Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

School parking

49 replies

Howdidido · 12/02/2020 14:37

Inspired by numerous other threads my DC starts school in September. I work from home 2 days so would walk DC to and from school those days, but the other days will then have to drive on to work after dropping her off. I know round the school at drop off and pick up time is crazy so I was thinking of parking near the school the night before and walking home. Then walking there in the morning, to then drive to work straight from there.
School is 10-15mins walk away and my commute is an hour so would add a fair amount if I walked back home to get the car.
Does this sound reasonable? I'd do it reasonably late so most people who loved round there would be home and parked already so hopefully not taking anyone's space.

OP posts:

GinDaddy · 12/02/2020 15:49

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion

Either deal with the drop off craziness or walk

What does that actually mean if you don't mind me asking?

"Dealing with the drop off craziness" - what are the effective strategies for this?

If every single person whose child attends a school, turned up at exactly the same time (i.e opening time) so that they can then zoom off to work...well this is why we get the dangerous chaos outside so many schools.

The OP should be commended for trying to think outside the zig-zag lines and do something considerate that allows her to both drop off her children, avoid dangerous parking, and move off to work.

Pootlepootlepootle · 12/02/2020 15:58

Sounds sensible. I sometimes move my car a street over as we live opp the school gates and it can be bedlam.

flowery · 12/02/2020 16:19

”I wasnt planning on parking right outside the school- just close enough to not have to walk home and then drive past the school again”

I don’t understand- just park in the exact same place but do it in the morning instead. Obviously you might need to get there early, but surely that’s better than faffing around the night before?

HunterHearstHelmsley · 12/02/2020 16:22

Doesn't sound like a terrible idea, unless you park where residents struggle to park. Just be careful! A lady used to do this by me, one day the road was closed for tree felling (I think) we had all received notice. Obviously she didn't and was going spare! Another time she had to wait for a huge B&Q lorry to finish unloading (it's a cul de sac and neighbours were aware).

midwestspring · 12/02/2020 16:23

I don't think it is a bad idea OP as you don't do pick ups, try it and see.
People don't own public roads.
My only query would be if you do this regularly would it impact insurance? Have you got your car insurances listed as staying on a drive overnight?
Also I wouldn't always pick the same place if it usually quiet because someone may notice and get fed up ( if v busy they aren't going to)

Awkward1 · 12/02/2020 16:45

If nursery age dc is old enough just get yourself a scooter or bike.
School parking is crazy. An idiot here parks in the turning circle!
Here traffic is so bad it makes sense to park and walk

OoohTheStatsDontLie · 12/02/2020 16:50

Get a scooter or a bike and cycle or scoot with your daughter and back instead of walking. Scooting cuts walking time down by half, cycling cuts driving down by half (on roads and traffic near me)

Original poster

Howdidido · 12/02/2020 17:08

Youngest DC will be just under 1. So need pushchair for 1st half of journey to school.
I've seen some adults on scooters round here... it looks a bit stupid I think! But quite fun.. maybe roller scates for everyone?

I'll just try it once she starts and see if its viable. The whole nursery short days/work hours logistics is stressing me out so hence why starting to think now how to make it easier.

OP posts:

BentBastard · 12/02/2020 17:13

I do feel for you OP, everyone talks like it's easier to work when the kids start school but in some ways due to hours and holiday care the logistics actually get more complicated. Good luck!

Original poster

Howdidido · 12/02/2020 17:16

@BentBastard yes I'm dreading it! Long nursery days have meant it's been pretty straight forward for years... I genuinely have no idea if I will be able to keep the job I'm in with this commute once she actually starts

OP posts:

TalaxuArmiuna · 12/02/2020 17:26

Whilst it's not a completely crazy idea, think about what you will do on the days when (inevitably) your DC wakes up cranky, then vomits at breakfast time and is clearly suffering some kind of bug and can't go to school ... and your car is a 15 minute walk away outside school and parked in a zone where controlled parking is going to kick in and you are going to get a ticket if you don't go and fetch it, but your DC is in no condition to leave the house?

Likelyasleep · 12/02/2020 17:44

I would definitely be looking at your insurance policy as they need to know where it is kept overnight the majority of the time. If anything happened while it was elsewhere you may not be able to claim.

Along with this, would you be ok if something happened overnight that meant you needed quick access to a car (hospital trip / urgent visit to family etc?)

You would need to actually time out the journey from work to where you intend to park overnight, and see what the traffic is like from that road at that time, as may also have traffic issues. And see if that's of any actual time benefit.

Would a breakfast club be an option for you if the school offers one?

Grumpbum123 · 12/02/2020 17:46

People who do that locally are named and shamed on facebook

JosefKeller · 12/02/2020 17:52

What do you do if you need to take your kid to hospital or simply to pop to the shops that night?

lanthanum · 12/02/2020 17:54

Sounds like a sensible idea, but check out the things people have warned about. Another possibility might be to take it up first thing, if DH can supervise breakfast.

I know someone who parked halfway to school for similar reasons - they didn't have enough time after earliest drop-off to get back home and collect the car on foot, but it avoided taking the car into the congested area.

JosefKeller · 12/02/2020 17:54

People who do that locally are named and shamed on facebook

who, people who park legally somewhere that is not literally in front of their own home?

JayAlfredPrufrock · 12/02/2020 18:05

Aw come on. It’s like folk who park on suburban streets then go off on holiday. Not illegal but a bit of a pisser. And if resident parking kicks in at 8am it’s clearly in a heavily used area.

Agree with whoever said what if your child is ill and you are late?

JosefKeller · 12/02/2020 18:13

Not illegal but a bit of a pisser.
of course it's not. Blocking a drive is not acceptable. Parking opposite a drive on a narrow road might be legal, but it's clearly annoying for the people opposite.
Parking where you are allowed to is absolutely fine. It makes no difference if you park 2 houses away or 2 streets away.

People who are bothered are free to purchase a property on a private road.

Naming and shaming someone who is parked well is not acceptable.There's nothing to shame in the first place!

Clangus00 · 12/02/2020 18:34

@TalaxuArmiuna makes a very fair point. Especially if that happens after your DH leaves for work.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 12/02/2020 21:57

@GinDaddy

What does that actually mean if you don't mind me asking?

It means just drive to school from your house, and do the drop off like everyone else who drives, or walk from your house didn't realise that would have been a difficult one for people to work out.

Original poster

Howdidido · 12/02/2020 22:51

@TalaxuArmiuna yes good point. Although I would still need to take other DC to nursery so would be out anyway.
But yes- need to check on parking restrictions.
Lots of good points I hadnt thought about.

OP posts:

beecrazy · 12/02/2020 23:15

The school parking for us is crazy but there is a pub/restaurant 5 minutes walk away where with their permission we park and then walk and scoot in. No pub customers at school times and good for us all to have a brisk walk each day. Maybe you could find a similat place.

GinDaddy · 14/02/2020 10:50

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion

The whole point of the OP's thread is that she doesn't want to do the drop-off like everyone else as she thinks it's "crazy". Didn't realise that would have been a difficult one for people to work out.

TheresNothingIWantMore · 14/02/2020 11:30

I don't think it would be unreasonable, but you could probably drive and park a 3 minute walk away easily each morning.

The problem is people scramble to park as close as is physically possible to the gate, regardless of rules or what inconvenience it causes others. Outside my school gates is always madness. I park down a side road about a 2 minute walk away.

Flip

1 2