I live in a road with a school

[Truffle55]

Apologies in advance for the rant and slightly long message…

I live in a road with a primary school at the end. I’ve lived here for 25 years and I totally understand that parents need to get their kids to school - I too, need to do the same.

But…

Recently the behaviour of the parents dropping off and picking up their DC has been, frankly awful.

I have come home from picking my DC up from school to find someone parked on my drive! And now, someone thinks it’s “ok” to park across the T-junction into the road. This means I have to drive around them and into cars coming out of the road (from dropping off/picking up DC) to get onto my driveway (assuming no one is “borrowing” it).

I do understand people need to take their kids to school, I have to do it too! But really? Why are they so inconsiderate? When I pick my DC up from school I park away from the school… and we have an agreed process if I’m not there due to not being able to park SAFELY (I do get that DC is at secondary school and its easier to do this).

However, the parking by my house is getting out of control - the person who parks across the junction lets the children get into the car - roadside…. This is just dangerous!?

I’m at the point now that I just push through the cars because I feel “I live there, and I have right of way” - but that makes me uncomfortable.

And, let’s not talk about the addition is of an ice cream van!

Anyway, I’m considering contacting the school or even the police to see if they can do anything - sadly, I really feel, it is an accident waiting to happen 😕

The council are limited to what they can enforce, they can only hand out tickets for parking on the yellow markings. It would have to be the police to deal with a lot of the parking / driving issues/ offenses that take place on the school run

True, but I don't see why they couldn't make it so that parking on zigzag lines is just as punishable as double yellow ones. We are talking safety of children here so why not change it?

By my DC primary school the head teacher and local councillor have got together and now between 8.30-9.15 and 2:45-3.30 the roads around the school are closed unless you are a resident and the residents have been issued with passes to get in and out the road. ANPR camera have been fitted and £55 fine if anyone goes through without a pass during these times

Anyone who parks in your drive should be blocked in, and they can call the police.

Anyone parking across a junction, reported to the police on the presumption they are on drugs or drink.

Campaign for enforceable restrictions.

Most of those taking their children to and from school can walk in any case.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgr9qd752e8o

Medway council have closed roads around schools to stop the madness

Unfortunately I don't think we can get a school street here... there's a small Co op opposite.
Not that people can get there anyway, as parents park up for 45 minutes before the bell goes (there's only 10 parking spaces).

You are not being unreasonable at all. My youngest daughter attends a First school with two schools on one road so you can imagine how bad it is! Very similar to your situation and the school regularly have to send reminders about considerate parking and the police regularly attend. The audacity of some people is outrageous

I took live by a school and the mentality of some parents is ridiculous. I personally haven't had anyone park on my drive or across it, but I know others closer to the school have had people park on their drive and when confronted just say they are only going to be a few minutes, not the point, not your land.

I would contact the school and ask them to send an email to all parents reminding them to respect the schools neighbours and their properties.

As far as someone parking on your drive is concerned, unfortunately there isn't alot you can do about it, unless you install lockable bollards, police won't do anything as on private property and is a civil matter, and if you then block them in, it is technically you in the wrong and they also can't do anything if someone blocks you from getting on your drive, the police can only get involved if someone blocks you on your drive, call 101 and they will call the registered owner and tell them to move it, failing that they will get it towed.

As for parking on a junction, you can also report this to 101 as an obstruction to the highway and their procedure may be the same, if it's always the same person maybe one call from the police will make them realise it's dangerous.

It amazes me how people are "too busy" to have time to walk the kids to school (claim to be rushing off to work afterwards or whatever), yet also have enough free time to turn up an hour early to bag a prime space.

Just checked on Google Maps and it says that a 44 minute walk into town should take 12 minutes by bike. That's without electric assistance.

Yes I'd leave it down though wait for them to park and then pop it back up and pretend to be out when they come back to the car then claim i cant find the key for it see what happens then.

This. I'd sit in my garden drinking a bottle of wine too, ideally on a sun lounger.

These fucking people should be banned from driving to schools, if you need to go to work, pay someone to take them to/pick up from school. Nice job creation for a service thats missing there too.

True that, considering red routes and one way systems are all over the high streets effectively shutting down businesses.

I am regularly almost run over by parents like this. We walk past a school where there is free parking 30 seconds from the school but the parents refuse to use it and will park as close as they can to the school entrance. They all have massive cars they can't see out of out and block the pavement, so we have to walk in the road.

There were some road works recently right by the school entrance and the parents actually moved the signs and kept parking, so the council had to park two vehicles across the road to stop all traffic.

I bet that pleased the people who actually live there

This

I had one yesterday park part across the drive, I went out and in a cheerful voice let him know, as he apologies - its fine what I will do if you park there again, I shall pop a photo on Facebook local of you and the car. No aggression, no tone, just a case of this is what I will do. Most people don't want that as they'll look like a twat publicly

The schools are usually hot on this and send out messages etc. One head near us patrols with a hi-viz jacket! Definitely contact them first..

I did this years ago. When I used to work in an office, I'd forgotten something and came back home to someone parked on my drive. I parked behind them and called a taxi to work. Police did sod all. I moved it when I came home later. Never happened again.

I can well believe it would say that, but it's a 45 minute walk from my house into town and there's not a chance I'd do it in 12 minutes. It would be more like 20+

OP’s child is at secondary

All these parents driving to school.

What if you didn’t have a car?
People without cars manage

@BigMandyHarris actually a lot of people don't cope without a car.
There was another thread recently about a child who has been allocated a secondary for Year 7 that isn't even in the town they live in.
There's no public or school transport available.
The OP of that thread was basically saying "what on earth am I meant to do to get my child to school".

The majority are just lazy though, or choose a school out of catchment.

I’d make note of any reg plate parked on your drive or illegally, causing dangerous conditions, and email the school!

when my kids were in primary the head was constantly sending out emails about dangerous parking, didn’t even stop when I kid got run over!

I had an agreement with a lady who lived opposite, I could park in front her drive, but she had my number, if I was there before her she’d text me to say she was on her way and when she pulled up I’d move out the way then park back in front of her drive once she was on. Worked really well for us! She approached me and I really appreciated the gesture. Worked well for her as she knew she could get in if she needed!