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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to block in school mums parking on my driveway?

895 replies

Applepiesmum · 23/03/2023 10:49

i live down the road from a school and during the school rush parents park everywhere it normally worse in the afternoon at 3pm

I work from home and usually park in the visitor pay outside my house so my partner can park on the driveway he gets home 3.30-4pm

however recently people have been parking on my driveway last week I caught someone pulling in knocked on their window and they argued with me saying they need to pick up their child eventually they did move but moved to where they were just half way blocking my drive way and halfway blocking my neighbor so no one could access it!

I didn’t bother confront them again but in future I’m just thinking to block them in… is that too petty

I have reported it to the school but all they’ve said is they’ve already asked parents not to block residents in so I’m not sure what else to do.

(if I did block anyone in it would only be for 30 minutes to cause a bit of stress and a lesson learned)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Dutch1e · 23/03/2023 11:09

TheChoiceIsYours · 23/03/2023 11:04

But the CF isn’t visiting the OP’s housing development. It’s a visitors space, not a ‘picking up from the nearby school’ space. So while the OP is a bit of a cf to be basically reserving it and stopping any other visitors using it, it’s absolutely not for the CF school mum to use!!

Show quote history

They're visiting the school surely? I take your point though and it is public space so OP can also use it. It just seems odd to use public parking when you have a driveway and live near a school. Seems easier to leave the car on the driveway and move it to the visitors spot after school pick-up time.

rwalker · 23/03/2023 11:10

Definitely block them in then leave a note on door
”leave any parcels on doorstep can’t come to door on wfh teams call till 4.30 “

girlfriend44 · 23/03/2023 11:10

Comedycook · 23/03/2023 10:59

But they're just dropping their kids off and they'll only be a minute 😉

Yes how many times have we heard that.

Would they mind it being done to them.

premicrois · 23/03/2023 11:10

Can't you just park ON you drive?

TaunterOfWomenInGeneralSaysSayonarastu · 23/03/2023 11:11

(if I did block anyone in it would only be for 30 minutes to cause a bit of stress and a lesson learned)

YABU!

YANBU to block them in, then go out for an entire day, or WFH in a room where the doorbell doesn't bother you.

I'd even be tempted to answer the door just for the satisfaction of telling the CF that I didn't feel like moving my car again today, so they can call again tomorrow, & I'll see if I can be arsed.

QuertyGirl · 23/03/2023 11:11

We need less cars.

This is all batshit

PuttingDownRoots · 23/03/2023 11:11

I'd do it.
Then go for a walk.
Then reappear saying that people ate always parking across your drive, isn't it awful?

OxygenthiefexH · 23/03/2023 11:12

Yep. I’d block them in. And be all smiley ne chatty when they ask to be let out. And say “yes of course, but you just need to wait a bit as I have to do some more of my jigsaw. And have a bath and straighten my hair. And then I’ll be right with you.” <tinkly laugh>

Lockheart · 23/03/2023 11:12

I've told this story on here before, but our village had a regular and very popular event at the church. When it was on the village became total chaos. My parents at the time had a large drive (farmyard) which we could fit about 8 cars on (with careful juggling). One time I went out for a takeaway the evening of one of the events, and when I came back someone had parked up on our drive!

So I padlocked the nice big five-bar gate.

They were very contrite when they turned up at about 11pm...

You don't park on someone else's private property if you can't find a space. You park further away and walk.

Mariposista · 23/03/2023 11:13

Absolutely OP. I hope you cause absolute hell hahahaha
I'd be tempted to let the tyres down too but wouldn't have the nerve to go through with it hahahaha

MsJD · 23/03/2023 11:13

I saw a school that has cardboard cut out kids, positioned where its dangerous to park. School runners park between the cardboard cut out kids. Just do it.

BabychamGlass · 23/03/2023 11:14

I used to live near a school, and once on a mid week day off, came home at pick up time. Whilst in the slow traffic queue, I was gobsmacked to see a car (I didn't know) a little way ahead turn into my drive way. I pulled up, blocking her car in just as she was getting out. She shouted at me 'you can't park there, you're blocking my drive!'

I assured her I wasn't, and she just blinked at me, then said 'you're blocking me in'. I said 'yes it appears so'. She blinked at me some more Grin

Eventually the penny dropped that I wasn't another cheeky fucker parent, and that she'd just pretended to live in my house!

ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave · 23/03/2023 11:14

Do you stay in the visitor's bay all evening then?

latetothefisting · 23/03/2023 11:14

WandaWonder · 23/03/2023 10:51

Bur by blocking can you be fined? Is it not technically breaking a road rule?

Yes we can say it is your own driveway but I still think it's illegal?

If so stick a note on I am not sure what the school can do

Who do you think is going to fine her? The police don't even turn out for burglaries, you think they are going to send someone out on blue and twos for someone who will have to admit they are illegally parked on someone else's property? Even if police do turn up they'll just put it down as "advice given"!

Same with the posters who think the situation will turn "aggressive".
cf parker won't know who's car OP is!
They walk to school, she blocks them in, they come back to find random car in their way. They might assume that it's the car belonging to the drive they are on and ring the doorbell but she doesn't have to answer.

Then OP either waits until her dp is back if she's afraid of aggression or until the CF Parker wanders back to the school to see if its another parent who has blocked her in/try to find someone to give them a lift home.

No need for aggression or confrontation.

BessieSurtees · 23/03/2023 11:14

Oh the irony.

I wonder if anyone has started a thread about their CF neighbour who parks in the visitor bay so she can keep her drive free for her DH.

Do you park in the visitor bay all day and night @Applepiesmum are you not a CF yourself then?

scrivette · 23/03/2023 11:15

I see this happening at our local school. Sometimes there are traffic enforcement officers there now to try to minimise it after all of the complaints from neighbours.

Unfortunately there wasn't one there the other day when someone decided to park in the middle of the road for 5 minutes, unbelievable. The entitlement of some of the parents astound me.

ArmWrestlingWithChasNDave · 23/03/2023 11:15

BessieSurtees · 23/03/2023 11:14

Oh the irony.

I wonder if anyone has started a thread about their CF neighbour who parks in the visitor bay so she can keep her drive free for her DH.

Do you park in the visitor bay all day and night @Applepiesmum are you not a CF yourself then?

My thoughts exactly.

QuertyGirl · 23/03/2023 11:15

Mariposista · 23/03/2023 11:13

Absolutely OP. I hope you cause absolute hell hahahaha
I'd be tempted to let the tyres down too but wouldn't have the nerve to go through with it hahahaha

Me too!

That or decorate the roof of the car with a few plant pots.

QuertyGirl · 23/03/2023 11:16

MsJD · 23/03/2023 11:13

I saw a school that has cardboard cut out kids, positioned where its dangerous to park. School runners park between the cardboard cut out kids. Just do it.

People really are utter cunts

QuertyGirl · 23/03/2023 11:17

BessieSurtees · 23/03/2023 11:14

Oh the irony.

I wonder if anyone has started a thread about their CF neighbour who parks in the visitor bay so she can keep her drive free for her DH.

Do you park in the visitor bay all day and night @Applepiesmum are you not a CF yourself then?

Separate issue and does not in any way justify people dumping a few tonnes of their belongings on her property.

Tdcp · 23/03/2023 11:18

It's so out of order that parents do this. My dds school is on a dead end road which is full of driveways, never once have I ever parked across or on someone's drive. If there's nowhere to park I park further away! People are such cfs!

Polas · 23/03/2023 11:19

Yanbu, when I lived near a school fucking arseholes doing this drove me mad, I ended up on a few occasions blocking them in for a while.

Dotjones · 23/03/2023 11:19

YANBU to block them in but it depends on how you do it as to whether you can get in any trouble or not.

If you block them in by parking behind them but with your car entirely on your drive, that's fine.

If you block them in by parking across a dropped kerb that leads to your drive, that can get you in trouble. You're not allowed to park across a dropped kerb, even if it would only mean you were blocking your own drive. (Think about it, a traffic warden isn't necessarily going to know that it's your car blocking your drive.)

Typicalof · 23/03/2023 11:19

Eventingmum · 23/03/2023 10:54

I would put a sign up saying £5 for 10 mins and wait to collect it

This!

MsJD · 23/03/2023 11:20

BabychamGlass
Can you put up a sign, 20 pounds an hour to park here or part thereof