Parent Blocking School Road to Stop Others Parking to Pick up Kids Slated

A parent threatening to stand in the road to stop other parents from parking outside her child's school has been criticized.

In a viral post on the popular discussion site Mumsnet, the user ChimneyPot shared their story.

In 2022, there were just over 284 million vehicles on U.S. roads. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, more than 500 children are killed every day as a result of road traffic collisions, while tens of thousands are injured.

While 90 percent of child deaths on the road happen in low- and middle-income countries, traffic collisions are the No. 1 cause of death among children aged 5 to 19 in the U.S.

The Mumsnet post has received hundreds of replies, and the parent wrote: "Parking at our school has been hazardous for years. There is a crossing guard on the main road at the school gates but not on a side road... lots of kids have to cross.

"Parents park at the junction on the side road blocking lines of site for pedestrians and cars trying to turn in and out. This often results in the road getting blocked and cars reversing back on to main road."

While the poster wrote that the school does send out communications to parents about responsible parking, nothing has been done yet.

Frustrated with the lack of action, the parent says they have started asking other parents not to park there, but their pleas have been largely ignored. They have started standing on the edge of the road to prevent people from parking.

"This has been effective," the poster wrote. "Today someone I know signaled me to move but I smiled and shook my head and they had to park a few meters down the street. They are not happy with me."

Mumsnet posters were divided, with one commenter saying: "Yes you are being unreasonable who blocks a road, teach your kid to walk further down and cross."

Another Mumsnet user wrote: "What are you going to stand there every day? Then cars will park there as soon as you leave or stop doing it. What is it really fixing?"

"I wouldn't intentionally aggravate people who are already driving irresponsibly where there are lots of young children, to be honest," said another reply, while another reader wrote: "You sound like a jobsworth."

Others backed the poster though, and one poster wrote: "Brilliant, keep doing it."

Another Mumsnet user commented: "I don't think you are being unreasonable. But you'll probably become known as that crazy annoying woman that stands in the road."

Newsweek was not able to verify the details of this case.