Solving Omlet Smart Auto Door Timing Issues with Alexa Routines

[Willow]

Have to vent somewhere. I live almost opposite an infant school. I continue to be very supportive of the school although only one of mine attended and that was many years ago. I accept living in the same rd as a school you have to accept a busy rd twice a day etc and my drive will be obstructed etc. so I work around that by ensuring I never have deliveries same time as school drop-off/pick-up and try to avoid having to go up or down the rd the same time and have even knocked down a wall to make it easier when I do need to get off the drive when someone is parking opposite. But why or why is there always a mother in a big 4x4 that feels she has the right to park on the zigzags opposite the school ? It is so selfish, they are effectively saying my child is the only one that matters, I don't care about endangering anyone elses.

 

Today I was parked on the rd opposite my house in the prime parking spot for the school as Sarah's hubby was parked on the drive and needed the space on the drive to cut new sofits etc. (great job btw if anyone else is looking to replace guttering/sofits).

 

As I tried to pull away a mother in a 4x4 drove past having checked down the cul de sac for a parking space, didn't even notice me drive away from the prime spot (I had to do my own pick-up from different school) and parked half on the pavement opposite the zig zags just a little past the legit parking space I'd left. To make it worse the school entrance is by a curve in the road so parking there badly obscures visibility for anyone getting past.

 

I stopped to explain she was obstructing visibility and of course she had an excuse why her need was greater and was a little aggressive about it. Interestingly I've politely asked a number of workmen not to park there as it obstucts visibility opposite the school and they *always* politely move their vehicles. the mothers doing school pickup never move the vehicles and always argue

[Calamity Jane]

How selfish. And rude.

[The Dogmother]

If the same people do it on a regular basis and don't respond to your requests, I'd photograph their cars, including licence plate and send copies to the local police, who will be out to book them PDQ.

[Seagazer]

Its funny before I saw that you had said it was a 4x4 I was going to write about the amount of them that used to park on the zig zags outside our primary school. We have a raised part of the road that the parents use to cross, the amount of parents I used to see that would park on the raised bit. It was hard for parents to see around, let alone YR 6 kids that would more often than not be walking on their own.

 

I really do not understand what goes through some peoples heads that they cannot see that they are parking dangerously for the kids - and we have a retirement block of flats in the road too and they often wouldn't be able to see past the cars.

 

The school would keep asking the parents not to park dangerously but obviously their need is greater than the safety of the children.

[Snowy]

Patricia I live in a very similar situation. Like you, I knew the problems when I moved there and I work round it. But some people give no consideration whatsoever to safety. They park on the zigzags, block the road and mine and my neighbours drives. And this is in a village where no one lives more than a 15 minute walk to school!

I have photographed cars before now and taken my 'evidence' into the headmaster but it doesn't make much difference, other than all the parents get a letter asking them to park considerately.

[Willow]

Sadly all the school can do no more than send letters I'm a governor for the school as well and all we can do is write to parents and ask the local PCSO's to wander past at school time...

 

Snowy, it's still worth you logging details with the school though so they realise it continues to be a problem. Personally I'd like the police to blitz schools the first month of the new school year to make the parents realise they will get ticketed then check back at random intervals. In eight years I've only once seen police in my road at school time.

[majorbloodnock]

If I lived that close to the school, I'd stick up a billboard (for a few months, say) just inside the boundary of my property, then photograph the cars from an angle that shows their number plates and stick the photos on the billboard, under a nice big heading of "Cars Endangering Your Children". I doubt it'd take long before the word got around and parents took a squint, even just for curiosity value.

 

**Disclaimer**

 

Obviously, this depends on how confident you feel. Probably not a good idea if you feel it's a fast track to a brick through the window.

[Cinnamon]

We did that Major,when I was on our primary schools committee.

And we published them in the monthly newsletter...worked a treat

 

To make matters worse,there is a bus stop next to the zigzags,and of course the bus timetable coincided with the end of school.

 

It got to the point that I almost dreaded pick up time.

And you are right,it is usually big fat,shiny 4x4s that are the culprits.

[Griffin]

I feel your pain, and like Snowy, "Ooops, word censored!"ody lives more than a 15 minute walk away from the school here. The local infant school is at the bottom of my road. Parents park all the way along the road, effectively turning it into a single track road, blocking driveways etc etc etc etc I cannot safely drive my car between 8.35am and 9.10am and again from 2.40pm and 3.15pm because I simply cannot get out onto the main road Double yellow lines mean nothing to this lot The PCSOs issue parking tickets every so often but absolutely nothing deters them. I suspect even if a child was seriously injured or killed, and I fear it is only a matter of time, they'd still park inconsiderately. Even I've been millimetres from being hit as I walked along the pavement! The road was blocked and somebody mounted the kerb and nearly reversed into me I gave his car a great big thump as I went past

 

Heaven forbid an emergency services vehicle needs to get through during those times Lives will be lost before the idiots get out of the way

Edited November 15, 2010 by Guest

[Pipichick]

My mum lives opposite an infant school, and had a very similar repeat offender parking on zig zags putting the other children at risk, she noted down the car registration and took notice of the times said car would show. She then popped down to the local police station who were more than happy to send a beat bobby up to read out the riot act. I think by staying anonymous you can observe and report without getting irate parents banging on your door

 

Good luck and well done for pointing out the inconsiderate parking to the mindless drivers

[Geoid]

Happens on my daily commute most of the time, one occasion this happened:

Car stops on markings (to drop off their child and stopping all the traffic)

Teacher from school: You can't stop here, zigzags

Driver: I'm just dropping him off, he will be late (or something like that)

Teacher: Your son is going to be late anyway

Me (shouting as loud as I can): "MOVE!"

Driver promptly speeds off

 

I also made this sign to put on cars:

[Charlottechicken]

I also live near a J&I school, and am amazed at the amount of children who no longer walk to school. It's the car equivalent of 'Robot Wars' twice a day round here. Cars squaring up to each other for a space, or just driving over the kerb and parking on pavements, or double yellow lines etc. Anything to avoid getting up 10 minutes earlier and parking on the builder's merchants 300 yards away, who have offered parking for cars taking children to school

[chuckmum6]

Patricia I live in a very similar situation. Like you, I knew the problems when I moved there and I work round it. But some people give no consideration whatsoever to safety. They park on the zigzags, block the road and mine and my neighbours drives. And this is in a village where no one lives more than a 15 minute walk to school!

I have photographed cars before now and taken my 'evidence' into the headmaster but it doesn't make much difference, other than all the parents get a letter asking them to park considerately.

 

I agree it is a big problem, but this really is a matter for the Police as the headteacher doesn't have jurisdiction over the highway, so really all they can do is ask the parents to obey traffic law. I would send you photo and car reg to the police they could do something about it.

[Snowy]

Oh I realise the headteacher is restricted , and he is doing what he can. But I would like to see more effort put into encouraging children to go on their bikes - in this village there are loads of safe paths away from the roads that children could use. A few years ago they also started promoting 'walk to school' which worked well for a short while. It hasn't been repeated since though. I think I need to go and make some waves

[abwsco]

Police around here aren't interested in it at all Mind you when they ignored an untaxed vehicle (by months) that was parked right next door to the police station (at least once a week for months) is it any wonder Traffic wardens weren't interested either. I just kept reporting it to DVLA.

[Lydia]

I too feel your pain. I live opposite an infant and primary school and regularly get my drive blocked and obstructed views. Once a parent parked actually on my drive.

 

We have a workman in at the moment and always make sure we move our cars so he can park on our drive and does not have to park illegally outside our house. Sadly the "I'll just be a minute, I'm late!" brigade does not have a similar consideration.

 

When the PCSO is there (which has happened about twice in nearly 13 years) they don't do it (but I have never seen anyone issued with a ticket, simply asked to move on). The next day it is back to the same old situation. Each September and the first few days of each term is a nightmare. The police are sympathetic but simply don't have the resources to send the PCSO everyday nor the resources to follow up number plate photographs (believe me, I've tried that too).

[Willow]

Fred that notice is great, if I pm you my email addr will you send me a soft copy please ?

[The Dogmother]

If I lived that close to the school, I'd stick up a billboard (for a few months, say) just inside the boundary of my property, then photograph the cars from an angle that shows their number plates and stick the photos on the billboard, under a nice big heading of "Cars Endangering Your Children". I doubt it'd take long before the word got around and parents took a squint, even just for curiosity value.

 

Was just about to post that myself, then read Major's own post. Name and shame always works

 

Good for you Fred.. I shouted earlier today at a cyclist (adult) hurtling down the narrow path on our street, nearly knocking over a couple of kiddies who were playing there.

 

I like this picture; a similar one is used in a poster locally outside a school to stop parking on zig zags, it says 'would you park on these zig zags?'

 

[Geoid]

Good for you Fred.. I shouted earlier today at a cyclist (adult) hurtling down the narrow path on our street, nearly knocking over a couple of kiddies who were playing there.

 

Its cyclists like that give the majority of cyclists who obey the law a bad name.

[sjp]

I also live right oppersite a J&I school, traffic to this one affects at least 5 streets at drop off /pick up times the later giving the most trouble as some of the parents arrive at about 2pm ish (I have to make sure I'm home by 2:30 or wait till 4pm)so they get the best parking spots which just happen to be right by my house parking on the zig zags is not to be risked through as the parking wardens take no prisoners first day that they took control they ticketed 8 in one spot in as many seconds by the time you see them it's to late the ticket is written

not sure if it's the same everywere but the police don't control the parking wardens in the west midlands now the councils do all zig zags in front of schools are now classed as double yellow lines in school time and get a visit at least once a month by the wardens

tthe 2 streets either side of the school were made a one way system about 5 years ago to make traffic flow better against the wishes of residents got forced through by the local beat bobby ( the only time that we knew we had one) and the neighbourhood watch coordinator who did even cover that part of the estate. it hasn't worked

rant over