A British mother has sparked debate online after revealing she is considering blocking cars that park in her driveway while on their way to school.
Go to the parenting forum Mumsnetthe anonymous woman explained that there was an elementary school at the end of her street and that when her driveway was empty, parents would park across the street to pick up their children.
The unnamed mother said things reached a breaking point earlier this week when she confronted one of the parents – who tried to tell her they “had to” be there to pick up their child.
She then asked if she was unreasonable blocking the cars, wondering if it was “too petty.”
Other users said it took mere moments to pick up kids and keeping them inside would be aggressive.
A British mother has sparked debate online after revealing she is considering blocking cars parking in her driveway as they run to school (stock image)
In her original post, the woman wrote that she self-parked in a visitors’ area across the road from her home, leaving her driveway clear for her partner.
But she explained that around the school rush, people started parking across the street from her driveway.
She wrote, “I work from home and usually park outside my house so my partner can park in the driveway when he gets home between 3:30 and 4:00 pm.”
She said, “However, lately people have been parking in my driveway. Last week I caught someone breaking in. I knocked on their window and they argued with me and told them to pick up their child.
“Eventually they moved, but moved to where they blocked half my driveway and half my neighbor’s so no one could access it.”
She wrote, “I haven’t bothered to confront them again, but in the future I think I’ll block them. Is that too petty?’
She revealed a little more of her plan, saying, “If I blocked someone, it would only take 30 minutes to cause some stress and teach them a lesson.”
She added: “I reported it to the school but all they said is that they have already asked parents not to block residents so I’m not sure what else to do.”
The anonymous woman took to parenting forum Mumsnet and explained that there was an elementary school at the end of her street and that when her driveway was empty, parents would park opposite to pick up their children.
Many other users said it was an appropriate move for the parents who parked their cars across the driveway.
One wrote: ‘I would do it without a doubt.’
Another wrote, “Block them in and take a nice long walk,” while a third wrote, “Absolutely do this, they’ll stop soon.”
“I would,” added a fourth. ‘What guts. Or put a chain across your driveway.”
‘Yes! So what if they get aggressive? Go in and call the police,” another wrote.
“I’d suggest a big plant pot with some thorns at the bottom of the driveway that your dear partner can move when he gets home.”
Many of those who answered backed the woman and told her to block the cars run by the school
Another commented, “I would first tell them very clearly and not aggressively that it is an offense to block a driveway, and how would they want it done to them?
If they still do it, take a picture of the car and report it. If they don’t listen to you, they might listen to the authorities.’
But some said she was unreasonable.
One of them warned, “Blocking someone can lead to a very aggressive situation, so I wouldn’t do that.”
A third wrote: ‘But can blocking get you fined? Isn’t it technically breaking a traffic rule?’
Others said they would take other measures.
One of them wrote, “A big traffic cone would certainly be your friend here.”
Another said she should bill for the space and leave a note on the offending car.
Others disagreed, saying she reacted to the situation in a “very aggressive” way (pictured)