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?

You are wrong. Both my kids get school buses 😂 I still think a random person standing in the road blocking cars is a jobs worth. Maybe I just have more of a life though then people like yourself.

I wish there were parents doing what you did outside my children's school OP 👏 I can't bear the selfish bastards with their dangerous parking and their idling fumes. In a densely populated city, where almost everyone lives within a 10-min walk of the school and public transport is comprehensive and comparatively cheap. 🙄

I really feel for their kids tbh - deprived of the chance to move their bodies on the way home, having to sit in fumes (air quality as I understand is worse inside the car than out), and as they get older presumably being embarrassed to realise their parents are the ones repeatedly ignoring the school's polite requests for legal and considerate parking. At least for the kids on foot it's a horrible minute or two to navigate the road outside the school, then the open space of the park.

Can you genuinely not see the problem here?

“People like myself” lol. My children have finished school. I just care more about childrens safety over lazy selfish parents who feel more bothered about walking less steps than a child’s life but hey ho “people like me” maybe have morals? 🤷🏼‍♀️

The thing I think would help is more parking close to schools. I realise this isn't possible everywhere though.
I live in a new build estate with a purpose built school. All kids live within walking distance but many parents/grandparents/childminders/carers have to drive each day due to work timings or the distance they have to travel to the school. There is a small car park used but it provides no where near enough parking. This is very poor planning, and the attempt to be eco friendly and healthy lifestyle habits result in school children being put at risk. Rather than acknowledge that some people have to drive to the school the council prefer to ignore the cars parked all over the place, creating a hazard to the vast majority of people who walk.

Ha! Try living rurally where the catchment areas are huge and there’s no pavements.

Time for the police to be involved. I'd wager a few of the drivers have poor eyesight, are above the legal driving limit in the morning (from wine the previous night).

If the DVLA were competent enough I'd suggest reporting every car to them (photo from behind), but they are in such a bad way it's a waste of time.

At our school they put cones along so this can't happen. Reminds me of cyclingmikey on utube at Gandalf corner in London he stands in the road to stop cars cutting the corner it's hilarious

I feel your rage.

1. talk to local parking enforcement officers and ask them to attend at drop off/pick up times. Take a couple of photos of illegally parked cars, you can email them so they see the extent of the issue.

2. email/phone the local city councillors from that ward. Explain how its endangering lives and ask them to come and see for themselves one day. They will know next steps to take - like chsnging double yellows to zig zag lines (some cf parents will still try and park there but its 3 points on licence so much more lf a deterrent)

3. sad face newspaper story.

Yes you are being unreasonable who blocks a road, teach your kid to walk further down and cross. If someone hits you I imagine you would be found liable.

the comment above just about sums up British drivers - walk further you lazy kid, get out the road I own it 🙄

my local council is employing wardens and erecting parking restrictions round schools between 8am and 5pm then fining people who ignore the signs 😂

they’ve outsourced a few shared paths/cyclepaths and put signs up, so anyone parking gets a £60 fine

Our local school arranged with the council to send someone to issue parking notices. It soon stopped and the council made some money.

Bet parents will complain about not being able to park illegally 😂

outtheshowernow He was in court today - but not the same court as the Duke for mobile phone use 😅 and he lost his license

Its actually awful at every school I have ever come across.
My dc is visually impaired so I really worry about this. Luckily at hers its not as bad as some but its down to the layout mostly.

YANBU, but there was a teacher who did this and a road rage parent actually drove into him in purpose… So I both admire you and think you’re crazy to risk it. Your kids need a mum in one piece!

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/shocking-moment-parent-on-school-run-drives-into-teacher-who-is-flung-from-bonnet-a3643447.html?amp

That's horrific

Did you not know the house was by a school when you bought it/rented it?

I find busy body types like you extremely annoying.

Could you get a job as a lolly pop lady ?

What house?
I don’t live at the junction, I wait there to collect my DC.

Brilliant, keep doing it, they're entitled lazy arse car drivers - you need a school street there to stop cars driving there at that time

Thanks for all the alternative suggestions.

I am not in the U.K. so some of the suggestions are not viable. I would love if they could close the street to traffic at that time but the school is in a main arterial road in the city.
Suggestions here did prompt me to email the section of the local authority that puts up bollards etc with some photos and a request for bollards. The school and the PTA have done this already but no harm in adding to it.I will email all the local councillors too.

I also found the email for reporting illegal parking with photos but I think that seems worse than standing on the road.

I find busy body types like you extremely annoying.*

It's busy body types like the OP who have positive impact on everyday people's lives. The majority of us just moan and do nothing about it.

You are definitely not being unreasonable. The amount of bone idle parents who could walk to school (looking at you next door neighbours), but drive instead and block the roads and pavements winds me up.

Cycling Mikey at Gandalf corner was my first thought too. I support him and OP in what they do. Anyone living less than a mile from school shouldn't be driving really unless having disabilities.

You mean people who care about other people?
Yes they probably lead a very different life from you.