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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Parking Wars AIBU to expect school to help do something!

211 replies

Parkingwarsaga · 08/12/2017 18:10

OK have name changed as very outing.

We live a few doors down from a primary school. The school has a carpark at the church next door possibly 30 foot from school. We are in the other direction.

Our flats have a car park. It can not be closed off with bollards as the end property and a property across the back road are business and have spaces there.
Spaces are included in our rent.

We however have signs up informing people it is a private car park and each space is numbered to a flat. Some spaces are up to peoples front windows.

We have contacted the school endless times and they have asked parents not to park there and to park on the church but they continue to park there filling every space.

We had had residents with babies, small children and disabled residents who haven't been able to park in the spaces included in their rent, people coming home from work who can't park in their spaces. A registered disabled relative of a resident who can't walk far and had to park the other end of a long road.

We have faced abuse numerous times when politely informing people its a private space. Former residents in the past have been told they can park where they 'fucking well want'

One neighbour got annoyed and blocked someone in who was parked right up to his front window and was told he better move now or else cause the woman had a baby. The same women who had blocked another actual resident from coming home with her newborn previously.

Parents drive in to the car park at speed. I've been beeped at for not moving quick enough across the car park so parents who shouldn't be there can park. I've put my bins in my space so my disabled father can park when he comes that morning and they've been moved.

You might think it's only a few minutes but some people come half an hour early and wait or stay half an hour later and chat playing loud music or with their kids running screaming and shouting disturbing shift workers. It's every morning at breakfast club then school time, after school, after school clubs, every book club, every after school play or nativity or music lesson. it's infuriating and I'm sure half the people who do it would go bonkers if people parked up to their front window blasting music.

We have spoke endlessly to the landlord and the school. The landlord has told us that if we want it sorted we have to pay hundreds of pounds for an automated barrier with passes for all including the businesses one of which is currently empty and I currently don't have the money to do this.

School have basically said oh deary me we can send a letter home but nothing else we can do. (they have parked on peoples gardens and hedges before now!)

Surely rather than cause hassle with neighbours a couple of mornings of some member of staff walking the few feet to our carpark at the main time for ten minutes a couple of times would put a stop to it.

Their tag line is all about giving to, being part of and being an asset to the community which is a joke.

OP posts:
MiaowTheCat · 08/12/2017 19:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Looneytune253 · 08/12/2017 19:41

Surely this week though the night time nativities, if you’re home your car will be in the drive and there will be no problem?

CotswoldStrife · 08/12/2017 19:45

Other than putting a note in the newsletter I don't think there is much the school can do tbh. It is beyond irritating, I agree. There must be a lot of empty spaces to tempt people in.

I would wheel clamp a car (could be one of your own) and make sure it's visible to anyone coming in - see if that puts them off! I do think the drop-down bollards are the easiest option though.

FireCracker2 · 08/12/2017 19:46

Don't be silly! What authority do school staff have over motorists?

Loonoonow · 08/12/2017 19:48

We have something similar and it is infuriating. I suggest lining up wheelie bins/recycling bins to block the entry at the crucial moments. It will,take some effort on the part of the residents but it might be worth it to break the habits of the parents. You are U to expect the school to intercede when it is your problem not theirs.

Knittedfairies · 08/12/2017 19:50

Perhaps the residents could take in it turns to sell tickets to park in your private car park, until you have enough money to buy the lockable bollards...

Seriously though, it is not the school's responsibility to police where parents park; they can ask, via a newsletter, that people shouldn’t park in your spaces, but I fear it won't make a difference.

And please, please, don't do the 'shaming' think before the Nativity Play next week. Round up every driver you and your fellow residents know to fill up all the spaces an hour or so before the performance starts instead ...

greyfriarskitty · 08/12/2017 19:52

We are in EXACTLY the same position - private car park bang up against school. I've been blocked in, shouted at, threatened with the police when I ask to get my car out.

However, school really go out of their way to help. They send out details of where is and isn't acceptable to park to all new parents. it is in the newsletter, all the time, and repeated whenever I ring and ask. The head has come and stood in the access one morning (that was most effective thing of all).

Trb17 · 08/12/2017 19:53

I paid more than £100 to get a ‘H’ anti parking line in front of my drive. Don’t have money to spare but it was well worth it to keep my drive clear most of the time.

The quote from your landlord sounds a bargain to me and would sort the issue.

Migraleve · 08/12/2017 19:54

Our school can't stop people parking In their own car park let alone someone else's!!

Seriously you can't expect School to take responsibility for thoughtless twats simply because they are parents?

ivykaty44 · 08/12/2017 19:57

There isn’t a diagram??

FitBitFanClub · 08/12/2017 20:00

No I don't think schools have endless money but they do have some responsibility in this situation.

Why? They have no more responsibility than the local station does with commuters parking all day, or the town's shopowners.

The school cannot wilfully ignore the impact of parents parking like cunts on the local residents
The school has absolutely no authority over members of the public parking like cunts. They haven't even got any authority over parents whose children are disruptive and I bet there's a correlation.

ivykaty44 · 08/12/2017 20:00

I’d get cctv
Set up your own parking enforcement company

Then start sending out parking fines

Within weeks you will either be loaded

Or they’ll stop parking in the car park

😜

twas17sleepstilchristmas · 08/12/2017 20:01

we live next door to a private school with a car park. if you don't like it move. I spent the first 2 years getting completely wound up by thoughtless/selfish parents. they won't change and there is no point getting wound up about it, the only person that is damaging is you. The school won't do anything except send the odd letter. Our DC state school has the same problem. If you don't want school parking wars, don't buy property anywhere near a school. I've just learned to (mostly) live with it.

BrownTurkey · 08/12/2017 20:03

Would it be worth two of you standing at the gates with two chairs and a bit of rope between them before the Nativity? Just letting residents in. A small close near us does this during a big local event.

BoomBoomsCousin · 08/12/2017 20:06

"Aibu to turn up at the start of the nativity play with photos of the cars and delay the bloody play while asking for all the cars to move."

You would definitely NOT be unreasonable to do this. In fact, it would be an excellent opportunity.

Etymology23 · 08/12/2017 20:12

Was there an almost identical post to this a few months sago? Might be useful if so.

You cannot clamp on private land I'm afraid.

bonfireheart · 08/12/2017 20:13

Should the till staff in supermarkets be responsible for their customers parking? Should nurses be responsible for their patients parking?
No. So don't expect teachers and school staff to come on early to get aggro from parents who have no manners anyway.

bonfireheart · 08/12/2017 20:15

"Aibu to turn up at the start of the nativity play with photos of the cars and delay the bloody play while asking for all the cars to move."
Yeah and spoil it for the kids who've spend days rehearsing, are probably feeling nervous and whose parents are parked correctly.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 08/12/2017 20:18

They are cunts and I dont think the school would be able to decuntify them. As a PP said coordinate with your neighbours so as not to inconvenience each other, and block the entrance to the car park before school run times. Do this every day for a week or so until the fuckers get the message.

I'm sure there was a similar thread tomyour a while ago where all the neighbours got together and blocked the parking and it worked.

NotAgainYoda · 08/12/2017 20:19

The school has no authority over what people who happen to have children at their school do, other than the duty to report safeguarding concerns about their children.

Unfortunately people who have children can be just as much arseholes as anyone.

Being part of the community is an aspiration. Their duty is to educate children to do so. They can't educate adults too.

Thinking that parents who are arseholes will be bowed by the authority of teachers is also a bit pie in the sky as well. This is not the 1950's in that respect

NotAgainYoda · 08/12/2017 20:20

X post with ItsAll

You said it better. De-arsehole/de-cuntify. Can't be done

LittleCandle · 08/12/2017 20:21

We have a similar problem with parents parking on our street taking the kids to school, some from less than 500 yards away. It isn't a car park, but they park on the residents' extra spaces, over drives, on speed bumps, dropped kerbs etc. I have taken to going out and writing 'you park like a cunt' in Sharpie on the passenger side of the windscreen. It is hellishly difficult to get off. We have been told by the council and the police that there is nothing that we can do. its shite.

ivykaty44 · 08/12/2017 20:27

No need to clamp the cars

You just make sure you have the right/correct signage up and register as a company - if all the flats pull together over this you could lessen the load

Then you apply to DVLA for name and address if reg plates and send out parking invoices

By parking in the car park they knew the consequences

And the law has changed

So they can ignore they invoice and if not paid up you take to court

As a collective you would lessen the work

Or you get a parking company to take it on for you for 6 months

Word will soon get out and it will stop if it cost £80 per morning, by the end of the week it could be best part of £800

Or you do fake news and get it published in the school news letter put up fake signs and see if anyone wants to chance £800 fine for a weeks parking

bonfireheart · 08/12/2017 20:28

New family on our street kept blocking my drive. Two different PCSOs came and had a chat with them and it made zero difference.
The PCSO's advice to me? Instead of parking on my drive why didn't I just park somewhere else??

bonfireheart · 08/12/2017 20:30

Although seems like the police are getting tough in some areas
www.itv.com/news/central/2017-12-05/police-removing-dangerously-parked-cars/

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