Realistically can anything be done to stop parents parking across driveway?

[Lefmry]

I live on the same street as a school. Every single day someone blocks our driveway and I’m at a point now where I’m getting super fed up of it! 😩 It is mostly the same woman, who on multiple occasions has been asked to stop but it’s like it falls on deaf ears and she feels entitled somehow to still park there.

I wouldn’t actually mind but my eldest has severe additional needs and will NOT walk any distance from the car to the house so it’s super important we are parked on the drive, which isn’t possible when she (or someone else) has swanned off to stand at the school gates to wait for her child. I mean, not like I need an excuse really, it’s my drive and I should be able to use it. The time the drive is blocked is ALWAYS when I’m getting back from picking up my son from school.

Realistically if I were to go in to the school with number plates, especially this one woman, is there anything they can do? Or anything anybody else can do? Sorry I know there’s worse problems to have but I’ve just had a baby 4 weeks a go, have a 20 month old, along with my eldest with ASD, I am trying my damn hardest every day and sick of arseholes making life even harder.

I so hope that's true and not myth.

The problem is that blocking drives - even with a dropped pavement isn’t illegal unless there is a car on the driveway. It’s blocking access to the highway that’s illegal, not parking across a dropped pavement, unless it’s a specific dropped kerb for a wheelchair user.

Ooh I like this!

Basically I'd stand there and confront the parent when they returned and shame them. Maybe take photos too!

And how does this help the blocking of OP's dropped kerb?

I'm sure someone else has already suggested it, but I'd buy some No Parking cones and put them out every time you leave.

You can buy them on Amazon.

I haven’t read all the responses so someone might have mentioned this but my council have a link you can report illegally parked cars too. The traffic wardens are pretty quick off the mark! You can send photos too. Once they realise it’s regular, they’ll probably turn up around school pick up time. She should stop once she starts getting fined.

@Chenecinquantecinq Don't be ridiculous.

Just because someone lives close to a school, they don't sign away their rights to access their drive way at pick-up times, or any time, EVEN if they managed to get the house for a bit cheaper. That's some kind of entitled, silly rule you've made up in your head to justify doing things to people you shouldn't.

The woman who is doing this to the OP is a cheeky fucker, and I'd think that even if she didn't have disabled children which makes her an even bigger asshole.

Probably won't make any difference with this type of person. If she's ruthless enough to block someone in like that, she'll be the type of person to remove any cones.

In my council area you can ask the council to paint a white line across your drive and then they can fine anyone who parks over it (you as well which you have to accept).

We did this and the council handed out a mobile number for the parking warden on a moped so we called that every time and that was quite a good deterrent.

But in advance of that yes go to the school, plus I'd also then block her in with 2 cars either side and make her wait for you. Basically you need to make it more trouble than it's worth to park over your drive.

"Probably won't make any difference with this type of person. If she's ruthless enough to block someone in like that, she'll be the type of person to remove any cones."

On the other hand, this would require her to make the effort to get out of her car so might be worth a try...

How do you know the people parked in the disabled bays weren’t disabled though

If you have two cars in your household could block her in each time she does it. She will soon learn!

Under highway law, it is illegal to park a vehicle so that it obstructs other people wanting to use a road or path. It is also illegal to obstruct a private entrance. Police have enforcement powers and can issue fixed penalty tickets, but officers are usually busy attending to other more serious crimes.17 May 2024

https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk › ...
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=www.westnorthants.gov.uk/parking/obstruction-driveways-apply-white-access-line%23:~:text%3DUnder%2520highway%2520law%252C%2520it%2520is,to%2520other%2520more%2520serious%2520crimes.&sa=U&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwiHptb8ntyIAxUpQkEAHZQTBucQFnoECBMQBQ&usg=AOvVaw3yWMGcxLjBhb-ypEVLq-RJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Obstruction of driveways – apply for a white access line | West Northamptonshire Council

Same here. The street is chaos at picking up/dropping off times but never once in 7 years has anyone ever blocked my drive.

I also didn't get a discount for buying near the school either

They are an arsehole. The only way to reason with arseholes is by being a bigger arsehole. I vote for either the block them in with a car in front and behind, find out where they live and block their drive, or pour a load of yogurt over it.

The police will not give a shit. The school might pretend but will not do much proactive, she already does not give a shit. Contacting any of them is a waste of time.

One guy wrapped a car in the clingfilm type stuff, and it took the person ages to remove it from the whole car.

Oh!! If only that happened at the school at the end of my road! There was an accident here before the summer holidays! And I could absolutely see how it would happen too - becasue of horrendously inconsiderate parking.

I live maybe 5 doors away from a school entrance and I absolutely understand people need to get their kids to school. But I absolutely do not understand why they act so entitled and park anywhere and with no consideration for others.

Our local council has a number to call and they send out a parking officer on a moped. It's usually a quick response and a ticket. Can you tell I live near a school?

Idiots' day out, clearly! Personally I am in favour of finding two friends who are off on holiday for a couple of weeks and need somewhere to park, front and rear.

The OP is out fetching her own child who can't walk from the road to the house

No badge?

You may well be right unfortunately. I guess it just depends on whether the inconvenience of getting out and moving the cones is worse than finding another space.

That may apply in your area, but it doesn’t here in NW region. I was told that it’s only illegal to park across a dropped pavement indicating a private driveway if there is a car parked on it. The offence is obstructing access to the highway. If the driveway is empty it’s not an offence unless there’s an H marking across the driveway. If the car is parked on the road, across the driveway it’s not obstructing anyone from using a public road or path, only the home owner from accessing their own private driveway from the road.

The council can send parking enforcement if it is over a dropped kerb. I would call the school and also call the council and ask them to do a patrol at pick up time. They only have to do it once and people will worry about getting a ticket. My neighbour did it recently when a car was left for several days slightly over their dropped kerb. It wasn’t blocked completely but made it very difficult to get in and out of their drive. Parking enforcement came on a moped (we are in a village where they don’t patrol normally) and put a ticket on the car.

Given how many parents park like this. you'd imagine more would come on this thread to explain why it's justified!

OP, appealing to their better nature hasnt worked so making it less convenient to park across your driveway is the only option.