School Traffic Nightmare!

To the Editor:

Regarding the articles written about the traffic situation at the high school, I would like to ask, Dr Robinson, in what world do you live?

You say that we “lost someone with a lot of experience” referring to the crossing guard that had worked in front of the high school and middle school in past years. I ask, who do you think trained that man? Houdini? No, It was the very cops that are out there now having to deal with irate motorists and parents that insist on dropping their kids off at school.

Also, Dr Robinson, you say that in the past cars were “not allowed into the lots before the buses.” What lot, which school? The Hawley School has a sign saying no cars etc, and is mostly adhered to. The high school has no such sign and the middle school allows parents to drop off their kids in the horseshoe in front of the school. Nothing to do with the traffic guard, whose job it is, by the way, to ensure the buses are able to get in and out of the lots. So, what does this have to do with the traffic problem?

A big issue is allowing the parents to drop off their children both at the high school and at the middle school. This activity adds a tremendous amount of traffic to the already chaotic mess, specifically at the high school.

Do as others have done, Ms Robinson, stand and count the cars exiting the high school in the morning. Better guesses are that half the cars entering the school lot are exiting the lot after dropping off the kids.

 Watch as the bus drivers must try to turn left from the lot while cars are trying to turn left into the lot while still others are simply trying to get by to get to work. All this while the traffic person can only stand and wave his arms to do the best he can.

Listen for the sounds of frustration as drivers blow their horns or swear at the cops. I have.

Oh, and one more thing. Why don’t you have the children stand in a group along the road at a bus stop, instead of having the bus stop at each driveway that are in sight of each other and sometimes within feet of each other! Talk about lazy.

Robert. R. Russell

676 Waterbury Road, Southbury                         September 8, 2012