Page 9 | to think I should be able to park near the school?

Bearhunt468 · 03/05/2025 21:48

Mydoglovescheese · 02/05/2025 18:06

I live 7 miles away from my grandchildren’s school and pick them up twice a week. Walking is out of the question, so I have to arrive early and ‘park up’ for about 20 minutes. Have some sympathy for those who don’t live a few minutes away from the school!

Can you not park at the child's house and then walk? Presuming your looking after the children at their home or do you take them back home 7 miles for the parents to then collect?

Snugglemonkey · 03/05/2025 21:59

Bushmillsbabe · 02/05/2025 16:39

I would park my car at the far end of my driveway so they can't get onto it, because I'm stubborn like that 😂

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Me too!

Beautifulweeds · 03/05/2025 22:10

That's just sooooo sad 😔 Who has the time to be there an hour early and just sit in their car. I guess having a baby in the back is the reason given, the idea of parking further away and strolling them for some fresh air is clearly not compatible with some parents.

Redpeach · 03/05/2025 22:45

celticprincess · 03/05/2025 20:08

Happens at my DC’ secondary school. They have a driveway that leads to a roundabout with no parking signs which leads to a car park which is one way. Coming out back over the roundabout there are waiting spaces (pull on type ones). School finishes at 3:20. By 2:30 people are already sitting in the pull in spots. They are the best spots as they’re on your way out. If you miss those then you’re waiting in a one way line in the car park itself. But the one way line also goes right back to the entrance to the school which is via a slip road off a dual carriage way. If you’re late then you start queuing on the dual carriageway. They irritating thing is the parents who drop off and pick up on the roundabout which has double my yellow lines around it, crossed with this so short double yellow lines and big signs saying no parking. Then there are the parents that decide to not bother with all that and park on the slip road out of the school which rejoins the dual carriage way which also has double yellows crossed with short double yellows. Oh and there’s a bus stop just after the slip too, and many park in the bus stop. and the amount of accidents as you come out of the school onto a dual so assume you only need to look right but then plough (slowly) into illegally parked cars.

My kids walk mostly but one has disabilities and struggles so I will pick up but I make them wait until 3:40/45 so that I can get in and round the roundabout to the pull in which has usually emptied of the first parents by then. I avoid the car park as it’s is jammed.

So there's a bus stop near the school?

Sleeplessinscotland1 · 03/05/2025 22:47

zagazig · 02/05/2025 15:19

Got a call from the school. DD had vomited so they asked me to come and pick her up. Got there about 2.30pm and had to park several streets away because so many parents had already taken the prime parkin spaces. Many of them were in their cars already with some younger children in the bank. Also quite a few with their engines idling to keep the AC on as it is warm.

Are parents really parking up an hour before to get the best nearest spaces? I had to walk poor DD several streets away to get her to the car. I normally walk her to school and walk back but I took the car as I was coming from work and she was unwell.

Generally parents who have nothing better to do/no job take the most accessible spots, making it harder for the rest of us. Good luck to them, the golden handcuffs are no substitute for having your independence and being a positive role model.

Redpeach · 03/05/2025 22:48

Surely if they have that much spare time, they might as well walk

Nannydoodles · 03/05/2025 22:54

When I pick up my grandchildren I arrive mega early as I have about an hours journey and worry I’ll get stuck on the motorway and be late.
Just suits me to get there early, have a coffee from my flask and read a book!
I quite enjoy it actually!

Sunflowerz22 · 03/05/2025 22:57

I really don't understand this. I always deliberately park a couple of streets away so I get a nice quiet spot to myself and can have a leisurely 2 minute walk down to the school gate.

I don't understand this frantic battle for the closest spots. It makes hardly any difference in time, especially if you're going to be super early anyway.

celticprincess · 03/05/2025 23:11

Redpeach · 03/05/2025 22:45

So there's a bus stop near the school?

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Yep, right outside. I used to get the bust to that school 30+ years ago. 2000 kids though it’s always busy. No ‘school’ buses, just the general public buses. Lots of kids do walk. Lots do get the bus. But lots also get driven.

beesandstrawberries · 03/05/2025 23:17

And? You’re an adult capable of walking - what’s the issue? First there gets the space. I’m disabled and I get there in the mornings 35 minutes before gate opens and pick up is worse so I get there about an hour beforehand and read my book. I’m disabled, I have no choice as if I had to park further I wouldn’t he able to get my child. Hes also severely autistic and runs into the road - so a close space is essential for us for both of us safety.

you dont know peoples circumstances. Some people like to just be prepared and avoid the rush. Some don’t want to be late for their child because they’re looking for a space so they get there early. Some like a routine and having a breather in the car before the chaos of the day is essential.

its unfortunate you having to get your child early, but like this is the reality of people driving.

Wrexhamite · 03/05/2025 23:32

dandeliondandy · 03/05/2025 20:34

Bloody Hell! What an entitled cow! I would be getting a bollard/gate/chain to stop that right away. How dare they treat you like that on your own property!

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I lived near shops once and had that on my drive. I could literally see a car park from my drive and I’d give anyone every penny I had if they couldn’t find a space in it (and it’s a free car park). One bloke said it’s ok because his wife’s disabled and wouldn’t be long. He soon got off my drive when I picked up a brick.

BooneyBeautiful · 04/05/2025 00:01

toomuchfaff · 02/05/2025 15:49

Are parents really parking up an hour before to get the best nearest spaces?

Apparently so...

My DC used to walk to and from high school which is about a mile and a quarter away from home. My DS had friends (twins) in the next road (slightly further away from the school) and their DM used to drop them off in the car each morning. She would then arrive at the school about an hour before school ended just so she could park close by to collect them. Personally, I could never understand it.

LilMagpie · 04/05/2025 07:41

Wahsingday · 02/05/2025 16:12

Yep. On my driveway, not just blocking it.

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This happens regularly to someone I know too. She doesn’t have her own car and some of the local mums worked this out and thought it gave them free rein to park on her drive! I remember going there and her asking someone to move (as she was expecting her cleaner to arrive) and this woman gave her such a mouthful of abuse because she had a driveway she didn’t “need”. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes I would never have believed someone would have the audacity. It was absolutely bonkers.

SunnySideDeepDown · 04/05/2025 10:14

UndermyShoeJoe · 02/05/2025 18:32

I think some do it becomes part of the socialisation.

So mum one, self employed sets her own hours and locations, always at the road parked up for 2pm. Mum two she parks up 2:10pm gets out of her car and sits in mum ones vaping away chatting till 3:10pm.

Mum two works in a company that’s 20 minutes drive away, lives a 15 minute walk away. She had time to go home and walk.

Both of those mums could walk or could park further away and walk a bit they chose not too and that’s just two of the cars out of the whole row who where there daily so not one offs.

A lot were also sahm or rather housewife’s at that point. You’d see social media posts of 5 of the ladies out to lunch together and then them all there in their 5 Individual cars again all live within 20 minutes walk tops.

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Maybe but that doesn’t reflect everyone. There are lots of working parents juggling multiple kids and ultimately less parking spaces for too many families equals earlier parking.

Most people would want to socialise outside of a car park, at least that’s what I’d think!

daleylama · 04/05/2025 17:20

beesandstrawberries · 03/05/2025 23:17

And? You’re an adult capable of walking - what’s the issue? First there gets the space. I’m disabled and I get there in the mornings 35 minutes before gate opens and pick up is worse so I get there about an hour beforehand and read my book. I’m disabled, I have no choice as if I had to park further I wouldn’t he able to get my child. Hes also severely autistic and runs into the road - so a close space is essential for us for both of us safety.

you dont know peoples circumstances. Some people like to just be prepared and avoid the rush. Some don’t want to be late for their child because they’re looking for a space so they get there early. Some like a routine and having a breather in the car before the chaos of the day is essential.

its unfortunate you having to get your child early, but like this is the reality of people driving.

RTFT - her child was ill so having to walk her a distance to the car was the issue. Your situation is clearly one deserving of parking as close as possible but you cannot pretend that all those other parked up Mums have valid excuses

Redpeach · 04/05/2025 17:24

SunnySideDeepDown · 04/05/2025 10:14

Maybe but that doesn’t reflect everyone. There are lots of working parents juggling multiple kids and ultimately less parking spaces for too many families equals earlier parking.

Most people would want to socialise outside of a car park, at least that’s what I’d think!

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So working parents, juggling multiple kids, have that much spare time in their 'hectic' lives?

SunnySideDeepDown · 04/05/2025 20:38

Redpeach · 04/05/2025 17:24

So working parents, juggling multiple kids, have that much spare time in their 'hectic' lives?

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They may HAVE to! If the parking is full if they arrive later and they have other kids to collect first, they may be forced to come early. Lots of people can answer emails on their phones too.

As I said, no one WANTS to sit in a car park for an hour everyday before school. They usually do it because they have to in order to pick up their children in time.

lilkitten · 06/05/2025 10:34

An hour and a half at DS's secondary school. No idea why, as I usually get there 10 mins before school ends and find a space. They just want the ones nearest the exit. It's in the middle of nowhere so there's no phone/data signal either