School Parking Enforcement and Entitlement

I have written before about how I volunteer (as a fellow parent) to help enforce the parking situation at my children's school.  I started volunteering due to a woman hitting my car numerous times in what I've deemed "the circle".  It's really just a one way loop.  The entire school grounds is ALL one way, but you'd never know that based on the way people drive and how many times I have to point out the one way signs/arrows.  The arrows are always repainted every 3 months, too, but parents just do NOT care.  They want to get their kid and get out of there asap.  God forbid there be ANY traffic.  God forbid they follow the laws.  But, whatever, I offered to help and I've been pretty much STUCK doing it.

I had my car banged in 3 times, and each time the woman drive off.  The first two times she didn't even apologize and basically told me that I shouldn't of "been there".  Mind you, I was parked.  I wasn't moving.  She could have avoided me easily.  Eventually, I had her arrested for leaving the scene of an accident on the third time. I let her get away with it the first two times, due to my car being a 2004 Acura MDX.  It can take a few hits, but that doesn't mean I should put up with it or that she should be doing anything that dangerous on school grounds.  The third time she once again didn't apologize and left a sizable dent on my front right tire well.  I was unhappy.  She even had the nerve to pull over for a second, joke about how I was going "nuts" (I was honking the horn and telling her to stop her car) with one of the teachers.  When she left the scene again, I realized she was never going to learn her lesson.  I had her arrested for leaving the scene of an accident (she later tried to get me "fired" from parking enforcement via a friend of hers threatening to kill me - also recorded).  She was going to initially refuse to pay for the damages, but I have a camera on my dashboard.  I recorded the whole incident.  She quickly changed her story.  Kind of hard to refute hardcore EVIDENCE.  She eventually paid for the damage.

I have been volunteering to help with the parking/traffic enforcement ever since.  I started approximately 2.5 years ago.  It has not been a lot of fun for me.  I started with a "helper" originally, but he had a car accident over the summer break (he was training to be a fireman and a drunk driver hit him).  He can no longer volunteer, as he can barely walk.  I am doing it solo this year.  I tend to run across the parking lots quite a bit (the school parking lots are actually huge and hard to maintain solo).  I tend to tell people mainly where it is okay to park, and help direct the flow of traffic (both on foot and those driving).  I even got a nifty new stop sign to use this year!  (Yes, awesome!)

Not only do I make it safer for their children, but I help get the traffic out of the way...so they can get out of there quicker.  No one likes traffic.  It's a headache.  I help with that.  I keep people safe, and I help them go about their way.  Personally, I hate the traffic myself.  My kids take forever to get out of school.  I have the time to do this, sometimes.  So, I volunteer and put up with a lot of shit while doing it.  (I can never even begin to explain how many times I've just wanted to scream at some idiot, but I hold my tongue.)

I'm sure everyone has seen the parking outside of their children's school, or the general school rush.  It's hell, now imagine trying to get it all under control.  That's even WORSE.  I try to get the cars and kids through the after school rush as quickly and as safely as possible, even at risk to myself.  I have been hit by cars (I actually went onto the hood of someone's car that was going too fast, and he hit me due to being unable to stop.  I'm lucky I wasn't seriously injured.  You should NEVER speed outside of your children's school!), another child (not mine) has been hit while crossing the "loop" (car was parked illegally, kid was fine if a little scraped up), and the cops have ticketed many people.  But, that doesn't change anything.  I hand out the rules to people parked illegally, and those that have no idea.  I also leave a copy of the rules on windshields of people parked illegally in the school bus ONLY lane.  This doesn't change their entitled me-me-me attitudes, nor their asshole tendencies.

I tend to be a happy person while on duty. Even when someone is screaming in my face, but when 3:00pm comes around (~65min after I show up) I tend to start losing my patience with the entitled assholes.  I have an issue with one or two of the same parents.  I have memorized their license plates, that is how often I deal with them.  I have tried everything from being nice and informative, to being stern and informative.  I try to always remain polite.  However, once that 3pm rolls around, I am tired (and 4 months pregnant) in the sweaty heat. I just want to go home.  I shouldn't have to KEEP having these same exact conversations with people.  I shouldn't have to put up with these two assholes verbally abusing me or threatening to physically assault me.  (I have been assaulted once before, and I recorded the incident.  Her child still attends school but is required to ride the bus now)

I have had many conversations with parents, and most of them truly had no idea about the school parking rules - even though I carry copies of the rules on me, and they hand out of the rules EVERY week.  I am happy to inform the ones that have no idea, even if they are lying.  I tend to have a lot of patience when it comes to the truly unknowing or the ones that just need to be warned once/twice.  I actually have a LOT of interesting conversations with other parents.  Sometimes, I just chill out and talk to them for a bit.  It's my little way of making sure they feel welcome and not like I am singling them out.  I even handed out lollipops the other day to those that parked correctly, with a thank you note attached.  THESE types of parents make my job EASIER.  I LOVE these types of parents, as they are more then willing to either stand up for me or help me sometimes by telling others they are parked illegally.  I don't even mind if they are being fake nice with me, I really don't care.  If I don't have to say anything to them, then it's less work/running around for me.

What I do NOT have patience for is the one or two ASSHOLES I come into contact EVERY fucking day.  Today, I came into contact with one of the repeat offenders.  He's a real gem for sure.  He drives an old blue truck/suv.  His wife and him are super obese.  I have spoken with this "man" at least a dozen times this year, and we are only 2-3 weeks into school.  (Last year, I tallied how many times I spoke to him...and it reached into 80s..)  He is purely lazy, and so is his wife.  He only needs to pull up about 10 feet and it's completely legal to stop there to pick up his wife.  But, instead, he ALWAYS parks on the emergency/handicapped fire curb (this is a one way single lane road with red curbs, handicapped ramps, and fire hydrants).  But, today, I gave it back to him.  I informed him that there is a cop that watches the "loop" and does ticket people that park/stop illegally.  I told him that there have been many accidents in the loop and that if he wanted to do a quick pick up and go, he should use the YELLOW assigned spots. (Did I mention that there is paint in BRIGHT letters/words/arrows that help enforce this?  He ignores it)  He called me a stupid bitch.  I don't curse outside of my kids' school, I don't want other children (not my own) learning curse words from me...and having to hear their parents bitching about it later.  I also try to remain polite, even when people are assholes to me.  However, today was not one of those days...and he had given me lip yesterday.  I was naturally out of patience by the time he spewed his hate at me.  I informed him I was 4 months pregnant and shouldn't have to walk across three parking lots to tell some fat fuck that he is parked illegally.  Yeah, not my shining moment of awesome - and I shouldn't of cursed, but no one was around to hear, so whatever.  His fatass wife can walk an additional 10 steps to get into his car when he is picking her up, especially if I could do it in the previous years with even WORSE medical conditions then her/him. (Obesity is NOT a medical condition in my mind, it's a stupidity issue. You should NEVER expect special treatment just because you are obese.  There are OTHER people who truly NEED to park closer, and this couple is NOT one of them.)

Let me explain this to those of you reading this:  I still did parking enforcement last year when my hip was dislocated  (by 4 inches!) for ~5 months of my last pregnancy - on crutches.  I did it while I was still recovering physically from meningitis,and still having the light sensitivity/headaches/back-neck pain/etc.  I did it while 9 months pregnant (when possible) and felt like I was going to go into labor ANY minute.  I did it when I shouldn't of been doing it.  I did it during the rain.  I did it when it was below freezing out and a blizzard outside.  I do it now, during the 95 degree weather...while pregnant and wanting to vomit the whole time.  I do it ALL the time, and these people are damn lucky I do it at all.  No one wants to do this.  It's not a fun "job" to volunteer for.  (My theory is: if I could park legally and HELP with the traffic/parking while basically unable to walk for MONTHS...then they can do it while healthy.  There is NO EXCUSE, not even a handicapped placard for parking in the FIRE LANE.  They have handicapped ONLY areas for a REASON.  USE THEM.)
 
My husband is not a fan, for sure.  He tells me to quit all the time, but I've seen what happens when I miss even a day of doing it.  It goes to hell in a hand basket and takes WEEKS to get it back under control again.  I do this because I want the accidents to stop.  I want people to follow the law.  Why is it that the minute they hit school property, people just ignore that there are LAWS to follow?  Do they think they are special?  This is still a place you can get ticketed.  It is still illegal.  Just because you are on school property, doesn't mean that it's any LESS illegal to do.  You should especially be following the law and being super careful, because you NEVER KNOW if a kid is going to randomly dart in front of your car!  But, whatever.  These people are all about THEIR needs.

So, today, I took another picture of his car/truck/suv garbage thing parked illegally.  If I see him doing it again within the next week, I will be taking it down to the police precinct.  I will ask them to start ticketing people AGAIN, as I can't enforce EVERYONE.  I'm also going to have a talk with the principal, as I *think* his wife works for the school.  At the very least, she should know better AND should have had a talk with him BEFORE.

But, people are still surprised that I am not paid for this job, nor am I a teenager making some extra fun money.  They are truly surprised I have 3 children and another on the way.  I am unhappy that I have to constantly police people (they are like sharks, the minute my back is turned..someone is attempting to break the law and then trying to lie about it.  Apparently, my eyes don't work and it was really the person in front of them....every fucking time.  Uh huh.).  I should NOT have to be a babysitter to GROWN ASS ADULTS.  I shouldn't have to hear EXCUSES.  Take responsibility for your actions, follow the laws, and stop being dicks.  I KNOW if I saw you doing it.  I KNOW if it was you, or not.  I KNOW if you are lying to me.  I may come across as a polite idiot and even excuse you for it sometimes, but that doesn't mean you get away with it.

I also had a unique occurrence today.  I've heard all of the excuses before, and it is truly rare when I find someone comes up with a new one.  This one takes the cake though - for this year, so far.  Today, the same repeat offender (a woman in a silver car) was sitting in the red fire lane again.  She tried to speed past me, but I learned a long time ago to just stand in the street and make them stop.  If they hit me, it's because they were speeding or doing something illegal.  I've informed her numerous times not to park in the fire lane.  Today, I once again informed her she cannot park there and her excuse?  "Well, the crossing guard holds up traffic so far back that I can't help but try to get out of here sooner!  Can't you do anything about that?"  Huh, what?  The crossing guard is a nice old man, who puts the children first.  Traffic is the last of his concerns.  He cares ONLY about the children crossing the street.  He also works for the city and gets PAID!  I help with the traffic, so that there is only about a 10-15minute window of traffic, but I can't be in two places at once.  The traffic COULD be MUCH worse (and it's truly terrible in the morning when I don't do my shift), and that is NO excuse to park illegally.  Whatever.  Sadly, the people behind her heard this conversation and about 5 total cars complained together about him.  It's like dominos.  Yesterday, the domino complaint was: "That wasn't me!  That was the car in front of me!  Did you talk to them?!"

I gave him some pre-warning that parents were whining about traffic and blaming it on him.  I told him not to worry though, as I think they are full of shit (I just wanted to make sure he KNEW people were complaining about him).  But, that's a new one for me.  Yesterday, her excuse was that it "was really quick though!".  Doesn't matter.  It's illegal.  I don't care if it's really quick or not.  If it's illegal, I'm required to say something - or really, what's the point in my being there?  Just to smile at people?  HA!

I am considering just not volunteering after Halloween.  I'm going to give the principal about a month or two to find a replacement.  (Good luck, man!)  I doubt he will though, and it will go to hell in a hand basket - again.  No one wants to do this, not even me.  This is a hard job, and we bite our tongues a LOT...so don't be surprised that one day when you are hurling insults at that VOLUNTEER...that the Jersey might come out and they give it right back to you.  I'm human, I deserve to be treated with RESPECT as I treat YOU with respect.

So, while you are picking your children up from school - keep in mind the other cars, the LAWS of the school area.  Be careful.  And...be polite.  Just don't make excuses, as they usually are full of shit, and people like me won't have to say anything to you.  If you follow the laws, you won't have any issues.

Update:

Found out today that in order to get other parents to volunteer, they had to offer to pay them.  Two new parents are coming into the fold and being paid.  I am to train them and then essentially quit.  I am angry that I was not offered a paycheck first (I was a LONG time ago, but never really considered it...).  I am angry that these parents need to be PAID in order to help out.  It seems like a slap in the face to not even be considered for the "job" when I have been doing it for so long, AND I have to train them.

At least, someone else will be doing it.  I am moving next year and currently pregnant.  I don't have a lot of time to be shuffling my butt across the parking lots and stuff.  I would not enjoy doing it while pregnant again.  I won't apply for a paid position simply because I was doing this in my free time and it was almost a zero commitment thing.  I could skip a day if needed.  Because it turned into an actual job, I wouldn't be able to skip a day (even if I don't usually).

So, I will train these new moms (one of which seems REALLY dense to how people act) and teach them what I know.  Then, I will go back to reading a book in my car.  Good luck to them!  I am officially done on Wednesday.


Update x2:

Apparently the one that DID show up gets paid by the school to watch the handicapped children get onto buses everyday.  This takes a total of 10 minutes and she gets paid 20 bucks per day for it.  This also means she can only volunteer between 2:40 and 3pm.  School gets out at 2:30pm.  I need to be there at 1:55pm to start clearing out the illegally parked cars.  So, basically, she is getting paid to do nothing.  She's also a massive push over.  These parents are going to eat her alive.

The other new girl never even showed up.  So, no clue there on what happened to her.  All I know is there was I  having to do this duty by myself again, and these two chicks are being paid to do it.  Wtf.  Why am I still having to do their job for them?  And who the fuck is the other chick?