To support DS to break school rules?

[Woffa]

My DS's secondary school has issued a written ban on sixth formers driving to school and parking in the local roads nearby (even though there are no double yellow lines etc) to avoid upsetting the residents.
The bus fare for DS is expensive and the saving helps pay for his insurance.

AIBU to support him in ignoring the ban?

[PattiODoors]

Where will he park?

[DoJo]

I would probably consider approaching the school first to see if there is some kind of compromise to be reached. I can understand that they don't want to foist hundreds of cars on the locals, but at the same time, I think that they should be prepared to at least listen to students who believe that they have a good reason for doing so. How much would your son be saving? Are there any other benefits to him to driving, such as increased flexibility to commit to extra curricular activities.

[MQv2]

With you on this one
Completely outside the schools remit and if he's taxed and insured no reason he can't drive and park in public roads as he needs

[Crownjewel]

YANBU. As long as he isn't parking illegally, or on school premises, he can get to school however he chooses and park wherever he chooses.

[SquareStarfish]

i was prepared to disagree with you after reading the title, however, the school are mad and I don't see how they can 'rule' on driving to school and parking legally.

[cuntyMcCunterson]

As long as there are no parking restrictions, his car is taxed ect and he parks courteously I don't see why the school should be able to dictate when or where he drives!

[Crownjewel]

Xpost MQv2

[FarFromAnyRoad]

I'm mystified by this. Under what jurisdiction can school legislate on how anyone gets to school? If it's not restricted or permit parking then surely nobody can say who does or does not park there.

[NightsOfGethsemane]

I think I'm with you on this one. As long as his car is taxed and insured and he is parking responsibly then he has every right to park on public roads. The school cannot tell him this is not allowed.

[Starlightbright1]

yes just make sure he doesn't park over someones drive..you will only read about it here on another parking thread I love a good parking thread

[LaurieFairyCake]

I would also completely ignore it, they have no jurisdiction if anyone can park there.

[wigglesrock]

The school have no jurisdiction where he parks but a street near me is used by sixth form students to park - it's a bloody nightmare. The residents are fed up - the cars obviously aren't blocking driveways but they make it very difficult for the residents. The street is bunged, it's difficult for delivery drivers, larger vans like workvans to get parked outside houses. Younger kids are always crossing between parked cars. Yes, it's a right of way and no one "owns" on street parking but it does inconvenience other people.

[FarFromAnyRoad]

And re your title - he won't be breaking school rules because it's not a rule that the school can make. It's a nonsense for them to even suggest it.

[Woffa]

His bus fare is £700 per year, so a big saving. My instinct on reading the letter was that the school shouldn't have any say in what happens outside school hours off the premises but I didn't want to rock the boat.
It's reassuring I'm not alone in my reaction!

He parks legally and courteously.

[NightsOfGethsemane]

I do see that it must be an inconvenience for residents. I do understand that but the school still has no jurisdiction here. I live in a road with alarge church at the end of it. It has an active congregation. When people are worshipping or attending social events (which seems to be most evenings) then parking is very difficult on my road. It's just one of those things. I wouldn't dream of complaining to the church about it.

[Fatmomma99]

You're all correct in what you say, I think. In that, no school has the right to say what happens off-premises.

However, can I just point out how many threads there are about parents parking at primary schools at pick-up/drop-off times. How they park thoughtlessly, block driveways, etc. There are LOADS of those threads. And there are always postings about how this is common for EVERY primary school across the land. And shouts about how some selfish people think rules don't apply to them, or say "yes, I know I'm blocking your drive, but I'm only going to be 10 minutes". These are pressure points for approx 15 - 30 mins twice a day.

The over 17s at your child's school will be parking for around 7 hours. How many children in that category. Why should your child have special treatment

Schools have a responsibility to be good neighbours.

Just saying, and I can see I'm against the tide of this post, and I don't think it's something the school can actually enforce. But for what it's worth, I think you ABU.

[MrsHathaway]

YWNBU

But we used to live near a sixth form college and parking was a massive issue because none of them was any fucking good at it! For everyone's sake please teach him to park accurately and courteously.

The worst parking we saw there was on Open Evenings. Prospective parents would park on private drives, across car park entrances, you name it.

We moved. We now live five minutes from a station. Zero parking problems.

[Fatmomma99]

xposts. When I started typing, the last poster was laurie

[WorraLiberty]

YANBU OP

I would agree with the school if they sent a letter out asking pupils to think about whether they really need to drive to school, or whether they could walk/catch a bus for a few stops.

But this is ridiculous.

[MQv2]

And that's fair enough fatmomma
But I think that the logic of school run dickheads is "I'm only a minute, what's the big deal"
Now obviously I'm just assuming rather than knowing with certainty, but I'd think its a lot less likely that people are blocking driveways and double parking etc for 7 hours plus because they think they're special

I could of course be wrong, but experience would tell me that you get people parking over drives etc when they rink it's justified due to the brevity of their obstruction

[WireCat]

The school cannot dictate anything out of school.

This is a "rule" that can be broken.

[DoJo]

Well, my university didn't allow students to have cars, which I was always surprised actually worked in most cases! Although the school may have no jurisdiction over how students travel or where they park, it would probably pay to find out what their proposed sanctions are for those who break the rules - presumably they can impose in-school punishments for out-of-school infractions in the same way that they do for smoking in uniform etc.

I still think that negotiation is the way to go - perhaps encourage your son to write to the school, putting his case forward in order to try and reach an amicable solution. Could he suggest car-sharing or similar?

[sarascompact]

YANBU. I'd struggle to come back with anything politer than 'Who the f do you think you are and where's your policeman's hat?'.

[Koalafications]

how can the school dictate this?!

YANBU. It's ridiculous.

[Woffa]

It's a school with a sixth form rather than a sixth form college so there are around 160 over 17s, though I don't think many have a car yet.

When DS1 was a baby we lived on a busy terraced street just before it started a resident's parking scheme. I do remember often not being able to find a parking space near the house and having to struggle with a baby, shopping and pram in the rain. We moved before baby no. 2!
This wouldn't be an issue in the area around the school though.