"Bus Stop Pansies" wasting fuel, adding to global warming.

[Number9Dream]

During the last few years, I've noticed a new form of human behavior which seems to be adding to global warming, adding to pollution, and wasting precious fuel. I call this behavior the "Bus Stop Pansy". While driving past school bus stops each morning, I see as many as 7 or 8 cars lined up near the bus stop, engines idling, while the occupants wait for the arrival of the school bus. The students will not even exit the vehicles until the school bus has come to a stop. Admittedly, Pennsylvania winters can have some bitter mornings, but this occurs every school day throughout the entire school year, regardless of the weather. In addition, I'm talking about high school students, not elementary school kids. While a few students still stand out in the fresh air, numerous young pansies huddle in their parent's idling cars.
Even considering the fact that I walked to school from 4th grade through 12th and didn't stand at a bus stop, I still never saw any parents doing this in the late 60's and early 70's. In addition, the other kids at the bus stop would have mocked the hell out of any pansy who had to sit in their parent's car when it was dry and 60 degrees. I know... times have changed.
My first question is: Is this just a local Pennsylvania phenomenon, or do DUer's see this all over?
Second question: Even if these people can afford to burn gas in this way, isn't this contributing to pollution, global warming, wastefulness, and producing a generation of over-protected bubble children?
Tongue in cheek... maybe...

[kestrel91316]

1. Sounds like Los Angeles. Can't subject the little darlings to any stress.

[Sabriel]

2. I hope you're using "pansy" to mean the delicate spring flower

Rather than the derogatory term for what people perceive to be a "weak or effeminate man or boy" or "a male homosexual" (Mirriam-Webster).

I have sat in my car at school until the bell rings for two reasons: I keep my kids from getting frostbite and windburn, and I get those few extra precious minutes with them to talk. And neither child is a "pansy."

[OKIsItJustMe]

8. Yes, a poor choice of words

However, as usage changes, I wonder if “pansy” still is used as a euphemism for “male homosexual.” (When was the last time you heard “Nancy” used in that fashion?)

I wonder, what word would you offer as an alternative?


In any case, I faced upstate New York Winter weather at the bus stop (back in the days when that meant “cold”) and it didn’t kill me.

My cousin had a little shed to wait in, and I thought that was extreme.

[acmavm]

3. It's everywhere. These kids don't ever walk home from school.

Now you're telling me they don't even walk home from the bus stop.

They don't need legs anymore.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Never understood this myself

except on really cold days. I've seen it done here in rural Arkansas, too. And they make little houses where the kids can wait and be dry, but some have their extended cab pickups waiting at the end of the lane for the bus to come, engine running, even in dry, relatively warm weather. Don't recall anyone doing this when I was growing up--but I grew up in a city and there wasn't much busing. When I was in high school, there was no busing available (not a public school) and mom would take me to school. She worked nearby, so it wasn't bad, and I'd walk to her place of work afterwards. Also walked all the way home sometimes--only 5 miles or so. Why kids don't do this now is beyond me.

[LiberalFighter]

5. Haven't seen it here in Indiana and didn't happen in Wisconsin back in 70's

Why the hell are they waiting at the bus stop? Why are they even dropping them off at the bus stop? Doesn't the school bus stop close enough that the kids can walk to the pick up spot? They should be able to walk a block or two. It might help them keep the weight off their lazy bodies by doing a little exercise.

As for weather... there are umbrellas for rain and winter coats for cold weather.

When I was in high school I walked or rode my bike the mile and a half to school. No school bus available. Only when the weather was really bad did I get a ride from my mother. (I checked the mileage to make sure I wasn't fudging and turns out it is 1.6 miles from the home to edge of school property. Still at least another 1/8 mile to the doors.)

[Kolesar]

6. Our dear, sweet neighbor would wave the kids up to stand on her porch by the bus stop

She would get like ten kids standing on her ten foot wide porch, huffing vapor clouds like a herd of caribou in the rain. And no, I don't remember seeing kids waiting in running cars, either.

[pscot]

7. I used to have to trek

almost a mile to our rural bus stop. Rain, sleet and drifting snow never softened my mother's heart. She would buckle my galoshes and shove me out the door with the steely eyed admonition, "You better not miss the bus". Kids are a lot tougher than modern parents give them credit for.

[NNadir]

11. My mom used to make me crawl on my knees across miles of broken glass

I tried to get the day off for the great October 1963 nuclear war, but my Mom told me to shut up and go to school in my radiation suit.

[htuttle]

9. I used to walk two miles to school in howling Wisconsin snowstorms and...

Ah, nevermind...

[Spoonman]

10. It's no wonder

the child obesity rate is so high in this country!

What really pisses me off is most of those cars are soccer wagon SUV's with "Recycle" stickers or the like on the back window - fucking hypocrites!

[CRF450]

12. Plus the fact that schools are throwing PE and recess out the window

[Kolesar]

13. The only days of the week that the kids were sure to take a shower!

[Doctor Cynic]

14. What are they scared of, honestly?

Are they dodging machine gun fire that rages everywhere outside the house and car? Or is there a slow and deadly poison gas that infests the air outside?

[Nihil]

15. Your second guess was correct.

> Or is there a slow and deadly poison gas that infests the air outside?

That'll be the carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides that
are being emitted from the exhaust pipes of the cars parked next to the
bus stop ... oh wait ...
:banghead: