The path to the elementary school passes by the high school. Our route to gymnastics also passes by the high school, although I know a "back way" that I should probably use more often. Nonetheless, most of my travel ends up passing through a high school, and usually when school is either starting or ending.
Our commute is directly affected by whether the high school students happen to be pulling into or out of the parking lot. Their schedule fluctuates, and as such, so does the time we must allow ourselves for our own trips.
Now, those who deal with teenagers on a regular basis know that they are The Most Important People in the World. They decide to cross the street whenever they feel like it, regardless of whether the light is green and I'd like to cross the intersection while I have the chance. They exit their school's parking lot with confidence, because of course the old lady in the minivan will screech to a halt to let their sports car block the lane I wanted to enter.
Most perplexing is that the way the signal is set up, the students cross the street one way only to then cross against the light while the signal is "allowing" cars to go in that direction. Result = big pileup.
Because High School students rule the world.
But it is true, unfortunately.
After all, on Mondays when half the school starts later, I'm pretty happy. The traffic - both vehicular and pedestrian - isn't so bad.
On Tuesdays when everyone is trying to get into the back parking lot, I'm pretty happy on one direction of the commute, and then am very glad when I get past the bubble of activity in the back. I can make the turn on to my street without a problem.
On Wednesdays, the whole school starts late, and I am in heaven.
On Thursdays, everyone parks in the front parking lot. This is when everyone wants to make the exact same sequence of turns I do, plus the foot traffic crosses over at inopportune times. I am either honked at for not moving, or glared at for nearly plowing down a jaywalker.
On Fridays, the kids probably cut class or something, because it is back to Monday-style, where a given day can be difficult, but another can be pretty smooth.
As much as I don't want to admit it, high school students are The Most Important People in the World, at least in terms of my commute.
Comments (1)
I have two teenagers in my home...enough said :)
Posted by aspergers2mom | January 25, 2011 3:32 PM
Posted on January 25, 2011 15:32