Reply to THIS thread
Start a NEW Talkback Thread
Talkback Home

Accident outside Bohunt School - Dawn Hoskins (23rd Sep 2008 - 16:18:27) I hope the child wasn’t hurt badly, did anyone see what happened?

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - karen feeney (23rd Sep 2008 - 17:25:08) Oh My Goodness. Don't know anything about an accident this afternoon, hope all is OK. Not surprised though what a fiasco it was outside Bohunt this afternoon. One of the properties across the road from the school was being demolished (to make way for several smaller houses no doubt). There were diggers, lorries, huge skip things, children everywhere, cars dodging in and out - CRAZY. Nearly as bad as it has been down this end of the village with the bloomin building going up on the corner of Station Road/Portsmouth Road. Vans, Cars, Lorries parked all up the road. No apology from the developer to us residents for the inconvenience or danger money awarded for getting in and out of your drives. Anyway, lets hope the accident today was not serious. Hopefully someone can shed some light on the situation. Karen

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Jo Herridge (23rd Sep 2008 - 19:01:24) im not sure of all contributing factors but one minute the girl and her sister were rushing across the road trying to cross and trying to dodge the traffic and the next she was hit. i left after the girl went into the ambulance with her mum but as far as i know she has a painful bruised foot and was in shock. her foot was run over by the van and her head was hit by his wing mirror. the driver was not at fault and was not speeding. i hope the girl and driver in question are both ok.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - ellen (23rd Sep 2008 - 19:42:42) My daughter saw it and said that the girl was fine...she had stepped out onto the road and a car..had driven over her foot...the driver got out to see if she was ok. I hope her foot is ok though! E

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Dawn Hoskins (23rd Sep 2008 - 21:29:22) Considering the location of this new building plot, they should have a planning restiction against having vehicles outside during school rush hours. It was complete chaos both this morning and this afternoon - and once again, the only safe place to cross into Bohunt from the Juniors end (the layby / verge) is full of bloddy Volvos waiting to be fixed. I think children are more important than Volvos - move them and let the children cross over and walk in with out being run over!!!!

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Sue W (24th Sep 2008 - 09:54:23) I hope the girl is ok too, and the driver as it wouldn't have been nice for them either. Dawn, on your point of removing the cars - yes it would seem great - but they would quickly be replaced by parents collecting/dropping off and pulling in/away which would create an even bigger danger! IMO

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Dawn Hoskins (24th Sep 2008 - 12:17:24) not if it was turned into a pavement.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - chrissy (24th Sep 2008 - 14:22:16) It's yet again down to Highways though, they have been saying for at least 2 years now that a zebra crossing is going to put on Longmoor road. This was supposed to be down by the Juniors lay-by area I think.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Sue W (24th Sep 2008 - 15:43:16) Well Dawn, on that point why have parking laybys at all! Children are often distracted, in a hurry, talking on phones and generally do not understand dangers very well. The motorist seems to get a very raw deal. It seems to remind me of other posts about cars and drivers especially school times. Perhaps more should be done but the parents of the very children that are in danger cause most of these ‘dangerous’ situations. I appreciate that the building work would not have helped, but without it is it much safer? I have on the odd occasion been in the square at pick up time and quite frankly between the kids and parents anyone else on the road shouldn't be! Just a quick point of child safety - its going to get darker over the coming weeks and lights should be on bikes when dusk and dark. Last night driving through Passfield an idiot of a person (young) was without lights on bike, I pulled round him very cautiously, only for him to cut straight in front of me to the other side of the road. If we had made contact I am sure somewhere it would have been my fault!

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - gary (24th Sep 2008 - 18:25:10) This is going to upset people but.... When I was at school we were taught how to cross the road and one instruction do not cross near parked cars , find a clear and safe place to cross. I am sorry but the kids I have seen at "schools out" walk/run without any notice of their surroundings. I have had some youngster look, they can see you coming an then at the last minute step out into the road and shuffle across the road on purpose. There where always cars parked in that layby when I went to Bohunt 20 plus years ago !!! Would a crossing help I do not think so as kids do not bother using other crossings in the village . So kids get off your mobiles unplug your IPODS STOP LOOK and LISTEN !!!

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Dawn Hoskins (24th Sep 2008 - 19:24:34) Hi Sue, I know what you mean about the parking bay dilemma – if more parking is provided it will encourage more people to drive…. Certainly it is true that there is inadequate provision for the number of cars who drop off at present, there is also no land available to rectify the problem (unless you consider losing the scrub land at the end of the junior’s field as an option). This leads to very dangerous (I would say reckless) parking of vehicles in the section of road between the Avenue Close and the Longmoor Road. However, the strip of land between the Cottage and the school entrance is not used as a drop off lay-by. Before the Volvo Repair Works hijacked it; it was used by the children to cross prior to the entrance/exit of the school and walk safely into Bohunt. I know that this land is owned by the local authority rather than in private ownership, so other than making into a proper, raised pavement, there is nothing anyone can do to stop taxed vehicles being parked on it – even if it is by a commercial venture. I agree with you about the youngsters wandering about in cloud cuckoo land. As a parent I am ever vigilant for the space cadets who saunter out in front of fast moving vehicles, but that is the problem, not everyone is a parent, and most road users are not expecting someone to leap out in front of their car at any minute! All the more reason to make a safe place to cross rather than sit and watch the kids play chicken with cars. In this instance I don’t think (although I didn’t see it) it was a parent causing a dangerous situation. The vehicle was a white van, but I agree that the speed at which people are driving is quite ridiculous. Even inside Bohunt car park I have been staggered at people’s selfishness and disregard for the voluntary ‘one way’ system. For years, the pick up area at the end of the school has been a one way in, one way out zone, but in recent week, cars have been racing the wrong way – even though it is very clear to everyone with eyes in their heads, that the rest of the cars are all going the other way. This creates a long queue, makes it difficult for late cars to reach the bottom car park, and makes for a lot of bad feeling. It seems that people want the rules to apply to every one else, except themselves. By the way, thank you so much for the live box. I posted back to Wanadoo and it has shut them up.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Dawn Hoskins (25th Sep 2008 - 09:54:54) Hi Gary, I do not have the years (re:lay-by parking) that you do as have only been in Passfield 6 years, so I will have to concede that if you say it has been parked up for 20 years - then it has. I feel sure that when My eldest started, that area was where he crossed over and walked in. At the time I used to park in the Juniors and he used to walk from there. Now that the remaining children all go to Bohunt, I drive into the school and so do not have to watch them cross the road. You are absolutely correct that the children have no idea about road safety, but I don't think that should be a reason to 'Not' make the area safer for them (and us).

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - helen (25th Sep 2008 - 10:27:44) I can't understand why we havent had a crossing put in on longmoor road yet!! I completely agree with gary about children not having road safety awareness. I am only 30 but i remember being taken out by my school just to learn how to cross the road! Everyday i see parents walking with their children across the road - they do all the looking for them and tell them when to cross (we're talking toddlers here) so the children dont learn to look and listen for themselves! I always ask my 4 year old 'tell me when you think its safe to cross and mummy will say when to go.'. we must do our best to control the speed of traffic esp. near schools but we must also (as parents) take it on our shoulders to install good traffic awareness and road safety in our own children.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Sue w (25th Sep 2008 - 10:38:57) Dawn, Well at least we agree that parents are putting their own kids in danger - re your piece about driving the wrong way - probably because they think it quicker to nip here and there - exactly what some are saying. Get your own houses in order before you jump about other road users, who are just trying to go about their business without having the dangers of wandering children and manic parents to contend with. We all have to be careful, but I do hate it when a "white van" is used in such a way that implies that these are somehow offensive and dangerous drivers! Do parents never drive vans? On the subject of the Lay-by, have you ever tried to visit any of the business units opposite the lay-by - I have and there is NO room for cars (apart from the front - which is taken by staff), I believe that it has been accepted that this is vital for the units - however I do agree that one business there fills the places, but it just highlights the fact that no provision for adequate parking has been made for any business around the square and nearby areas. In stead of agreeing to houses, perhaps the council should have purchased it and built a car park!. The problem of children and vehicles is not just a Liphook one, over the years a few children from Mill Chase area have been injured. There they have infants, Junior and senior schools together, and no lay-bys with Volvos in!!

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - neil (25th Sep 2008 - 10:41:10) Gary I do agree but I also was at Bohunt 20+ years ago and there was not the traffic there is today, I do remember most people walking to school this is not the case anymore more people think they have to drive less than a mile because there is not enough time in the world. But I think kids should be shown road safty it just does not happen, my wife walks everyday and some of things she has seen with the ways kids cross the road it just stupid.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Dawn Hoskins (25th Sep 2008 - 12:08:14) When I stated the vehicle involved was a white van, I had no intention of inferring any underlying insults or accusation of bad driving etc. It has already been said by the person on the scene that the driver was not at fault and was not speeding. If by using the term ‘White Van’ I have upset anyone, I apologise.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - craig (7th Oct 2008 - 14:56:14) Just to let everyone know my daughter is ok and to set the record straight for those who thought what they had seen it was not a white van but silver - neither the van driver or my children were at fault. My children had crossed to the centre of the road awaiting the van to pass but a volvo car was edging its way out of Bohunt School and the van moved over did not see the girls and ran over her foot and she did not get hit in the head she did not go to hospital. As for training my children on road i have done but accidents will happen and as i was at the scene within minutes after the accident and spoke to all concerned and i feel no one was to blame. But i do feel a crossing is needed outside the school and yellow lines on both sides of the road to stop cars parking outside or opposite the entrances to the school.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Claire Morag (10th Oct 2008 - 15:23:10) I doubt it would help having a zebra crossing on the Longmoor road. I wait at the one in the square and Headley Road every day, and motorists just drive past without stopping. I can't afford to just cross, I have to wait until both cars have stopped before I cross with my buggy. On the traffic chaos outside the schools, WALK YOUR KIDS TO SCHOOL. People from the village drive to pick their kids up. Why doesn't anyone walk any more? I know of a Mother who drives to the jnr school from the Avenue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ridiculous

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Dawn Hoskins (10th Oct 2008 - 20:12:56) Ok if you could sort out a pavement and some street lights we would happily walk the 2.9 miles to school from Passfield. I have been lobbying for a pavement for 5 years but have got nowhere - maybe you can do better. Until then, I will continue to drive them in. thanks.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Sue (11th Oct 2008 - 10:21:52) Dawn, I would just like to ask if a pavement and lights were provided, would people and children walk that distance? I know very well, that on wet days, cold ones and late ones, people will still drive - I would! There is most certainly a case for local children within 2miles to walk, but perhaps further afield not always practicable. Would the funding of pavements be necessary for the odd nice day? Do children not Cycle to school anymore.

Re: Accident outside Bohunt School - Barry Hope (11th Oct 2008 - 11:42:46) Hi, This problem of congestion will never go away if all councils do is to address the issue in a piecemeal way with answers that only scratch the surface. Whilst travel plans, bollards, crossings, pinch points etc, are all worthy ideas for slowing traffic down and making it safer for children and other pedestrians these are only successful due to the fact that they create more traffic congestion. What we need is a solution that gets traffic moving in addition to making it safer for pedestrians. Some long standing ideas have been muted such as a drop off / pick up point in the Junior and Infant school grounds off the Avenue as well as making The Avenue one-way. I would also suggest that Bohunt increase the size of their car park and take the cars away from parking on the side of Longmoor road together with a decent footpath on the Bohunt side of the Longmoor Road and a footbridge over it leading from the Bohunt side to the area where the lay-by is at present which would give access to the alleyway leading through to the Junior and Infant Schools. I'm not saying this is the only answer, there must be others out there but it serves to show that a radical and forward thinking approach is needed to cope not only with the problems that exist now but also to cope with increased future demand which is certain to happen as the number of houses in Liphook increases. Those that have influence in our village must think ahead and not just for the problems of today. Best wishes Barry H

Reply to THIS thread
Talkback Home