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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I've become a parking wanker - AIBU re school car parking.

128 replies

Hidinginthebath · 26/11/2018 17:35

I bought a house right next to my children's primary school. I thought it was an excellent idea. But now I'm not too sure!

It's a new build and it's in a row of houses. It was wasteland/garages before with no access. It's a cul de sac. The developers built a shiny new road with private car parking spaces for each of the properties on the left of the row and visitor parking for about 2 cars on the right, which is right next to my house. We each pay £500 a year service for maintenance of the common areas, binstore, a back passage way, and the private road.

AIBU to be slightly miffed that school parents are now using it, basically as a schoolcar park? We have told them directly it's a private road and have been met with shrugs and even a 'there's no sign' (it hasn't been put up yet!).

AIBU? Am I a parking wanker? I wouldn't mind so much if it was a public road and I wasn't paying a hefty sum for it (for me, a LP with 3dcs)

OP posts:
Cachailleacha · 26/11/2018 18:47

Are there numbers or 'visitor' written on the parking spaces?

RandomMess · 26/11/2018 18:48

I too would look into clamping. Ask the school to forewarn parents then crack on and do it.

Proceeds into the private road kitty.,.

WoofWoofMooWoof · 26/11/2018 18:48

I'm sooooooo glad my DDs are old enough now to walk to school on their own, so I don't have to put up with the school run shit.

RandomMess · 26/11/2018 18:48

In the short term park across the entrance and only move for your neighbours!

Miscible · 26/11/2018 18:53

Contact your neighbours and see who's up for a campaign to stop this. I remember a thread on here where some redoubtable woman organised something of that nature and, after a few days of baffled and angry parents, they all discovered that they could park somewhere else. A combination of cones or a chain across the end and concerted action to park anyone who slips through in for the day should do it.

AlexanderHamilton · 26/11/2018 18:54

Erm, clamping on private property is illegal.

To be honest with no sign up it’s not really their fault. As far as they are concerned you could be a local nutter who thinks she owns the public highway.

If there was a sign up then I would say definately block them in or something.

YeOldeTrout · 26/11/2018 18:55

I don't think any of these will work except blocking them in, tbh. Next to our school, there's allocated parking for people who live in sheltered housing. Signs up saying as much. The school run parents often pull in those spots, even though school asks them not to. Someone really ought to just block them in with an old banger & leave it there until 7pm.

UserName31456789 · 26/11/2018 18:56

I agree with PP for your money you can demand some kind of enforcement. CF's won't care about anything unless it inconveniences them.

onthenaughtystepagain · 26/11/2018 19:03

keep reporting to the school

Schools have to waste enough time on stuff that's not their responsibility without you adding to the list, it's not their fault. Hopefully the Head would ignore you and concentrate on what matters.

BedraggledBlitz · 26/11/2018 19:04

Agree with alexander, I would park there too if there's no sign. Sorry!

KnopeforAmerica · 26/11/2018 19:07

I think they're complete CFs but it the school should definitely be helping to sort it out. They are busy, but it is their customers/service users parking badly inconveniencing locals, same as if they were customers at a private business parking inconsiderately.

Cassimin · 26/11/2018 19:08

Our school is in a cul de sac.
Yellow lines are along the road along with signs saying no stopping.
The school often sends letters out and we often have traffic wardens outside.
Nothing stops the entitled parents, they stop their cars in the middle of the road and kick their kids out.
Traffic wardens don’t even deter them.

SauvingnonBlanketyBlanc · 26/11/2018 19:09

Could you put a private parking sign up in your space?

SoupDragon · 26/11/2018 19:12

I would park there too if there's no sign

Even if someone explained that it's a private road? Seriously?

SoupDragon · 26/11/2018 19:12

Once is an honest mistake, carrying on after you've been told is twattish.

Shitlandpony · 26/11/2018 19:15

No it’s not your fault Op Hmm. It’s entitled parents who know full well that it’s parking associated with the houses.
They couldn’t possibly walk further than a few metres up the road.

Racecardriver · 26/11/2018 19:16

In your place I would talk to your neighbours about getting a gate.

Shitlandpony · 26/11/2018 19:16

The headmaster of our local school was brilliant in getting involved.

skyesayshi · 26/11/2018 19:17

YANBU, you are charged a maintenance fee and it will need maintaining quicker if more people park there! I would contact the school directly and get them to put it in the newsletter, that it is private land and no parking.

I would also discuss with the other residents as suggested and all blockade it for a few days or something to make your point.

Also discuss with the building company about getting the signs up, or some chains, bollards or something.

A new school was built in a nearby town, the council stated that all parents would walk to school so no need for parking Hmm it is on a main road. All the parents drop their DC on the way to work and all park in the local housing estates, blocking driveways and creating havoc.

The sense of entitlement is breathtaking, in that they feel that their right to park there to take kids to school, trumps all other peoples rights to their own property or need to leave on time.

Original poster
Hidinginthebath · 26/11/2018 19:23

I have told them, repeatedly, not to park there. So I have to PAY for the privilege of letting them park because they can't be arsed to walk an extra 2/3 minutes?

I don't agree that they don't know so can. They definitely know but carry on regardless.

OP posts:
Aridane · 26/11/2018 19:24

Buy a clamp, clamp your own car with a fixed penalty notice on your window (that you put there) and maybe that’ll put them off.

Genius!

Aridane · 26/11/2018 19:25

Block ‘em in

Aridane · 26/11/2018 19:26

Can you stick notices under windscreen wipers - ideally using sticky stuff that is difficult to get off the windscreen?

supersop60 · 26/11/2018 19:27

Long term - get a sign
Short term- bollards
For devilment - get some of those 'joke' parking tickets. They look like the real thing. Might give 'em a scare!

8misskitty8 · 26/11/2018 19:39

I live in a cul de sac with a school at the end. The road was there before the school was. It’s a nightmare some days.

Parents block drives (with cars on them) preventing people getting out including my lovely neighbour who was sworn at when she wanted out for a hospital appointment, park on the speed bumps, on pavements, in the private visitors parking that we pay for etc. Plus they speed down our street and on occasions just missing children who are walking to school.

We are met with swearing and ‘I pay my road tax I can park were i like’ by parents when we have asked them to move . They also think the visitor parking belongs to the school which they have now been told by the school is not true it belongs to residents (after years of pointing it out)
Catchment is tiny as well and some are driving from the next street and then hang about gossiping in the playground so not in a rush due to work.

We’ve complained to the school, and the local councillors who have done nothing except a few lip service lines a couple of times a year in the school newsletter .

Good luck OP,