Another sign of American overconsumption???

[ditchdj]

Well for my nine year old's first day of school I decided to walk her to school. It's exactly one mile away and the buses dont take kids to school that live that close (or far depending on your opinion I guess) so I decided we're going to walk since I cant afford to pay ten bucks every other day to keep gas in my van. Wanna know how many other kids were walking to school???? NONE! But there were tons of cars on the road. No wonder this country is so obese.

[protege]

I don't know what's so difficult about walking to school. I did it the first two years (kindergarten and 1st grade), but had to take the bus after I switched schools in 2nd grade. Yeah, walking sucked in the rain and snow, but it didn't hurt me any. People are just so damn lazy today.

[Misanthropical]

School hasn't started here yet, but last year I always walked my little guy up to the school, since it's only about 5 blocks.

My neighbors, some of whom live even closer to the school than I do, always drove their children. Yeah, I don't get it either.

It's not like we live in a high crime area, it's actually a pretty safe neighborhood.

This year, my two oldest children will walk to the middle school which is just shy of two miles, so there is no bus.

[NightWolf]

I had to walk to school from Kindergarden through 5th grade. It was about a mile long walk. On the nice days I rode my bike.

Middle school was so far away that the kids in my area were bussed in and out. But once again, Sometimes, I rode my bike, so It still wasn't all that far. Maybe 5 miles or so.

High School - 9 -12 I walked for the first 2 years and a few weeks after that. That was about a 2-3 mile walk. Then I got my car and started driving to and from. We were also allowed to leave for lunch periods which was nice, so, before the car, I walked to and from lunch as well. And on who's money? MINE! Not my parents. I had a paper route and used that money to get lunch as my parents taught me at a young age not to depend on them for that kind of luxury.

[Ryu]

i live literally right across from a high school and some people in my neighborhood drive there!!!
its a 5 minute walk!!!

[MadMike]

Kind of on the same note, I grew up in a small town, and the bus made only a single stop in that town. All the kids had to catch the bus at that one stop.

These days, it seems like the buses stop every few yards to pick up kids. It's a real PITA when I find myself behind one, because not only do they not (nor should they) go very fast, but also because I know I'm going to be in a constant state of slowing down, stopping and slowly accelerating.

[Rapscallion]

The Bitch Queen from Armageddon drove to our parade from across the street when the mood took her. She's allegedly British, but you could claim her for the US if you like.

I'd consider paying...

Rapscallion

[Tanasi]

I or I should say we walked until we bought our own transportation, for me that was 8th grade and I rode my motorcycle. If it started raining while we were at school Mom would come and get us because we didn't have our rain-coats. When we briefly lived on our farm we had to cross the creek to get home. Most days we could just jump (or be tossed) to the other bank and those days that the water was up I would wade it with my little sister on my back to keep her dry. My brother was just about washed away one time and Mom made my Grandfather build a bridge. Not long after that we got to move back into our house in town.
My kids go to private school and that school doesn't have a bus but they do teach the kids how to use the city bus so that works out OK. Now that my oldest son is driving he drives himself and siblings to school and the wife and I get to have some alone time.

[protege]

These days, it seems like the buses stop every few yards to pick up kids. It's a real PITA when I find myself behind one, because not only do they not (nor should they) go very fast, but also because I know I'm going to be in a constant state of slowing down, stopping and slowly accelerating.

They do that out where my grandmother lives. The bus will put its lights on, and stop at a house...only to start up again, and stop at the next house. I could understand if the houses were a mile or two apart, but it's barely 30 years!

Then there are the idiots in town. These people will get on a bus at one stop...and get off it less than a block later. In rush hour traffic, that just annoys the hell out of me.

[NightAngel]

I walked to school most of my school career. I don't remember too many times my parents drove me. The walk, depending on what grade I was in, varied from about 4 miles (most) to 1/2 a block (least).

Yet, still I live...

[PuckishOne]

The Bitch Queen from Armageddon drove to our parade from across the street when the mood took her. She's allegedly British, but you could claim her for the US if you like.

I'd consider paying...
No thanks, Raps, we have quite enough of them as it is. Very kind of you to offer, however.

Found out that several of my fellow gym-goers live in the same condo development as I do...and, you guessed it, drive to their workouts. It's less than a third of a mile. :rolleyes:

[Banrion]

The only time my parents drove me to school was for the 6 weeks after my foot surgery when I was on crutches. And, the deal was that I had to leave with them when they went to work, so I got to school about an hour and a half early, and they picked me up when they came home, so I was at school until about 6:30 - 7:00pm everynight. They did not rearrange their schedules for me.

On the upside, my homework was ALWAYS done before I got home, so no carrying heavy books, and I got to know all the janitors which proved to be very useful my senior year when sneaking out of classes. :)

[ArenaBoy]

In my first two years of high school, my dad would drive me because it was on his way and it was about 5 or 6 miles away from my house. Elementary school, I walked because I lived about a 1/2 mile away and middle school I took the bus. The day when I HAD to take the bus in high school was when we had this ice storm and there were trees falling not so far from us, still can't believe that they didn't cancel school because there was a lot of danger.

[One-Fang]

I had to walk to school. Winter or summer, rain or snow. Barefoot, too. Uphill both ways.

[JuniorMintz]

When we were in elementary school, we walked every day unless it was raining, then my mum would feel bad and drive us.

When I got to junior high and high school, the walk got *much* longer (we were on the very outskirts of our district) and I was playing several instruments in the band so I had too much to haul across town on my back every day. If I didn't have a xylophone, a bassoon, flute, piccolo, *and* color guard equipment to lug around every day, I probably would have kept walking. Thank goodness my mom had pity on me. :)