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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

Tailtwister · 26/04/2013 16:06

Good for you! It never ceases to amaze me how completely selfish some parents can be when doing the school run. They think they can park anywhere. Unless they are challenged about their behaviour they'll keep on doing it. Didn't the lollipop lady say anything to him?

Original poster

WhyParkThere · 26/04/2013 18:14

Lollipop lady is lovely but doesn't do confrontation - I on the other hand couldn't care less about pulling him up on it.

There would be many people who would say he is a wonderful man - he has had cancer and fronts a charitable foundation, still doesn't mean he can park where he wants and endanger kids crossing.

OP posts:

MrGeresHamster · 26/04/2013 18:22

Good on you! Well done. Totally did the right thing.

PiHigh · 26/04/2013 18:30

Good for you. I love the lollipop lady at the school my kids go to. She definitely does confrontation . She gave a taxi driver an earful about his shoddy, dangerous inconsiderate driving one day, including a good rant about how she's told him twice already that week. Next day he parked just as inconsiderately a bit further down the road and he got another earful from the head teacher.

BenjaminButton172 · 26/04/2013 18:33

It is illegal to park on a pavement if it causes an obstruction.

Good on you for confronting him. Some people are so entitled.

silverten · 26/04/2013 18:36

Actually I'm pretty sure it's illegal to park on the pavement at all, Benjamin.

Original poster

WhyParkThere · 26/04/2013 19:08

Police have just been, they are going to speak to him about the incident.

OP posts:

MardyBra · 26/04/2013 19:23

Good on you OP. I hope you get the resolution you're after.

ajandjjmum · 26/04/2013 19:40

Don't forget to keep us posted!!!

FarBetterNow · 26/04/2013 21:17

It is very sad that some sixth formers are parking their cars on the zigzags outside their own school.
Ii is sad that they don't think the rules apply to them and they have only just passed their test.
Entitled little gits.

mummytowillow · 26/04/2013 21:29

Tip the police off with his reg plate, then he'll get a ticket and his name in the press

FarBetterNow · 26/04/2013 21:37

I phoned the police and they weren't interested. They said the local authority were responsible for issueing tickets, so I phoned them. but they are based 15 miles away are are unlikely to come out.
I think the school should ban the student from coming to school in his car for a few weeks, but they don't seem to care either.

I think I'll photograph it next time and put it on that C**t website.

BlackeyedSusan · 26/04/2013 22:22

I passed one child in dd's class waiting by the road, I parked less than 100 yards further on. I was paassed by the child in the car, mother abandoned it on a corner on double yellows... she could have walked those few yards in the time it took to strap 2 children in, and got to school at the same time.

one bmw driver got his comeuppance though, when I tripped over ds as i was negotiating his car which was parked wholely on the pavement at the same corner. I sat on his bonnet. i am not light!

smart car womn drives paast several acceptable parking spaces, sometimes as little as 10 metres further away from school... to park on the pavement overlapping a dropped curb/double yellows/corner. why?

PigletJohn · 26/04/2013 22:29

school near me is down a cul-de-sac so very little traffic, but the road, turning area and zigzags are swamped by cars every day who all want to be within 50 feet of the school entrance.

I was greatly heartened when wardens found the strength to walk down the road and issue dozens of tickets.

I'm willing to wager very few of the drivers or DCs are disabled and unable to walk.

Mum2Luke · 26/04/2013 22:38

I wish we could have police standing outside our school, they would have a field day the school is on a main road and people park in some daft and some dangerous places such as on zigzags, on corners and just in front of a bus stop and sometimes ON the bus stop!

The school crossing patrol said she would love the power to take down number plates/be able to prosecute people who park blocking her view and on the zigzag lines and when we did have a PCSO checking they said it was not possible to let that happen.

I park around the corner from school, very occasionally on the road outside houses adjacent to school but not right outside and only today I had to park in the pub car park (and I wish I had not because some thoughtful person (NOT) was parking their car and scratched mine , it was only because there were no other spaces around the corner and I was running late.

I am looking forward to ds starting secondary school and I won't have to take and pick him up.

MammaMedusa · 26/04/2013 22:42

"WHY DONT YOU JUST DRIVE INTO THE PLAYGROUND YOU LAZY BUGGER" - we had someone do that once, actually. They backed in too. Soooo dangerous.

Xales · 26/04/2013 22:47

You need to photograph it and put it on here sorry for the name

TheSecondComing · 26/04/2013 22:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IneedAsockamnesty · 26/04/2013 22:56

Nah just an observation that's more likely to happen due to this blokes status.

And I can't be on your spreadsheet cos your on my one that is full of sensible posters who are worth engaging with.

TheSecondComing · 26/04/2013 22:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ponyo73 · 26/04/2013 23:29

Don't know why but I feel that I have to come to give support to chappie that was once mr big bollocks fitba. it was to say, well maybe he's not really on the ball (frightful pun, scoff scoff). They are not of our world these celebs and probably are a bit wary that someone may smack em or do something untoward! I do appreciate the anger You felt op but sometimes these people don't understand how life is. I could come and bite him in the arm if he does it again. Shit I'll get flamed for that comment. Call me. Gnasher.

IneedAsockamnesty · 26/04/2013 23:31

I saw that thought it was going to turn into a huge bunfight.

Its just something that happens lots and with someone who is known it could get very messy so not really worth doing.

Name and shame is all very good but only when one has photographic evidence so can avoid the lobbed buns.

breatheslowly · 26/04/2013 23:50

Ponyo - all the more reason to act inconspicuously rather than like a complete tossed.

Ponyo73 · 27/04/2013 00:02

Too true, breathe slowly! I just have a sad feeling about this scenario. Also I don't know how to add little happy faces(emoticons you ladies call it) or text in bold! But I can say FFS, how entitled! Of course not you fabulous ladies, shit I'd better duck as i may get flamed for being butt kisser.

Ponyo73 · 27/04/2013 00:23

Oh blinking flip. I am messaging when I have had a couple of sherbets(don't know quite what that meAns!). But a tad squiffy(one eye shut) and typing. Sorry to anybodles if I have insulted their goodnabtures. Fare to do wells my comdidles and sleep the good kip diddly winkles. Nightys night. X

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