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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be utterly seething and have told this white lie

102 replies

lastqueenofscotland · 11/12/2018 09:14

I live very near 3 large secondary schools and suck up some of the annoying driving that comes with the drop off time.

Today however I was leaving my house (10 mins late which I know is my problem) to go to work to see a woman parked OVER MY DRIVE getting her son out of the car, I tell her I need to go to work.
She says she always does it and there is never a car there, I point out that there is and I need to go to work, she turns round and says she just needs to help little jimmy carry his cello and PE kit to the school.
I’m fuming by this point so turn round and tell her I work for the council (true) and ill just issue her a massive fine as soon as I get into the office (this is bullshit and I have no power to do this at all).

She properly got the hump but did drive off.
WIBU feel a bit embarrassed now Blush

OP posts:
angelfacecuti75 · 12/12/2018 18:53

Its against the law to park over someone's drive isn't it as far as i know anyway whether they're on it or not....be careful though as she might make a complaint to ur place of work even though any decent manager worth their salt would realise she's breaking the law not u x

Geraniumpink · 12/12/2018 18:57

As school staff we have to park on the road as the car park is tiny. I am always very careful about where I park. Although I did once get a note on my windscreen for parking opposite the entrance to a driveway - which perfectly legal, as far as I know.

dwab45 · 12/12/2018 19:19

Good move. That’s what I would have done.

NotBeforeCoffee · 12/12/2018 21:01

People drive there kids to secondary school? Jeeze

Tistheseason17 · 12/12/2018 21:38

It is illegal to block access to the carriageway (road) ie to park across your dropped kerb when you're parked there, stopping you get out. You can take photos and report on line to police. They can fine the driver.

On the other hand not illegal to block access to your driveway if it's empty as No one is trying to get out on to the carriageway.

So take photos and report away. Or.... block your own driveway on days you need to get out quick.

Like your quick response. YANBU 😍

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 12/12/2018 21:58

YANBU. Your time keeping is irrelevant and the lie will have at least given her a rightful fright. My parents live next door to a busy GP surgery and their dropped kerb is apparently fair game for overhanging and completely blocking parking.

Some of their stories are Shock. The man who swore at and threatened to punch my 80yo dad when asked to move is the most drastic. The cheekiest was the snooty older lady that my mum asked to move because a) crap parking and b) my dad would be coming home in the car any minute. She was parked right over the drive and proceeded to look at my mother as if she was shit under her shoe. Her justification was that she "used to be a member of the medical profession". Don't care if you're Kimi fucking Raikkonen, you can't park there!

They do at least stop the real cheeky fuckers from actually parking on the drive way and blocking us in though.

SheWoreBlueVelvet · 12/12/2018 22:43

To be honest th best thing about being a woman is not having to resort to watty bloke behaviour. Just state why she is in the wrong and the chances are she'd sat sorry and feel bad.
A life time of being socialised to be pleasant goes along way in petty disputes.
Actually I think it's it's the better way. Who needs to be angry all the time.

Picknickers · 12/12/2018 22:53

I live on a cul de sac and school runners turn round on my drive all the bloody time. Your situation OP is even more irritating so well done on handling it so well

Chucky16 · 12/12/2018 23:51

YANBU
She was just being a CF. Shame you couldn’t really slap her with a massive fine.

Thehappygardener · 13/12/2018 00:37

Tistheseason - think you are wrong there. What if you want to get into your drive? I think that a dropped kerb is always illegal. However, the police are pretty stretched and may just ignore it.

Quite a helpful website, despite the anaff name! www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/legal-motoring-advice/2017-07/your-guide-to-parking-rights/

Nats1606 · 13/12/2018 01:18

YANBU

Misplaced entitlement needs a little kick up the bum from time to time. People are becoming so incredibly selfish and clueless about general consideration for other humans. I find it quite scary actually.

halfwitpicker · 13/12/2018 01:32

Well played op.

whatamessitallis · 13/12/2018 01:51

ChimesAtMidnight would you mind indulging me and defining somewhere rather less accessible?

I have a feeling there might be a story or two there...?

TooManyPaws · 13/12/2018 01:54

Not to be sexist, I have seen and experienced situations when a female behind a wheel gets to act as if they answer to no-one, and can be as bitchy as they like..Example, coming out of a supermarket not long ago, the car parked next to mine was so close I couldn't get in my car. The driver was sat in this car, so I asked, If she was leaving ? She replied that she wasn't, when I pointed out to her that I couldn't get in my car her reply was that I shouldn't be so fat. (I am a large woman.) Her window was down, and even though I have never been violent, I was sorely tempted to poke her in the nose. However, by telling her that one day I may loose weight, she on the other hand would always be a nasty, ignorant B. She back out . End of story.

And the bloke who was parked right on the white lines in a supermarket car park was so enraged at me parking in the middle of the space next to him thus making him get in through the passenger side due to his crap parking that he ripped my wipers off - and not just the blade part, completely ripped the metal apart at the bonnet end. I'd take a cheeky cow any day.

Iloveautumnleaves · 13/12/2018 02:06

People drive there kids to secondary school? Jeeze

Yes, because even at 13, 11 miles is a long way to walk to school...Hmm.

There is a bus, of sorts, but it turns a 30 minute commute into a 90 minute commute.

StoneofDestiny · 13/12/2018 09:00

No need to drop secondary school kids right next to the gate. A short distance away would unclog certain long suffering streets and make life a lot safer for kids getting in and out of school as so many parents do unsafe manoeuvres, block sight lines, make unsafe u-turns, double park, block drives and toot their horns to alert their child just to complete the residents annoyance.
(Thankfully I don't live near a school, and have seen the chaos often enough to know I never would)

Liketoshop · 13/12/2018 10:12

How annoying but.... There's nothing to stop anyone parking over a drive, it's just courtesy. It's a pain to be blocked and a pain to be yelled at by owner.

SoupDragon · 13/12/2018 10:16

There's nothing to stop anyone parking over a drive, it's just courtesy.

No it isn't "just courtesy" if, like the OP, you are prevented from leaving.

SoupDragon · 13/12/2018 10:17

and a pain to be yelled at by owner.

So don't park over someone's dropped kerb. It's really quite straightforward. If you park over a dropped kerb you deserve to be shouted at.

notacooldad · 13/12/2018 10:19

Whereas men always behave like Mother Teresa when behind the wheel?
Not a good analogy. Mother Teresa was a bitch to many and self serving. People suffered under her supposed care if she didn t think they were worthy enough to be cured.

Tistheseason17 · 13/12/2018 14:26

@Thehappygardener

Hi there, check out the Highway Code 242 and the associated legislation.

I had to leave my house and the police did their best to find the car owner to move it but eventually gave them a fine as they were obstructing my access to the carriageway.

Not pleased I got police involved but what can you do with these type of CFs.

katekat383 · 13/12/2018 15:32

Brilliant thinking, OP!
Haha

LizzyA123 · 14/12/2018 08:43

Brizzle think you’ve got your units wrong. The 1/10 size cello is 29.5 inches long not 30cm. A 30 cm cello would be cute though. 🙂

brizzledrizzle · 14/12/2018 08:44

Hahaha, yes I did Grin

It'd be a violin sized cello!

Whereartthouname · 14/12/2018 09:07

Isnt it illegal? It is here in Australia