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Original poster

row in parking lot with head teacher! (longish)

467 replies

sansouci · 01/10/2005 18:33

There is next to no parking by dd's school. Everyone complains but for the moment, nothing has actually been done about it, except for the police coming round & taking photos of pick-up & drop-off times. The yummy-mummies make it even worse with SUVs but anyway.

Yesterday when I went to pick up dd from school, I had to double park. I left my warning lights flashing to show that I was coming back soon. Unfortunately, dd didn't come to the car easily & then I got chatting with another mummy, as you do, forgetting completely about my precarious parking place.

On returning to the car, a group of angry women were clustered in front of the school & of course I apologised profusely to the one or two I had blocked.

One woman made a rather bitchy comment as I was charging by & when I saw her heading for her car a few minutes later, I asked her what she felt could be done about the parking. It's not my problem, she replied shortly. We got into an argument, which escalated, as things do on a Friday afternoon. She said, I'm a teacher at this school! to which I retorted, My daughter is a student at this school & if you're part of the staff, you should care about the parking problem! I wasn't rude, but I was very angry with her & she was angry with me.

I eventually roared off, furious and shaking, cursing the woman aloud. Do you know that silly woman? I asked DD. Yes, she said, she's the head teacher. Oh SH*T, I thought, Now I've done it.

How can I face her again? She'll be dd's teacher one day. I think I was right to be cross but I was at fault & certainly on the defensive. What do you think I can do?

OP posts:
Cam · 03/10/2005 15:47

I've been told by the police in the past (not cos I did it but because I rang them to find out) that it is illegal to block someone into their drive - people have to be able to get their car out, but that people don't have the same rights to get their car back in as they can park up nearby and walk into their house.

Didn't ask about drop kerbs though, that may come under the disabled legislation now because they give access to the pavements for wheelchairs.

God this is an interesting post isn't it, yawn

Roobie · 03/10/2005 15:47

I thought that too hence why I looked it up ... it all seems to have changed quite recently with the 2004 Act. It's all down to whether there is a drop kerb or not.

Roobie · 03/10/2005 15:48

You'd think I actually cared about this point wouldn't you . I'm boring myself now!

Cam · 03/10/2005 15:57

lol Roobie

serahscarer · 03/10/2005 16:42

Ahem. I think I can out bore you actually - parking next to a drop kerb is an offence under the Traffic Manangement Act only if it is within a designated special enforcement area.

Did that bore you????

Roobie · 03/10/2005 16:48

Oooh you're right - just seen section 84!

Cam · 03/10/2005 16:50

serah, now you're going to have to explain to me what a designated special enforcement area is!

aloha · 03/10/2005 16:52

i think it's rude and inconsiderate to think you own the road though. i can't and don't stop anyone parking outside my house so i really don't see why other people (unless they are disabled) should have this right either. often they leave home at 8am and return at 6pm and you are supposed to be unable to park during this time, just because they've turned their front garden into a tarmac eyesore (which also causes flooding!)

aloha · 03/10/2005 16:53

no i wouldn't park on their drive - just want to use the public highway!

Cam · 03/10/2005 16:54

This kerb thing is about having right of access to the road though Aloha

noddyholder · 03/10/2005 16:55

How do you know that someone hasn't got their car inside the garage?In this case the car would be blocked in but would be invisible from the outside so I would think parking across a drive would be illegal in any case

Cam · 03/10/2005 16:56

aah. another factor in our thoughts girls,
what's the verdict?

aloha · 03/10/2005 16:59

nobody in london has a garage! and even if the did, it would have beeb converted inot a kitchen or playroom. no, the garage argument doesn't work!
as say i wouldn't block anyone's car in, but will park if there's no car and nowhere else to park.
ha! knew this would get 'em going!

SoupDragon · 03/10/2005 17:09

If you parked next to my dropped kerb I'd let your tyre down

katierocket · 03/10/2005 17:14

But then they'd take longer to move the car!

noddyholder · 03/10/2005 17:14

A couple parked across next doors drive in the afternoon and they reported it and the car was towed away the same day.This is in Brighton though not sure about anywhere else.Dp goes nuts if someone parks across ours and waits like a loony by the window for their return He has never caught anyone redhanded yet as they aleays seem to go when he is at the loo or something.I find it highly amusing tbh as I don't care where people park as I don't drive

ks · 03/10/2005 17:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

serahscarer · 03/10/2005 17:21

Now you're testing me Cam!! (its ages since I did this). I think that a special enforcement area is one such specifically designated to cover such things as parking adjacent to vehicular accesses and dropped crossings, and must be in an area where civil enforcemet is already in place (i.e. not the police but Parking Attendants (distinct from traffic wardens)

Cam · 03/10/2005 18:44

I'll try not to park near anything dropped then

aloha · 03/10/2005 18:52

You can't ever park on yellow lines or double yellow lines when it's not legal to do so.
I don't ever park all day, but really, if I'm late for a 20minute dr's appt and the only space left is an empty drive, I'm there!
And letting people's tyres down is illegal!
(seriously though, I find it extraordinary that you drop your kerb and then nobody is allowed to park even when you aren't there...find it v odd and rather unfair.)

SueW · 03/10/2005 19:07

But surely if parking is so bad that you have to park across someone's drve, that person's going to be well dischuffed at the distance they have to walk when they return home with their two under 2's and a weeks' worth of shopping from Sainsburys.

SoupDragon · 03/10/2005 19:10

I don't think it is, aloha, not if there is no damage to the tyre or valve.

aloha · 03/10/2005 19:10

but I have to do that!

SoupDragon · 03/10/2005 19:12

Why is it so extraordinary? No more extraordinary than having a gate and expecting to be able to get through it whenever you need to.

SoupDragon · 03/10/2005 19:14

So, because you have to, everyone should? Even if they've gone to the trouble, time and expense of creating off street parking on their own property? I really don't understand your problem tbh. We had no guaranteed parking outside our old house but I didn't think that meant I could park over someone elses' access.