Wednesday 20 March 2013

Zig-Zags


"Bunch of parents being dangerous and selfish"

Being on a rest day I actually got to do the school run for a change. I took the car because a) the weather was grim and b) I had somewhere to be after I dropped the boy off at school. I turned up, parked about 50 meters down the road and walked him into school. As I passed the yellow Zig-Zags with huge KEEP CLEAR letters written on the road a car pulled in and parked. The mother got out, got her child out and walked in to school. 

"You can't park there." I said.

"Well I have." she said as she started walking off.

"Not only is it illegal, it's incredibly dangerous and selfish. Read the sign."

"How about you mind your own fucking business."

"How about you mind your language."

With that, she raised her chubby middle finger at me and walked off. Parenting at its best! Why is it so hard to NOT park on the 20 meter stretch of road?! 

It really really winds me up and there is sod all I can do about it. There are no teachers or school staff outside stopping it, there are no police or PCSO's outside stopping it so it just continues. Obviously, I don't expect the police to waste resources on it but surely something can be done. Why do these parents show such disregard for a) the law and b) the safety of children. They are there for a reason and I have been to several children injured because of it. 

To make my point I busted out the camera and took 3 photos while arriving and leaving:

This is the woman with the mouth like a toilet.

Culprit number two as I was leaving. Why walk when you can park?!


There was a legal space opposite but it needed parallel parking. Long!
All it is, is selfish laziness. Nothing more, nothing less. Pig headed ignorance. If all other parents who drive can park legally, a little further down the road why can't these morons do the same?!

I've written a letter to the school about it and hope something will be done. Do you have a similar problem at your school? Please share you thoughts! Am I over reacting?! Personally, I'd like to see zero tolerance. Park on school zig zags and if there is evidence of it, your car is crushed and you get 6 points on your licence. That'll soon stop it!


<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4339449/?claim=2n598tpb9vh">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

61 comments:

  1. Just to note that people may not take to kindly to having there numberplate plastered on the internet.

    Just saying.................

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If people don't like it they should park legally and not endanger children. The only reason they won't like it is because there is proof that they are ignorant and selfish!

      Delete
    2. Exactly what Ella said.

      If they don't want their VRM online then they shouldn't park like a cock!

      Delete
    3. Absolutely.
      I say shop them. It happens all the time at our school and nothing is done. Why can't parents take charge and photograph evidence and send to DVLA for fine (or at least a warning)
      Well done for writing post.

      Delete
    4. Have you got a guilty conscience or do you just feel like molly-coddling lazy sods who put kids in danger today?

      Delete
    5. According to someone last night im just nasty lol! Name and shame em! If they dont like it, join the line to complain! lol

      Delete
  2. We have the same problem at our school, I'm an ECSW at NEAS and like you I have been to scenes where children have been hurt because of this, it needs to stop but who will police it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Think it will be down to council and community police teams perhaps.

      Delete
  3. Take it further than school. Our local PCSO is often outside school with letters to hand out. Doesn't stop the idiots but your photos will!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll see what the school say and then take it further.

      Delete
  4. The top one is commiting the offence of 'Causing an unnecessary obstruction', a police ticketable offence.

    The other two - I can't see a plate, without a plate they can't be ticketed (I know, I know...) - depending on where you live there may be a small delay in working out who can ticket on the lines depending on who has what responsibility under Decriminalised Parking Enforcement.

    Contact your local PCSO to have a chat - if you say or do nothing then NOTHING WILL CHANGE.

    The PCSO can at least use the PNC to find out who owns the cars and go and have a little chat about their manner of parking (I'm an ex PCSO and have done exactly that).

    Get the school to contact the police as well to add some weight.

    Please contact the police - if you don't complain then because of the way resources are allocated then if there are no complaints then it's assumed there's no problem.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have written. Will wait for reply!

      Delete
    2. Good luck :) If you don't get success the first time then please carry on trying - make a nuisance of yourself, be vocal (I'm sure you can be that ;) and keep haranguing them. You may not notice anything straight away but a long term solution may be able to be put into place.

      Delete
  5. Speaking as a cop, this is a problem at most schools, but put a cop or PCSO there and people on the whole dont stop on them. I've seen in some areas those responsible have the opportunity to be seen by a panel at the school comprising staff, pupils and parents where the dangers are explained. if they dont agree to this they are reported and could end up in court. I think this could be introduced at more schools and would be powerful to stop them doing it again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, a uniform always works well as a deterrent! Really good idea there.

      Delete
  6. There´s enough police to sit on single and dual carriageway A-roads (the A31 single and the A303 dual down this way) outside of rush hour (when the traffic is fairly light) with their "safety cameras" and, while I don´t deny speed is often a factor in accidents, I personally find this whole parking on zig-zags more dangerous, as any accident is more likely to involve a pedestrian who doesn´t have the added safety of a metal box round them.

    I would contact the police. They will do something. At least I think they will... several years ago a group of residents complained about people parking on the zig-zags approaching a pedestrian crossing in the Shirley area of Southampton. The police responded... I know this as I got three points for "obstructing a pedestrian crossing" as my I´d parked in a space just before the zig zags which wasn´t quite big enough for my car to fit into, and my front bumper was overhanging the end of the zig zags by an extremely dangerous 3 inches...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well done Ella. This has always been a problem and nothing effective gets done about it. I'm not sure that will change anytime soon but you made a stand and showed you care.

    ReplyDelete
  8. We have this problem at the school my children attend. Eventually the council sent along parking enforcement officers on random days at school-time. It hasn't brought a complete stop to the problem, but it does seem to have lessened. Some of the worst offenders seem to be the blue badge holders who think they can park anywhere they like with no reference to anyone else's safety. The owner of the blue badge doesn't even get out of the car, so its an abuse anyway.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Blue badge holders to abuse their rights. Very annoying!

      Delete
  9. I'm a copper who has seen the same thing outside my own sons school, i haven't approached parents myself as the area where the school is, is known to be very anti police ( but the school is very good) and so i don't advertise what i do. But i have contacted the local SNT who initially sent letters (via the pupils) asking parents not to park there or to double park, this has eased it some, but thereare the fews ignorant morons who still think its there god given right, so i now follow up by supplying their index to the team, i now see a more visible presence of pixies and beat bobbies down there. My wife spoke to the council about better signage and traffic calming but got the usual "its not in the budget". Report it and keep reporting it. You may not get immediate results but you will get there. Believe it or not coppers can be parents to ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm sooooo glad I don't have the primary school run anymore. People can be very selfish & very rude. Contact yr local council, write to the school, repeatedly - with photos & contact yr local community policing team......oh, & enjoy what's left of yr day off!

    ReplyDelete
  11. My daughters school regularly has a traffic warden outside. How ever they stand 20m up the road ticketing people on an double yellow (that cannot be inforced due to lack of signage) and completely ignore the same cars that are on the zig-zags on a daily basis.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Were you driving when you took the second picture? Extremely hypocritical if you were!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hypocrite: A person who engages in the same behaviors he or she condemns others for.

      I wasn't parked on yellow zig-zags outside of a school so I can't be a hypocrite. For the record. No. I wasn't driving at the time the photo was taken.

      Delete
    2. Oooh looks like we have another zig-zag guilty conscience having a pop at Ella for not being an ignorant rat.

      Delete
    3. Seems a bizarre comment to leave!

      Delete
  13. Thankfully it's not too much of a problem at our Juniors! We had a few usual morons that can't abide by the rules still, but on the vast majority of parents are great. We have a wonderful PCSO ("PC Charlotte" to the kids!) who pops by for a couple of days every other month and that generally keeps people in line. If a kid crosses the road anywhere bar the crossing, she gets their attention and gives them a bollocking. Park on the zig zags and you'll get a similar response from her.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh and I just remembered! I think the school staff have no authority to tell you to move your car if you park on the lines, hence them not being outside to enforce it. They can ask politely via newsletters and such but that's about it :(

    ReplyDelete
  15. Same prob at my sons school when they got rid of the drop off lane in favour of having kids get out in the road by busy traffic lights. Now they publish your vehicle reg in weekly newsletter if you park dangerously, the neighbours are complaining, traffic worse and council and school are trying to address it with a committee. Problem is its got a huge catchment area so not many can walk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very small catchment area here. all within half a mile I think!

      Delete
  16. The driver you mentioned also committed a public order offence if you were interested in reporting to the police.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed were you or anyone else put in fear by their words and actions? Worth letting the local neighbourhood team know as it may recur with the obnoxious driver so obviously having a problem with public safety.

      Delete
    2. Hindsight is wonderful lol!

      Delete
  17. Our local community policing team are fab! They regularly do the rounds of the local schools, primary and secondary, at the start and end of school. The PCSO's go out first and talk to people about why it is dangerous etc and take note of the offenders, they do a couple of visits, give warnings etc. Then a follow up is done with a police officer and persistent offenders get themselves a ticket for their trouble. It helps for a while, then as people start to go back to old habits a few months later the team appear again.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yes this is a problem here - and its worse as bad/illegal parking extends well beyond the zig zag zone.

    As an idea I would suggest schools put CCTV cameras covering the yellow zig zags with footage of people parking on them passed to the police and big signs making it clear this will happen. It would hopefully put people off the illegal parking while not requiring police on the spot if that makes sense.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I think this is a problem at many schools. The parking & driving at my kids primary & secondary schools is beyond belief at times. Those that park on the zig-zags are the same perpetrators every time. Additionally, they lie on a sharp bend & so visibility is even more compromised. I've spoken to the school staff, who just say that there's nothing that they can do. That's going to come back & haunt them when there is an accident, as there certainly will be. I've tried speaking to one of the worst offenders but she is bloody ignorant, it is a miracle (or curse) that she is able to drive a car at all. I'm thinking about leaflets under the wipers, that'll definitely get a reaction ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think there should be a 100 meter exclusion zone around schools! That'll learn em'!

      Delete
  20. Keep publishing the car registrations..... Spread the love

    ReplyDelete
  21. Sussex police have a phone line that you can report ant-social driving (and parking!) to - I reported someone a while ago for irresponsible overtaking and got feedback that the police visited and warned them. If you've got the numberplates (which you clearly have!) it might be worth a try with your local police? And for the record, no you're not over reacting - it's illegal and bloody dangerous.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I think I love you Ella........I thought I was the only one who stood-up to these morons who just can't understand that they put thier own children's lifes at risk as well as others.
    It's just a shame other parents won't speak out and shame these lazy b'stards into parking 50ft up the road.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Ohmigosh yes! We have morons like this at our school. Of course, then you have the types who park far back in the line and just let their kid walk by themselves to the door, no matter the weather or traffic.

    ReplyDelete
  24. We had a letter in our girl's coming home folder yesterday to all parents warning them not to park on the zig-zags by the gate and the yellow lines by the junction with the main road at the top of the hill. It doesn't apply to us as we walk to school but we've seen these letters at least once a year for 3 years now. In the past I've told the school about their roofing repair contractor parking on the zig-zags, and have often seen mini-cabs dropping off mums & kids whose cars have obviously died that morning; and round here the mini-cab drivers are nearly all immigrants who may have a licence but may be unaware of the highway code (they certainly don't care that you haven't belted up before pulling away) but I digress. The letter says that the neighbourhood team will be about to nab people.
    Digressing again though it seems to be par for the course for so many drivers now not ot give a monkeys about the rules of the road or any other person be they in a car or not. Examples seen in the last month include revving and rolling uphill over the stop line at a pedestrian crossing whilst the lights are red and traffic is going through the junction from the other roads, drivers whose cars are halfway over the stop line at a pedestrian crossing by a major roundabout (not paying attention?) pulling ahead and in in front of other cars with no indicators, and people wonder why all the local cyclist use the empty pavements.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm hoping I get a reply and then something is put in the school news letter!

      Delete
  25. I was asaulted by a parent from my local school after he parked his Chelsea tractor on the foot path, reversed it to get further on - nearly hitting me as he did so and then I was a "curtain twitcher" for taking his reg no etc. He is in court next month.

    ReplyDelete
  26. The selfishness of some parents when it comes to dropping off and picking up their children from school never ceases to amaze me. At my local school, not only do they park on the zigzag lines, but they also create dangerous and unnecessary obstructions by parking on side streets too close to junctions (indeed, usually parking directly on the junctions) with the main road on which the school is located. What this means is that any traffic driving in to these side roads has to do so blind and on the wrong side of the road because the correct lane is blocked. Very dangerous, completely unnecessary and utterly selfish. All they have to do is not park on the first 20 or so feet into the side road, but apparently this is too much of a chore.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Our school has put up massive notices with a phone number to report people to the police. Hasn't made a blind bit of difference. Its really hard to stop at this point to take photos to report them as there is no pavement and the cars on the yellow lines mean its not safe to let go of my kids hands, so I haven't a spare hand to operate a camera

    ReplyDelete
  28. In my opinion, wherever possible, parents should walk their children should to school. I know that some parents have to drive their children to school and then go on to work but, really, a little careful organisation in the morning should allow parents to park safely some distance away and walk their children the rest of the way. Walking allows parents and children to get exercise and actually look at the world around them. A short walk can provide topics of conversation about many things, thus improving children's knowledge, vocabulary and understanding. Dangerous parking of the type described above should never be tolerated. There is no excuse and penalties should be very expensive for those caught doing so.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments! All bloggers do! If you have something to say, agree or disagree I would love to hear it! I will reply to all! (or try my very best!) If however, you're a troll, save your breath!

Due to an increase in spam I moderate comments but ALL genuine comments will be posted. See above exclusions!