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AIBU?

bus using our driveway to turn around every day.

241 replies

whatatod0 · 06/09/2016 08:47

Scene - basically, we live on a main road, with a private dead end service road for us to get to our houses and parking spaces. There are 8 houses along our little row. We have a drive outside our house, then the service lane, then another parking space, then a small strip of grass (ours) then the main road.

I have noticed that a small bus (18 seater maybe??) has started collecting a dc from our row of houses, and is using our parking space and grass to turn around each morning and afternoon. The alternative would be to reverse back down the lane and turn around at the entrance.

For some reason this really annoys me that the bus driver does this twice a day. We now have tyre marks on the grass, and I think it will add to the break up of the road surface.
DH is not bothered, saying he has to turn around somewhere, but it annoys me. AIBU?

OP posts:

Report

whatatod0 · 06/09/2016 10:28

itsmine - I realise how that sounds about the road surface! But it is not a proper road if you see what I mean. It is a concrete strip that the original owners built to access the houses better. It is already littered with pot holes and loose chunks. It is not council owned or maintained.

I just wondered if it would annoy anyone else really. I do feel rather mean about it! But at the same time I don't think it's right to presume you can turn your bus around on someones private property.

OP posts:

whatatod0 · 06/09/2016 10:31

the child being picked up is SN and always used to have a taxi which would reverse down the lane, dc would jump in, and off they went.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 06/09/2016 10:33

Speak to the council school transport coordinator.

myrtleberry · 06/09/2016 10:34

Do you know the child's parents? Could you speak to them first about the problem.

honkinghaddock · 06/09/2016 10:36

I think the bus driver is trying to avoid reversing which is understandable.

No it is not reasonable for a residents association to discuss someone paying more because they have a disabled child that needs a bus to their door to get to school.

APlaceOnTheCouch · 06/09/2016 10:39

It wouldn't bother me tbh. He's doing a three-point turn. It's not affecting your life in any way and it's making the driver's life a bit easier. It's much more difficult to reverse a bus into a street than a taxi hence why the previous solution isn't working.
Why does he turn at your end of the street rather than where he picks up? Is your end of the street broader? Does the grass mean there is a bit of lee-way at your end that there isn't where he picks up?

thecatsclinkers · 06/09/2016 10:42

YANBU and I'm really invested in this thread. No idea why, I. Don't even have a driveway! I hate people taking liberties.

Please update us!

MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 06/09/2016 10:43

Have you phoned the bus company yet op?

I'd do it today.... He was rude. Strike whilst the irons hot!

You have a whole term ahead

PeachyTheSanctiMoanyArse · 06/09/2016 10:44

Agree with Haddock about the disabled / increased cost thing.

More and more kids are being picked up in buses now as LEAs cut costs, they tried it with us but had to abandon it as our road was so narrow they were blocking it. Not enough kids where we are now to make it worthwhile.

Could you chat to the parents? I know i'd rather someone did, sadly there ARE people who kick off just because it's a disability bus, and not knowing can make someone feel a bit edgy ('in my day' 'my taxes paying for other people's kids' 'we always had to take OUR kid to school' ' I don't believe in that stuff anyway etc.... If someone had a chat and said hi and what was happening and they were going to have to chat to the company but please don't worry, it's not about them- helps enormously.

JudyCoolibar · 06/09/2016 10:45

I don't see how you can bring in the issue about the road surface. Roads are for driving on, after all. If you're going to object to this then you would also have to object every time that, say, a workman's lorry or delivery van turned round in the road, to say nothing of the postman.

NotDavidTennant · 06/09/2016 10:47

Take the number of the bus company and phone and complain. If they know where the pick up is taking place then they'll know exactly who the driver is and hopefully they will tell him to stop doing it.

AndNowItsSeven · 06/09/2016 10:50

The child HAS special needs.

PeachyTheSanctiMoanyArse · 06/09/2016 10:51

The only way to solve the road surface issue would be stopping the bus- that isn't going to happen, LEAs don't pay extra for any reason outside a tribunal, and worst case scenario they'd just turn around and say to the mum that transport isn't picking up from home any more. LEAs love a reason to pull a service.

The grass problem however is entirely valid.

APlaceOnTheCouch · 06/09/2016 10:51

Judy yy I agree with you about the road. It's a bit like trying to calculate who has the most online shopping deliveries and then expecting them to pay more . . .
Except a child with SN getting to school is imo much more important than calculating the cost of damage to a road or a grass verge.
And I type as someone who has a private road in front of my house but I can't imagine the level of pettiness necessary to think of billing neighbours differently depending on their usage .

Owllady · 06/09/2016 10:54

Of course the driver doesn't give a fuck. He's picking up children to take to special school and every child he picks up on that route he will encounter someone grimacing or shouting at him. Believe me. Lived it for years.

Report it to the council but someone will start complaining he's blocking the lane for too long reversing up it.

It ALWAYS upsets someone.

I don't think he should be turning in your drive btw but it's not the parents with the sn dc problem. Just tell the council. They'll come out and take photos and survey where he can turn round.

badaboom · 06/09/2016 10:58

Yanbu. I would approach the driver first before getting in touch with their superiors if it fall on deaf ears..phone and email/letter. If all else fails, garden gnomes so it can classed as a hit and run..I jest

Lweji · 06/09/2016 11:01

I bet that if he was more careful and took a bit more time doing the turn, he wouldn't need to go onto the OP's property at all.

Still, and even considering why he goes there, I wouldn't be happy.

In all likelihood I'd put something that marked the edge of grass and talk to him, particularly asking if he or his bosses were prepared to pay for the damage on the grass and wear and tear on the drive. Then, if necessary, his bosses.

A one off would be different from a regular service.
I bet he'll start going further and further on the grass as he doesn't care.

Lweji · 06/09/2016 11:03

I wouldn't speak to the child's parents. It's not them you have the problem with.

Owllady · 06/09/2016 11:03

This isn't aimed at the OP as I don't think he should be turning on her drive but as the parent of a severely disabled child who goes to special school I could not even begin to tell you the amount of abuse I have been on the receiving end of (in front of her) because of the school bus picking her up and dropping her off. It take a matter of minutes to get her on and off safely, but it's such an inconvenience for people. There should be a special place in hell for people who think it's ok or in any way appropriate to shout at a special school bus, the children on it or their carers.

I bet every single parent carer of a child with special needs has received a negative verbal exchange with one of their neighbours or a passing motorist because those few minutes has inconvenienced them.

As I said, he still shouldn't be turning on your drive or lawn but I felt I need to post 're confronting the parents, they really have no control over it and their patience with this kind of thing has most probably run out.

FrancisCrawford · 06/09/2016 11:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LyndaNotLinda · 06/09/2016 11:07

Yes, speak to the council, not the parents. And a child has SN, they are not SN.

diddl · 06/09/2016 11:09

It makes no sense to me that he wouldn't reverse into the drive of the child he is collecting.

Do they not have a drive?

Do you knpow which house it is in relation to yours, Op?

I need a diagram!

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Andrewofgg · 06/09/2016 11:09

Owllady it depends.

Bus outside the house and dropping off children who "in their day" were locked up out of sight? Tough.

Bus blocking a drive? No. Not acceptable.

Owllady · 06/09/2016 11:11

It just makes you an impatient unkind twat Andrew

Owllady · 06/09/2016 11:14

My daughter's bus blocks our own drive btw but it also stops the flow of traffic. There is nothing that can change that apart from the time it takes for someone with a severe physical and learning disability to get on the bus. If you really can't wait a couple of minutes then yes, you are a twat.

Presumably mumsnet will delete these posts so I wouldn't get your knickers in a twist

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