ice cream van always parked outside school.

[nailak]

the ice cream van is always parked outside my dd4's school at home time, i say always but i mean 3 to 4 times a week, it is already a mad rush to get in and out of the gates and dd2 crying for ice cream and trying to lie down in the road, and the queue for ice cream on a small street with 100s of kids trying to squeeze past (as the van stops right outside the gate just before the zigzag lines start) doesnt help congestion and tempers.

do you think the school could do anything about this? wibu to ask them?

We have that, too, at DS's school. Drives me nute. You would not be unreasonable to ask the school to do something about it. Fortunately DS has stopped asking me for an ice-cream - he is nearly 7 so it is a bit easier in that respect.

nute??? nuts more likely!

If he's legally parked and not on the zigzags I'm not sure why you have an issue with it

He's just trying to make a living - and clearly some people want him there or he would leave as he wouldn't be selling anything.

I realise it's hard to say No but sounds like you're handling it fine

I don't see how you can object. He is earning a living and has chosen a very sensible spot to make a bit of money. You have said he is parked legally so the school would have no reason to object either. If there is such a huge queue you are obviously in the minority to see it as a problem so I would keep quiet if I were you.

if he could park round the corner it would definitely ease congestion? im talking about 5 m away from gates rather then 1m away?

what about that healthy school stuff?

Healthy doesn't mean never having a treat! If he parks further away he'll sell less. Why should he? He is only making a living and there are obvioulsy plenty of parents happy to buy from him.

Drives me insane as well (not at school but always at areas of high traffic with children - i guess we have children at the age when it is just a struggle to have to explain NO each time ) So I have bought those lolly holders, freeze juice and always say to DD that she can have a lolly at home ....... buys her silence most of the time ....and i know that she is mostly having frozen juice or youghurt or whatever i have frozen!

'healthy school stuff' - that's in school - this guys outside.

your problem is with the parents not moving so you can get past, not the ice cream guy.

We had this at the school I work at and parents are often asking us to 'do something about it'.

BUT the reality is that schools have no juristriction outside the school gates. It's not up to them who parks where / does what / sells what, which is why we can ask parents not to park right outside but can't enforce it.

You'll have to contact the council if it worries you that much.

thank you for your input,

it doesnt worry me that much, just a nuisance id rather be without tbh.

but now i know the school cant do anything, i'll just have to put up with it!!

yes but kids are more interested in icecream van then road

This happens at the schools near us too. I object less to the one parked on a side street than the one on a busy road.

I would mention it to the school, on road traffic safety grounds. It's creating an unnecessary hazard in an accident 'hot spot' so should be moved.

Oh I know ice cream van people need to make a living and school is obvious location. Still bloody annoying and you will find some mums feel pressured by their kids to buy once a week. More fool them you may say but still ANNOYING!!

Chart on fridge . If she doesn't ask / lie on floor have a tantrum for 20 days ( or whatever) then she can have one...... Or even better she can have an ice cream at home and decorate it herself with sweets ( probably cheaper)

I think an icecream once a week is a lovely idea.

tbh its not my kids that worry me, its the older unsupervised ones, it is not a major issue, just irritatin, crowded, and stressful even if dd is not cryin, the crush is stressful with pushchair, dd3 and dd4

The school can't do anything about it if he is not parked on school property. If he is on the public road and not on the zigzags he is perfectly allowed to be there and the school have absolutely no say over it.

If you think his parking is a safety hazard you should report it to the council as they may be able to do something about it. But I think it's unlikely and probably ice cream vans have parked outside schools since ice cream vans were invented!

I just don't understand why so many parents find it hard to say 'no' - it's no wonder there are so many spoiled brats around .

We have an ice cream van come round every night where we live, my DS just knows that we don't buy ice creams - to the extent when I once offered to treat him to one he said no as 'they are far too expensive' !

The school have no power to do anything, but lets face it, if all the parents stopped buying from him he would stop parking there. Don't blame the school, blame the man in the man and vote with your feet.

I can understand the OPs frustration, sprogger, but my point was simply that complaining to the school is futile as they can't do anything about it. Ice cream vans must have some sort of licence and this will be run by the council. The school does not own the road.

Also the ice cream van does not decide your children's treats. you have the money so you decide what to buy. It might be annoying to have to keep saying No, but it is still your choice what to buy for your children.