School run mum

Using primary school logic, that means she fancies you.

I'd use it as a learning lesson for your own child. Smile to her and say GOOD MORNING! Then say to your child something like:

"See, it's always important to be polite to people, even if they are rude to you."

I dunno, maybe you’re one of those people who couldn’t possibly imagine parking a few metres down the road so there’s less traffic around the school entrance? Maybe youve pulled up on the keep clear ‘just for a minute’? Who knows? We don’t, so unless you ask her you’re never going to know

Next time I would address her directly and say "I really wish we lived close enough to walk but unfortunately it's just not safe for us and it's too far for DD to manage on her own. You know what it's like" and then roll your eyes and smile knowingly as if you've shared a joke.

She might laugh along and that's great. If she's still a bitch then she's just out to make enemies and I wouldn't bother again. But aside from anything else you might just embarrass her enough for her to learn to keep her opinions to herself.

Ignore this nasty person. Blank her. I bet she asks you for a driving favour soon- these people are always cf.

Make her invisible to you, so if you see her, look just past her in any direction, as if you're deep in thought or looking intently at something else. Practice this. Do not react to her. This is not someone you want to engage with ever. She's a loser. You are not.

I remember having some woman stick her hand in my face to stop me talking as I was chatting with her friend.
I said "My God you're rude aren't you!" She replied "Maybe but at least I'm rich" I had no answer to that.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I really do get the impression she is judging
She probably is, but does it matter?
It doesn't affect your life. Just carry on doing whatever you are doing.

What would I do?
Nothing and not care and just get on with my life. Which is excatly what I did with school run nonsense years ago.
This stuff has always gone on. Best to take no notice and shake it off.

At least she's not waving an axe!

Why are you even giving this headspace? I couldn’t give two shits what anyone thinks about me. It’s none of my business. If she wants to snark let her get on with it - it keeps her busy and stops her annoying other people. A cheery, ‘MORNING!’ is a bit of fun if you can be arsed.

There's a few like this on my school run and I just say hello (most days) and smile, even though they ignore me or grimace when they see me. I'll keep being polite and nice and they can be miserable. I find it easier to be friendly than an arsehole tbh.

Making arsey comments to complete strangers, as this woman is doing, isn't the answer though.

I wouldn't be able to help myself, I'd have to pop it in there where I live just in case that is one problem 🤣🤣 a simple oh I live in bla bla, do you? because I think I saw you there yesterday! Oh it wasn't you? AHH ok musta been someone else!

Are you sure you’re not being paranoid?

What would you do?
Fuck all, probably.

What it is, is an exercise in futility.

The driving and parking at school drop-off/pick-up is appalling. It's notorious for it. Getting your head up your arse with persistent offenders (and who is to say that's actually the case here) won't have the smallest effect as a) they're the type least likely to care and b) there will be plenty more offenders where they came from.

Not sure it's ignorant to want fewer cars at the school gate

As my dear old dad used to say, "don't put down to malice what can be explained by stupidity/ignorance."

Next time she looks at you, OP, put your thumb to your nose and waggle your fingers at her.

Invite her for a play date. Tell her to walk there as she just loves to walk

This is probably what's going on, not everyone who drives to school has to

You are falling into the well worn trap of caring about what strangers think of you. If this were me I’d give her a smile, say ‘morning!’ and get on with my day. What she thinks of you is none of your business and vice versa.

I really doubt it. If she's deploying childish, passive aggressive gestures then the MO is plausible deniability. People who do this want a response. When they succeed in provoking one, they adopt a wide-eyed innocent pose designed to make their target appear the one who's neurotic and unreasonable.

It's manipulative, devious and ultimately cowardly behaviour, because it shifts responsibility onto the other person and avoids the passive-aggressor having to make a direct confrontation.

I have not one nanosecond of precious time to expend on people like this. WGAF if she's got her head up her arse about some perceived minor slight? The most insulting response these types could possibly receive is to remain completely oblivious to her lacklustre efforts to offend.

With some people, the only way to 'win' is not to play.

People actually confront other people ... for this? Stroll on, whose life is actually this boring?

It's fine removing yourself to a distance from school-gate histrionics, but I confess I've never anticipated being on the receiving end of this kind of insecure neurosis. Far harder to smile breezily and move on when someone dumps their own paranoid baggage right at your feet. The natural response, I suppose, would be to justify yourself (just as PPs above suggest defending the distance you travel to school in the face of an inquisitive, petty mum). But people like this are too much like hard work for my taste and shouldn't be encouraged.

Bet if you hadn't intentionally blanked these idiots in the first place, you've given them short shrift since.