I blocked someone in school run

[Anxious404]

I blocked a car in on the makeshift car park which I fully realise makes me the ass. First time I've ever done it.

When I'd got out and got the kids out and bags on, the man showed up. I had thought I wouldn't impact anyone as it's about 60 seconds total for me to run the kids to the gate and back. He had a toddler with him and started complaining, quite rightly, so I apologised and said I'm sorry, can I run these to the gate, I'll be about 60 seconds, while he gets his toddler in the car seat. He said yes OK but pulled a face.

When I got back he'd just finished getting the toddler in and I thanked him/apologised again before driving away but he just gave the world's dirtiest look. I realise I was in the wrong and being cheeky. But now feel very awkward especially as I'm a dinner lady to his son, I'm not sure he knows though.

Should I apologise again when I see him next or just leave it? Next time I will just find somewhere else to park, feel awful.

Total non event. He wasn't even ready to leave by the time you got back if he'd only just got the toddler in a car seat. You apologized, won't do it again. Let it go and get on with the rest of your day.

You apologized already, draw a line.

The refrain of the cheeky fucker "but I'll only be a minute!"

my sis use to get blocked in all the time when she lived opposite a school -it was always i wont be a minute i wont be long ive got nowhere to park-its rude yes you say you wont do it again but i woulnt be smiling at you either

But it didn't. And OP has said she won't do it again. No point in worrying about hypotheticals.

I imagine he's sick a tired of the "I'll only be a minute" brigade.

Sure, someone blocking you in as a one off, especially if you've spoken to them and know they'll be back before you need to leave, isn't going to ruin your day or turn you into curmudgeon, but day after day, week after week....it gets tedious.

Just leave it, OP.

I very much doubt he’s given it another moments thought!
You didn’t delay him in my way ..
I expect he drove off and has forgotten it already!

You were lucky he didn't shout at you! Don't ever do it again! Lesson learned.

Say nothing. So many holier-than-thou responses on here. Busy school run . The bloke had to wait 2 minutes.
Don't give it any more headspace

I think what makes the difference here is that you're all school parents presumably, you're all in the same boat, you're presumably all affected by the parking shortages and you know the drill in terms of it only taking a few moments to run your kids to the gate.

So no you shouldn't have done it but personally I don't think it's the end of the world and it's certainly not on the same level of CF as blocking a resident on a school street into their driveway.

School runs are always a bit of a clusterfuck and sometimes people might get stuck for a minute or two. It's hardly parking over someone's driveway and then pissing off for the day.

Don't give it a second's thought.

You've already said you won't do it again. Doing it once I'd hardly crime of the century. I can't imagine the dad with the toddler will still be thinking about it. Personally I wouldn't apologise again, it might get a bit awkward if you carry it on x

I would leave it now, but it is so so rude to block in another car, even for a minute, and then on top of that you asked him to wait until you finished your drop off. It’s akin to saying your time is more important than his.

I'm glad he gave you the look - it's made you think about your actions hasn't it? Hopefully you won't do it again. Ideal result

Yeah forget it op, you said sorry some people are too arrogant to even do that.

We have a constant stream of lazy fuckers parents parking directly outside the school gates even when there are signs there saying YOU COULD KILL A CHILD. Endless emails about not doing it and occasional traffic wardens dotted about to deter people. There’s still the same (minority) that rock up right outside the gate 1 minute before it closes bold as brass every single day. Imagine being that thick/entitled?

But don’t do this to start with. She's already done it! What do you expect her to do, get a time machine?!

A relative used to live next door to a school. The number of people who would block them in claiming they'd "only be five minutes" was ridiculous. It was never five minutes - let alone 60 seconds.

I chose to live further away from a school. I thought I'd chosen a house far enough away. In reality, I have to park across my own dropped kerb to prevent people blocking me in. The parents are cheeky shits and the school does nothing.

Don't block anyone in - ever. It is incredibly stressful to find yourself blocked in when you have no idea how long they're going to be there and you're being made late for work.

That's not the same scenario as the OP though. Hers was a school car park with everyone doing the same 10 minute window of drop-off and everyone knowing why every other car was there.

Similar to the picture I posted before of ours where loads of people are very briefly blocked in and everyone just gets on with it without overreacting.

Blocking someone's drive is totally different.

You've been very apologetic.

Now you need to move on and stop worrying about it.

OP describes it as a "makeshift car park" - whatever that means - and not a school car park.

The other parent may have been made late to drop their child off to nursery and then late to work.

Those defending this sort of behaviour are the sort of cheeky fuckers that think blocking people onto their driveway is ok because "I'll only be five minutes", "there's nowhere else to park" and other such shite excuses.

Whatever happened to children walking to school? If you're in an urban area, the catchments are small and the children cannot be coming from far away unless the parents have moved.

What an MN reply, she's inconsiderate, he's annoyed yet it's his fault!

Life is better for everyone when we give people the benefit of the doubt. He was rightly a bit scowly, you rightly apologised and moved as quickly as you could. No major issue!

Or just an acceptance that it's a crappy car park not big enough and therefore such a minor inconvenience is inevitable.

I don't drive to school but loads do and there must be 10 cars blocked in for a few minutes every day twice a day, yet I've never seen or heard anyone complain about it. Because everyone's just in the same boat.

Well, at least you apologised.

Next time, perhaps take a little time to apologise to all the local residents who no doubt you piss off every day with your "about 60 seconds" parking.

I am afraid when we all behave like a dick and get called out on our behaviour, we just have to accept it. No amount of apologizing changes the facts. The man has probably forgotten about it now, it isn't a big crime. Just move on, accept that slightly uncomfortable feeling of knowing you were in the wrong and annoyed someone, and don't give it any more thought.