Lost my cool with school run mum

[Vanilladanish]

I’m at my absolute wits end. Recently bought a house near the kids primary school and like most primary schools the parking at school run time is a nightmare. There is one mum that constantly parks over my drive blocking me in or out. I work as an on call palliative care nurse and twice now have been late to call outs to provide pain relief and other things to patients at the end of life. I’ve tried to talk to her nicely and she just drives away. A few weeks ago my husband was trying to pull in the drive after work and she was blocking again. There was a queue of traffic behind him and he had to pull over and ask her to move so he could get off the road. She said she would when she was ready. Sometimes she’s there and there are spaces all the way up and down the road but she still blocks my drive.
today she blocked me again - I’ve just finished a night shift and I saw red. I asked her to stop parking and tried to explain I needed to get in and out quickly for work. She just shouted over me so I told her I would slash her tyres next time. I know I was unreasonable to say that and I am really ashamed of myself but I’m absolutely at my wits end. What do I do?!

Could you take photos of the bad parking, (I think blocking a driveway is a traffic offence?) noting dates and times, take her reg, and then ask the local PCSO to speak with her?

Copy in the school also?

Have you mentioned it to the school yet? Perhaps they can arrange a traffic warden to patrol.

I don’t blame you tbh. She sounds entitled. Could you park there just before school run before she can get there

Is blocking your own drive an option?

Could you take photos of the bad parking, noting dates and times, take her reg, and then as the local PSCO to speak with her?

This.

Don't speak to her again, just go out and take a picture, and keep complaining to the council and highways.

Bother the school with it as well - our school used to occasionally send out messages about considerate parking to the parents.

Take her photo and post it to the schools Facebook page asking her to stop.

Email the school so they can put in their newsletter telling people not to park inappropriately.
Get cones to put across your drive with a giant sign saying "Access needed at all times. Emergency nurse on call. DO NOT BLOCK THIS DRIVE"
(Actually put the whole thing in capitals).
Make the sign HUGE.

God how annoying.

Can you put up a sign saying “nurse on call, please don’t block drive”

Even if that doesn’t stop her it will hopefully make everybody else realise she’s a twat

No I think it’s completely fair, you have tried to be nice, asked her and she’s being rude. I would have done the same

Definitely speak to the school, our headteacher hates this crap and isn’t shy in telling off the parents.
Cheeky cow she is parking over your drive, I don’t understand how the rules fly out the window just because it’s school run time.

Could you start parking your own car across your drive instead? Obviously you shouldn’t have to do this but at least you’d be able to get in and out when needed.

Photograph her car and the obstructions. Do it over the course of the week so the police can see how often she is doing it. Report her to the police.

Tell them you’ve tried to approach it reasonably and explain the impact on her obstructing the drive. In theory she can be towed away if she is blocking your drive (at your cost I think) but you’re unlikely to get a tow truck there in time. However, the police will be able to visit the registered keeper and have a word.

Horrible woman! It's hard but people have to adjust routines around it - I don't see how you can ever rely on being able to park near school.

Agree with all of the above advice.

Take photos including her number plate and report her to the police and to the school.

Then park across your own drive. Ridiculous that you should have to but some people won't listen so they have to be physically prevented.

Could you take photos of the bad parking, noting dates and times, take her reg, and then as the local PSCO to speak with her?

This is a good idea ^. I think you should also add a really big sign that says you're on call and require access in and out at all times.

Unfortunately the OP would be breaking the law by putting cones out.

I'd be emailing the office/head with photos every time. Even better if you can get the parent in shot once so they know who the perpetrator is. The school need to be dealing with this, you shouldn't have to be stressing about it.

We live in a cult de sac with a school at the bottom and have this daily. Take photos every day you are blocked and forward to school. Our school has been great, repeatedly sending out comms to parents and getting PCSO to come and patrol on random dates.

Re - the OP parking across her own driveway, she said she was coming home from night shift.

It’s crap isn’t it. I can’t believe the gall of some people. The police are unlikely to do anything as it will be so down the list of priorities- but will be quick enough to arrest you if you do anything!

Is a driveway blocker an option - I can’t link but there are some for less than 30 quid. You shouldn’t need to do this but might be the easiest fix.

You take a photo then you call the police, she’s blocking access

also I would be posting it all over Facebook, including number plate, the fact you have repeatedly asked her not to do it and that you are on call for the terminally ill etc
.name and shame

Honestly OP I don't blame you for losing your cool, and particularly given the nature of your job. I mean, it would be irritating to the max for anyone to be repeatedly blocked in/out of their driveway but given you're on call and need to get out to give palliative care her behaviour is unacceptable. I think it's not an offence to block someone out (albeit annoying and selfish) but it IS an offence to block someone in (assuming you have a dropped curb which I assume you do) so as others have said I would take her reg number next time she does it and involve local police and the school and not let up until she gets the message and stops doing it. It would be harder to deal with if it was different people each time and just a load of inconsiderate people collecting/dropping off but as the same woman hopefully you'll be able to stop her.

I thought you were going to say something much worse! I would go all out. Stand there with friends, ideally large ones, at school drop off/ pickup and eyeball her. Leave a wheelbarrow, bench, cones etc in the road with a sign on it explaining that this is to stop the lady with the red car blocking your drive, because you need to be able to leave in an emergency. Put a sign saying that you gave CCTV and fake CCTV camera up. If she does park there talk to her again and film any interactions you have.

I wouldn’t actually do anything to the car and I suspect the school are doing everything they can (they don’t have the powers of a police officer or a traffic warden) but I think you want her to realise that parking in front of your drive is not worth it.

Keep a log and get an injunction to stop her blocking you in.

So sorry you’re dealing with this OP. I don’t blame you for losing your cool. Last thing you need after a night shift is this idiocy! Definitely take it up with school and the local PCSO - and I say that as someone who will freely admit to parking in a permit area to drop off and collect but there’s no way I would even consider blocking a driveway! It’s just not on!