Cops Bust Hyer?

Hyer moms are screamin’.

The UP police were ticketing moms today who got out of their car at the Hyer first grade carpool pick up.  The interesting thing about this is that the teachers require that you get out of the car to get your kid.  Hyer doesn’t have a “carpool line” like all of the other schools.  You have to park and get your kid (at least that is how it is for k and 1st – I haven’t made it past there so I can’t speak to the older grades).  I also think some of the “cutters” at MIS are from Hyer because they have never been in a carpool line – drop off at Hyer means that you pull into whatever available space there is at the door closest to where your child’s classroom is located.  It sounds bizarre but the school isn’t as big as MIS so it doesn’t end up being a problem.

By Merritt Patterson Apr. 7, 2010 | 4:10 pm | 32 Comments | Comments RSS
32 comments to "Cops Bust Hyer?"
  1. Chief Gary Adams @ April 7, 2010 at 4:47 pm
    I am looking into this matter and will follow up with what I determine. I have been told that an officer made contact with one mom for parking in the queing lane but no ticket was issued. I will check with the school to verify how they handle pick ups to make sure we are all on the same page.

    Gary W. Adams
    Chief of Police
    City of University Park

  2. Kersten Rettig @ April 7, 2010 at 4:50 pm
    Don’t y’all just love Chief Adams?

  3. Nicemom @ April 7, 2010 at 5:24 pm
    Just another part of the daily beat down of being a Hyer mom.

  4. kmom @ April 7, 2010 at 5:37 pm
    He’s kind of awesome indeed. I don’t remember any probelms at all at Armstrong, and there was no “queing lane”. There wasn’t a parking lot, either – we just drove around and found a parking place where ever and strolled to whatever entrance corresponded with our kids grade, snatched our kid when they came out the door and walked back to our car. It’s the smallest school in the district, but it also has the least parking – still, never a problem. After your four years in the purgatory of MIS/HPJH pickups, the high school is once again no problem at all. Obviously it is a problem very specifically of the middle/junior high and that needs to be the focus of the UPPD child pickup crackdown. I don’t hear Armstrong, Hyer and Bradfield mom’s pitching a stink (UP Elem. seems to have issues – but pale in comparison) so FOR REAL, honest to God – focus on the very real problem at the middle school before a kid gets run over, or a parent loses it and harms everyone in the vicinity.

  5. amanda @ April 7, 2010 at 5:50 pm
    Were they breathalazying?

  6. noqueues @ April 7, 2010 at 9:50 pm
    I truly agree, Kmom – the real answer may be to eliminate the queue line completely. Brilliant.

  7. MIS mom @ April 7, 2010 at 10:36 pm
    WoW, this is my first year at MIS and the carpool situation is awful. I don’t understand how nobody knows what a carpool lane is? It is very dangerous at pick up time with kids darting in and out between cars, crossing the street, etc. However, if you participate in the actual carpool line up it doesn’t move, and cutters just keep going past you and it makes it impossible for those that want to follow the rules to do so, because you will never have an opportunity to move forward. Something needs to be done, i can’t believe the school just keeps sending out emails, I came from UP, I know that does no good….they need troops on the ground!

  8. madmmc @ April 8, 2010 at 7:11 am
    parents could also walk……like I did for years-not that long ago!- to Hyer to pick up their kids………..

  9. Chief Gary W. Adamsq @ April 8, 2010 at 9:08 am
    The University Park Police Department has met with the principal at Hyer Elementary in reference to this issue. There have been no changes in the manner in which the queuing lane is operated during drop off or pick up times. No one is authorized to park in the cueuing lane in order to go inside to pick up a child during those times. I suggest any mom or dad who has a question about where to park when it is necessary to enter the building during drop off or pick up times contact Mr. Gilbert or his representative. Violators can be cited for leaving a car parked in the queuing lane during these times!

    We ask for voluntary compliance so that we don’t have to issue citations.

    Gary W. Adams
    Chief of Police
    City of Univeristy Park

  10. HPmom @ April 8, 2010 at 9:27 am
    I really like Mr. Gilbert but I have to respectfully disagree with the characterization of afternoon carpool. First, I’ve never seen Mr. Gilbert at afternoon carpool (he often opens doors in the morning and we LOVE that about him). As for the afternoon pick-up, the cars have never lined up and moved down the carpool line picking up kids — that has absolutely NEVER happened. The moms park their cars in the queue lane, they sit in them until the kids come outside and then they walk to where their kids stand with the teacher, acknowledge the teacher and then walk the kids to their cars and drive away. No cars take their place or move up when their car leaves (which would be characteristic of a queue lane). Everyone leaves at essentially the same time. It is completely untrue that there is any queuing occuring at afternoon pick-up. If that is going to change, Mr. Gilbert will need to have carpool monitors that wave the kids to the cars (otherwise, how would the first grade teachers know that the kids were getting into a car with their parent and not with some random person?). He should come observe afternooon pick up of first graders on Colgate before the two of you agree to a plan to ticket moms for stepping out of their cars to retrieve their kids from the teacher.

  11. HyerMOM2 @ April 8, 2010 at 9:42 am
    Love Mr. Gilbert, too, but I agree this isn’t a queue lane! There is no pulling up after someone leaves. It’s more like stalking to get an open spot when someone does leave. I get there early and get out of my car every day, and my only problem has been the people who chat in the street and the people who get there late and double park to block me in. If we got rid of those problems, things would go alot smoother.

    If we want to queue it up like MIS, then something is going to need to change. My teacher wants to know I have MY kid at the end of the day, and I like it that way for safety. Come outside on Colgate at the release of the first graders, Mr. Gilbert! Queuing does not happen!

  12. oldhyermom @ April 8, 2010 at 10:07 am
    This has been hashed over for years. Hyer Does Not Have A Carpool Line. We aren’t queued up for anything. It is simply a dropoff, pickup. It was several years ago that space was carved out of Hyer property to form a “Queue” type area to relieve congestion only. But we do not have a carpool line like preschool. We do nave a huge parking lot over at UP methodist now. Maybe Hyer needs to release on PIckwick….

    MIS doent have a carpool lane either.

  13. kmom @ April 8, 2010 at 10:40 am
    Maybe they are ticketing because the moms that can’t come 15 minutes early are complaining about the mom’s that park in the lane, get out to get their kids, stop and chat with the other moms, the teachers, etc – leaving the mom’s that just want to snatch and go circling those stationary vehicles – not moving up but leaving too small spaces for more cars – and eventually double parking to snatch and grab their kid – maybe those moms complained. Hyer has a parking garage now??? LUCKY. If you want to exit your vehicle to get your kid, park in the garage and walk over.

  14. hyer mom too @ April 8, 2010 at 10:46 am
    The other impracticality that makes the Chief’s assertion laughable is that the space for the carpool lane extends the entire block – you would need a giant bull horn and binoculars to notfy the kids coming out of the west entrance that their mom’s car is at the beginning of the so called queue. Nobody is complaining about the current set up – we just don’t want to get tickets from the policeman who shows up once a year. He did this the last week of school last year too. If we are in violation of the law, get the school to put a process in that is safe for the kids.

  15. G2 @ April 8, 2010 at 10:48 am
    HPmom described Hyer pick-up exactly as it is! It works perfectly … and as far as I can tell no one has a problem with it! I would love to see the UP judge when these women appear in court to fight their tickets. I know I would if I had gotten one!

  16. G2 @ April 8, 2010 at 10:53 am
    Also, there are two handicapped spaces in the middle of this “so called” carpool line. If you are in line and moving up … what do you do if you are left sitting in the handicapped spots? Would you have to drive around them? The current system works … get there early, park, get out and get your kid.

  17. Chief Gary W. Adamsq @ April 8, 2010 at 1:53 pm
    After reading some of the responses I realized that I was not clear in my post. Drop offs and pick ups are certainly different animals. For clarification purposes unattended parked vehicles are not allowed in the queuing lane or pick up lane. The term Park in the transportation code is defined as an unattended vehicle. When a driver of a vehicle is in the vehicle and stopped to unload or pick up a passenger, i.e. students at school, the proper terminology is Standing. Since the signs at Hyer only address NO PARKING, standing is permissible. I did not intend for the readers to think they would be cited for being stopped in the afternoons to pick up their children, as that is certainly the purpose of that queuing lane.

    With that said I would just like to add that I drop my two boys off every morning at Bradfiled in the queuing lane. The moms,dads and teachers who volunteer to oversee the processes of drop offs and pick ups are to be commended for the great job they do in keeping the lane moving smoothly and safely. The parents who use the queuing lane are also to be commended for thier willingness to follow the rules each and every day. I have been dropping my boys off every morning for the past three years and can honestly say I have never seen a problem there. I do not pick them up but as I understand pick ups in the afternoon move just as well.

    Chief Gary Adams
    City of University Park

  18. hyer mom too @ April 8, 2010 at 2:22 pm
    That is the difference between bradfield and hyer – there are no carpool volunteers at hyer. That is why k and 1st grade teacher require that parents walk up to get their kids. Therefore, there is no need for a queue duing those pick-ups.

  19. oldhyermom @ April 8, 2010 at 2:49 pm
    THere are no carpool volunteers because we have no carpool line!! get it? G2, thank you ! There is no way you can have 2 handicapped “parking” spots in the middle of a carpool lane. It simply is not logical. G2 is right on. Both Caruth and Colgate have handicapped spaces, further supporting the point. I asked a few years ago to have those spots moved to “head in” parking as many experts recommend. I imagine Bradfield and UP do not have handicapped parking spots in the middle of their carpool lanes.

  20. HPmom @ April 8, 2010 at 3:25 pm
    Someone should send these posts to Mr. Gilbert. We received an email from him today reminding us not to park in the carpool lane. Mr. Gilbert did not show up for carpool. The teachers still waited for the moms to get out of their cars to get their kids. The moms parked in the carpool lane — otherwise the lane would be empty since there is no carpool process at Hyer. Nobody was ticketed. The moms picking up kids all agreed that we would love a carpool pick up process similar to what is used at all of the other schools but until it is implemented at Hyer, we are going to keep parking in the lane and walking to get our kids from the teachers. The teachers by the way had no idea about Mr. Gilbert’s pronouncement that parents in the carpool lane should stay in the car and wait for the teachers to send the kids to the cars.

  21. HELP MIS/HPMS CARPOOL @ April 8, 2010 at 3:26 pm
    Chief Adams – How long until your child reaches MIS? You will LOVE that mess – but we can’t wait. Can you help NOW? Thanks for ANYTHING you can do. Leave those poor young Hyer moms alone and come work with the CRAZIES at MIS/HPMS.

  22. citygirl @ April 8, 2010 at 3:46 pm
    Wow. I am wondering if this blog just statistically has more UP & Hyer parents on it or if Bradfield and Armstrong parents just don’t complain so much.

  23. bdad @ April 8, 2010 at 4:05 pm
    There are lots of calls for UP Police Chief Adams to help, but folks need to realize that he is bound and limited to the laws on the books. For example, it is not illegal for someone to drive an open truck with 5 kids in back, stop in the middle of Southern Ave. (at Bradfield), get on his cell phone, and holler at the kids to jump out. It might sound crazy, but if there is not a law, the Chief can’t do anything about it.

    That’s not to say that UPPD and HPPD wouldn’t “find” a reason to pull the guy over and give him a stern lecture.

    If you really want Chief to help, then you first need to go to the City Manager and City Council to get laws passed that Chief can enforce.

    Nope, this is a parent and school administration problem that needs to be solved without new laws on the books. I’ve not seen the MIS chaos (couple more years), but really … put some parents in orange vests out there (the Dads volunteer at Armstrong), put this Bohac guy out there with a big stick. A few days now to get it straightened out and let him walk the walk now and then afterward as a visual reminder. It’ll get better. You don’t need Chief.

  24. BM @ April 8, 2010 at 6:52 pm
    Where is the Dare Officer? Can’t she help in the afternoon at MIS?

  25. Think about it @ April 8, 2010 at 6:55 pm
    Speaking as an old MIS parent, the PTA tried very hard for many years to get parents (including dads)to put on the orange vests and work the carpool line at MIS. With almost 2,000 kids at that campus, they could only get about 10 volunteers which is not enough manpower. So 0.005% of the families volunteered to help after desperate appeals, which is pitiful. For those of you who hate the situation, I suggest you offer to work a carpool shift once a week.

  26. Bradfield is not perfect! @ April 8, 2010 at 7:49 pm
    I have Bradfield complaints.

    Many people cut in the line from Mockingbird. We wait blocks back for our turn to go through the light at Mockingbird only to have line cutters violate the sign and fill the few open spots. Very annoying since there are posted signs.

    Also, it would help if they would mark Southern for 2 lanes at some point by the field because cars are single file and keep the que from exiting.

    The teachers and the volunteers do an awesome job of getting people to move forward, but there are always the same ones that stop and mess it all up.

    We also have our share of pick ups in the other lane which is SO dangerous because it does not happen all the time and we are constantly moving forward. Hope no kids get hit just to save a few minutes in the carpool lane!

    Oh well, at least we have a carpool que! Not looking forward to MIS!

  27. QM @ April 8, 2010 at 11:31 pm
    Future Bradfield Safety Coordinator. I pity the carpool cutters in a few years. They will see me standing in front of their leased vehicle making them cry while I let the rule followers continue on. Wow..I sound like I will enjoy it too much. Yeah-I will.

  28. Think about it @ April 9, 2010 at 7:50 am
    @QM, wait until the carpool cutters yell at you (in front of their kids – great role models) and tell you that you are wrong and they are right. And they DO yell at the carpool volunteers. Good times…

  29. G2 @ April 9, 2010 at 10:14 am
    @think about it — you are sooo right! After more than 10 plus years volunteering for our kids’ school activities and sports teams, my husband and I have taken a long break just for the reason you have cited above! We got tired of spending our time and energy just to be criticized or yelled at by people who werent willing to volunteer themselves!

  30. Laurie @ April 9, 2010 at 11:00 am
    QM, wait until you are literally bumped by a huge SUV. On purpose. You will also be honked at, glared at, and probably given the finger. You will become the most unpopular mom at school. Ready now?

    I also implore Chief Adams to send officers to MIS!!! Please, please, we are begging you! Ticket parkers on Asbury who are in no standing areas, ticket people for not wearing seat belts, ticket people for endangering pedestrians, ticket people who double park, ticket people who let their kids out in the middle of the road. Ticket people who are on their cell phones. Anything to get officers to be a visible presence.

    Also, to all the HPISD principals who send out emails about the carpools: Go outside and see for yourself what is happening. We never, ever see you out there. You have no idea what is happening and what we are up against.

  31. tinkerbell @ April 9, 2010 at 9:44 pm
    One of you Hyer folks should talk to ESD’s lower school. The carpool line is the most efficient queue I’ve ever seen. ESD staff and an off duty Dallas police officer are placed in the parking lot and have walky talkies. Moms get in line from Lomo Alto. Each of us has a carpool number hanging from our rear view mirror. They relay our carpool hangtag number to teachers who are in charge of the kids in the lobby, a holding area. They then line the kids up in order of cars coming in, and teachers put your child into your back seat. You pull forward about 50 feet and jump out and buckle your kid up – never stopping the flow of cars. It’s magic!

  32. G2 @ April 10, 2010 at 5:11 pm
    @ tinkerbell … sounds great … but how many kids are there per grade at ESD? There are at least 100 plus kids per grade at all the HP elementary schools.

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