What do you think would happen if I broke a car window to aid an ambulance?

[NewMatress]

First let me say I don't really intend to do it!

I live opposite a school. Usually a pain for a few minutes am and PM each day, but usually I'm at work anyway so no big deal.

With the staggered starts it seems to be from about 7:30am until 10 am and then start again by 2pm. I don't know what it is about these staggered starts but parents seem to be even more determined to park as close as possible possible to the gate, which often means across my drive. I'm sure they all believe they'll "only be a minute", but they really aren't and as soon as one leaves another arrives.

Anyway, hopefully, DH will arrive home by ambulance in the next few days. They usually reverse onto the drive which makes life easier for them and gives him more privacy.

I suppose I'd be in the wrong if I broke a window to release a handbrake and move a car? What action would be likely to be taken though?

I think you would be charged with criminal damage. I think there was a thread a little while ago about going through a red light if you were getting out of the way for an ambulance - you would still be breaking the law/fined for running the light.

I would either park over my drive (all the time) or put some kind of barrier up or leave an old bike just lying in the road. I would also be telling the school. It really is not acceptable for people to be parking over your drive every day.

I'd recommend bins across your drive with a note on them saying "emergency access required" or similar. Plus also making contact with your local parking wardens and local police to get them to patrol around school drop off and pick up from time to time.

I work in a school office. I really wish these parent knew how much time we waste dealing with complaints about parking from other parents and local residents. It really is infuriating and our time could be so much better spent working on things that actually benefit the running of the school and the children.

I would make an appointment to talk to the head teacher and actually ask for a teacher / TA / receptionist / Dinner lady / friend of any of the above to park across your drive.

Someone you can call and tell them they need to move. That way no one except you and the head need to know and your husband can retain as much dignity as possible.

Obviously you should not need to do this but I think this would be the way to go with minimal fuss.

Take registration numbers, if there are repeat offenders, allege to the DVLA that the drivers have undisclosed health problems. If they cannot walk a few extra yards then they are medically unfit to drive without disclosing health conditions.

If the TA parking across your drive is not possible, or bins do not work.

Put up a large sign saying "KEEP CLEAR - ACCESS NEEDED FOR AMBULANCE TODAY" and reinforce it with cones, bins, boxes, whatever.

@countrygirl99

Hire a male stripper who uses a police uniform type outfit to wander up and down the street on the relevant day. I doubt there will be any parking issues as long as he remembers to keep his clothes on.

my favourite suggestion yet!

@newnortherner111

Take registration numbers, if there are repeat offenders, allege to the DVLA that the drivers have undisclosed health problems. If they cannot walk a few extra yards then they are medically unfit to drive without disclosing health conditions.

If the TA parking across your drive is not possible, or bins do not work.

you could also put a note on every car - I have reported you to DVLA as you obviously have issues that mean you cannot plan to be 2 minutes earlier, and you are physically unable to walk a few extra metres which leads you to break the law. you wouldn't need to actually report them!

@newnortherner111

Take registration numbers, if there are repeat offenders, allege to the DVLA that the drivers have undisclosed health problems. If they cannot walk a few extra yards then they are medically unfit to drive without disclosing health conditions.

If the TA parking across your drive is not possible, or bins do not work.

If the DVLA for a communication saying “the driver of car AB18 CDE has undisclosed epilepsy - I don’t know their name or anything about them except their car reg, but trust me”, I think they’d laugh and bin it.

That's awful they do that. Definitely tell the school! I live near my kids' school and they regularly text and email us all to remind us not to disrupt the neighbours with inconsiderate parking. They have also worked with the local council and regularly send around a little cctv car at drop off and pick up times. I hope your husband's return goes smoothly.

We had an email from the school reminding us not to park over driveways but especially not in x date at x time as emergency access was required and police would be involved if access was blocked. Turned out to be a funeral (we saw the hearse) but the warning worked - could you try something like that?
Not that people should need warnings obviously- parking should be more considerate at all times.

It’s criminal damage.

The ambulance will be able to forcibly move cars if they need to, but they probably won’t for this situation, it doesn’t sound like it’d meet the criteria.

Can you get some cones/bins/whatever to block the space for a bit?

I would turn a blind eye if I saw you doing this, and inwardly cheer. Lazy entitled parking gets my goat (someone parked over my drive yesterday, they got a note, the twit).

Where are you? If your local to me I will happily take the day off work and stand guard at your driveway, I like to think I've perfected my resting bitch face over the years! They will get short shrift from me

@Cakeismyhero

Where are you? If your local to me I will happily take the day off work and stand guard at your driveway, I like to think I've perfected my resting bitch face over the years! They will get short shrift from me

Me too. We could form a small MN army!

loving the idea of a mn army.

I'm in, I'll park and work in the car until ambulance arrives!

I can join in, my car has adaptions and I have a blue badge so if anyone is already parked I can get them to move.

which part of the country are you OP?