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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parent’s Parking Across My Drive

129 replies

Dazedandconfused170 · 18/10/2022 15:29

Just wondering is there anything I can do about it or just suck it up basically

Whenever I work from home or am off (I now work part time), at 9 and 3 nearly every time a car parks across my drive when dropping off and picking up their kids from school. Different cars so not always the same one.

The drive can fit two cars on, so most of the time they aren’t blocking my car but blocking the rest of the space so no other car can get onto the drive.

I have asked a couple times politely when they got back to their car not to block it and they apologies and whatever. I did email the school just to ask if they can put a reminder in their newsletter because aside from this, they park on bends and on junctions making it so difficult to get around.

Obviously nothing has stopped but what realistically can I do, if anything

OP posts:
Theraffarian · 18/10/2022 16:20

Having lived near a school for a very long time , I genuinely don’t believe it’s a fixable problem . We have the issue 4 times a day due to the school running a half day nursery too . Each year the parents change , and September always brings a new batch that think their need to park slightly closer to the school overrides mine and my neighbours need to access our driveway . The 15 minutes or so they take to collect their child and have a chat at the school gate can be incredibly frustrating if you are waiting to get in or out of your driveway .

Our only solution is to put our own car outside if we know we need to go out so we don’t get blocked in . We’ve spoken to the school on numerous occasions, and the parents too ( who always have an excuse) . It would actually be interesting to hear from parents on here why they think it’s OK . I’m assuming since we have the problem multiple times a week that some people on here also block others driveways .

MooseAndSquirrelLoveFlannel · 18/10/2022 16:24

Our school is a nightmare for bad parking and no matter what interventions are attempted it never changes. I've been attending the school daily since 2013 and it's always the same..

My main annoyance is people who park on the double yellows opposite the school. They block the visibility for the crossing all the primary kids and their families use.......but as long as they're no more than 50 feet from the school gate they dont care. There is literally dozens of on street parking within a 30 second -8 minutes walk and yet nothing changes.

I've spoken to some offenders asking why they do it but they dont care. Literally just shrug their shoulders and are back the next day.

DottyLittleRainbow · 18/10/2022 16:24

Some school run parents just don’t give a shit. I’ve seen a large expensive car parked opposite a junction on double yellow lines - an ambulance on blue lights got stuck trying to pass the car and the parent then gave the ambulance crew verbal abuse when they returned to the car and were asked to move. Same car continued to park there most days for the rest of the school year.

Try parking across your own drive or perhaps a few little cones?

DottyLittleRainbow · 18/10/2022 16:25

I should add there was plenty of free parking just a few mins walk away but of course that’s less convenient.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 18/10/2022 16:33

Some schools around here have made the streets surrounding schools permit only , forcing parents to park further away which has actually improved the inconsiderate parking because parents aren't as concerned about being as close as possible since they have to walk regardless.

If you have a local FB group or something, you could start telling fibs saying that you and other residents are petitioning the council to implement this unless those accessing the school park sensibly and stop blocking drives within the next X number of weeks.

longtompot · 18/10/2022 16:35

The drive can fit two cars on, so most of the time they aren’t blocking my car but blocking the rest of the space so no other car can get onto the drive

I agree it is annoying but ultimately there is nothing you can do. As long as they are not blocking you in they aren't doing anything wrong. It's not illegal to stop a car from accessing a drive, just blocking one already parked on it

underneaththeash · 18/10/2022 16:41

Thrownunderabus · 18/10/2022 15:57

Don’t do this. Tampering with peoples cars, especially if it causes restrictions to the drivers vision, will get the op in bother.

OP phone /email the school every single time I happens. Our primary ended up with a traffic warden patrolling the nearby roads because parents caused such problems for local residents.

Show quote history

@Thrownunderabus under what law? I can't think of one.

JudithHarper · 18/10/2022 16:46

Thrownunderabus · 18/10/2022 15:57

Don’t do this. Tampering with peoples cars, especially if it causes restrictions to the drivers vision, will get the op in bother.

OP phone /email the school every single time I happens. Our primary ended up with a traffic warden patrolling the nearby roads because parents caused such problems for local residents.

Show quote history

No, it won't. The driver is responsible for making sure that vision is not impaired.

Mistywindow · 18/10/2022 16:50

Is your dropped kerb a double width? If they’re parking over dropped kerbs then YANBU. If you have a double drive but only half of the kerb is dropped then YABU.

Rosehugger · 18/10/2022 16:50

I had the opposite problem when I used to park on a local road near the school sometimes. Parents were parking perfectly correctly and legally but certain residents would come out and bollock you for parking there.

Doggydarling · 18/10/2022 16:55

Can you hang a chain (yellow/red) across the opening/your drive? I've done this in one place I lived, it stopped the idiots parking and blocking me.

Goldencarp · 18/10/2022 16:59

I had the same so just started putting my car there. It was a pain but it’s just rude to park across someone’s dropped curb.

Nannylovesshopping · 18/10/2022 17:01

I live in a road with permit parking, £70 per year. There is a school at the end
of the road, all the teachers, canteen staff have permits, I cannot park in my
own road which I have to pay permit for, during school hours! Makes me
mad as hell, nothing I can do about it, don’t want to move, love my house and
garden.

courgettigreensadwater · 18/10/2022 17:03

This is why when I've moved house I would never ever buy one close to a school.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 18/10/2022 17:27

In a similar situation, my street campaigned for residents parking

girlfriend44 · 18/10/2022 17:44

Theraffarian · 18/10/2022 16:20

Having lived near a school for a very long time , I genuinely don’t believe it’s a fixable problem . We have the issue 4 times a day due to the school running a half day nursery too . Each year the parents change , and September always brings a new batch that think their need to park slightly closer to the school overrides mine and my neighbours need to access our driveway . The 15 minutes or so they take to collect their child and have a chat at the school gate can be incredibly frustrating if you are waiting to get in or out of your driveway .

Our only solution is to put our own car outside if we know we need to go out so we don’t get blocked in . We’ve spoken to the school on numerous occasions, and the parents too ( who always have an excuse) . It would actually be interesting to hear from parents on here why they think it’s OK . I’m assuming since we have the problem multiple times a week that some people on here also block others driveways .

Exactly they wouldn't like it done to them?

Wonnle · 18/10/2022 17:46

Follow them home and park across their driveway and see what response you get !

girlfriend44 · 18/10/2022 17:52

DottyLittleRainbow · 18/10/2022 16:25

I should add there was plenty of free parking just a few mins walk away but of course that’s less convenient.

Yes people are lazy.

Buddrinker84 · 18/10/2022 17:53

They'll just drive at you til you move. I had one nearly run the dog over when they drove up behind me onto the kerb. I lost it more than i would have done with the kids!! Lol.

Fastandlupine · 18/10/2022 17:53

Campaign for a school street so no-one can drive or park there at drop off and pick up

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 18/10/2022 17:57

It's infuriating, as so many people think that 'only two minutes' is a kind of free-for-all grace period. Even though it never is just two minutes - and if it were, you still can't know when the drive owner will need access.

The blocking the ambulance one is appalling. I wonder how they would feel if it were their loved one in there, with their life at risk. I think the same about these eco-terrorist protesters who do the same - it's the easiest thing in the world to not care about a stranger who needs urgent assistance, but the hard-of-thinking never seem to be able to imagine themselves and their family in the same position.

Shame it wasn't a fire engine on an emergency call, really, as those things are massive and weigh a huge amount - they have every right to damage cars that have parked illegally/badly and are in the way of them doing their job. The law is against them and good luck with garnering sympathy on SM for selfishly blocking in an emergency vehicle.

Kedece2410 · 18/10/2022 17:58

A few houses near me have had white lines painted on the road the width of their drive - looks like a big white H - it's been really effective. No idea if the council need to do it or if you can just pop to B&Q for some white paint 😁

girlfriend44 · 18/10/2022 18:00

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 18/10/2022 17:57

It's infuriating, as so many people think that 'only two minutes' is a kind of free-for-all grace period. Even though it never is just two minutes - and if it were, you still can't know when the drive owner will need access.

The blocking the ambulance one is appalling. I wonder how they would feel if it were their loved one in there, with their life at risk. I think the same about these eco-terrorist protesters who do the same - it's the easiest thing in the world to not care about a stranger who needs urgent assistance, but the hard-of-thinking never seem to be able to imagine themselves and their family in the same position.

Shame it wasn't a fire engine on an emergency call, really, as those things are massive and weigh a huge amount - they have every right to damage cars that have parked illegally/badly and are in the way of them doing their job. The law is against them and good luck with garnering sympathy on SM for selfishly blocking in an emergency vehicle.

Agree about the 2 mins, dosent matter how many minutes don't park there.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 18/10/2022 18:00

Follow them home and park across their driveway and see what response you get !

I think the same about the eco terrorists as well - how would they like it if somebody blockaded their house and stopped them from leaving or entering it? Or threw messy food at their windows? Or found an open door, went in and emptied out the contents of their fridge on their kitchen floor. How can they possibly object when somebody is following the rules/norms that they have set? It all boils down to sheer selfishness - and often rank stupidity to boot.

Isaidnoalready · 18/10/2022 18:00

Outside dds school we had a standoff blocked driveway disabled driver attempting to leave parent was adamant they were in the right plenty of room just go around the car right up until there car got dented turns out there really wasn't enough room 😕 the police were really sympathetic and said....so why were you blocking what's clearly a disabled person's drive?