Crossing Guard Frustration

So... I've been a little hesitant to write this post because, for the most part, I make a conscious effort to keep this blog positive and encouraging. Today's post is mostly complaining and maybe a little bit funny. So, I guess you should take it with a grain of salt.

Last week, I had a facebook update regarding the crossing guards at St. Bernard Academy. It was not a very nice update. Here's the background. I have passed by these particular crossing guards many times before. However, in the past 8 months or so, I haven't had reason to go by them because I take a different way into work when I drop Harper off at baby school. But last week, Rob took Harper to school one morning, so I went the old way to work. Now I am well acquainted with the way these crossing guards work. They try to intimidate and bully motorists into respecting their authority. Don't get me wrong. I am all for being especially careful around schools. I have a child. I am sensitive to how other people's actions could potentially affect my child. Therefore, I try my best to respect the rules of the road and slow down in school zones. But without exception, every time I pass by these crossing guards, they blow their whistles at me and pretend to write my license plate number down in their little notebooks.

So...last week, I decided to do a little experiment. Knowing that the crossing guards are hypersensitive, I planned to go 10mph in the 15mph school zone. As I approached them, I slowed down to 10mph and before I even got 2 feet into the "red zone", the crossing guard started blowing her whistle and making wild arm gestures at me. I slammed on the brakes even though I knew I was going well under the speed limit. Her whistle blowing and arm gestures startled me so much that for a split second I thought "crap, I just ran over a kid or something" (but that would have been impossible because there wasn't a kid around for 500 yards and I WAS GOING 10MPH).

After my minor heart attack, I continued driving and she continued to tell me to slow down (I was still going 10mph). I am not an angry driver. I don't talk or gesture to other drivers or pedestrians while I'm driving. However, as I drove by the crossing guard, I held up 10 fingers and said "I AM GOING 10MPH"!

So...that's my crossing guard story. I really have no idea why I get harassed by them. The only thing I can think of is that the turbo in my car makes it sound like it's driving ridiculously faster than it is - but that's a big stretch. I dare any one in the Nashville area to drive past these crossing nazis without getting whistled at. Maybe that last sentence was a bit harsh. I'm going to stop now.