REDWOOD SCHOOL LOLLIPOP LADY RUNS CROSSING TIGHTER THAN A BLOODY AIRPORT
Parents at Redwood Primary say Beverley's 3pm shift has cut wait times in half and grown men in utes to tears.
A crossing patroller at Redwood Primary has a cult following. Parents and tradies alike reckon Beverley runs the Main North Road crossing like "a bloke who actually gives a shit."
Beverley Yardley, 61, has been on the lollipop for eleven terms. She works two whistles. One for kids. One she calls "the ute whistle". She points at drivers like a building inspector, except useful.
"She got me last Tuesday for creeping," said local sparky Rueben Cottrell, still rattled outside his Hilux. "I wasn't even creeping. I was thinking about creeping. She knew. Dunno how she knew."
Redwood mum Anthea Prendergast, 39, said the crossing used to be a shambles. Double-parked Klugers. Dads on phones. "Now it runs like a proper site. In, out, no muckin' about. My youngest reckons she's scarier than the principal, which — fair."
A Christchurch City Council spokesperson said Beverley was "operating within her mandate". They declined to comment on reports she'd told a Mazda driver to "have a wee think about yourself" on Wednesday. The driver said he had, and would not be creeping again.
Beverley returns to the crossing at 2.55pm sharp. She has never been late. Not once. Not even the day of the flooding.
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Reader Letters
Trev_Hornby
Bloody legend.
Garry (Halswell)
Back in my day, we didn’t need lollipop ladies. Just used our wits and legs. Now look at us, all scaredy-cats waiting for the whistle.
MumOf3_Riccarton
Is Beverley available for hire? Could use her at the footy club car park. Utter chaos every Saturday morning.
wayne1987
Mate, she’s too strict for a school crossing. We're just trying to get on with our day, not get judged!
Helen_Lyttelton
Mate, Beverley should get an award from the council. She’s just doing her job and folks love her.
Anthea_Christchurch
Wayne, you should try walking your kids across once. You'd see why she’s got the big fan club.
conspiracist_Karl
Lollipop ladies running the world? What’s next, crossing patrollers entering politics? Could be a new world order...
tired_in_riccarton
There’s a pattern here, chaps. Systems are getting munted, and we need Beverleys everywhere. It's not just about the crossing.
Paula_NZ
Honestly, if Beverley’s whistle skills were applied to council meetings, we would have fewer delays on decisions. We need more people like her keeping things in line!
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