To stand on road to stop parents parking illegally

[ChimneyPot]

Parking at our primary school has been hazardous for years. There is a crossing guard on the main road at the school gates but not on a side road lots of kids have to cross. Parents park on the double yellow lines at the junction of the side road blocking lines of site for pedestrians and cars trying to turn in and out. This often results in the road getting blocked and cars reversing back on to main road.
School sends repeated communication to parents without impact and has asked local authority for bollards and this is under consideration but hasn’t happened yet.

I used to collect my DC from the gate because of the risks but DC wants to be more independent and meet me further away.

I started asking parents not to park and the junction but have been largely ignored so I have started standing on the edge of the road to prevent people parking and this has been effective.
Today someone I know signalled to me to move but I smiled and shook my head and they had to park a few metres down the street . They are not happy with me.

AIBU to block the road?

So do you think OP standing on the double yellow lines to stop this hardcore from parking there is a good idea? Presumably yes, if you think fining them is ok. Remember it’s a double yellow at a junction.

The whole issue of entitled parents is staggering, when my late OH was involved in spending time on the village speedwatch, trying to keep the village safer from idiots, some of the worst offenders were parents speeding to school because they were late. When they got a letter from the police they would often expect the fact that they had bred a child to absolve them from any speed limits yet were a child injured, or worse, by a speeding motorist they would expect 'something to be done'.

The Head of ds2's school tried standing in the zigzag lined space with a few staff and parents. It worked for a couple of days. Cones, traffic wardens handing out tickets and publishing photos of offeners' cars had failed before that.

But the Head unfortunately ended up in a very sweary fist fight with a driver who almost ran him over, and he had to resign! A shame as he was a great teacher, but had a moment of madness over people just not caring if they kill or injure a small child.

Resample, plenty of parents cycle to work

This kind of action enforcement should be left to the authorities not vigilantes.
The authorities control the roads and the space around the roads, they should deal with the offenders.
Maybe have a school meeting with parents to discuss the best way forward, rather than indirect cycle to school initiatives for the handful of people living nearby or direct confrontation.
I know at DD's primary there is adequate parking in the adjoining small housing development. However, it's been deemed resident only despite being a public space. Unfortunately, people still drive and park there, causing resentment and arguments.
These parking spots could be time limited to start and finish times. Shared use.

Dp has always parked away from this area, it's a bit hectic.
I do feel lots of primary schools are old and outdated, the funneling into the stairs, small gates, it's all a bit 1930's football stadium. Schools need modernizing inside and out.

Redapple, I agree alot of schools do need modernising, lots of secure cycle parking for a start.

I'm very pro cycling but I think you have a point. The problem is that a minority of stupid parents make it dangerous for children to walk and cycle, which then worsens congestion and parking. Of course there are some parents who have to drop off by car although I don't think that is very many here (primary school in a town, most children are within 1 mile). Some people just should have picked their closest primary school instead of one further away.

Schools should be designed so that there is an area to drop off children by car that is away from the main entrance. The main entrance should be a pedestrian and bike only area (or residents cars only). That would mean it was safe to approach the school on bike and foot, enabling more to make healthy and environmentally sound choices.

It won't be possible everywhere but is possible in many places.

RedAppleGirl You’re clearly showing yourself to be a militant driver - it’s driving and no other transport will do

not one single mode of transport will be adequate for every journey, some can be walked, cycled or get a bus and sometimes use a car. It’s not an all or nothing. A mixture of transports can be used, even for one journey

whilst we have militant drivers like yourself that insist that everything has to be by car or if it can’t be by car then everything has to be by cycle, solutions to pollution, congestion and health will not be solved

This plumbers experience of getting an ecargobike supposed expectation

food is delivered by bike Just eat do that it’s often quicker in built up areas that get congested by drivers. Advantages are no parking issues - like the plumber above taking 40 minutes to find a parking spot

sainsbury also do online delivery by cargo bike, as it’s cheaper and quicker in some areas - but not all areas and not all deliveries- some are by van They look cool

London taxi service by cargo bike

cars are still useful, but not for every trip & often other modes of transport can be quicker and more efficient for shorter journeys under 6/7 miles