow access via Northshore or Nubbin Ridge would be able to connect walking paths to the greenway trail and our children could safely walk or ride bikes to school, friends' houses (which now require a car), the ballpark, etc. There is still plenty of land to accomplish such a greenway but it is quickly evaporating to housing developments. Such a trail would increase property values too.

[Doug McCaughan]

Very valid points!

[Debi]

We don't qualify for bus service for elementary or middle. But I have to say if we did, it would depend on the feeling I got from the bus driver as to whether I would use the bus or not. I would prefer the bus but I've got ready to put my disabled daughter on a couple of ESY buses & decided then & there she was gonna be a car rider. Maybe those drivers were just fine, but I trust God to give me discernment about who I leave my kids with. Alternatively, we had one driver in particularly who I loved-loved-loved.

[Doug McCaughan]

We love the dog treats! It really doesn't hinder the line and is just plain friendly.

[Doug McCaughan]

I often have my dogs with me. They only get treated on days that the car stops in front of a helper with snacks. They get treated as my child get outs. There's no additional stopping or delay. I would refuse the treats if I thought it delayed the line. But I can see how it would look to slow down the line.