Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parent from the school opposite parking on my drive

387 replies

LemonJelly76 · 10/12/2021 00:34

I'm not letting on my actual opinion on this, but I am curious to know what others think.

I live opposite a primary school. I knew the school was there when I bought the house. Most days my car is not on my drive because I am at work, but I have on a couple of occasions come home to find a car there.
I haven't approached the parent on these occasions and have just parked elsewhere until they leave

This parent regularly uses the drive (must assume I'm not in) for 10-15 mins each morning and afternoon. There is usually other parking available, but further away

Driveway is a shared drive for 4 cars, I own one of the spaces and there is a Private Parking sign up across all four spaces which was there before I moved in.

YABU - it's fine because you're not using it most of the time
YANBU - they're CFs

OP posts:
Catg79 · 11/12/2021 17:32

No need to be rude.

HillofTara · 11/12/2021 17:37

Had a next door neighbour's dad park his flat bed van diagonally across our tiny driveway with the front almost touching our front window (he didn't live there, was just visiting). I knocked on the door and told him it's not ok to park on someone else's driveway. He got angry told me to F off but moved it. Mysteriously a few days later the small little brick wall dividing our driveways was knocked down... But his daughter who lived there was so embarrassed she came round apologising with a bottle of wine.
For you, I'd tell her politely that she should not park on your driveway especially when you have come back and she's blocking you. Then be prepared for an apology or an argument, either way you can contact the parking company which manages your spaces and have her clamped - or threaten it which should be enough to make her stop.

Hertsgirl10 · 11/12/2021 17:38

This is the sort of situation that would cause a row with myself and my husband cos I wouldn’t give a shit if I wasn’t using it and my husband would think they was taking the piss and say something.

I suppose it’s really up to you if it annoys you then tell them if not then don’t stress out over it. You can always tell the school you’re gonna start slashing tyres if they don’t stop their parents blocking up your drive 😅

Etinoxaurus · 11/12/2021 17:38

@Mosaic123

It's just not acceptable.

You have a very kind Dad. Too nice!

Dad might be “kind” 🙄 but he’s not encouraging his daughter to assert appropriate boundaries. Were you bought up to put other’s well-being above your own @LemonJelly76?
LILLYPRINT · 11/12/2021 17:39

I have a friend who used to have this happen. Can't believe you haven't said anything. Bloody cheek, they have the convenience of parking on your drive while you find elsewhere, I don't think so

Victoria319 · 11/12/2021 17:42

Honestly, that's the HEIGHT of CFness!! They know they're in the wrong. They just keep doing it because no one has called them out on it yet.
Is it always the same car? No one else? So everyone else at the school can manage to park elsewhere/walk, but this one parent can't?? CF to the extreme!

My daughter goes to a small village school, reception-yr6 and only 180ish pupils. But school pick up/drop offs are a nightmare as its on a narrow country road, with a river on the opposite side, and a number of children arrive and leave by taxi as we're very rural (including my daughter now, best thing we have ever spent money on, she gets picked up qt 8.40 and brought home at 3.20 and I don't have to deal with the parking!!), so they really have to keep space outside the school free for the taxis etc. There have been SO many near misses (as in nearly been children run over) the last four or five years because of parents acting like plonkers, doing things like a 3 point turn in the school gate way (no gate for cars, gate for walking through!!) entrance, or peoples drives. I cant imagine living down there, it would drive me insane. Then because we live in an agricultural area, every so often you'll get a tractor trying to come down there at 3.10 ... people parked all up one side, and two way traffic trying to drive up the other side, with tractors and rivers... whats ridiculous is the school is on a lane that basically does a loop so you dont need to turn, you can go either direction and wind up in the same place. Its laziness. A lot of people already walked. But the school and the PTA have put a huge effort into encouraging people to walk the last few years and it has really helped.
But the absolute biggest thing that helped calm it all down, was that the landlords of the pub 500 yards down from the school towards the main village (so most people come from that direction) offered to let people park in their car park for nothing, and walk up to school. They have grandchildren at the school, so its in their interests to keep everyone safe too, but they didn't have to do that, and I think its an amazing thing for them to have offered to do.
The parking is still often chaotic, because lets face it, people are idiots. But its MUCH better than it was, with far fewer near misses. Which is the important part, keeping the kids safe.

Like I say though, being far enough away that we were able to sign up to the school taxi (I am disabled as well, which is how we qualified) even though we have to pay for it (as we're technically not quite far enough away), is one of the best things we ever did!! My daughter is always on time for school and I never have to worry about getting there early enough to find a space close enough I can walk from (as there are no disabled spaces!!).

loonyluna12 · 11/12/2021 17:42

We used to live next door to school and every day people parked in our drive
or across it, used to drive me bonkers! One day after watching my poor aged mum trying to negotiate through 2 cars to park on the drive I totally lost it and approached the mum culprit. She then proceeded to swear at me in the middle of the playground in front of my kids and said I was ‘dissing’ her…. I mean really !!
However she never did it again and was publicly named and shame, it was the talk of the school for a bit.
All I’m saying is deal with it now before it turns into something more !

takenforgrantednana · 11/12/2021 17:42

@LemonJelly76

I'm not letting on my actual opinion on this, but I am curious to know what others think.

I live opposite a primary school. I knew the school was there when I bought the house. Most days my car is not on my drive because I am at work, but I have on a couple of occasions come home to find a car there.
I haven't approached the parent on these occasions and have just parked elsewhere until they leave

This parent regularly uses the drive (must assume I'm not in) for 10-15 mins each morning and afternoon. There is usually other parking available, but further away

Driveway is a shared drive for 4 cars, I own one of the spaces and there is a Private Parking sign up across all four spaces which was there before I moved in.

YABU - it's fine because you're not using it most of the time
YANBU - they're CFs

it your driveway! why are you worried about what that person thinks? if it was my house then they would return back to the car to find the wheels clamped! i have them because of my caravan, they would only be removed once the parking fee has been paid. perhaps you should make a sign displaying the charges for parking and make it clear you have their reg number and will pursue it thr court for non payment. complete and utter taking the piss as far as im concerned they are
LouBan · 11/12/2021 17:43

It doesn't matter if it's empty most of the time, it's not their property! I can't believe they just assumed they could park there without asking. Why should you have to park somewhere else? I would say something.

NEScribe · 11/12/2021 17:44

I hear everything people are saying. Very often, people going for a walk (we live at a beauty spot) block my driveway so we can't get out if we are in - or I have to park outside when we get back.
But if you are rarely at home - and it makes life much easier for a stressed parent - then I would let them park there BUT I would def speak to them so they know I'm aware they are using my drive.
If you normally work set hours and only occasionally need the drive during school run times, you could have a sign of some sort so they know when not to park there?
Finally - if you speak to them this week and they don't then leave you at least a bottle of wine or some good chocs for xmas to say thank you then I would ban them in the New Year :)

Fluffmum · 11/12/2021 17:45

How rude and presumptuous!!

Castro11 · 11/12/2021 17:47

If a stranger was parking on my driveway on a regular basis I would just block them in and go inside. When they asked me to move my car I would take my time about it. I doubt they would want to park there after that.

SouthernMamma · 11/12/2021 17:48

YANBU! Jeez makes the parents round our way look like saints!

Tolo210 · 11/12/2021 17:49

Omg so bad!! That’s private property that you OWN!

Mirw · 11/12/2021 17:51

Stock a notice on their windscreen along the lines of: This is private parking. We have let you park here for many months without payment. Due to Covid, costs have gone up. If you would like to continue to park here, please put a cheque through my door for £50 per month... 10 x a week at £1 each park, and £10 Admin fee. If you do not agree with this, your car will be clamped anfmd it will cost you £300 to get it back. Yours... Number...

Your parking space, your income earner!

Hankunamatata · 11/12/2021 17:52

So many options op. Penguin bollard, moving bins into space or a traffic cone. You could go festive and plonk xmas tree in drive

Fimilo · 11/12/2021 17:53

My daughters school is next to houses and I would never dream of parking on their drive way. So rude I would say something

CambsAlways · 11/12/2021 17:53

Well I would be waiting for them , and confront! They can’t just park on someone’s drive cheeky bugger

MacMom · 11/12/2021 17:54

It shouldn’t matter if it’s empty or not - it’s not their drive they shouldn’t be parking there.

Our house is opposite the local village hall. Our local nursery use it every year for the nativity and parking is always an issue even though there’s a car park. My best friends son was in it one year and I told her she could park on my drive as I’d be at work and she had a big car. Next day I came home to a complete strangers car there - they’d seen my friend park the day before and figured it must be ok (they were there for the older classes performance). They swiftly moved when they came out and I was stood glaring out of the window. Didn’t even apologise - she’s said “Well you weren’t here and the car park was full so I didn’t think anyone would mind”. I didn’t even know the woman - the cf!!

Leanna23 · 11/12/2021 17:54

If it’s just one space put a orange traffic cone there it avoids confrontation and the cheeky school mum will get the messsage

SunshineCake1 · 11/12/2021 17:55

Embarrassing how many people are saying let people use your lounge, bed or bathroom when you're not that. After all you aren't using them. It is not the same as a drive way.

Imtryingveryhard · 11/12/2021 17:58

It's completely wrong. I see many parents doing this on my walk to school. There is a huge car park right next door they can use but even that isn't good enough. Our headteacher is as tough as nails though. She names and shames, puts pictures up of inappropriately parked cars, tells people to move etc. we get regular dojos telling us to walk. So lazy. I would go nuts if someone parked on my drive. So cheeky and entitled. If a child has a disability the school will have parking, if you have babies tough. Do what I did and walk. You know where you live in relation to the schools you apply for. If you have to drive then park very considerately.

Jeannie88 · 11/12/2021 17:59

Just plain lazy, entitled and rude! She needs to park further away and walk her kids like the rest of us.

Jeannie88 · 11/12/2021 18:00

This!

Shade17 · 11/12/2021 18:01

either way you can contact the parking company which manages your spaces and have her clamped - or threaten it

They won’t do either of these things