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Original poster

Complete twats parking on school run

80 replies

Witchofwisteria · 05/10/2018 14:44

Looking for some advice and maybe some case studies as I'm sure this happens at 99% of all primary schools - David Attenborough should even consider doing a fucking school run documentary since some parents just behave like beasts!

We have a really bad problem at our primary school at present with parents parking on grass verges, double yellow lines and even parking straight onto bends opposite the school. One of the cars is picking up and dropping off DS at reception so there is potentially 7 years of this bullshit lazy parking to go. It's a really tight squeeze anyway and about 4/5 cars but 2 in particular who are really bad block the corner every day, someone is going to be knocked down. There is a local car park which I kid you not- is located across the road and is 5 minutes walk away and I park up a hill far away from the madness in the other direction which is about 3 mins away, it's pure laziness - no excuses.

It's become a hot topic on the local Facebook page and there is so many furious parents and locals but we are all to afraid to directly ask those parking to STOP. (To be honest they're the type who look like they would stab their mother for a fiver and a packet of hob nobs - so confrontation is not a plan - not in front of kids). Police have been and asked them to move on and they're just back in the exact spot the same day - they don't give a shit!

Considering going to school asking them to consider these options:

Calling in traffic wardens for fines (who would you call though - how are they different to regular police that I'm sure the school have called.)

Placing cones along all the double yellow lines

Getting the PTA to buy signs to stick in the ground on the verges - something shaming them like "lazy parking costs lives".

What have you tried that you know works?

I hope I don't come across a jobs worth. I am usually so chilled but it's getting so dangerous now I cannot believe my eyes some days- I would post a pic but don't want to be identified.

OP posts:
Foodylicious · 05/10/2018 17:55

It's been mentioned in our last two weekly news letters, they have contacted traffic wardens and asked them to patrol more often.

Last couple of days there have been cones on the double yellow lines

Owletterocks · 05/10/2018 18:02

We have had pcso’s at our school every day for the past 2 weeks and it has been brilliant. The one day they haven’t been there - today they are back to parking like twats. I honestly don’t know the solution, even if you closed the road they would park like idiots just outside the exclusion area. I am sick of not being able to let my kids run ahead on the pavement in case some idiot driver drives on it or reverses into them 😡

Mintylizzy9 · 05/10/2018 18:12

Our head posted this to us this week. My worst this week was a bloke with a Range Rover parked over the crossing so you couldn’t see what was coming traffic wise without sticking your head out as no way of seeing over it (narrow road with lots of building work so lots of vans and trucks up and down with only inches between them and parked cars), he’s also blocked the only dropped curb. He came waltzing out on his mobile not evening watching his young child cross the road then just stood in the road by the car chatting on his phone meaning cars couldn’t pass. The workman in a blocked van sat on his horn for about two minutes so wankychops couldn’t hear his call and got cheered by a load of parents!

Menolly · 05/10/2018 18:17

Our headteacher went out in a high viz politely asking parents to think of the children, they tried shaming in the newsletter, both were quite funny and the offending parents' shouty rants were impressive but it was not particularly effective.

Most effective was a whole school poster competition, with teaching children what dangerous parking was. A few parents were guilt tripped into parking better by their own children.

reasonsforwaiting · 05/10/2018 18:22

foodilicious was stuck in a traffic queue one morning earlier this week as a woman in a huge Chelsea tractor vehicle did a 7 point turn right outside a primary school entrance - lots of kids going in - in order to part BETWEEN 2 of these signs....... Lots of parking available about 50 yards further up the road. Selfish and dangerous par excellence.

GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat · 05/10/2018 18:31

I had someone blocking my drive today. Despite me indicating and waiting I had to get out of my car and ask her to move. I got a cheery "oh I thought you might want in but was just waiting to see!" Er right then.

GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat · 05/10/2018 18:35

(it was a very naice school mum)

It drives me nuts. There are a limited amount of parking spaces on the street due to driveways. If you're not there in time to nab one tough luck! Don't just double park or hang over people's drives. The entitlement is baffling. There is plenty of parking 5mins away.

chumbal · 05/10/2018 18:37

My school have had this issue the whole time I've been doing school run (10 Years 😱)

Unfortunately selfish people are selfish & nothing seems to work.

I have lost patience with people at our school. Of course sods law will say it's not their kids that will get knocked down AngrySad

NerrSnerr · 05/10/2018 19:01

My eldest has just started reception and it's already driving me mad. People are so selfish. There's a carpark behind the school but people have to walk the whole 3 minutes to the playground if they use that Shock.

lanbro · 05/10/2018 19:05

This drives me potty, so so lazy...but it seems it is everywhere!

Personally, I like to park around the corner, brisk walk to get some extra steps in, then straight out without getting caught in the congestion - crazy stuff eh?!

AnneElliott · 05/10/2018 19:09

Our council has a number you can call to send round the parking enforcement guy on a moped. Might be worth seeing if yours does the same.

jackstini · 05/10/2018 19:09

Not sure if they do pavements Howart...
The school has even arranged for parents to use a local social club car park free so no excuse!

We had a parent reversed into last week who was with 3 small children. She was luckily just bruised but dread to think if it had been a child Sad

Also had someone park across the oath to the back school gate then walk a child in leaving his car running with loud (& awful!) music on. Angry Many parents sorely tempted I can tell you!

ForalltheSaints · 05/10/2018 19:15

Until we change our view of who should have a driving licence and a car this is probably always going to be an issue.

Teaching children may have some effect. I would have roads closed around schools, and arrangements made for any disabled child, but that is unlikely to happen.

If you have any reasonable grounds to believe that the two worst offenders may be over the drink-drive limit from the night before, then perhaps the police may be interested. The other possibility is if you have reasonable grounds to believe they could be violent towards anyone, should social services be alerted?

KarmaStar · 05/10/2018 19:16

A friend of my mum's lives near to a school,people often park on her drive whilst picking their dc up from school!not just across it,but reverse right back in as a homeowner would and they refused to leave until child turned up!.eventually she parked her car across her drive blocking in the car and went indoors for a few hours.the woman didn't come back again.

FrancisCrawford · 05/10/2018 19:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 05/10/2018 19:23

I have never been to a school (and I’ve been to plenty) that didn’t have a parking problem. I’ve witnessed car drivers facing up to one another in the middle of the road and having a stand up row, in front of all the primary children. Such a good example!

I bet if you could clamp cars, it would make a difference.

Frouby · 05/10/2018 19:34

I just don't get why people don't walk! I really don't. My NDN takes the car, she has 3 dcs. By the time she has strapped them all in, drove around then back on herself, then found parking, unstrapped them all and got to the gates me and ds are already there.

Ds is only little, 4. He loves walking to and from school. We have made friends on the walk, I get to try and teach a bit of road safety, am fitter than I was, so is he, we aren't using petrol or wear and tear on the car.

And it takes about the same amount of time, but less stress! We must live right on the edge of the catchment area, it's a new estate so we only just scrapped in.

I just don't get it.

kelper · 05/10/2018 19:34

I don't do the school run any more except when DS randomly needs me to see a teacher, but reading all the letters we've got so far this term, I can see parking has got worse!
There's several carparks available, but apparently grass verges and peoples driveways are so much more appealing!
Occasionally someone writes a missive on the local FB page and the resulting answers and arguments are just brilliant, the lengths people will go to to justify their laziness and selfishness are outstanding!

TheWernethWife · 05/10/2018 19:45

The school must surely know which child belongs to these selfish twats. The Head should threaten to exclude their children from school if their parent/s put other children at risk with their dangerous parking. Seems simple enough to me.

Stanislas · 05/10/2018 19:51

I live near a RC secondary school St Leonard's. At 3.15 today the mothers were there in full force, carefully parked on pavements,over double yellow lines,or neatly parked on a bend on the double yellow lines. Trying to get past at the junction is impossible vision wise. The school also buses a large number of children in from outlying villages so there are large coaches steaming along residential streets. It is just so arrogant and they are all intent on their phones so they can't see or hear the residents trying to live their lives.

ElfridaEtAl · 05/10/2018 19:53

Is it a CofE school in a place beginning with N? Hmm
My SK's school is the same. Utter laziness and it's so dangerous.

JuneCarterCash · 05/10/2018 19:53

I am that person in a school who a) deals with the angry parents and b) tries and fails to resolve it. It's a bloody nightmare. I'm writing increasingly strongly worded pieces in the school newsletter about not parking like a twat parking considerately, and I ring the local council often and ask them to send a traffic warden along at the end of the day. I just get told they'll see what they can do. I even saw one outside the school at 10.30, when there were no bloody cars in sight and went out and begged him to come back mid-afternoon - he didn't.
And no, you can't exclude a child because their parent can't park safely.
I just don't know what else we can do.

chumbal · 05/10/2018 19:54

The school knows who they are because it is usually the same parents day in, day out!

I suggested naming & shaming however I think people are so thick skinned/arrogant they would not care ☹️

Belletower · 05/10/2018 19:56

I think they should do the same as they do with Bus gates. Physical bollards that move up and down to let permitted traffic in and out.

So residents and school parents, taxis and buses.