My bicycle commute has changed a bit this year and it’s been taking me past Mansfield Middle School everyday.
Just before school lets out each day the parents waiting to pick up their kids park on Highland Avenue and block traffic.
As you can see from the photos, both motorists and bicyclists have to veer into the opposite lane or ride on the sidewalk to get around the parked parents.
I’ve spoken to officials at the school and the TUSD school safety office, both of whom said they couldn’t do anything more than encourage parents to pick up their kids on the other side of the school.
They each suggested calling the police to report the problem.
I’ve called the special traffic enforcement department, this is the same department that organizes stop sign enforcement at Treat Avenue and Third Street, but haven’t seen any police and the situation hasn’t improved.
Do you have any spots on your commute that always cause problems for you?
Good post.
There is nothing worse for cyclists than soccer moms and dads picking up kids at schools. They park their minivans or SUVs anywhere (except in legal parking spaces) and are oblivious to anyone but themselves. They park too close to corners blocking sight lines for cyclists entering the intersection. They drive and talk and text at the same time.
The last time I got sideswiped by a car was a soccer mom who hit me on my bicycle with her Suburban and then waved to let me know all was good – I hadn’t damaged her vehicle. Jeessh!
I’ve biked through these situations hundreds of times and never ever seen a police presence.
The Catholic school on Tucson Blvd south of Broadway is another miserable place to ride past during school pickup-dropoff hours. I’ve been nearly right-hooked by oblivious parochial parents in gigantic SUVs nearly every time I’ve ridden past that school.
One school has improved a previous bad situation: Sal Pointe used to have a lot of conflicts on Mountain Ave with parents blocking the road and idling in the bike land to get into the west-side entrance. Sal Pointe made a turn lane on Glenn St, and that has made a huge difference and reduced the danger and irritation to cyclists.