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AIBU?

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Original poster

Was I being unreasonable to challenge parent parking on pavement next to lollipop lady?

66 replies

WhyParkThere · 26/04/2013 10:52

He thinks I was!

He is a local "celeb" and likes to get his picture in the paper for charity work and an ex professional footballer. There is a single yellow line with parking restrictions near the school crossing and he always parks his car there half on / half off the road, obstructing the pavement, road and the view of the crossing, he seems to think the rules don't apply to him.

Yesterday he was there early,sitting in his car.I've been wanting to challenging him on parking there for months but haven't had an opportunity, I couldn't stop myself - I knocked on his window and very calmly and politely said I lived just down the road and had noticed that he always parks there obstructing the crossing and did he think that was a safe thing to do? He went nuts - how dare I even approach him, he would continue to park where he wants when he wants and it was none of my business! I thanked him for showing me the kind of man he was and left.

On the way out of school I was intending to ignore him but he didn't want to leave it drop, as soon as he saw me he got out of his car and started shouting at me in front of everyone - he was standing in the road with his car door open blocking the traffic - he really lost it.

He didn't park there this morning though - his wife did the school run and parked legally for once.

No prizes for guessing what the main topic of conversation was in the yard this morning!

OP posts:
HoHoHoNoYouDont · 26/04/2013 10:54

You need to tip off the local press. They'll be a journo out there that will jump at the chance of getting a shot of this in the paper and bringing the jumped up git down a peg or two.

quoteunquote · 26/04/2013 10:55

good on you, well done, I wish more people would tackle directly.

What a twonk for trying to defend his shit driving.

Fenton · 26/04/2013 10:57

Good for you for saying something, people who do this are arseholes, local celebrity or not.

He really showed his arse, didn't he? Grin

Original poster
WhyParkThere · 26/04/2013 10:59

I'm waiting for the police to come and take a statement about it, I love to be a fly on the wall when they visit him to get his side of the story. Lots of witnesses too!

OP posts:
AKissIsNotAContract · 26/04/2013 11:01

Who called the police? I know you can't say who it is but I'd love to know.

Original poster
WhyParkThere · 26/04/2013 11:05

I called them - a retired officer was stuck in the traffic and came over to make sure I was ok because he looked very aggressive. He had gone by the time she came over but she told me to call the police and report it.

OP posts:
UnChartered · 26/04/2013 11:06

well done you!

this is a massive problem at DDs school too, a child was involved in an incident with a car (not serious, mind) last week, the police have had a massive campaign actually giving tickets out to illegal parkers, but they still do it.

we got a letter from the student council yesterday, the final words on it made me cry - 'do one of us have to be killed before you stop parking on the path?'

quoteunquote · 26/04/2013 11:10

Start a FB page, Called "Inconsiderate, selfish, dangerous, entitled parking at Littlepiddling(did I guess right?) school",

Take photos, put on FB page, with comments , and a link next to each picture to YPLAC where you have posted the picture, and a link to the page(s) of the highway code they may want to read.

Print off some fliers, with an invitation to above FB page, stick under windscreen wiper after taking picture, put up a poster inviting anyone to view the FB page, send link to page to head teacher, governors, local paper and local beat bobby.

Add photos of any Twonk's vehicle who thinks the highway code does not apply to them.

I bet they all stop.

UnChartered · 26/04/2013 11:14

quote

that is a very tempting idea...i might check out the legality of doing just that

Justforlaughs · 26/04/2013 11:21

Well done you for saying something, and even better, you have a retired police officer as a witness.

quoteunquote · 26/04/2013 12:06

Lots of people are doing it, it works, it's an easy way of dealing with people who think they don't give a shit, and once set up, very easy to add each Twonk.

You don't need to name them, YPLAC puts up the photos, so they must of found it legal,

It's easy, don't park where you shouldn't and no one puts a photo of your shitty attitude online,

In over 25 years of driving, I've never had a parking ticket or a speeding ticket, because I have never parked anywhere you shouldn't or broken a speed limit ( I use to do rally, but that was on forest tracks and closed roads), because I do care about the culture of crap driving, and the impact it has.

You can legally take a photo in any public space, you can put that photo on line, you can put it on FB, If someone doesn't like their vehicle being featured on a page with that title, they would have to prove that their chosen method of parking was not inconsiderate, selfish, dangerous, entitled parking , which from the photo it clearly is, so good luck with that would be my reply.

Start a thread in legal those clever people would know.

If you do, please ask if it would be legal to offer a removal of photo for generous donations to local charities deal, I would love to know, as that would be a great way of fund raising, but I bet that would have some legal implications.

PatPig · 26/04/2013 12:07

Take his picture, post it on numerous websites.

cornydash · 26/04/2013 12:09

YANBU at all
He sounds like am entitled prat
(who is he? Wink)

mrsjay · 26/04/2013 12:12

good for you I probably wouldnt have done the same and just tutted about it, I once saw a lollypop man get into an arguement about parking near the crossing, I heard WHY DONT YOU JUST DRIVE INTO THE PLAYGROUND YOU LAZY BUGGER , the driver was livid I was Grin

MardyBra · 26/04/2013 12:13

C'mon then OP. Name and shame! Grin

mrsjay · 26/04/2013 12:14

TBH even if she named him I probably would have a clue who he is

MardyBra · 26/04/2013 12:17

Do you think you could report him for a public order offence a la this thread

MardyBra · 26/04/2013 12:21

Good point mrsjay. I'm not sure I know any ex footballers, but I'm still nosy.

I once had a similar D-list ex-sports person who is "known" where I live, who rang me up for my small business and said "I'm . Can you give me details of such and such." I had no idea who he was.

Not only did I ask him to repeat his name, but I also made him spell it, and couldn't work out why he was a bit arsey. It was only when I came across the name in context a couple of months later I realised why! My dad who is a fan of that particular sport was mortified on my behalf when I told him.

UnChartered · 26/04/2013 12:24

i've just been onto local bobbies, no it's not illegal to take and publish pictures Grin

YPLAC is a great website, but i think we'll have to make this more local - a local site for local cunts Wink

Jinty64 · 26/04/2013 12:28

Well done you! We campaigned for a no stopping zone outside the back gate of our school when ds's 1&2 were little. It took a long time but we got it. Now, when we pick up ds3, there is always the same car sitting on it waiting for a child. Dh has spoken to them twice. There are no houses in our school catchment that are more than 15 mins walk from the school so no one should need to use a car. This child lives out of catchment. I think these parents should be asked to move their child to her local school if they can't park properly.

Ds3 is not at risk as I we collect him but many children walk home alone and this car completely blocks the view of the road. I think I will take a photo.

mrsjay · 26/04/2013 12:30

Oh that is a fantastic Dont you know who I am moment mardy Grin

Songbird · 26/04/2013 12:37

Ding dong!!! Well done OP.

IllegalYoniFarm · 26/04/2013 12:39

Ha! Well done OP!

Original poster
WhyParkThere · 26/04/2013 15:56

Not one car parked on the pavement today! I wonder why............

OP posts:
IneedAsockamnesty · 26/04/2013 16:02

Don't name and shame if you do some berk will jump all over you saying actually they know the bloke and he's sooooooooo lovely and wouldn't park badly.

But yanbu