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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Sammy Gecsoyler

The lollipop people crisis: what does the road rage against them say about Britain today?

School crossing patrol officer Lynne Gorrara, equipped with body cam, stops traffic and helps pedestrians across Foxhall Road in Ipswich
‘It’s really scary’ … Lynne Gorrara helps people across Foxhall Road in Ipswich. Photograph: Joshua Bright/The Guardian

There aren’t many jobs that often involve jumping out of the path of speeding cars – but for the lollipop people of Britain today, this is the sad reality. And it doesn’t stop there: aggression, swearing and middle fingers are just a few examples of the intimidation and abuse they face on our roads.

“Oh my God, I mean, abuse of lollipop people? What has the world come to?” says Lynne Gorrara. It’s a crisp, sunny afternoon in Ipswich and the 61-year-old is holding a towering stop sign above her head, clearing a crossing for a stream of schoolchildren. This spot – on a narrow residential road, with a hospital in one direction and shops in the other – is notorious for abusive drivers.

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