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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be a little peeved?

76 replies

savethedramaforyamama · 07/05/2014 09:46

Ok so I was dropping the kids off at school this morning and I briefly blocked someone's driveway. I had just got the two big kids (8 and 9) out of the car and had left the baby (11 months) in her carseat as I only have to see the big kids across the road as they make their own way into school from the gate. Anyway I was about to help the kids across the road when this woman marched up to me from taking her kids into school I assume and starts shouting at me saying didn't I read the sign that says her driveway needs 24hr disabled emergency access, I apologised profusely, she carried on shouting saying it was illegal to block someone's driveway, I apologised again and as I already had the kids out the car and just had to see them across the road (which took 5 seconds) I thought this would clear her driveway quicker than putting them back in the car and moving it. Anyway next thing I know she is at her window taking a photo of me! I was already back in my car at this point pulling out of the space. Now I know I was wrong to block her driveway even for 10 seconds (which was literally about how long I was there) but is there any need for her reaction?

OP posts:

tealady · 07/05/2014 09:51

No sympathy from me I'm afraid.

FernMitten · 07/05/2014 09:51

It sounds like she's had enough of the school run blocking her driveway, I bet it's a daily occurrence for her.

Shame you got shouted at for a first offence, maybe knock and apologise on your return visit if you're worried about the photo.

Davsmum · 07/05/2014 09:52

She overreacted - but she may have constant problems with people blocking her driveway. It may have been an ongoing problem that she is totally sick of.
Everyone of those people may feel they have a 'reason' - 'only a few minutes' etc etc.

I wouldn't get upset about it if I were you - you WERE in the wrong - put it down to experience.

DIYtrainee · 07/05/2014 09:54

Absolutely no sympathy from me either. You are not the first person to block her driveway, and I'll bet she is understandably pissed off.

Get there early, park further away, and walk your DC to school.

Lilaclily · 07/05/2014 09:57

You were in the wrong
She probably deals with this on a daily basis poor woman
If she's taken a photo she'll probably contact the school & they'll be yet another plea from the school for parents not to do this in the newsletter
Can't you park further away & walk with the kids?

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 07/05/2014 09:57

YABU to be peeved - you did block her driveway, be it for 10 second, 10minutes or 10 hours. It's a totally disrespectful thing to do and she probably has to put up with it on a daily basis.

She probably spends her life now peeping out from behind her curtains seeing who the latest offender is.

The world doesn't stop on the school run, manners and ettiquette still apply. Why people can't park respectfully and accept they have a bit further to walk is beyond me.

OP, you will not fare well on this thread.

ALifeOfPie · 07/05/2014 09:58

YABU.
It's all very well that you only did it for 30 seconds, but I bet that happens to least 10 times during each 20 minute drop-off period.
She has the right to unimpeded access at all times. That doesn't get suspended for your convenience, even temporarily.
Obviously without knowing the specific school it's impossible to know what all your other alternatives were, but given that this is certainly going to be a school of several hundred children that does mean there are plenty of other ways you could deal with getting your children to school which don't involve blocking this woman's drive, given all the other families that manage this feat, probably most of them legal. Perhaps leaving the house five minutes earlier would help?

annielouise · 07/05/2014 09:59

You're completely in the wrong - 24hr emergency disabled access you shouldn't park there. Why do you assume these notices aren't for you?

Lilaclily · 07/05/2014 09:59

I don't think she over reacted at all
She's got a sign saying she needs her driveway clear 24 hours
Why do people feel it is ok to ignore that?
Why do people park across people's drives for 2 seconds
Any length of time is too long IMO

MidniteScribbler · 07/05/2014 09:59

Why do you think you have any right to block a driveway, let alone one with a sign saying emergency access needed? Park further away in a legal parking zone, get off your lazy arse and walk your children in to school.

TheHouseatWhoCorner · 07/05/2014 09:59

Put yourself in her shoes, with people blocking her driveway several times each day. Maybe it has meant emergency help has been delayed in reaching her child in the past?

Her reaction may seem OTT, but you won't be parking there again, will you? So she's achieved what she wanted.

Think how she's feeling right now. Probably fuming and frustrated.

tilbatilba · 07/05/2014 10:00

Ha - I know someone who came back to her car parked in someones driveway during school drop off to find the owner of the house sitting in her car going through her handbag, the console etc trying on her lipstick etc etc .......
Illegal parker got on high horse - how dare you, what are you doing in my car etc etc and then house owner went ballistic and really gave it to her.
Obviously just a "minor inconvenience" in your eyes but imagine living opposite a school and dealing with this daily!

Rhine · 07/05/2014 10:02

YABVU. It is illegal to block someone's driveway. Why do you think that you are so important that you should be allowed to do it? Why can you not just park a few years down the road, or alternatively do what I most people did years and walk your DC's to school?

MrsKoala · 07/05/2014 10:02

My parents have this and it's really annoying. They live round the corner from a school and people are constantly blocking their drive. Everyone who does it says they are only going to be few mins. But as it's busy road it then means my Dad is often sat in the middle of the road waiting, blocking all other traffic, with little children darting about. When they return there is nowhere for them to pull into as the road is now full of cars. Dad ends up having to reverse down the road then sometimes by the time he's let all the other cars go past and gets back to his drive some other bugger is there. It's got to the point where he wont go out between 8.30-9.30 or 3-4.30.

The school are always sending grovelling letters to the neighbours as this happens to all of them everyday (not that Dad has complained but i bet others do).

You were probably just another in a long list of people who do it and it is very frustrating.

anyoldname76 · 07/05/2014 10:03

I agree with everyone else, she's probably sick to death of people blocking her drive, be more considerate in the future.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 07/05/2014 10:04

Yabu, you parked in front of her driveway, I don't care how long for.

If you'd had parked in front if my driveway I'd be pissed off too. Try parking somewhere else or try walking.

MrsDavidBowie · 07/05/2014 10:05

You are in the wrong. She is probably at the end of her tether with people like you.

Rhine · 07/05/2014 10:06

I live near a busy convenience store which is directly opposite a row of houses with driveways. Not a day goes by without some entitled arsehole blocking the driveways of these people, despite there being a lay by just a few yards down the road. These selfish twats always look at the residents like they've got three heads when they ask them to move.

gamerchick · 07/05/2014 10:07

Yes you were in the wrong.

You would hate it outside my youngest school.. We have traffic wardens on the school run.. its well entertaining watching them deal with entitled parents. Parking further away in future and walking your kids down might be better.

haveyouseenthis · 07/05/2014 10:07

YABU

this happens to me on a daily basis. I have had several mums shout at me saying they were only gone 5 minutes but then they started chatting. Their selfishness has made me late for work many times

Sorry people who do this are selfish twats

LittleMisslikestobebythesea · 07/05/2014 10:09

YABU, though at least you apologised. We had a woman block our drive, my husband was waiting for her to get back to reverse off the drive, she asked him what he was staring at, and he said he was just waiting to get off the drive (politely), then she laid into him, saying he doesn't know who he is fucking messing with! No apology!

We live by a school and the amount of people blocking our drive, blocking the pavement is unbelievable.

HoneyDragon · 07/05/2014 10:10

If you want to stop feeling peeved, grab a bunch of flowers before pick up, knock and door and apologise ..... You'll feel better.

I know it seemed sensible to take the dcs over then move to you. But to her it would have looked like you didn't give a toss, and just wanted to deliver your children. Which you did.

FunnyFoot · 07/05/2014 10:10

You were in the wrong but she did go a bit over the top.

DoJo · 07/05/2014 10:11

YABU - there is no excuse for blocking someone's driveway, and acting as though you have been hard done-by in this scenario is just adding to your wrongness. Why should she have to wait even ten seconds to access her own driveway because you couldn't be bothered to park legally?

sharkshorts · 07/05/2014 10:12

Why the heck would you park in front of someone's driveway anyway?! Surely common sense dictates that you shouldn't do it.

Or are you one of those people whose needs always come first, bugger anybody else?

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