'Upsetting' note left on mum's car during school run leaves town divided

27 October 2023 , 10:13

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The mum parked her car near Ysgol Y Castell primary school

A mum-of-two was left "annoyed and upset" after an anonymous note was left on her car, asking her not to park in a certain spot while she picked up her kids from school. The note read: "Could you please stop parking here. You're preventing 3 other residents from parking. Thanks."

The woman's husband explained that she sometimes parks further away to ease pressure on the narrow road near Ysgol Y Castell primary school. However, this incident has sparked a debate in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, with some sympathising with residents who find themselves blocked in their driveways.

The family, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed their disappointment at receiving the note. "How can anyone moan about this after buying a house close to a school?" the husband questioned. He also compared it to people complaining about noise after moving next to a pub.

This is the dont park here note left on a mums car as she collected her kids from school in Rhuddlan (No credit)

He added: "Same people who moan about noise after buying a house next to a pub.”

After sharing the note on social media, he received a wave of support, NorthWalesLive reports. One woman wondered: "What is it with people these days?" Another local resident called the note "totally wrong and ridiculous". A third person even offered to park their car there for a week, calling the situation a joke.

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Rhuddlan, where this incident took place, has a rich history dating back to the 11th century when it served as the capital of Gwynedd. It was here that the first native Welsh coinage was minted in the 1180s, and Edward I established his Welsh Parliament in the 13th century.

According to modern laws, parking on a public highway isn't an offence unless there are marked restrictions. The RAC clarified: "It is perfectly legal to park outside someone's house, unless the vehicle is blocking a driveway or a wheel is over a dropped kerb. Where no parking controls exist, drivers do not have an 'automatic spot' for parking outside their homes."

The rules get a bit tricky when someone wants to remove a car blocking their driveway. If the car is on a public road, the council can step in. But if it's parked on the driveway itself, that's private property and the council can't do much about it.

In Rhuddlan, this issue has caused quite a stir. Some residents are pretty miffed at others who seem to think the roads are there just for them. One resident even found an angry note on her car this summer. Another had the same thing happen last year. "Left a note saying it's private parking for houses 6-18," she said. "It's public parking and I live at number 7."

This is a problem that's happening all over the country, especially as more people own cars and in streets where there's no off-street parking. In some cases, residents have to put up with big vans and motorhomes blocking their light.

Parking during the school run tends to only be a problem for a short time, but not all parents are considerate, says a man from Prestatyn. He said: "I lived almost opposite Bodnant school for 30 years. Some parents have no respect for rules or other people's kids, so long as their little Jimmy gets collected."

"We see it daily when I walk my children to school - the school is always sending letters to parents. But they always do as they please."

Some locals understand that their choice of home will always affect how much trouble they have with parking. A lady from Rhyl often found herself unable to leave her house at weekends when parents parked their cars to watch their kids play football in a nearby park.

"This was several hours every weekend, not just 10 or 15 minutes," she said. "Sometimes we struggled to get out of our drive. Or, if we were already out, we couldn't park outside our own home, only further down the road. As annoying as it was, we never once put a note on anyone's car complaining about it. And we lived there for 18 years."

Parking on pavements is another issue, especially for those with mobility or sight disabilities. And while it is legal to park on roads where you're not a resident, some drivers will park inconsiderately, as one Rhuddlan homeowner has experienced.

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If offenders are challenged, the responses are often "selfish and aggressive", she said. "We have politely asked people not to park opposite our gates," she said. "I need access and egress at ridiculous times due to being a search and rescue volunteer."

"Anyone is more than welcome to park outside my house. But if you can just have a quick look - and make sure I can get in and out!"

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Andrew Forgrave