Snarky lady, is apparently nice!!

[ZebraSpotts]

So there's this awful misery on the school run. She's a massive hypocrite - complains about people parking on curb near her house, whilst her car is overlapping the drop curb to her house. She makes comments to people with blue badges(!) Writes disparaging notes on white sticky labels and sticks them on the wing mirrors on the mirror-glass. Even the very 'PC' Head teacher said "she's a very difficult woman".

Stuck her address into google, comes up with her name, which then shows up letters she's written in to the times and guardian reader's sections...I was expecting her to be a raging prick and bigot, but she's not. She's listed on an 'Alternative new year's honours list' for her volunteer work. There's even a photo of her smiling! In person she's got a constant frown and mouth like a cat's bum 🙀

I'm confused - she seems such an absolute witch in person, repeatedly butting heads with parents just trying to pick up their kids.

Her online results have disarmed me. Seemingly a sheep in wolf's clothing, rather confusing.

Yabu - take her on, online persona means nothing, she's no saint
Yanbu - just ignore her, misery guts

So she’s (perhaps understandably) militant about careless or illegal parking by school parents around her house, and you find it difficult to believe she’s also, in a different part of her life, a devoted volunteer/activist who’s been recognised for her efforts?

i'm with you on this OP. Take her on. Next time she looks at you punch her straight in the face, that'll teach her.

Seven more years at the school for you, you say? You need to calm down or you'll wind up getting yourself an ulcer. The Googling makes you sound like an utter loon, which is ironic really.

Maybe she’s a mostly nice person, who’s experienced a lot of bad behaviour from parents on the school run over the years, and has got to the point where she’s lost all patience with the school run parents?

Some parents can behave very badly when they’re driving and parking around schools.
Just because she’s snarky at them doesn’t mean she’s a wicked witch through and through.

I can't tick a box for this.

What has happened is something that has probably happened before in different ways: you think you know someone, then find out there is more about them than meets the eye.

Even someone who is quite admirable in their actions will have an annoying side.

YABU for using AIBU as a vote. As for you and snarky lady, let it go.

@JesusIsAnyNameFree

You don't sound nuts at all.

Have you any idea what it's like having entitled twats parking in a way that makes it nearly impossible, or in many cases, completely impossible to get in and out of your own drive?

Yes I do :) I know exactly what it's like. I lived across from a busy school for almost a decade.

And that was a different town, rougher demographic.
This is a much much nicer school, and she's honestly ruining the vibe. Which is also why her online persona is jarring ( she volunteers on the other side of the city, the work she does will benefit that community) , why is shitty on her own doorstep (by being miserable on her own side of the city)

Kerb. Curb means to stop something.

I voted YANBU, assuming you mean that she is the misery guts.

Honestly, I hate people like that. They always have something to say about everything.

Just because she's volunteered doesn't mean that she's a good person. I know loads of arseholes that have volunteered

Have you thought about being nice to her? It’s sounds like she’s just had enough of people parking across her drive. It sounds like she’s actually pretty cool when you get to know her.

I think it might not be the lady ruining the vibe of the school actually.

FFS, maybe you need something real to care about...

Why in the hell would you want to 'take her on'? Avoiding her is understandable, but why pick a fight? That would make you even more difficult than she is.

There are quite a lot of people who are personally rather difficult to live with, or even to live near, but do quite a lot of good things on a broader basis. The one doesn't nullify the other, in either direction.

Whoa, don’t be taking that “rougher demographic” mentality to that nicer school, roughing this charitable woman up!
Anyone would think you’re on a wind-up.

@ZebraSpotts

I see..

Now regarding taking her on; are we talking a good old fist fight or a full on villagers with torches and pitchforks situation to chase her away so that the vibe is nicer while people park inconsiderately?

@SeasonFinale

Leave her alone.

Also I assume she blocks her own dropped kerb to prevent school run people from blocking her in which seems sensible to me.

Why does it bother you so much? Has she stickered your car when you have parked inconsiderately? If not I can't see why you would be so invested.

I've never once seen her drive blocked, but I'm not actually that invested to have kept an accurate tally 😂

There's some stonking parking around school, but she's actually one of the least affected. Maybe her stickering cars wing mirrors works 😏

Ahhh so people can't even walk on the pavement? They would have to go into the road, round her car and then back onto the pavement. Rather than her parking on the road in front of her drive. That is different and yes that would seem like she's just being spiteful.

@ZebraSpotts

Exactly! Thank you for understanding! Glad you get it.

She's a vacuum that sucks all the joy out of her surroundings. Which is bloody unfortunate, because her surroundings are a school of parents, children, uni students just jollying on with life.

Being surrounded by all those jolly kids, languid students and insufferable school-run parents would suck the joy out of me too.

Looks like omebody's vying to be the school Queen Bee and it's not the 'snarky' parent...

Mind your own business and leave her alone!

Leave her alone?

Could it be that she's a nice person that has just have had enough of parents parking inconsiderately?

Our local primary school is insane at drop off and pick up times. It's not possible to walk on the pavement in places because cars mount it completely. This is obviously very dangerous, especially so close to bends and it's a nightmare for anyone with a pram.

Seems like you don't care what anyone else thinks as you are determined to be right whatever. You seem very invested.

Op if you're here to round up a posse to help 'take her on (why on earth this?!) I don't think you're getting far. Why so visceral hatred of her?

@ZebraSpotts

I can't stand rudeness. I can't stand her approaching the car with a blue badge that's not even bothering her. Why on earth would you bother a mother loading her disabled child into a car. (The child has a hidden disability, but the blue badge is very clearly on display. I cannot stand bullies, shouldn't someone tell her that her behaviour is odd and needs to stop. I've got 7 years left on the school run. This lady stares down parents just trying to go home, looking like she's just drank sour milk.

But you're being quite rude, aren't you?

That's the bugger of real life: no-one is completely bad and no-one is completely good. People have many facets to them, including you.