To ignore the school parking diktat?

[Ginmakesitallok]

I drive to drop off andpick kids up from school - too far to walk and on my way to work. Its busy, but i usually get a space in the street beside school.

Theres a note in a recent school newsletter to say that parents shouldn't drive into this street, that there's no parking for parents there and that the yellow lines are for kids safety.

Now - it's a public road, no restricted parking, only yellow lines are at junctions where I'd never park. Surely the school can't think that it can stop parents parking where they want if they are parking legally??

It's tricky.

Arseholes will continue to be arseholes - and will still park badly/dangerously/inconsiderately no matter how many times you ask because they're thinking exactly the same as considerate parkers. Essentially everybody thinks the same thing

"Well, they must mean OTHER people, because I park considerately/am only there for a few minutes/am perfectly entitled to park there"

So what should be done about it?

"I could park further away - but why should I when there is legal parking available closer??"

Because the school has asked you not to. If everyone took the same attitude as you then the street outside of the school would be chaos and really dangerous. Like it is outside my school with people despearate to park as close as bloody possible to the gates despite being asked not to by the head on numerous occasions. There will be an accident one day I am convinced of it.

Honestly, the school have asked you not park there, just leave a bit earlier and walk and extra 5 minutes.

It really astounds me how many people have a "well its my right so I will damn well do it attitude". Sod considering anyone else.

Are you so sure you aren't being inconsiderate in where/how you park?

We have a big problem locally with parents stopping and pulling away without looking or signalling, waiting on both sides of roads so other traffic can't get through, parking across drives etc. If asked, the excuse is always 'I'm only here for few minutes'. In my experience, I doubt the school would have taken the step to ask you to stop elsewhere unless there was a real problem.

If you can park safely/legally/considerately, then by all means park where you want.

I always park at the shop 5 minutes up the road, usually plenty of spaces and nowhere near as much hassle as trying to get nearer to the school.

If I was the school I'd be petitioning for double yellow lines and resident permits within 1/2 mile of the school.

Have staff outside the gate/in the road telling parents to move on etc.

We have this going on at our school atm.

Yes you can 'legally' drive down the school road and park there. The problem is, it's one small road and around drop off times certain parents seem to become demented and are so determined to get the closest space they sit in their cars queuing, speeding, mounting the pavement, blocking the school gates and getting road rage at each other. It's pathetic and it's dangerous and lots's of parents (myself included) don't allow their DC to cross that road without them for all of those reasons.

When I was PG I actually had one mum reverse into me because she was so determined to get into a space before anybody else she didn't bother checking behind her first.

Anyway, rant over. There are always, always other streets where you can park that will be maybe another couple of minute's walk away. Stop being so fucking lazy and use them.

Got myself so wound up there that I started randomly adding 's's's's'...

Really?? Its about having some consideration for other people. Yes, you are "legally" allowed to park on the road, but the school has asked, no doubt in the interests of being part of the local community and safety of the children, not to park there.

Its the same at our school - people like you OP who don't appear to give a stuff about anyone else so that the headteacher's plea falls on deaf ears time and time again. What difference does it make to you to park a couple of minutes further away so your journey of walking into school and back to the car takes an extra 4 minutes.

I lived next to a primary for 20 years the parkers were nuts zooming off once they picked their kid up double parking and blocking residents in I can see why parents have been given this letter ignore if you like it is a public road but remember people live on this street and are probably had enough of inconsiderate parents at pick up.

It was so bad at 1 point traffic warden had to come round at pick up and drop offs

We have this issue at our primary school. The primary school has a road looping past it, around a church yard, leading to a car park. You can walk from the car park, across the road, through the church yard, across the road, to the school.

The head teacher regularly sends out reminders of the school parking plan. No driving on the road past the school between 08.30 and 09.10, or 15.15 and 16.00; and parking in the car park only - no parking on the road. Please be considerate to neighbours. All parents to walk through the church yard to collect children. No excuses you know the rules!

What happens? Most people comply. But a fair minority completely ignore her and drive past the school, nearly running children over. Parking as close to the school as they can.

I would contact the school and find out if this is really a safety issue or whether is is because residents are complaining for some reason. If it is just because residents don't like cars using the street at that time, I would say it is tough luck. I don't have much symapthy for people who buy a house near a school and then complain about the cars parking in their road before and after school (unless people are blocking their driveway or parking illegally of course)

Before I moved here, we had this problem with our local school, added to this, we have a hospital right next to the school.

Especially with the afternoon pick up and visiting hours coinciding.

The residents petitioned the council, now we have double yellow lines and permit only bays. I think we have 5 bays and 2 disabled bays with restricted times left

People still park there but the traffic wardens have gotten wise to it and now turn up and start ticketing the cars. We have had people park and block off our garages, we now block them in (private land, chain across)

Other roads local to ours have now started their own petitions because people have the same attitude to yours.

If people had been a bit more considerate, then maybe residents wouldn't feel like they had to do this, but it was getting really bad and to be honest its still bad, as people think they are only going to be five minutes.

It seems to be a competition to see who can get closest to school gate people would park on the bloody pavement and the cul-de-sac round from me was like an NCP cark park nobody could get in our out

I too, live near a primary school. An organisation nearby with a car park allows parents to park for drop-off and pick-up, and there are a number of legal places to park on the road itself, and in adjacent roads, with a maximum of a 5 minute walk.
This does not stop people EVERY DAY parking illegally - on double yellow lines, opposite junctions, across resident's driveways and on the zig zag lines before and after the zebra crossing.
If you dare to challenge anyone about it you get a mouthful of abuse or "I'm only going to be a minute..."

A couple of weeks ago, a car came tearing along the road, didn't see people on the crossing because of parked cars and had to do an emergency stop - screeching brakes and skidding to a halt - narrowly missing parents and children. Has it made any difference? No.

I want to buy a tank and drive it around, crushing all the inconsiderate bastards' cars.

We have lollipop people - never had an issue with crossing the road.

If you have a lollipop person on the actual road you're talking about, no doubt they will have told the school that there's a congestion/safety problem.

If the lollipop person is on a different road, then your post is irrelevant.

Either way, I think you need to actually ask the school what the problem is, since they haven't made it clear.

Only then can you decide whether your "Why should I?" stance is the right one to take.

Because abiding by the law is only half way towards behaving decently.

I live opposite a primary school and secondary school which has yellow lines in certain spots on the schools side to stop congestion. I have no issue with people parking outside my house, and I don't think anyone on the street does, what I do have issue with, is people parking across my driveway. I think it's rude and inconsiderate, and it infuriates me like you wouldn't believe. I too have a child who I have to pick up and drop off at nursery/childminders at the same times they are doing the school run so every time I leave, I have tell someone to move.

As other people have said, I wouldn't worry if you're parking considerately, but it's obviously a minor few who have caused problems.

School near me sent a similar letter out about our road but it got ignored. Ours is a private road though so we gated it in the end to stop the parking. Talk to the school to find out why they have made the request

Why does it matter why the school has asked parents to do this?! Seriously, the school wouldn't do it just because Joe Bloggs from the house down the road doesn't like it. Have some respect for the school - trust their judgment. It absolutely does not matter why the school has asked parents to be considerate - they have, so be considerate!!

I would just ignore it tbh. Probably aimed at people who do part inconsiderately. What can they do to you anyway? F all!

I live near a school and provided people don't block me in or park in my driveway I don't care. Just park legally and what suits you.

The school will only have asked this because they are receiving complaints.

You are right that you can park anywhere that is legal.

But if you are considerate, you will heed the request.

If the situation does not improve, and complaints continue, then a CPZ may well result, and that might mean you have to park a considerable distance from the school, which may be more onerous than what would happen is everyone just fans out a bit on a voluntary, community-minded basis.

The school won't have decided to send this out out of the blue
Its a response to the congestions on that road causing people problems.
If you keep parking there even though it wouldn't massively inconvenience you to park further away and walk, when you know it inconveniences others that the road is used for drop off and pick up.. you are "within your rights", but you're not being very nice

but why should I

The motto of arseholes the world over.