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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect people to get their kids to school on time and NOT block my car in!!!! grrrr

180 replies

Blurry29 · 07/07/2011 09:09

mini rant..............

My DS's school starts at 0830

Gates open at 0830

I park behind the school everyday, away from all yellow lines. The same parents at least 3 times a week park right up behind my car ( on the yellow lines) because they are running late AGAIN....

Honestly it's the same families (about 3 or 4) that just can't seem to get their kids to school on time, panic then throw their car behind mine just as I am getting back into it!!! which means I am waiting about for a further 5 to 10 minutes before I can move my bloody car!!!! I have to wait for them to sign in LATE at reception etc etc etc before they can come back

don't get me wrong I know people may be busy in the morning but for goodness sake...set ur alarms earlier people!!!!!

Grrrrrr Thursday rant over...... :)

OP posts:
Butlinsbabe · 07/07/2011 12:41

The problem here is simply that too many people drive too many children to school.
Either because they have forgotten that legs can move or because they have chosen a school too far form their home to easily walk to.

You are either part of the problem. Or you're not, OP.

Butlinsbabe · 07/07/2011 12:43

NearlySpring, you could solve the problem by sending your kid to the primary in your road Hmm

ilovetomandjerry · 07/07/2011 12:44

OP - completely sympathise with you.

At our school I see the SAME people arriving late EVERY day, the SAME people always parking on double yellows or blocking the entrances (despite the school reminders in the newsletter!).

IMO - they are lazy and ignorant and setting a bad example to their children.

I walk on the days I'm not working or need to go somewhere directly from school but when I drive I park considerately (a few streets away from the school) and expect other people to do the same and not cause an obstruction or block me in!!!!

And don't get me started on the ones who moan about you parking outside their house!!! The school has been there a lot longer then the house!!!!

Enjoy the school run everyone! Wink

NearlySpring · 07/07/2011 12:47

Well I could do that but it's not suitable as it's a failing state school. However, still wouldn't solve the problem as they use the space anytime one of out cars isn't there at drop off or pick up times, so it would mean we both have to be in and not go out! :)

I know it's minor in the grand scheme of thins it's just so bloody rude, I want to follow them home and park on their drives! :)

NearlySpring · 07/07/2011 12:49

Ilovrtomandjerry- residents have a right to moan if it's priate parking, not if it's just a public road with free for all parking. Unless the parents are parking irresponsibly like over driveways etc!

worraliberty · 07/07/2011 12:52

I totally agree with what you're saying OP with regards to the 'continually late' pupils.

Many (but not all) can be seen dawdling along without a care in the world..as though there's nothing to rush for.

However, I believe far too many people drive to school when there's really no need. I know some have to get to work and that's understandable...but so many seem to think a simple 20 minute walk is too much for them and their kids.

Your situation could be easily resolved by driving part of the way and walking the rest. Most parents will park a 2-3 minute walk from the school at most.

Why don't you park 10-15 minutes away?

solospud · 07/07/2011 12:57

I park my car out early infront of my drive to stop these people blocking me in and most of the offenders are the school staff ha ha

fanjobanjowanjo · 07/07/2011 12:59

And don't get me started on the ones who moan about you parking outside their house!!! The school has been there a lot longer then the house!!!!

Actually ilovetom the school at the end of my road was built 30years after my house, and it can be really irritating the way parents block up the street (so much so I can't get in my drive!) at school time, and not just for me - they seem to get in fights with each other!

Inertia · 07/07/2011 13:00

There's a saying I can't quite remember about expecting different outcomes even though you keep doing the same thing over and over.

These people will continue to park illegally because there are no consequences. OP, you do a have some options - inform the head, who could then get on to police / traffic warden (or possibly even reposition duty staff to prevent dangerous parking) ; you could park elsewhere; you might be able to position your car within the space to leave space for you and legally parked neighbour to manoeuvre out. You could knock on the window of the illegal parker and explain you are just about to move. You could take photos to illustrate the problem and tell the council yourself.

Butlinsbabe · 07/07/2011 13:00

I see people driving great big hulking 12 and 13 year olds to school on a journey that would take them 20 mins to walk.

No wonder obesity's a problem.

worraliberty · 07/07/2011 13:02

Exactly Butlins or they pick them up in the car because it's raining. God forbid they should get wet like everyone else.

ilovetomandjerry · 07/07/2011 13:04

Just to clarify with regards to parking outside peoples houses - of course I was referring to a public road NOT private which would annoy me too if I was in that situation!

On a public road you have every right to park wherever you like - but of course not blocking someones driveway or parking too close so it's difficult for them to get their car out.

I have an 'in and out' driveway and there have been occasions where people visiting neighbours have assumed it's fine to park over one entrance "as I have another one!!" Errr no - as I paid a small fortune to have the kerb lowered you cannot park there!!!

Rant over!

TeddyBare · 07/07/2011 13:14

Could you cycle to school? Or take a book with you and sit and read in the car for the 10 mins?
I think YABU to expect there to be enough space to get a car out when there are clearly lots of other parents who need to do the school run at the same time.

Insomnia11 · 07/07/2011 13:18

YABU to expect there to be enough space to get a car out Hmm

YADNBU to expect not to be blocked in! It is possible to park close to another car while still giving them room to get out. It's just called 'having a tiny bit of consideration' for others, which is still possible even when you're in a hurry.

Pagwatch · 07/07/2011 13:21

Yanbu.

My morning is hectic and about to get more so.
But I don't block people in.

TheFeministsWife · 07/07/2011 13:37

Oh FGS can't believe the OP is getting a hard time. Hmm OP YANBU! My dd1 (8) is late for school probably 1-2 times a week, this is because I keep hitting the snooze button I'm bad at time management. Grin I would never dream of blocking someone in so I could get in her into school faster. Shock I park in the car park properly and then take her in, figure she's late anyway an extra 2 minutes to park correctly isn't going to make much difference is it.

altinkum · 07/07/2011 13:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Malcontentinthemiddle · 07/07/2011 13:50

To be fair, Altin, I think in an awful lot of cases, it actually is as simple as that. I know there are cases where it isn't, I know lots of people have all kinds of issues in the morning - but I don't think it's unreasonable to think that the balance of probabilities is such that most people could set their alarm earlier and get up and out earlier.

startail · 07/07/2011 13:51

Please take a deep breath and relax.
Parking near schools is never worth getting in a huff about unless there is a real and I mean real health and safety issue. Our local residents get huffy, the head sends out moaning letters, the community support officer? (some kind of non policeman) gets in the way for a day or two. In 10 years nothing has changed and nothing is going to change.
The council want more people to walk to school so will not provide a school car park. Lack of pavements, narrow lanes , busy lives mean local parents don't. No village car park means parking further off and walking the last bit is a non starter.
Bus service is unbelievably bad, takes 45 minutes for a 10 min trip. (DD1 does this for high school, but not at 4). If you have sibling at nursery they can't use the bus.
Anyway we are a scattered community, the school gate sorts nursery, play group, PTA, church, various sports clubs and umpteen other local events - the residents may moan, but without our school gate gossip many of their village projects would not get off the ground.

TubbyDuffs · 07/07/2011 14:03

I would be pissed off it anyone blocked me in to a parking space, its plain rude wherever you are.

However, if you can manage to get there early enough, can you not park a bit further away and walk down the road to the school, that way at least you can make an easy escape when you return to your car?

I can't see why people are being so mean to the OP. If your child is in school, get them there on time, if you are constantly late, get up a bit earlier in the morning - its not effing rocket science.

(I manage to get 3 kids out of the house by 7.05am every day, and most mornings it can be like pushing a piece of string upstairs, but I get up bloody early.)

SpottyFrock · 07/07/2011 14:34

Op yanbu. Whilst a small number of parents have circumstances which make getting up and out tricky, most are just bad at getting to sch on time. That's not really your problem but they should accept the fact that they need to park further away and be even later. Apart from a medical emergency, there is never any excuse to block someone in nor to block someones drive.

The people at my dcs school are always getting shirty about the school run traffic even tho nobody blocks drives they hate the fact that their street is chocca with cars twice a day. I just don't understand why if it annoyed them so much they bought a house on a road with a sch at the end? The school has been there 150yrs! Houses on that street are slightly cheaper that the neighbouring ones. They should have paid the extra 40k to be off that street if it bothered them that much. There's a reason why houses are slightly cheaper on streets with schools as parking is generally crazy but surely the payoff for the saving is having to put up with your street looking like a car park? However, you shouldn't have to put up with your drive being blocked or your car being blocked in.

Op, I'd have a word tomorrow!

GiddyPickle · 07/07/2011 14:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Blurry29 · 07/07/2011 14:36

altinkum.... (apologies) in response to ealier message you are right I did say people just need to set their alarms earlier.... and I still stand by it

sometimes it IS just as simple as that!!!

There may be a very small amount of families that are late due to personal issues, that I can not argue with at all. What I can argue with is being blocked in, in a space i have been fortunate and early enough (don't get me wrong I don't mean physco early to claim the spot etc) to find. unfortunetly my time schedule doesn't allow me to park further away ( I'm lucky to be enjoying a day off today)

People are right, it does set an extremely bad example to their kids and whether we like it or not kids do pick up on our behaviour.....

OP posts:
SpottyFrock · 07/07/2011 14:36

Sorry, that should begin, the people who live on the street on which our sch is situated...

Insomnia11 · 07/07/2011 14:41

People get annoyed at school run people using the (free) village car park - I mean it's busy for like 20 minutes in the morning. After that it's just full of people take the piss and park all day for free instead of using the station car park. What they need to do is impose a payment for staying over 2 hours, with a permit for those who need it (i.e. people working in local shops). But I guess the cost of administrating it outweighs the benefit.