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

[WhoWants2Know]

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?

[Gazelda]

I'm firmly with the school on this one.
Selfish parents put children's lives at risk. They've been asked not to on many previous occasions, yet still do it. A child could have been seriously hurt (or worse).
It's time for drastic action.
The children's safety is the school's first priority, it's a shame the people who park on zig zags don't share that focus.

[WitchesHatRim]

They could have had their trip and been picked up at the usual letting out time, and had the repair carried out on a day when kids aren’t there.

Why should a school have to schedule works around parents parking like idiots?

They are parking illegally. Perhaps a few tickets would get them obeying the law.

[AlexaAmbidextra]

Some years ago I lived close to a primary school. It was in a narrow street and parents used to park anywhere they could, even on the zigzags. The inevitable happened and a small child was hit by a car. I shall never forget the sight of the mother kneeling on the road screaming while holding her dying child in her arms. That is the reality of these selfish, lazy parents and their parking.

[MinorRSole]

Oh @AlexaAmbidextra that's heartbreaking

[Middleoftheroad]

How utterly tragic and avoidable.

I fear this will happen in my road. Have complained to council that a child will be knocked down at some point. Possibly one of mine. They won't even come out and ticket the pricks.

[AlexanderHamilton]

That is tragic.

People should not park on zig zags. Full stop.

[kw1091]

I live opposite a primary school with zig zag lines that parents parked over ever day. Sadly recently a child was killed crossing the road as the view was blocked by cars parked on these lines. Thankfully people have finally stopped parking on the zig zag lines, it’s just tragic that something like that had to happen to make people pay attention of rules.

[StripeyMonkey1]

Are coaches allowed to park on zig zag lines?

Surely this should not be permitted either.

[StripeyMonkey1]

At our school the coaches drop off kids away from the school and the teachers walk the kids back up to the premises. This is to avoid dropping the kids on the zig zag lines which could be dangerous, particularly during school hours.

The purpose of zig zag lines is to give kids walking home plenty of space to be able to cross the road. Coaches parking on these massively impairs visibility and is potentially dangerous.

So, yes, the parents in this case were unreasonable. But the school/teachers were more unreasonable in not making better plans for the parking of the coaches.

[themueslicamel]

My school got so fed up with fucknuts and dunder headed swamp donkeys parking where the hell they like that the local authority (in a London Borough)has installed ANPR cameras, and if anyone parks anywhere near the school to drop of a child they are fined and get points,

Result?

Safe children, clear streets, more people walking children to school.

It was in the national press a few months ago, so OP, if anyone tried to behave lat my school like they do at yours they would be broke and loose there license in 4 days.....

[HidingBehindTheWallpaper]

So part of your complaint is that you had to wait outside in the cold for 15 minutes?
You are aware that teaching staff and mid day supervisors have to spend longer than that outside every day supervising break time, lunch time and early years outside areas.
15 minutes is no time at all.

Who exactly are you cross with?