Related to my OP - walking the dog this morning, we saw down the block a limo backed into a driveway such that it blocked the sidewalk in front of us. Likely waiting to take someone to the airport. As we approached, the limo driver pulled into the street to get out of our way, and backed back in after we passed. Just such a simple common courtesy. We both gave the driver big smiles and thumbs up. I wish it were not so uncommon as to surprise us.
When I’m exiting the parking garage at work, I stop at the gate, not wanting to block the sidewalk while I’m waiting for a break in traffic. I will often have a car to the right of me exiting from the next gate blocking both the sidewalk and the bike lane.
And sometimes an asshole behind me honking at me to inch forward. To what end, I don’t know.
Yep - original comment said not before HS. So I thought my Jr High experience directly relevant. Another data point - my kid 2 burbs over has had my eldest grandkid walk/bike to/from school since 2d grade. Probably about 1/2 mile. IIRC, the kid wanted to do it herself in 1st grade. This year, the 5th grade and kindergarten grandkids walk home together unaccompanied. Only have to cross one kinda busy street.
This may be geographically specific. All I can tell you is my son’s elementary school has policies that are crazy strict relative to what I grew up with. Can’t walk to or from school, can’t even bring in food for the holidays, and I have to wait in a secured vestibule and show my ID just to pick him up early. That’s not even getting into all the weird stuff I had to sign just to register him for school.
Detroit Metro area.
I suspect the rules around pickup and dropoff are more lax in urban areas because walking and public transport are the default mode of transportation.
Presumably they assume you can’t see traffic from your position and therefore will sit there forever unable to go un til you get brave enough to pull forward far enough to see the cross traffic.
Or you’re fiddling with your phone or whatever and intend to pull up whenever you get around to actually paying attention to driving again. A process they hope to speed up with their beeping.
Of course they’re stupid and shortsighted. But good bet that’s what they’re thinking. For small-minded values of “think”.
No. The issue they are honking about is that I might miss an opportunity to pull out because peons on foot or bikes are passing in front of me.
I can see the traffic just fine.