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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask school to choose? (parking)

357 replies

Carpark1 · 07/06/2019 11:11

Aibu to ask my DD’s school to choose to alert that they must reverse park. There are no guidelines in the car park and I just feel like it’s mayhem. If we all reversed parked then it may be s bit more streamlined and time saving? Do you think they would find me weird for suggesting it ?😂😬

OP posts:
GetYourOwnLife · 08/06/2019 11:48

cover your rear view mirror, use side mirrors and learn how to do it.
Shock Do not follow this ^^ advice. Reversing without watching behind you, especially in a busy carpark with children running around unsupervised is so dangerous. You need to watch ALL mirrors and your blind spot when you're reversing.

thenightsky · 08/06/2019 12:20

I'm really good at reverse parking, but I wasn't taught it in lessons. I just practiced in empty car parks a lot. However, I have to put the window down full and hang my head out like a lorry driver Grin

fedup21 · 08/06/2019 12:22

I did 2 out of either parallel parking, reserve around a corner or turn in the road in my test in 1993. Reverse parking into a bay space is something that would be useful to be taught though.

justasking111 · 08/06/2019 13:24

If you have to drive a van as I did at work you cannot use your rear view mirror for reversing etc. it does teach you better parking skills. So I would say go to an empty shop car park in the evening and get practicing.

BottleOfJameson · 08/06/2019 15:29

I'm amazed at the number of people who learned to drive over 20 years ago and apparently thought they'd never need to update their skills or abilities since then. My mum was never taught how to navigate large multilane roundabouts (the kind you see as you come off the motorway) she had to learn how to use them since passing her test. In my lessons and test I never had to parallel park in a gap that wasn't at least 5 times the length of my car (presumably to avoid learner drivers causing damage to parked cars). If I need to do this I'll just have to teach myself or have some more lessons.

Surely people can take some responsibility for keeping their driving skills up to date. Saying I didn't need to do it for my test in 1991 is no excuse whatsoever for not just learning how to do it now!

SoupDragon · 08/06/2019 15:55

Saying I didn't need to do it for my test in 1991 is no excuse whatsoever for not just learning how to do it now!

No, but it is an answer to those who say "how did you pass your test then?" which is why most people are saying it.

Anyonebut · 08/06/2019 16:15

I much prefer reverse parking than forward parking. However, in my kids previous school I used to forward park on purpose as I am a shorty and I can see small children much better through my rear view cameras than over the bonnet, so I felt it was safer that way.

PumpkinPie2016 · 08/06/2019 16:39

The problem is that the school could request all they like but they cannot enforce it. There is nothing in law that states one must reverse park in car parks.

Personally, I always reverse park as I find it much easier for parking and leaving.

purplebunny2012 · 08/06/2019 17:29

Our school has signs and people still ignore them. Not many, but there are the odd few. It's actually better if everyone does, so I don't know why some don't

purplebunny2012 · 08/06/2019 17:40

Missing the point here but your child's school has a car park that parents can park in?!

Us too, but only outside school hours, so for breakfast club drop and after school activities pick up. At normal hours it's a bit of a fight anywhere along the road outside

mumlost1940 · 08/06/2019 17:45

Vehicular parking close to a nursery should be banned: all those petrol and diesel fumes being inhaled into tiny lungs: lethal.

purplebunny2012 · 08/06/2019 18:07

Just remembered our local tips both have reverse park only. Do none of you non-reversers take rubbish to the tip, then?

bubblegumunicorn · 08/06/2019 18:07

Where I did my test they rarely did reverse park (passed 4 years ago) so I rarely did it I can do it but I prefer to forward park!

hamptonmummy · 08/06/2019 18:13

Whilst I can reverse park I can't be arsed and find it bloody infuriating. Unless the car park owners enforce it I'd ignore it too !! where I live we have signed up saying no reverse parking because the fumes all go in people's windows

threatmatrix · 08/06/2019 18:25

Treacle sweet
Should you be on the road if you can’t drive properly?

Flobochin · 08/06/2019 19:04

I'm amazed so many people can't reverse park - can you reverse at all?

Mermaid67 · 08/06/2019 19:19

'I passed my test in 1994 and I had to parallel park. Reverse parking is so useful. I always reverse park, makes for a quick getaway.'

In the car park at work we all have to reverse in so that we can make a quick getaway in event of a fire etc.

AllPizzasGreatAndSmall · 08/06/2019 19:22

I'm just amazed there is a school with a car park that parents are constantly driving in and out of during school drop off and pick up times, while children are walking through it on their own. Most schools don't have a car park for parents, and some even restrict access and exit for everybody to the car park around these times.

Sarahrellyboo1987 · 08/06/2019 19:27

Reverse parking is safer. I personally find it much easier.
But, school won’t do that.

Waveysnail · 08/06/2019 19:30

I hate reverse parking into a space. Takes me.so much longer to park (spaces are super narrow) so holds up the flow of traffic

howrudeforme · 08/06/2019 19:34

Well, if your school agrees, can I ask that huge show off cars have their own parking areas.

My tiny car gets surrounded by huge cars with dark back windows and I cannot see past them to get out. It’s akin to when I get on a train, huge man will sit next to me as I’m small and he thinks it will all even out somehow.

It doesn’t. I’m always being crowded out by largess 😧

leannetta · 08/06/2019 19:34

I’m a driving examiner who is exasperated on a daily basis at the poor standards being presented for test these days. There are four possible manoeuvres in the test, and you will be asked to do one of them: pull up on the right and reverse two car lengths before pulling away again/reverse bay park/forward bay park/parallel park. Reverse bay parking is safer by a country mile, and everyone should be capable! And breathe....

artyone · 08/06/2019 19:39

Our school insists on reverse parking. It would be mayhem if parents reversed out once children were wandering round after school etc! This way when everyone leaves no one is reversing about the car park. We also have a no driving down the school road for 10 mins before the start of school rule. It all works really well and means it’s safe and everyone fits in. I’m so glad they do it.
No one struggles with getting buggies out etc everyone manages. You just leave a gap behind the car.

BikeRunSki · 08/06/2019 19:39

OP you are correct. I work on construction sites and it is standard practice (and site rules everywhere) to reverse park, to make leaving easier. It’s cut site car park accidents to pretty much 0.

artyone · 08/06/2019 19:41

Also if anyone occasionally breaks the rules there are glares, reminders in the newsletter and I’ve also seen other parents inform people that they are breaking rules.. not sure id be able to do that myself!