Another parking one (sorry)

[WTAFF]

AIBU to think that telling me to piss off was not an appropriate response to me questioning why a woman had blocked my driveway this morning?

Slightly longer story - I love opposite a sought after nursery which has been rated 'Outstanding'. This nursery is located on an A Road with single yellow lines.

This morning I left the house to go to work and a great big long car was parked over the whole width of my drive. My flabber was well and truly gasted!

I waited for five minutes and a woman came out of the nursery. I asked her if this was her car and pointed out that she was blocking my driveway. She told me to piss off twice. I was

Anyway, I realise that I need to hand myself a grip but writing this down has been a bit of therapy for me.

I suspect I will see her again. Any suggestions as to how I can prevent her from blocking my driveway in future? Not sure I want to go down the penguin bollard route just yet......

[MillionToOneChances]

Just damp paper can be just enough of a pain to remove...

[MillionToOneChances]

Helpfully print Highway Code rule 243 on a not-particularly-sticky (the first time) sticker and stick in a not-too-inconvenient spot (the first time) on her windscreen:
'Rule 243
DO NOT stop or park:

near a school entrance
anywhere you would prevent access for Emergency Services
at or near a bus or tram stop or taxi rank
on the approach to a level crossing/tramway crossing
opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space
near the brow of a hill or hump bridge
opposite a traffic island or (if this would cause an obstruction) another parked vehicle
where you would force other traffic to enter a tram lane
where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users and powered mobility vehicles
in front of an entrance to a property
on a bend
where you would obstruct cyclists’ use of cycle facilities except when forced to do so by stationary traffic.'
www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252

[WTAFF]

Thank you everybody. Yes, i was trying my get my car off the driveway. The driveway is difficult to get out of at the best of times.

I did only mention the ofsted rating to try to set the scene about how sought after and busy this nursery is - I live in quite a deprived area and this is the main nursery people want to get their children into. No snobbery on my part I promise!!

I particularly like the suggestion of assisting her and other parents to notice me by beeping my horn repeatedly.

She just wasn't bothered though!

I emailed the nursery. As many of you suspected, they have told me that they can't control the actions of parents but will
Send a reminder around by email. Fair enough I suppose.

[Andrewofgg]

Years ago when we had this in the evening school run DW (SAHM) just blocked the drive with our car and left a note in the window explaining- I got it laminated. The following September she watched out and that car was gone and we could stop bothering.

[clicknclack]

If it turns into a habit you could take a picture of her and her car and print it out with " XX days she has blocked in my driveway after being asked not to" and stick it up by the nursery where other parents will see it.

[snowgirl29]

I think, well I presume (probably wrongly) that some people think you're much less likely to get this kind of abuse in
areas with good Ofsted ratings for want of a better word.

You don't.

My DS goes to a rather niche school and even a poor old neighbour got a torrent of colourful abuse recently when asked politely to move off his driveway so he could get out.

I'd take reg nos and complain to school OP. Said parent did not appreciate the absolute bollocking good old telling off our school receptionist treated them to!

Isn't it illegal to park across someone's driveway though? Quick phone call to 101 maybe?

[RNBrie]

Definitely complain to the nursery and the council. My mum owns a business with a car park and when it's full people do crazy things and park in other people's spaces/drives.

The council received a number of complaints and my mum was told if she didn't sort out her customers, she risked having her license to operate revoked.

She put up signs and notified her customers in writing that parking outside her car park would result in the business closing. It has more or less stopped happening now but she is super vigilant.

[t4gnut]

Unfortunately totally ineffectual - if you want anything actually done then its looking for police intervention, parking wardens etc.

[eurochick]

They might not have any power over the parents but they can ask clients not to park there or name and shame. Schools do this all the time over bad parking.

[t4gnut]

"t4gnut the nursery will know who this parent is. They are morally responsible for the behaviour of their parents. She probably throws her weight around with them as well. As I said it reflects badly on them."

Quite possibly they know who she is - but they have no authority over her actions outside the nursery gates. They cannot do a thing about it. She is on a public highway and it's the legal structures that surround use of that provide any form of redress.

[LyndaNotLinda]

The nursery can name and shame. They could ask a nice traffic warden to come along and hand out parking tickets to all the people parking like twats.

I think the outstanding bit is relevant inasmuch as people come from further away for outstanding educational provision. Or perhaps there is a higher proportion of entitled twattery?

[Arkwright]

t4gnut the nursery will know who this parent is. They are morally responsible for the behaviour of their parents. She probably throws her weight around with them as well. As I said it reflects badly on them.

[t4gnut]

To all the people saying complain to the nursery - just what is it you expect them to do? They have no control on what happens outside their gates on a public road. All they can do is send a letter to parents asking them to be considerate to local residents.

She does it again: license plate and police called. Or get one of those stickers that's a real bugger to get off and slap that on her windscreen with a note explaining she's not allowed to block driveways.

[JudyCoolibar]

If she does it again, photograph the car tell her you are going to the police as it's an offence to park across someone's driveway when you're blocking them in.

[Owllady]

Yes bravada, actually on my drive.
When I had words with her last week (given she has not responded to any of us in years) she practically said I was being unreasonable as she was only there waiting to pick someone up and she shrugged

I'm afraid at that point I lost it.

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

I'm with Ingeniousidiot here.

Definitely the way to go in a situation as you've described.

You are being most helpful not just to her, but to the other parents who may not be aware that you are there either.

All in all, you are doing your bit for the community if you will

[ingeniousidiot]

Just slowly drive up close to the car blowing your horn continually until she moves. Each and everytime. The horn is there to alert people to your presence, she clearly has problems seeing your car on the drive. You are therefore helping her. You are very kind.

[DontDead0penlnside]

I also once had to go and ask a neighbour I don't know to move his car off my drive. I went out down the side of my house (i.e. invisible from the road, blatantly nothing BUT my own personal land) to see his wanky car there one fine day.

When I went and asked him to move it, he said he had to park there as his own single car drive was full and he didn't want to park on the road.

Well next time buy a house with better parking then you prick.

[DontDead0penlnside]

People are always using my drive to do 3 point turns and it gives me the most serious rage. For starters, the road is plenty wide enough to do it there, secondly, if you can't do a 3pt, don't be driving; and thirdly, not only is there enough room on the road, there's also a wide pavement they also use up AND then encroach on my drive as well.

Unfortunately (without outing myself), I can't explain why the lie of the land makes it impossible to block/gate it off. I just tend to rush out the door and glare at them as they hurriedly drive away.

It's the sheer volume that pisses me off, like water torture.

[Pythonesque]

Third (or fourth) the suggestion to talk to the nursery. To be honest the safety of how their children are being dropped off will be of concern to them too, and parking across a driveway across the road isn't a safe way to do it for that agegroup!

[Bravada]

Owllady Actually on your drive? As in not just on the road blocking it (bad enough)

And yes OP please complain to the nursery. They will tell off the parents on your behalf.

And please report back if dickish woman does it again (love a parking thread too!)

[ApostrophesMatter]

Another vote for a diagram.

[dowhatnow]

I like a good parking thread.