PARENTS parking cars near schools, it needs stopping

[Orzel]

Poles have developed those penalty dick stickers for inconsiderate parking.

Only small one, about 4 inch.

Hard to peel of, you just slap one on windscreen in front of a driver and go about your business as usual.

Someone will think twice before parking there again.

Russians have those sort of vigilante gangs with big stickers that cover half of windscreen. They sometimes get into fights with car owners.

Plenty of videos on youtube.

[Bottletop]

My child is 7 and we live about 10-15mins away from the school across 2 pretty busy roads. At that age they don't have enough road sense to do the journey themselves, let alone that I feel its safe enough for them to be walking alone without an adult. Maybe others feel differently...

 

Whenever we can we walk her to school and back, but that's not always possible when we have work ourselves and so it fits in better to drive and drop her off on the way or pick up on the way home.

Having said that we always make sure we park safely and legally, not blocking drives or churning up roadside grass patches like some.

 

The point is schools have always been like this for years, of course they get busy at drop off and pick up times. Anyone buying a house/moving near a school would have to be stupid to not realise it's going to have an effect - the majority of us lead busy lives these days, work hard and don't have time to meander to and from school. So rather than fight the parking constantly, learn to live with it - push new schools to be built with space for drop offs and pick ups and car parks etc, so this can take place without such a negative impact.

[tinfoilhat]

My child is 7 and we live about 10-15mins away from the school across 2 pretty busy roads. At that age they don't have enough road sense to do the journey themselves, let alone that I feel its safe enough for them to be walking alone without an adult. Maybe others feel differently...

 

Whenever we can we walk her to school and back, but that's not always possible when we have work ourselves and so it fits in better to drive and drop her off on the way or pick up on the way home.

Having said that we always make sure we park safely and legally, not blocking drives or churning up roadside grass patches like some.

 

The point is schools have always been like this for years, of course they get busy at drop off and pick up times. Anyone buying a house/moving near a school would have to be stupid to not realise it's going to have an effect - the majority of us lead busy lives these days, work hard and don't have time to meander to and from school. So rather than fight the parking constantly, learn to live with it - push new schools to be built with space for drop offs and pick ups and car parks etc, so this can take place without such a negative impact.

 

So when they're 9 they'll go on their own? 10? I don't know what the standard is now.

[feilnoster]

Why can't kids walk to school these days?

 

We used to

 

When I was at school it was embarrassing to be seen getting a lift from your parents.

 

All your mates walking to school, but you get a lift to the school gate from your mum? Not good for your street cred

 

---------- Post added 23-02-2016 at 10:57 ----------

 

 

 

 

That's why maybe a lecture off a member of the public would help?

 

And a red card

 

And at the end of the day the most important thing is "street cred"

 

Oh and a red car, it's not Sunday league football!

[El Cid]

I can't think of anything easier to ignore than some random moaning at you and waving a piece of red card around.

 

Schools can appoint their own parking enforcers, it was only announced recently, not sure if any schools are brave enough to take away responsibility from the council.

That is what it comes down to; no one is brave enough to take on the car lobby.

[Bottletop]

So when they're 9 they'll go on their own? 10? I don't know what the standard is now.

 

Me neither, different ages for different families I suppose. I think we'll know at the time when we feel able to let the kids go themselves - it'd also depend if a friend of my child who lives near goes too. I'd feel happier if that were the case.

[Andy1976]

Not always possible. We live four miles from school, and when we get there, I park in the (numerous) parking bays designated for parking. I've no intention of walking my four year old four miles to school every morning.

 

Given you can't tell who has come a walkable distance (and what's walkable for one parent might not be for another), it's impossible to either judge or enforce.

[InigoMontoya]

Notts County Council have just set up a camera car to randomly patrol schools at drop off and pick up times to address exactly these sort of behaviours.

 

 

<Autopilot>

 

They're only doing it as a money-making scheme to rip off car drivers

 

</Autopilot>

[Eater Sundae]

Not always possible. We live four miles from school, and when we get there, I park in the (numerous) parking bays designated for parking. I've no intention of walking my four year old four miles to school every morning.

 

Given you can't tell who has come a walkable distance (and what's walkable for one parent might not be for another), it's impossible to either judge or enforce.

 

I agree.

 

But what can be enforced is correct parking. Despite the very clear zig zag markings and the big signs saying no stopping, some parents choose to drive right up to the gates. I'd be all for a police presence on a regular basis, with strong enforcement and fines where appropriate.

[Andy1976]

I agree.

 

But what can be enforced is correct parking. Despite the very clear zig zag markings and the big signs saying no stopping, some parents choose to drive right up to the gates. I'd be all for a police presence on a regular basis, with strong enforcement and fines where appropriate.

 

Absolutely agree with that. There's no reason to park illegally at all.

 

Problem with the police idea is that it's entirely disproportionate sadly. They'd make perhaps a couple of hundred quid in fines, but would spend that officer's time, take the car out of action etc for a couple of hours and it's just not worth it (particularly with police cuts).