'Reckless' driver slammed after driving 150ft along pavement to avoid traffic

07 October 2023 , 10:03

656     0

'Reckless' driver slammed after driving 150ft along pavement to avoid traffic

This is the shocking moment a motorist drives along a pavement while allegedly trying to avoid a traffic jam outside a school.

Footage posted on X - formerly known as Twitter - shows a grey Suzuki Swift swerving a queue of cars in Dulwich, southeast London, by driving 150ft on the pavement. The driver was branded "reckless" by furious parents who pointed out that driving like this poses a danger to children.

The clip was originally published by Dulwich Wood School Street, a group of local parents campaigning for the safety of children. The caption read: "Er, when did this become the norm?" It added: "This is illegal surely?"

A motorist was filmed driving along the pavement outside a school (DWSchoolStreet/X)

The parents' campaigning group explained the two-way street is "very busy" at school drop-off and pick-up times. They added: "Parking is along one side. If there were fewer cars there’d be space to pull to one side and let the other car pass."

After watching the video on X, a person commented saying: "Horrific selfish behaviour." Another added: "This beggars belief." One more wrote: "This is mad! Driver needs some reeducation." Dulwich Wood Police has asked the person who filmed the video to get in touch.

Nursery apologises after child with Down's syndrome ‘treated less favourably’

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "We are aware of a video on social media showing a car driving on the pavement in Dulwich. We have made a request to the person who posted the video to make a crime report so this can be investigated. This can be done here."

Last year, we reported that people living in Rotherham Road, Coventry, were left fuming with "shameless" drivers parking on the footpath, almost completely blocking it. A photo shared by local resident Hayden Laverick showed the body of the cars positioned on the pavement leaving, in the worst-affected areas, barely a metre-wide gap between the garden walls and the front of the cars.

Anyone in a wheelchair, mobility scooter or pushing a stroller would likely have to have to step into the road to get around the cars obstructing the footpath. Hayden said he was furious about the situation and lashed out at the "inconsiderate" actions of drivers.

Other residents also hit out at the drivers responsible. On the Facebook post, one user commented: "Shameless people no respect for others." Another added: "No way I could get past on my mobility scooter." One resident said: "Yes I have to walk in the road when I am going to work!!" Meanwhile, one user wrote: "Extremely frustrating! For wheelchairs pushchairs pedestrians etc..."

Chiara Fiorillo