School Run Parking Nightmare

[MichaelFlatleyLordoftheDance]

I live in a small, rural village with a well regarded primary school in it. I live one street from the school, and every school day, morning and afternoon, the street absolutely fills with cars as parents drop off and collect their kids. I understand this comes with the territory of living near a school; however, there are no quick drops or collections - parents stand around chatting for sometimes hours at a time, leaving their cars congesting the street and their kids roaming around in gardens and driveways. The thing that really gets me is the cars are typically blocking driveways, double parked or abandoned well away from the kerb. When a parent is politely asked to move their car (by myself or other residents) they react in very rude ways. "Excuse me, could you please move your car, I need to leave for work and you're blocking my driveway" is met with "I'll leave when I'm ready" or "you should leave earlier then." This doesn't seem normal to me. Does anyone else experience anything similar?

Yep, complain to the school and local police. Our school regularly reminds parents in them weekly newsletter and police have patrolled the area when parents block driveways.

We’ve had a few issues with this. The school were hopeless as neighbours contacted and asked them to send out a letter - they didn’t.

We contacted our local PCSO who was helpful to some extent, coming out to monitor things at start/ end of school day a couple of times.
If I know I have to be out first thing I put the car on the road after breakfast now 🙄

Yes I do, I couldn't get into my driveway this week, my toddler was desperate for the potty, and the man blocking me out response was to be abusive and wonder off the to the school to get his daughter leaving me stuck. I complained to the school and they've not responded. Entitled people's behaviour seems the norm these days.

Def complain to the school

The school don't have any authority over what happens on public highways. They can put messages out to parents eg in their newsletter but the parents causing problems have already shown that they don't care. You need the police or council involved.

I agree about complaining to the school (as often as necessary). If a warning from them to the parents doesn't improve things, ask their headteacher to be a visible presence moving people along at pickup time.

Also inform the council. Our council has made the streets near schools permit only, and they have traffic wardens who materialise at 8:30am and 3pm. It's a shame it has to be like that but it has completely resolved the problem.

how long have you lived there?

Actually if the school held an assembly on it and the kids learned about where mummy and daddy should park (in the local car park or whatever) and why it's unsafe to park in the middle of the road etc (as part of traffic awareness/crossing the road safely etc), they'd embarrass their parents by shouting "that's not where you park!" while getting out of the car and parents hate that so it could work.
I remember things like this being covered in school assemblies at my small village school, and them coming out in the monthly newsletter. The kids used to tell each other in the playground "I saw your mum parking on the yellow zigzag lines" so those kids then said something to their parents. Stopped it in weeks.
They don't need legal authority, they just need to embarrass the idiots doing this.
Local PCSO is also a good shout if you have any in your area.

drop the school an email

I think people have become more badly behaved over time. We've got a school in our street too. The school isn't bigger than it was but the parking issues are definitely worse.

I know people have to drive, they have to go to work or get to other places but why they think they can block other people who have to go to work in their drives is beyond me.

At my DD's secondary they have changed the parking to residents only.

I’m always amazed at how utterly feeble British law enforcement is. Where I lived in the US if this happened the city would have sent a fleet of tow trucks and lifted every single car that was illegally parked and that would have been the end of the matter. I mean, they did that even with cars that were left on the street on street sweeping day.

i recall being bellowed at by police in santa barbara when i had the temerity to cross a completely empty road at very early ona a Sunday morning (i was out jogging) not on a crossing.

No thank you to US policing style

People block our drive collecting from the local school sometimes but are always really apologetic when we ask them to move.

met with "I'll leave when I'm ready" or "you should leave earlier then."

I have never had this sort of response! How rude.

I’d speak to the local police and see if they are able to help.

I know someone who put a notice on the wall next to her drive.

"If you're an entitled wanker who is too lazy to use the car park located 300 metres away....please park here"....Surprisingly, no-one ever did.

i’d read that and think “Twat”

That would make me want to park there, to be honest.

Thankfully I’ve never experienced this. In my part of London you can’t generally access school roads at certain times & there is often restricted parking. I’ve even seen a warden.

I think I would slash someone’s tyres if they blocked me in or refused to move. Or get one of my uncle’s to have a word & then I’d never see them again 😆

Me too! 😂

I don't think this will ever change. I live on the street next to our local school and have children that attend.

The school send notices almost weekly. The police and PCSO's are regularly in attendance (The road is even more dangerous when the police are there because the cars that usually park on the pavement are unable to do so) nothing changes I'm afraid.

2 children were knocked over and seriously injured last month. Still no change.

Well no-one took a blind bit of notice at the polite requests but they did to that one. So twat or not it worked.

Email school with pics

We often have cars in our newsletter saying please park better

Traffic wardens do xone but at the wrong time

They arrive 830 as people arriving to school so don't park there

Told them the would be better arriving 845 once people have parked so that they get a ticket

Costing people money is the only thing that stops them tbh

School door open 840/850 so parents park 830/835/840 and walk into school grounds

You shouldn't have to, but if all residents parked across their own drive they'd be able to get out when they want. There'd be less room for the school parents to park, but residents wouldn't need to do it if they were more considerate.

who knows what happens that you’re not privy to!

So what?

What's that to do with twatty parking?