The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment • Hacker News Board

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#11

Post by lsllc » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:39 PM UTC

lotsofpulp wrote: post #6

gizajob wrote: post #2

I looked at the author’s Google map view of the 2 miles they couldn’t walk to school, and the enormous grassed area next to the road would have meant I’d be walking that quite happily in the UK.

The US has a lot of 4ft+ hood height pick up trucks with drivers on their phone. Basically, all the cars are heavier, higher, and cause more damage. Although, that specific picture’s grassy area is sufficiently large that there is room to walk far away from the cars.

You don't need a pickup truck to be on the phone! It's truly shocking to see just how many (usually speeding!) drivers are on their phones on the highway and elsewhere.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#12

Post by hombre_fatal » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:39 PM UTC

giarc wrote: post #4

I think this article misses the one big problem (as I understand it). It's that schools need to dismiss the kid to their parent. I have family in North Carolina and I understand that cars have the family number displayed, and someone with a radio communicates to the school staff "Car 315 is here", they then find that kid and dismiss them. Just do away with that. When the bell rings, send the kids outside and they wil…

The traffic is caused by vehicles queuing up in line, period.

The system you describe isn't necessary to cause the traffic. It's not the root cause.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#13

Post by DiggyJohnson » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:40 PM UTC

bongodongobob wrote: post #8

giarc wrote: post #4

I think this article misses the one big problem (as I understand it). It's that schools need to dismiss the kid to their parent. I have family in North Carolina and I understand that cars have the family number displayed, and someone with a radio communicates to the school staff "Car 315 is here", they then find that kid and dismiss them. Just do away with that. When the bell rings, send the kids outside and they wil…

That's fucking ridiculous.

What’s funny is that a lot of modern parents think the latter option is ridiculous.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#14

Post by lotsofpulp » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:40 PM UTC

bongodongobob wrote: post #8

giarc wrote: post #4

I think this article misses the one big problem (as I understand it). It's that schools need to dismiss the kid to their parent. I have family in North Carolina and I understand that cars have the family number displayed, and someone with a radio communicates to the school staff "Car 315 is here", they then find that kid and dismiss them. Just do away with that. When the bell rings, send the kids outside and they wil…

That's fucking ridiculous.

That has to be out of the norm. I’ve only heard of kindergarteners needing a guardian.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#15

Post by hk1337 » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:40 PM UTC

I used to walk or take the bus, even in elementary school. I am not sure at what point parents decided they must take their kids to school. We did have parents dropping kids off and it was busy but not like it is now. I know then, at least to me, there was a sort of an air about about seeing kids being picked up or dropped off because they didn't have to ride the bus. Maybe that's it, parents gave in to not wanting their kids to feel less about themselves because they had to ride the bus?

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#16

Post by charlie0 » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:40 PM UTC

bongodongobob wrote: post #8

giarc wrote: post #4

I think this article misses the one big problem (as I understand it). It's that schools need to dismiss the kid to their parent. I have family in North Carolina and I understand that cars have the family number displayed, and someone with a radio communicates to the school staff "Car 315 is here", they then find that kid and dismiss them. Just do away with that. When the bell rings, send the kids outside and they wil…

That's fucking ridiculous.

What's more ridiculous is someone probably sued them and they were forced to do something asinine like that as CYA.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#17

Post by drunner » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:40 PM UTC

delichon wrote: post #3

We can just wait for this problem to go away as robocars becomes the norm. We'll look back on the primitive times when kids couldn't just click a button or whisper an instruction for a ride like anyone else.

500 manually driven cars and 500 robocars take the same space. Building schools, cities, and communities in the US that are pedestrian based is the only real solution. The author summarizes as "We need to thicken up our places, slow down cars, and install pedestrian or biking infrastructure" which I couldn't agree with more.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#18

Post by chungy » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:40 PM UTC

giarc wrote: post #4

I think this article misses the one big problem (as I understand it). It's that schools need to dismiss the kid to their parent. I have family in North Carolina and I understand that cars have the family number displayed, and someone with a radio communicates to the school staff "Car 315 is here", they then find that kid and dismiss them. Just do away with that. When the bell rings, send the kids outside and they wil…

That, and just let kids walk home. It's good for their muscles.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#19

Post by technothrasher » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:40 PM UTC

giarc wrote: post #4

I think this article misses the one big problem (as I understand it). It's that schools need to dismiss the kid to their parent. I have family in North Carolina and I understand that cars have the family number displayed, and someone with a radio communicates to the school staff "Car 315 is here", they then find that kid and dismiss them. Just do away with that. When the bell rings, send the kids outside and they wil…

Just letting the kids out en mass is how my son's school worked until Covid. Then they went to the call out the car as it arrives system as you describe, and they never went back. It is so much worse. Thankfully, my son drives himself to school now so I don't have to deal with it any longer.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#20

Post by zip1234 » Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 5:41 PM UTC

Great article. It wouldn't be that difficult for schools and cities to encourage walking or biking. There are lots of easy things that could be done. My daughter's school doesn't properly clear the sidewalks during winter. The giant parking lot is always immaculate though. They actually renovated and rerouted traffic to make it less safe for pedestrians. My daughter's friend was hit in a crosswalk (with a crossing guard!) by a parent leaving school after dropping her kid off. No penalty to the driver.