Should I report to police?

[Play Care]

I transport to our local preschool, and it's on street parking. The road is somewhat narrow and on one side, just up a little ways, there is a no parking sign on a corner. However because there isn't parking parents will park there for a few moments to drop off and pick up. I've been bringing kids now for years and it's never been an issue.

For some reason this school year a woman in town has decided to make it her job to let parent know that it's a "no parking" area. This woman does NOT live on the street and further, someone parking there in no way affects traffic flow. But even more importantly, I can't tell you how many times the local police patrol that stretch and I have never seen anyone issued a ticket for parking there during the drop off/ pick up times or be asked not to park there by them.

Today I was picking up and parked in that spot (as I've done before) because they were bringing the kids to me and I knew it would be quick. Of course today crazy lady sees me and pulls up next to me and starts honking and yelling "can't you read!" I ignore her and she continues to pull up to me screaming and honking. As I get in the car, she pulls her truck up as if she were going to block me in so I will have to hear her

I can ignore crazy. But blocking me in?! At that point I tuned and said I was calling the police. She may have said she didn't care but took off. Of course the kids had no idea what was going on until I said I was calling the police. Then they started asking why, what was going on, etc. I do feel bad because I had heard she had said things to other parents, but I thought a snide comment - not the honking, blocking people in, etc. so while I acknowledge I was initially in the wrong, I have been debating giving our local police a call to report. Or calling a family member who is the under Sheriff for our county and running it by him. But I think someone who harasses others for a parking violation the way she did does need to be reigned in (or committed )

[Crazy8]

honestly, since you are on the wrong side of the law here (despite everyone doing it and it only being for a few minutes, etc.) I would not report it to the police. I'm not sure anything she did would be considered illegal.

[NightOwl]

I think it could be considered harassment. Your parking spot is not her concern if it is in no way affecting her. She can't legally trap your car in its place, illegally parked or not.

[llpa]

I might be pretty tempted to report it as harassment, but I wouldn't count on being able to park there anymore. I have a feeling if it became an issue between two people then the police are going to be on top of it.

[daycare]

I would have to say that I would let it go and not park there again. I am a rule follower, even if it does not harm anyone. There is a reason that sign is there. As annoying as the lady was, she didn't break any laws.

[Unregistered]

Isn't there a rule you can't park so many feet from a corner to begin with since it creates a hazard for cars trying to turn (it blocks sight lines). I think you were both in the wrong. Call the police and ask them what they say.

[TwinKristi]

I guess it would really depend on the parking spot location. I don't put up with people bullying me, regardless of why. I would call the police just to give them a heads up. Explain you've done this at the school and it's been ok in the past, you have a daycare and car full of kids and parking is not the best in that area. I've has schools make exceptions for me parking and picking up kids so I don't think they're going to shame or ticket you for calling about this or anything. What the lady did was wrong and borders assault!
Believe me, as much as I'd like to yell and scream at all the I people who park illegally at my kids' school, it's just not my place nor will it help. I don't know what state you live in, but some places that lady may be met with a gun! We had a parent who volunteered to "police" the parking area at our school a few years back :: he quit after he was almost assaulted by someone. Granted his tactics were only verbally comparable to your story, I gave him an earful when he came up to me. I wasn't even parked yet and he was all over me.

[Play Care]

It's not a corner like what most of you are probably thinking. I just spoke with another preschool parent and they were all really angry. You can't block someone's car in just because they are not listening to you. That IS illegal. Does my initial illegal park job warrant and illegal response?

[Crazy8]

It's not a corner like what most of you are probably thinking. I just spoke with another preschool parent and they were all really angry. You can't block someone's car in just because they are not listening to you. That IS illegal. Does my initial illegal park job warrant and illegal response?

I'm not sure I am picturing the blocked in part when you were parked illegally at a corner on a narrow street.

I'm looking at it like this… If there was a child left in a car for just a minute and another lady came up and saw it just as mom was coming back to the car and started yelling at her for it would the police come and arrest the lady for yelling or would they be arresting (or reprimanding in a less drastic case) the mom for leaving her child in the car???

No, two wrongs don't make a right. But I don't think it justifies a call to the police in this case either. You asked for opinions, this is mine.

[Play Care]

I'm not sure I am picturing the blocked in part when you were parked illegally at a corner on a narrow street.

I'm looking at it like this… If there was a child left in a car for just a minute and another lady came up and saw it just as mom was coming back to the car and started yelling at her for it would the police come and arrest the lady for yelling or would they be arresting (or reprimanding in a less drastic case) the mom for leaving her child in the car???

No, two wrongs don't make a right. But I don't think it justifies a call to the police in this case either. You asked for opinions, this is mine.

I don't mind your opinion, I did ask

That said, that's what I mean when I say it's not a corner like most of you would see, more of a round curve in the road. Because of this she was able to angle her truck in front of my van. Actually by parking there, it clears up the congestion in front of the school.

[Luna]

I wouldn't call the police. When I read your story I immediately thought of the episode of "Cops" where one guy called the police because the other guy took off the money he paid him for drugs. I also thought of a Judge Judy episode where she explained the "but for" rule...the lady wouldn't have blocked you in but for you being parked where you shouldn't have been. I watch too much tv!
People parking illegally is one of my pet peeves, so I'm probably not who you want to hear from. If there's no parking allowed there, it's for a reason.
They may not be enforcing it because nobody is complaining, but if you call the police and bring it to their attention...

[Heidi]

I'm guessing the "no parking" thing is because when the road is just a road, not a pick up point, it creates a blind spot or something? Or increases the chance of an accident some other way?

If not, can you find out how to have the sign removed?

I would run it by family, though. Or, call the non-emergency number and ask their opinion without giving names or identifying the lady. For now, anyway.

To me, "parking" implies getting out of your car and leaving it. You see people dropping off kids or elderly folks in the fire lane all the time in some places. I would never complain about that, myself. But, me, I'm definitely not a black-or-white kind of gal.

[Angelsj]

If it is a real issue and people are doing it regularly, maybe the city council needs to be aware so the road/rules/whatever can be changed. If you have a friend on the force, I would run it by them, but I don't know if I would make it official.

That said, that lady needs a life. Or maybe committed, as someone else said.

[Play Care]

I'm guessing the "no parking" thing is because when the road is just a road, not a pick up point, it creates a blind spot or something? Or increases the chance of an accident some other way?

If not, can you find out how to have the sign removed?

I would run it by family, though. Or, call the non-emergency number and ask their opinion without giving names or identifying the lady. For now, anyway.

To me, "parking" implies getting out of your car and leaving it. You see people dropping off kids or elderly folks in the fire lane all the time in some places. I would never complain about that, myself. But, me, I'm definitely not a black-or-white kind of gal.

Our middle school is on the opposite corner of the preschool. And although I keep saying corners it's not - it's like a triangle shape with the middle school on the larger side and two roads - I assume they put the no parking signs because they don't want all day parking there and the road does get very congested during middle/high school dismissal - which preschool times are scheduled around so the isn't any conflict. And that's my main point- I wasn't parking. My car was running and the teachers were bringing the kids to me. I stopped the van there because otherwise I would have had to park across the street and down much further.
Gah! The only reason I was in that spot was because I was trying to make it easier on the teachers! Which reminds me that no good deed goes unpunished. ::

[MarinaVanessa]

I was thinking about this in my head for a bit and the following scenario came to mind ..
PD - "This is _____ Police Department.
ME - 'Hi, I'd like to make a report. A woman blocked my car as I was picking a child from school today and she was yelling at me"
PD - "What was she yelling you about?"
ME - "I was parked in a red zone and she was angry about it and she started yelling at me and then she blocked me in .... "

It makes me think about when neighbors have issues and one comes out to yell at the other from his own property or from the street. You can report it but more than likely nothing will be done unless things get violent. Technically it could be considered freedom of speech.

In this case I have a feeling that the police may keep an eye out for her and maybe talk to her about blocking cars in which probably blocks traffic in the road or creates another safety hazard but they'll probably also suggest for you to stop parking there especially if you were already aware that she was saying something to people that parked there.

I'm assuming that the red zone there (no parking) is because of the curb. Curbs create blind spots for drivers and people puling in and out of curbs and into direct traffic can be dangerous. I would do as others suggested and call the city to ask why it is a no parking area and suggest what you need to do to make it a loading area etc.