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?

because if the Op has just moved there… there may be an ongoing campaign from neighbours that the OP could get involved with.

mor perhaps the OP has been there for 10 years and no other neighbour has ever complained - which would be intriguing.
Perhaps the school are aware and trying to deal. Lots of reasons why I asked

Buy a megaphone and go to the playground and shout would the owner of car xx45 yyyy please move as you are parked badly

Do it every day for a week !

Our DCs primary school got the children involved. They had assemblies on safe, legal and considerate parking and got the children to design parking posters which were laminated and hung up all around the surrounding streets.

The last time I was blocked in , I admittedly lost it slightly and just sat in my car with my hand on the horn ! Neighbours came out and the offending Parker appeared looked really embarrassed and scarpered! 🤣

Too many people are selfish, entitled, lazy twats these days. That's why I hate them. I'd be in favour of enforced towing. Adopt the same attitude towards terrible parking as police chiefs tend to do with speeders; zero tolerance.

Why?
Its got zero to do with the school. The problem is with the adults who use the school and their misuse of the roads. Police.

DDs old primary used to send out letters on a Friday with numberplate of cars that had been reported that week for antisocial parking.
It was funny because the list of number plates got shorter and shorter over time.

It wasn’t the police (who were lazy, corrupt arseholes). It was the city who were brilliant about parking, keeping roads and pavements swept, garbage and recycling collection etc. Really well run.

I used to always walk to school as a childminder with a double buggy. I was often completely trapped - had to walk in the road because everyone was parked on the pavement, but the road could only fit one car down so I would stop traffic. And people coming late would meet people leaving and there would be endless stand offs.

I used to get the same responses as OP, complete abuse. Including being driven into one day - super slow but the did clip my hip and it was on purpose because I "wouldn't" ie couldn't go anywhere.

I refuse to collect from that school now.

You and your neighbours should all put your cars on the road every morning. No twatty parking then. The parents might spread out a bit then, park a bit further away and walk their kids to the school

I am confused

it was the police that bellowed at me for jay crossing?

What on Earth do you expect the school to do other than send out, as I'd bet good money they do, letters requesting courtesy to neighbours?

I have parents constantly demanding we do something about parking. Would you like to know what happens when we approach people? Parents scream abuse at us in front of their kids and other kids and parents. I've been called a dictator, a cunt and a fucking retard. No way would I send my staff out in nothing more than a hi vis best for that.

Phone the police. The people that can actually do something.

Oh, and for the record, poster campaigns don't work. We have them all over the place.

I watch daily as parents pull up on the opposite side of the road, sit in their car, and direct their children to step out from the front of their car to cross the road. DAILY!

I’d take a picture and post in your local parked like a prat!!!

My daughter drops her children off with me at 7.30 as she has to be at work for 8am.

If I walked them to school it would take at least a couple of hours.

I park on my daughter's drive at her house and then have a 15 min walk to school.

The 'scrum' around the school is awful. There is an access road for the houses right next to the school which only residents can use, to and from their houses. Reminders are sent out every week informing parents that they cannot park there. Does it stop them? Nah.

The police visit probably twice a year and issue fines.

Still doesn't deter the people who abandon their cars in very unsafe places.

You can't reason with the ignorant.

Blocking a drive is an offence, and carries a fine, if you can get the car ticketed.

You can always try your local council parking phone number when it happens and ask them to come up.if they can.

People are selfish and crazy when it comes to Parking. They wouldn't like ot done to them. Tell them that.

Photographs inc numberplate on Facebook

Please don't complain to the school. It isn't their responsibility and they have no authority. Not their job.

It's lazy policing and council workers you need to get on to.

In my experience, schools publish it in newsletters, send out other letters and try to encourage walking to school. Also in my experience, little of it makes any difference, except if a PCSO comes by. I’m afraid people are just concerned with their own convenience and not bothered that that inconveniences others.

There are still loads of folk who sit in their cars for half an hour, playing on their phones, with the engine running. If you suggest walking to school, it’s amazing how many aren’t able to because they’re on their way to work, despite the fact that they can stand at the gate and chat.

A fair chunk of families very read school communications. They regularly moan they don't know what's going on.

Chances are they are the same ignorant self important fools who park inappropriately.

Budget cuts are causing schools to lose all but absolutely essential members of staff. It's bloody soul destroying for the overstretched staff left to be wasting valuable time that could be spent with or for the children dealing with complaints from neighbours.

Complain to the school or ask the local police to come out. Personally I'd stage a coo with the neighbours and all park your cars where they're parking... will teach them a lesson

The school i have to drive past to get to work is a bloody nightmare with parents parking anywhere they like , sod anyone else who wants to go past the school in either direction .

Nearly ripped the door off some silly git who just decided to stop and open the drivers door without looking , full on emergency stop job that was

The kids aren't a problem at all though , it's the bloody entitled parents abandoning cars where they like

Upvote for this.

it works very effectively on our road. Now the kids have to tuck and roll…

School run drivers are the worst.
Sadly , they don't care if they park incorrectly, they are full of excuses if caught by the parking officer

Local residents should park so there isn't any space for parents to park if possible.

They should park outside the parents houses ( if they know where they live) and yell them they will only be a minute if challenged.

I live one & a half streets away from our local infant & junior schools - each 2 form entry, so well over 400 children in total, plus a small nursery. My friend lives on the nearest street & my parents literally opposite the school.

On my friend's road, parents (of Infabt school, none of Junior school kids that I have noticed 🤔), have taken to parking on both sides of the road, whereas it only used to be one, which was fine. They frequently park actually on the pavement 😡 or if not, on grass verges, which are now churned up to mud. But there are spaces outside my house, literally round the corner! The other day, I watched somebody parked with all 4 wheels on the pavement come back to the car & sit & do her make-up, so she wasn't even hurrying! Another couple of cars always park across somebody's drive & even across crossing places (where there are raised bumps for visually impaired pedestrians). All the while there are spaces further afield!

It makes me very cross & I point it out to my 9-year old, telling him he must not park like that when he can drive 🙈🤣

Ask your local authority highways team if they can introduce some school streets. They exclude cars from driving along & parking in areas near the school during drop off & pick up time. We’ve had them at our school for a couple of years & together with encouraging more parents/carers to walk/cycle to school, it’s really helped reduce traffic in the area & massive improved road safety for everyone.