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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask about parking on zigzag lines in front of school?

111 replies

WhoWants2Know · 13/12/2017 17:11

Is this an issue for other schools? I don’t personally do it, but my local school has a number of parents who have always parked on the zig zag lines in front of school, as well as a couple of taxis who take kids to neighbouring villages. The other nearby school has the same issue, where parents just ignore the lines and park wherever they can. It’s a straight road, but narrow enough that the parked cars mean only one lane is left for traffic. School have recently sent letters asking people not to park there, but they do it anyway. Some have a couple of small children who I think are sleeping in the car.

Anyway, yesterday was the school’s pantomime trip. Letters and texts asked parents to collect children at 1:30, as the school was closed for a repair. Everyone arrived, including parents and taxis who parked on zigzags. The school building was locked and no staff or kids present. Coaches arrived after 1:45, with nowhere to park, and the road was blocked so that they couldn’t move forward either. So the kids disembarked in the road and wove through cars and a crowd of parents into the school hall, where they were then released.

Today the school sent home a letter cancelling next year’s pantomime trip and any other trip where parents might arrive at the same time as coaches.

I’m not entirely sure who is being more unreasonable here. The parents shouldn’t park there, but equally I feel like the school could have asked parents to collect after the kids were back to the school. They also could have asked at least one member of staff to be present to direct parking and direct the smaller kids as they got off the bus. Either way, punishing the entire school for the actions of a few parents seems a bit harsh, and I feel pretty sure the same parents will still be parked there tomorrow. Who is being (most) unreasonable?

OP posts:
MrMeSeeks · 13/12/2017 17:42

Seriously?
No the school isn't in the wrong at all.
Whatever parent thinks its ok to park like that needs to give their head a good shake ( and to stay off the road).

Owletterocks · 13/12/2017 17:42

It's a huge problem here too. It drives me insane. My children go to a large infant school and I have to cross from in between parked cars with them every day. It's a matter of time before a child is hit by a car. I have reported it to the police before now and they did send traffic wardens round the next night. One parent even had the audacity to complain to the head teacher that she had had 3 parking tickets!

I don't blame your head for banning school trips. I wouldn't like to be responsible for crossing all those small children through parked cars safely.

chickenowner · 13/12/2017 17:45

Appalling there were no staff there at all.

I expect that all the staff were on the coaches with the children, rather than being in the school building.

But well done for trying to blame the school for this. Hmm

I8toys · 13/12/2017 17:45

School is not in the wrong at all. I live near a school and a minority park like arseholes unfortunately - making it dangerous for all crossing. Coaches have to get down the street and are unable to do so because of inconsiderate parking each side of the street. It is not the teacher's responsibility to direct traffic. Parents need to think of others rather than the I'll just be 5 minutes thinking and entitlement they have to park as close to the school gates as possible.

Name and shame the repeat offenders on school newsletters and get the traffic warden in regularly.

HidingBehindTheWallpaper · 13/12/2017 17:45

It doesn’t matter what the reason is, you don’t park on the zig zag lines. They are there to keep your children safe, not to piss people off.

In previous years, the parents all parked there with no complaints
Why was anyone parking there?

RaspberryRipple63 · 13/12/2017 17:46

I always thought it was illegal to park on the zig zags but over the last year I've frequently witnessed parents parking on them next to the zebra crossing,just outside my DGD's primary school.

londonrach · 13/12/2017 17:47

Only one lot at fault here...the selfish parents for blocking the road and putting the children at risk and stopping any fire engines etc getting through. Good on the school for putting their childrens safety first. Each of those parents who parked should have been fined.

Original poster
WhoWants2Know · 13/12/2017 17:47

I would have liked to see at least one member of staff at the school who could have put out cones and help direct the kids. We stood out there freezing for 20 minutes and the staff who had the keys were on the bus. They got off and let kids into the school, but the reception bus managed to let half the kids off before any adults, so tiny kids were milling around with no directions.

OP posts:
BurnTheBlackSuit · 13/12/2017 17:48

Whilst the parents probably shouldn't be parking on the zig zags (depending on the actual restrictions), did the school try and preempt this in anyway- like putting out some traffic cones in the zone where the coach would need to park? Otherwise the school are at fault (if parking restrictions didn't apply at that time) and they should have realised the coach would need to park and provided an area for it to do so.

AdidasGirl · 13/12/2017 17:48

At my DS school we have traffic wardens there for morning drop off and afternoon collection due to this.
Also because residents were constantly complaining that cars were blocking their driveways etc.(Which they were)

We had numerous letter sent home about not parking on the zig zags or blocking peoples drives.

The traffic wardens are so hot on giving tickets now but to be honest the parents don't care.

It's a private school.

chickenowner · 13/12/2017 17:48

Each of those parents who parked should have been fined.

I agree.

BishopBrennansArse · 13/12/2017 17:48

Good on the school.
Parking on the zigzags is completely illegal. They're there for safety purposes.

BluePheasant · 13/12/2017 17:48

Well as you said, the school had a different headteacher previously who obviously wasn’t taking the parking issue seriously. The new head is trying to crack down on a problem that’s been going on for a long time and rightly so.

The parents parking like twats are entirely at fault.

chickenowner · 13/12/2017 17:48

Oops - bold fail!

Each of those parents who parked should have been fined.

I agree!

I8toys · 13/12/2017 17:49

They cannot use cones on a public highway.

FitBitFanClub · 13/12/2017 17:51

I just felt like the school contributed to the issue by demanding parents collect at 1:30, before the coaches had arrived back.

It's irrelevant what time they "demanded" (by which you mean informed) collection. Nobody should park on zigzag lines outside a school, and it's not that those parents haven't been told already.

I can't believe you need to ask.

chickenowner · 13/12/2017 17:52

Yes, I noticed the interesting use of the word 'demanding' too.

The letter probably said something like...

'the coaches will be returning to school at 1.30pm'

or

'please collect your child from school at 1.30pm'

Original poster
WhoWants2Know · 13/12/2017 17:53

Interesting that they can’t use cones. In that case, I guess having one member of staff stay back wouldn’t have helped. I wouldn’t mind seeing fines issued, though. I think the head has asked, but not had any support for local traffic wardens.

OP posts:
Oldbutstillgotit · 13/12/2017 17:54

There are cones outside DGS’s school. Self entitled arsehole parents ignore them or move them.

roundaboutthetown · 13/12/2017 17:55

WhoWants2Know - what on earth makes you think the school is legally entitled to put cones on a public highway? As for teachers directing selfish tossers in their cars - if other parents are too scared to confront them, then why on earth do you think teachers will want a thump in the face that you don't want? Teachers are not traffic wardens any more than other parents are. If parents are too scared and/or lazy to help direct the traffic, they have no right to expect teachers to volunteer to do it. As for coaches arriving before parents when the school is closed for repairs - funnily enough, teachers also cannot predict traffic and therefore get the timing right so as to avoid selfish idiots who park dangerously, contrary to road markings. Sleeping children in cars are no excuse for selfish and dangerous behaviour.

Owletterocks · 13/12/2017 17:55

The zig zags outside our school are operational from 8am to 6pm. I would imagine most would be the same so the parents would have been parking illegally even in the middle of the day

I8toys · 13/12/2017 17:55

When I was a governor - we asked about cones and the policeman governor said we weren't allowed to put out cones on the street. I also don't expect for teaching staff to have to direct traffic either - a bit of common sense by parents is all that is required.

MinorRSole · 13/12/2017 17:56

Milling around waiting for your own children to get back from a school trip is pretty standard. I'll reserve my sympathy for the school staff who organised it and accompanied the children all day. Keeping them safe and providing them with a fantastic opportunity some may not otherwise have.

I'm not a teacher btw, nor do I know any, I just think that these extra things they do are so special for the children and that parents could be a little bit more grateful!

BishopBrennansArse · 13/12/2017 17:57

Lol. Demanding.
Schools aren't childcare. They set their own term dates and these sometime incorporate early finishes. They're not there to be convenient to parents.

chickenowner · 13/12/2017 17:57

I'm not a teacher btw, nor do I know any, I just think that these extra things they do are so special for the children and that parents could be a little bit more grateful!

Absolutely!