Parking wars

And then find that she has a private drive that is sufficient for her requirements!

If she doesn't, then yes, the same rules apply there... but she hasn't been arrogant in claiming to own a part of the public road and ordering other people not to use it; she's just using an available public space as all road users can/do as standard.

I've been in a similar position, OP, although on my case the problem was drivers parking their car outside my house for a week at a time. They absolutely had the right to do that but it made my life very difficult with young children and shopping etc. Eventually, in both cases, I wrote a very polite note saying that I knew they has every right to park there but explaining the problems and suggesting other places nearby where they could park instead without causing problems, and that I would really appreciate their help. I put the note under their windscreen. It worked on both occasions.

After all, she doesn’t own the road 🤣🤣🤣

Follow her home and park outside her house just before you go on holiday for a couple of weeks😂

I find it interesting how many people seem to think they have a moral 'right' to a space on the public road outside their house - they 'need' it - but nobody seems to care about people who live in houses on roads with double yellow lines outside.

If you're of the opinion that people who only have on-street parking outside their homes somehow have more claim on a space in the road for whatever reason, I presume you would thus believe that somebody around the corner on the main road - with no parking allowed whatsoever - who is disabled and/or has more young kids than they do, would have even more 'moral right' to that space; and thus the householder adjacent to it 'should do the decent thing' and leave it for the disabled mother of 6 on the main road just around the corner rather than taking it for themselves?

People who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters also rely on dropped kerbs to enable them to cross roads - car drivers could bump up and down if they had to, but disabled folk can't.

This is a part of strategic council planning when they approve one of their kerbs to be dropped.

That sounds really bloody annoying. I live opposite a school too and some of the staff park in my road. Some better than others! It’s the parents that are the real CFers though!

Please keep us updated if you manage to speak to her! I would 100% stop doing it if you explained and asked me if I could find an alternative, I don’t even have kids myself but I’d be mortified to think I was inconveniencing a Mum with a wee baby! Yes I know we don’t own the roads outside our houses but I like to think most people are fair-minded and would see your point of view (she said hopefully! 🤣)

If it’s that bad, where’s the delivery driver going to park? 😉

@itbemay1because it is a public road and no one owns the road. Both people have an equal right to park there. I live by a church. On Sundays I can’t park near my house because of the church service if I need to go and come back. I have park roads away away (and this was the case when I had small children). But I knew when I bought the house the location and I can’t ask them nicely to move as they need the parking space as much as me.

I would chat to her and explain what you have said here. Just because she can dosent mean she should. If there are other options why wouldn’t she use them if what she is currently doing is an inconvenience to someone?!

You don’t have a right to a space on a public road.

However I work in a school where the car park isn’t big enough for all the staff. We are asked frequently to be mindful of the residents when working and lift share where possible etc.

I think it’s general courtesy personally and staff are all on board.

So it may well be fruitful to contact the school.

If there are other spaces in the street, I would ask her. She probably doesn't realise that your car doesn't fit on your drive or that you have twenty children. Either speak to her or write a polite note.

If I was the driver I wouldn't mind that at all, well as long as there was some acknowledgement that I was within my rights to park there. It would get my back up if someone simply said 'do not park here'.

Yup.
The request by residents asking chap not to park his great car on the pavement was met with "but I've got small children I need to get in the house".

God that just sounds exhausting. Just talk to the woman.

You're complaining about not being able to park closer to your front door when you've been food shopping with your baby! Why did my comment make you laugh? it was a genuine way I thought you could make your own life a tiny bit easier 🤷‍♀️ don't have 'all these kids' then moan about it. Buy a house with a proper driveway 👀🤷‍♀️ or don't live near a school.

Definitely speak to her. That would be my first thought. Then if nothing changes, start making life a bit inconvenient. Just a few games, call your kids school and let them know you’ll be a bit late, therefore messing with her timings a bit.
leave a pram/buggy/bicycle/bin/traffic cone in the space accidentally ( have your husband keep an eye) so she has to physically get out of her car to move the obstacle. Park down the street as a once off and have your husband’s van in the space some morning.
technically she’s legally allowed to park there, so there’s not much you can do, but maybe let her think that this space is a bit less reliable moving forward.

It doesn’t hurt to ask. She may not realise that you need the space during the day. She could think that you’re going to work and she’s being responsible by parking outside someone’s house who isn’t there all day. I’d definitely talk to her and explain the situation but you’ll have to accept it if she still chooses to park there. In the meantime, is there anything you can do to improve the access to your drive? It sounds bonkers!

Huh?

Everyone saying she’s legally allowed… but cmon has no one got any respect or nous anymore!!
id tell her she’s causing you hassle the likely hood is she won’t park there again because she’ll be worried something will happen to her car!

I think you should speak politely to her - she probably thinks that you are leaving for the day, so she’s not inconveniencing anyone.

Surely your DH could take your child to school one day so you could speak to her. Or pop out when you are leaving & speak to her himself. Or even just move his car out to ‘save’ the spot for you.

I would just politely explain the situation and ask her to consider parking elsewhere. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request if there are spaces elsewhere nearby 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you think she works at the school they would gladly speak to her! If you don't like confrontation as you said. Must be tough with 5 kids esp a baby. One day ring the kids school and say we will be 10 mins late and leave then! Is the walk too far for their school? just for 1 day?

I hope you get a positive result, op. I'm sort of thinking....'I've got to drop my 2 kids off at their school (but not too early as not allowed) and still get to the school where I work, park up, scamper in and be logged on before head teacher does a head count. I'm usually lucky and grab a parking spot fairly close to where I work but have to time it right for when the other car leaves for work, life is pretty stressful these days!".....