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What can you say about a society that poisons its own children - at the school gate? theguardian.com/environment/20…
Something extraordinary happened to me a few days ago. A woman was parked outside the school, engine idling, creating a cloud of pollution just where the children where due to come out. I gently asked her to turn it off. "No. I'm charging my phone." Thread/
"I'm sorry, but I think our children's health is more important. And anyway -"
"No! I need to charge my phone."
"Do you know it's illegal to keep your engine on while you're parked?"
"So what are you going to do? Call the police?"
"Er ..."
Continues/
"No! I need to charge my phone."
"Do you know it's illegal to keep your engine on while you're parked?"
"So what are you going to do? Call the police?"
"Er ..."
Continues/
I thought she had me. The police scarcely ever enforce the 2002 Road Traffic Regulations. In fact I've sometimes seen THEM sitting in a parked car for ages with their engine idling. But at *that very moment* a Community Support Officer cycles by. "Police!" I call.
Continues/
Continues/
The CSO stopped and I explained the situation. The woman, meanwhile, had hastily turned off her engine. "Right, leave this to me, sir," the CSO said. The woman's face was a picture I won't forget in a hurry. She looked like she'd seen a ghost. Ends
