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AIBU?

Parents (mostly mums) taking the mick dropping kids off to school (PARKING)

318 replies

Anotherragingmorning · 21/09/2018 10:35

Another morning another battle trying to find parking outside school. With mums mainly huddled around in playground or standing outside their cars talking while other parents struggling to find parking spots.

My DC primary school on a road with one end busy road, other end parking restrictions. Opposite school houses with driveways that now (over summer hols) have had double yellow lines installed due to parents blocking driveways. School has opened up their car park to help out but only a few spaces available about 10 and road has about 15 so In total about 25 parking spots. Causing a huge lack of space now. Takes about 2-3 minutes to walk kids in and drop off. Yet cars are parked up for 10-15 minutes at times. I know it's parents because as soon as the bell goes all the cars disappear.

Since school started I am having to drive up and down several times before finding a slot. Lucky if someone pulls out just as I come in otherwise a constant battle.
Yes this is a 1st world problem but one none the less I am having to live through almost every day. Since school started 2+ weeks ago my 2DC have been late 4 times. This morning being 4th time, and been told by office next time they are it will be marked as late.

AIBU to think this is pure inconsideration for other parents needing to drop their kids off too? Do parents really think this is their slot for however long they choose to have it?

OP posts:
ambereeree · 21/09/2018 10:38

YABU get there earlier. If parents want to talk or linger they have every right.

2slicesoftoast · 21/09/2018 10:41

Yes, you are being unreasonable. If a car is safely and legally parked it can stay as long as the driver wants.
Why don't you leave home 10 minutes earlier? I take a coffee in a travel mug and we do reading in the car until it is time to get out for school.

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 21/09/2018 10:41

Do parents really think this is their slot for however long they choose to have it?

Well, it is... Confused

You"'ll just have to get there a bit earlier and get a spot too.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 21/09/2018 10:42

Yabu
Get there earlier or park further away and walk.

Anotherragingmorning · 21/09/2018 10:42

Sorry was meant to ask who else has to deal with this too?

Just for context. I have a 12 yr old DD who I have to drop to secondary by 8:30 then drop younger 2 DC to primary.
Secondary is 2 miles away and she has no friends who she can walk with that live near us. I will not let her walk alone after police warnings of men in vans/cars approaching girls from that school in the past and advise being given for girls especially to walk in groups or be picked and dropped by parents.

OP posts:
ClaudiaWankleman · 21/09/2018 10:45

Drop DD at secondary earlier and get to the primary earlier. Has that not occurred to you already..?

Looneytune253 · 21/09/2018 10:45

Is there a reason why you can’t park a little further away and walk in? Much the same as if you lived a few streets over and would just walk. The parking in the immediate streets at our school is ridiculous but the very next street no one uses its crazy. And of course people are gonna park and wait until the bell goes and their child goes into school. It’s what most responsible parents do.

SassitudeandSparkle · 21/09/2018 10:45

If this is real (and I have my doubts tbh) then if you've got the time to count the parking spaces you can park a bit further away and walk in. YABU.

It must have been embarassing being ticked off by the school about the lateness, but it is down to you to find a solution that does not depend on (or blame) other driving parents.

SaucyJack · 21/09/2018 10:46

Why can’t you drop your oldest off earlier? You can’t reasonably expect other parents to drop and run before the bell goes so that you can park and get in on time. What if they need to speak to the teacher, or their child is too young to be left alone in the unlocked playground?

Clothrabbit · 21/09/2018 10:47

I agree. Park anywhere within reasonable walking distance of the school, instead of circling around the car park waiting for someone to move.

FissionChips · 21/09/2018 10:48

Park further away and walk.

Racecardriver · 21/09/2018 10:49

We had this at the school I attended. The school created a drop off zone near the gate. Children would be let out if the car and teachers would escorts them inside.

JacquesHammer · 21/09/2018 10:49

Park further away and walk - removes all that stress

Anotherragingmorning · 21/09/2018 10:50

Thanks for the replies. I should have included the part where I cannot get there early due to other children. I suppose those that have replied only have the duty of dropping off primary school children. I am also a single mum so don't have a partner to rely on/help out. The only mums (3) I know live completely out of my way and walk to the school.

Surely some consideration for the new road restrictions and other people struggling. Makes it even worse when they are standing outside their drivers door and you know they are about to leave and you put on your hazard lights ready to pull in as they pull out and you are seen but they will still stand there chatting to someone for ages.

OP posts:
icelolly99 · 21/09/2018 10:50

I'm in the same situation; I leave earlier so I can drop older ones ones off early this allows enough time to either drive back home and then walk younger one or park half way back and walk the rest if time is tight.

SassitudeandSparkle · 21/09/2018 10:51

That's a late drop at secondary school really, 8.30. The school buses here aim to drop the children at school a good 15 mins earlier than that, are you trying to drop off at the very last minute because that will make things stressful.

JacquesHammer · 21/09/2018 10:52

I should have included the part where I cannot get there early due to other children. I suppose those that have replied only have the duty of dropping off primary school children. I am also a single mum so don't have a partner to rely on/help out. The only mums (3) I know live completely out of my way and walk to the school

Drop the older child at secondary earlier - she can meet friends/go to the library etc leaving you chance to get the younger ones to school on time.

Alternatively, is there a breakfast club at primary? Drop the younger ones for that and then take the older to secondary.

CherieBabySpliffUp · 21/09/2018 10:52

Just park up further away from school and walk the final bit.
Unless you're going to drip feed with a reason why you can't do that Hmm

Anotherragingmorning · 21/09/2018 10:53

And of course people are gonna park and wait until the bell goes and their child goes into school. It’s what most responsible parents do.

Gates open at 8:40am. Classrooms open at 8:45am. Kids are sent in straight away. They disappear into their classrooms. Then parents linger around chatting. So no the bell doesn't need to go before kids are safe.

OP posts:
MinorRSole · 21/09/2018 10:54

Drop off at 8.30 2 miles away - what time does your primary start? My older dd gets the bus so I don't have that drop off but our primary doesn't start until 9. We arrive at 8.45 and have no issues parking (rural so walking isn't an option)
If your primary is a 9am start then I don't see how it's a problem, if it's earlier do as suggested above and drop older child earlier

MinorRSole · 21/09/2018 10:56

Cross posted, you'll have to drop older dc earlier.

PavlovaFaith · 21/09/2018 10:57

YABU. You seem to want everyone else to change what they do so you can do what they do... lots of parents have larger families and will need to drop of children to different classrooms. They would arrive early to do that and finally wait with the youngest until the doors open. You need to drop your DD off earlier (as MANY PP have said) and arrive earlier at primary. Or even better, Park and Stride.

You could even make use of breakfast club and then just deal with the other school drop off.

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Haireverywhere · 21/09/2018 11:01

Sorry this does sound like a pain and a common scenario here. We have 5 drop off only spaces which are literally drop and run spaces and everyone else has to park on the road (isn't this normal?) and take parking issues into account when planning school run timings.

I think unless they are in "drop off" spaces only they're not doing anything wrong in parking and chatting in the playground -before or after the bell.

Fevertree · 21/09/2018 11:02

I HATE it when people rush me to move by waiting near my car with indicators on.

Flyingpigs247 · 21/09/2018 11:03

It's not much more fun walking to school with a buggy and child in tow and having to avoid all the cars that randomly pull onto the pavement to park (and some of them actually beep their horns as obviously I shouldn't be walking on the pavement!).

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