AIBU to think that if you can’t drive and park sensibly on the school run, you should be put in the stocks?

[53rdWay]

Okay maybe not put in the stocks. I’d settle for a little light tarring and feathering.

We live near school and walk there and back. I understand not everyone can do this for whatever reason, fine. (I am sure more can than do though.) But FFS I am so tired of the terrible driving we have to dodge on the way!

Every morning there are cars parked blocking pavements, cars in the bus bay holding up the bus drop-offs, cars pulled over on the yellow zig-zags, cars driving on and off pavements while children are walking, cars dashing in to the teachers’ car park to sneakily drop off there without indicating, cars zooming out of side-roads without looking. Then every afternoon it’s the same in reverse.

This all starts about half an hour before dropoff and pickup times as well because people arrive so early. I’ve had to bang on someone’s car window before to wake her up because she was blocking the entire pavement, on a one-pavement road, and had settled down for a nap. Recently there was a fire alarm twenty minutes before pickup, and the fire engine couldn’t get in because of all the people already parked there. Very stern email to all parents from the head about that and... it has made zero difference.

The school asking parents time and time again to be more considerate doesn’t work. The council won’t send out parking wardens so that won’t work. AIBU to think medieval public shaming might be the only way forward?

Nothing works. Years and years of working in education taught me that people are selfish and care about themselves first and foremost. Cars with engines running for ages, cars on pavements, cars on zigzag lines, cars double parked, car doors open so you can’t get past., cars parked in staff spaces (of which there are never enough)........

My granddaughter broke her leg and when she was ok to go back to school, her mum got special permission to park in one space in the school car park. It was always taken by someone else before she could get to it. Someone who refused to move on every occasion.

I understand that some parents and caters drop the children off on their way to work and that is why they drive, but are they not able to park a little further away and walk for a bit. And if you’re not going to work, just walk anyway. If they have coats, hats, gloves, boots, they should be ok unless it’s snowing, in which case a car isn’t ideal anyway.

The amount of massive cars driven by mummies who apparently (according to mumsnet) think third hand smoke will cause lasting damage to their precious babies and who also use bamboo toothbrushes to save the planet....its beyond lollish

The council sends out wardens here every day. Random schools picked and tickets issued.

God this makes me mad.

I'd love to know what's going through some parents heads when they arrive in the morning and park on the school markings right outside. So fucking arrogant

The amount of massive cars driven by mummies who apparently (according to mumsnet) think third hand smoke will cause lasting damage to their precious babies and who also use bamboo toothbrushes to save the planet....its beyond lollish

Quite. The long thread on here about why people in urban areas need SUVs was quite instructive,too.

They genuinely don't care. They think they're entitled to special treatment and they're massively offended when challenged. A mum parked on the yellow zig zags constantly and when a member of staff asked her not to she lost the plot. "What do you expect me to do?! I don't have time for this! I have to drop my child off!"
People like this won't change because they are just hardwired to think they are more important than anyone else.

Our school try everything and nothing works.

Ds finishes school 15 minutes before any other pupils. Regularly I struggle to park because of people there so early. I try to park at the back of the road (but safely away from the junction) so I can get out easily but regularly get someone packed close behind me blocking part of the junxtion.

@gwackywacky I know! And a recent study showed that pollution levels are highest INSIDE cars, you're much better off cycling (best) or walking (second best).

OP you are right, I think we ought to bring back the stocks. So many people are selfish pricks who can't be arsed getting up 20 minutes earlier so they can walk. Or who claim they have to leave for work the second the doors open, so that excuses their shitty parking (that puts children's lives at risk and destroys the school's relationship with its neighbours).

If you drive to do the school run and not walk with children you should be put in the stocks.

It starts before school. I live opposite a nursery, on a very narrow road with double yellow lines on a significant portion of one side. Every day the road is blocked by illegally parked parents dropping off and picking up, despite there being a free for an hour car park less than five minutes walk away.

I think stocks, sticks, wardens, police, a shout man, the whole shebang!!!!!

I had to drive this morning and was nearly flattened in my little car with 2 primary school kids TWICE by a combo of idiot drivers in SUVs and dickheads parked absolutely everywhere so there was barely a lane of traffic. Raging. These parents have no consideration

Could the school sort of name and shame parents that do this by posting a list of the car models and registration numbers in the school newsletter with a request that the parents driving these cars cease to drive/park carelessly near the school? It would need a parent/s to volunteer to take down car details and pass on to the school but it may embarrass some parents into changing their behaviour.

We went on a trip to the theatre with the whole school. The letter to parents clearly stated not to park in the bus bay when arriving to collect children as all the buses would obviously need to park here. Upon return to school the bus bay was jam packed with cars...

Cars regularly parked across the footpath into DC's old school. To get round said cars you'd have to walk your DC's 2 or 3 minutes round through the car park. Cue drivers angrily shouting at you because you were walking through the car park ...

DD’s primary used to do the name and shame print the number plate thing. When people got caught they’d just do the “what am I like? Silly little me” routine and laugh about it.

Yanbu

Some people have to drive. I get that but ime it seems to be more the out of areas ( like myself) that are prepared to park out the way and wall down than the locals who live a 5/10 min.walk away. I dont even see how it can be a work.thing when they camp.outside the school for half an hour sat in the car so they get a space , or stand around talking for 20 mins after the whistle. Or when they have to spend 10 mins.fighting to even get out the street as it's so full of cars people cant get up/down and have to reverse long distances to be able to move. Surely that all takes longer than a 5 min walk home to go get car then drive to work?

It makes.it dangerous for the kids to walk to school. Parents having to push the buggies on the road because the large are blocked off. If you have a wheelchair you are stuffed.

It's just selfish.

YANBU. I inadvertently started a school run war with a fellow school run mum when I asked her to move up a bit so she wasn’t blocking the only marked with tactile paving yellow lined dropped kerb crossing point on our street (live near school) so the 10s of kids that walk past every day could cross the road without stepping into the road to look around her (fucking massive) SUV. She shrugged. I then realised later that week her son is also in my DS year at Infants. How self can you get! (90% of kids walk to school - large village school - catchment is small, not sure why she needs to drive, she doesn’t work. )

The amount of massive cars driven by mummies

Well, I would happily chuck all the kids in the back and the footwell like we used to, but society insists they all have their own adult seat, (massive childseat or own seatbelt) therefore I need a massive car. You can't have it both ways.
It drives like a tank and I hate it.

(I try not to park like a dick, though)

I also live opposite a very good and successful and lovely childminder. Our neighbours have had shouting matches Witt parents that park in the road, over driveways, over the pavement. Every person dropping off thinks “it’s only for 5 mins” but that’s 6 parents, twice a day, 5 days a week. Must be awful if you live very close to a school.

Drabarni. We live 5 miles from our nearest school, down unlit windy country lanes with no pavements and no bus route. Not everyone can get to school without a car.

I agree! I drive on my working days otherwise I'd never make it to work but I park further away from the school. It is absolute madness on the school road and it makes my blood boil to see parked cars with their engines still running but I don't think things will ever improve.

I agree - for a while I use to have to drop and run to get to work on time, but I parked slightly further away from the school as that was still quicker than trying to manoeuvre traffic!

When I wasn't working for a while or when I work from home we walked the 2 miles there and back every day.

Cannot understand why people need to park 2ft from the school gate, sand people who feel the need to park 6ft from the supermarket doors.....

Drabarni how ignorant.

I drive my kids to school in my Landover. I wish I didn't have to. We live outside town on top of a big hill, 2 miles walk from school (the majority of it the big hill). We are way out of normal admissions area, but it was the school with a place for my six year old, and eight year old got in on appeal last week. Normal area is less than a mile.

The school has a parent car park. The parking is horrendous... With better parking you would get a lot more cars in. I mostly park in the road. A couple of hundred metres away there is loads of space. But people park right up to school gates, on junction corners, across the emergency exit gate, in the staff car park with hazard lights on so they aren't 'parked', blocking the entrance to the railway maintenance yard...

(I admit to getting to the school early and sitting in the car (with engine off) but the journey can take between 7 and twenty minutes, and I am for the twenty).

Definitely the stocks. I just don't understand why 'mummies' park and drive so inconsiderately. It's as if they left their brains at home!

I'd also include people who park on pavements, leaving no room for pedestrians., and people who use their phones while parking.