My little center is located a block from a majorly large high school. The high school is undergoing renovations and has relocated their parent pick up car loop. Once located on the opposite side of the campus from us, it is now located on our side. Instead of going through the line and waiting their turn, these parents are apparently telling their kids to meet them just off campus. For over a week now, my tiny 5 space parking lot has had a constant parade of unauthorized parking. High school lets out at 215, right in the middle of nap time.... Doors slamming, kids talking loud, cars idling. I have been politely shooing them or......"this is private parking...you can't park here.....you are disrupting nap.....my clients need this parking" My husband says it's no big deal, but I disagree. I paid an architect $2000 to design it and $10k to have it installed. It's mine. Besides, I think it's a security issue!

So is it a big deal? Or am I being difficult? I don't want to put ugly signs everywhere, but I'm sick of patrolling it daily. The construction at the high school will take a YEAR.

WWYD?

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Put the signs up. You are right, it is private property.

You could call your local police dept and explain the problem. See if they can help by sending an officer over? Or, call a tow-truck company and tell them to be ready for a LOT of business.

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I would be putting up caution tape and signs, at least during school pick up time. A year is too long! And there is no way you are going to get through to that many people.

You could always complain to the school, but how are they going to stop it?

Blocking it off is your best bet

Signs that say "Private lot, no cars in this lot except for daycare. License plate numbers WILL be taken and reported"

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Could you use some type of temporary road block across the entrance during that time of day? (I'm picturing a chain suspended from two poles on heavy bases.)

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I know you don't want to, but I'd post some private property signs/violators will be towed or Sugar Magnolia customer parking only. I don't think you should have to police it. I think that's a much greater safety concern - personally policing it and shoeing them away - than just posting a sign.

Glad I don't have to deal with that issue here!

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The way I see it you have a few options:

1) Ignore them and just let them park there for the 30 minutes or so in the name of public relations.
2) Put up a sign notifying it private property and arrange for the police to patrol at the problem times
3)Put up a sign to start charging a parking fee and everytime you see a non parent park there go out to collect your fee.
4)Put up cones to block the lot during "high school pick up times"

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They never get out of their cars, just sit there! I'm sure they would pull out as out as they saw a tow truck. I doubt the police will do anything, they don't even break up fights in the street after school.
Ugh.

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Extra income

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Sigh. I guess I should get ugly signs. Complain to the school? The neighborhood association has been complaining for years. The high school had been there since 1929. That is always their comeback.:

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cones with a nice sign on them- make it friendly and call the school and explain the issue~ I would use the cones for a bit and then they will get the hint. If not put them back out. Or use permanent signage

I have the same issue but its my home. When cars pull in, it creates noise and really there is not much I can do about this. It does startle the kids when they are sleeping because they are used to no noise and then they will hear a door slam. Nap time is precious to me so I find it very annoying. white noise? I do this already and it still doesn't help-

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I would block off the entry/exit ways during pick up time. Tell your parents if they need to pick up during that time to call you first and you will have someone meet them at the entry way to move the cones for them. I don't think anything else will do any good.

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My husband could have written your #1 point! maybe you are both right! It just BUGS THE CRAP outta me.
I think I like blocking the entrance, but it's just one more darn task every day. Ugh

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Brilliant! Yes the entrance is cut through a wall..String a plastic.chain across This could work! And it's not as ugly as signs. Curb appeal is important to me. Thank you!

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Sooooo..... there was a violator out there as I was reading all your responses......I stayed put and just watched. The high school kid came about 3 inches from knocking over my motorcycle as he was getting in the car. Holy jeez, that would've been a scene. GRRRRRRR you don't mess with a woman's Ninja.

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And inexpensive. And temporary. And if you have an event when you want to look spiffed up, you can take it down.

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How about something like this? Not particularly attractive, but they go with the daycare theme, anyway.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...7&KPID=6341857


or
https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...d=0CIEBEKYrMAI



you could customize them somehow by putting your own "no parking" sign on their flag, and a t-shirt with your logo on them, even, or something else to cover the "slow" on this one.

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I would call the school. I know this is OFF site issues but it is caused by the school. Call them and tell them you are having an issue with parking. They can send out a memo to the students and parents letting them know that they are NOT to use off-site parking etc...

I would also consider calling a tow truck once or twice and maybe just ask him to sit in your parking space for a few minutes.... THAT might make them think twice.

If that fails, I would seriously call the tow truck on anyone parked there.

I am continually amazed at the entitlement people show towards others. Parking in fire lanes, private parking and in front of the front doors of somewhere is one of my biggest pet peeves. It is one of only a handful of things that raises my blood pressure.

You could always have the kids outside playing with permanent markers and oil based paints. If a car pulls up, let the kids paint on them.

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I don't know how much impact this tactic would have in your area, but if this was happening to me in my area (Ontario, Canada), I'd call the high school to complain and I'd also tell them that if they don't help resolve this problem that my next step is to go to the local news media and cry to them about how the high school's renovations are having a serious negative impact on your business (and the small children who spend their days at this business). Schools around here try to avoid negative press, especially when it's a high school's students bothering small children.

I'd also be seriously thinking about contacting the police and asking them what they think you should do about these trespassers.

If these measures fail, is it possible to have a friend or relative (who can be at your daycare at the right time) who can "police" your parking lot, turning away those who don't have any business on your property. It might only take a few weeks of parents not being able to use your lot before it's quiet again (they'll have found new p/u spots, and leave your property alone).

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I agree that I'd be calling hte school - and at the school the squeaky wheel gets the grease -- start with the principal and then start calling the administration and complaining and writing letters to the editor.
When I worked at school, if *anyone* came near to parking across a driveway of a home nearby, EVERYONE was notified immediately... because there was one specific neighbor who would complain. If the secretary at the school and the secretary at the administration building is tired of your calls, something will get done

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This would really irritate me.

I really doubt the highschool or school board would do anything about this.

I would stop by a local hardware store today and buy the plastic chain. Be sure to put flags or cones in front of it so the less attentive parents don't plow through it.

Inform your parents tonight that you are going to do this and to call if need be so you can let them in.

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Oh i like the flag one!! Make the flag say no parking! So now a Todd up between this and a chain.

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The parents will drive around the little guy. He's meant for everyone but them.

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I would most definitely call the school, the district office, the police... Find out what your rights are. Wouldn't this be like parking in someone's driveway? Our school had a real parking problem for awhile and had people supervising, passing out notes, etc. Sometimes the police would come by, like 3x a year so not much help from them. Parent were parking in driveways, blocking driveways, red zones, bus zones... It was awful! They sent notes home about it and asked parents not to park anywhere but x, y, z.
Fights between two minors at school and traffic enforcement are 2 different units here so I would try them again for sure. Go to city counsel meetings with pics/videos if you have to. This is an awful thing to deal with for a YEAR!!

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lol...you sound just like Nan!


I was thinking man....chain...man

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It is EXACTLY the entitlement part that flips my lid.
Sharlan, Spiny, Debbie......complaining to the school or police is truly a lost cause. They. Don't. Care. Period.

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This is exactly what I was thinking! Goes up quickly and can be taken down quickly when parents stay arriving.

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~~~~~~~~~

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They may care if there's property damage. If someone almost knocked over your motorcycle today... Imagine 8 months from now!

Perhaps printing flyers and handing them out to people when they come in (and jot down their LP# & color/type of car) stating this private parking for ABC childcare only and if they continue to park in here legal action will be taken. It's private property and they cannot pull-in or park there. Period. If that continued to happen I would buy signage, put up chains/plastic guys, etc. That's just so much extra time only to prevent people from breaking the law.

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I agree with a chain. Community relations? The parents probably don't even notice or care where they are parking. If they have high schoolers, chances are very good they also don't have really little ones (yes, it can happen but it's not typical) Calling the school? Even if they did do something (and you already know they won't) the extent would be a notice home. We all know how often those get read - I imagine it's even worse once kids are in high school

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People used to park in our driveway at our last house all the time, so I feel your frustration. The police absolutely did not care unless the car was parked blocking the sidewalk, and the tow trucks would charge me $30 for the call unless they got the wheels off the ground, then they'd charge the car owner. Tow trucks probably aren't going to hang around your parking lot for free.
I would not let people park there. If someone got injured, would your insurance cover it?

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Or what if a fender bender occurred? Or a student gets hit? It's a liability to have basically a public parking lot at your daycare.

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*Start with a chain or posted no trespassing sign.

*Do you have a homeowners association? See if they would help.

*Don't call the school but call the Board of Education.

*Call the police and explain the situation and make a complaint using the safety of your day care kids as a reason. I have found that everytime I mention that I am a child care to the powers to be they are all over it like white on rice.

*Contact your local news stations' Call to Action or whatever they call it and ask for help. They do those unsafe school area reports often. Maybe if they come out with a news truck it will make a difference.

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I vote for a meter!

This would irritate me too!

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I would stand out there at dismissal time with a note book and record all plate # 's and make , model of the cars take a pic even . Then tell the person in the car that this is private parking and they are not allowed to use it . If they are there again the will be towed at their expense .

Maybe if they see this happening they will think twice about parking there . If it is not always the same cars maybe they do not realize this is causing a problem for your business .

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I like the idea of a chain but would be worried that if there was an emergency... then what?

The only idea I have is to play music outside through a speaker... lullabies? the Barney song? something equally annoying to teenagers and/or their parents? A shopping plaza near my high school did this to discourage students from hanging out.

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Are there employee's who could park their cars to block the entrance to the lot if the lot isn't very big?

Do you have an automatic sprinkler system that you could turn on at that time and it could accidently go into the parking lot a little?

I like the idea of the Barney music and also telling the police it is a 'child safety' issue as parents sometimes pick up during that time (even if they don't ). How could they not respond to children possibly being hit by cars while being picked up?

The Barney song played in a loop over and over would do it for me!

Laurel

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I think we are all missing the most important point of this thread...
Sugar, you ride a motorcycle!!??? ouch:

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I like the meter-

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I think a sign that says Private Parking would be not TOO ugly, and help get the point across.

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I caught that .
We too used to have a ninja , oh how I missthose summer rides.

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Maybe members of her motorcycle 'gang' riding around the parking lot about that time?

Laurel

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She doesn't just drive a motorcycle...she drives it to daycare!

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We are getting the chain across the entrance. I called the school, they gave me the "yeah yeah yeah, we hear you but there's nothing we can do. I called.a tow company and they said they would tow, for a price. I called the police and they said it's trespassing, but they would have to issue warnings first and were just not interested in listening to my concerns.

And yes...... I drive a motorcycle to daycare.

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They call me....the Purple Ninja Princess. Full purple gear and purple flames on my bike.
My husband rides the Batman Bike.....blacked out ninja 600. The boys here like the bikes themselves, the girls like the fact I ride one.

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What did you finally do and did it work?

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I got a couple of orange cones and wrote no parking in big letters. We tried a chain, but the wall is very old and a solid mix of old concrete and sea shells, making it nearly impossible to drill into. Plus, the wall is city property and my hubs said the city might make a stink. (They have an aggressive code enforcement division).
So far, it's worked. One of my moms is a teacher at the elementary school next door to us. (not the high school violators) and she says they are now parking all over their property. The police and high school won't help them either.

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I was thinking about things that you could do and I know you said that the tow company wants to tow for a price, how much would they charge to come out, sit in the parking lot and look hungry? Then you or a staff member can approach vehicles and either charge them $5 for parking, tow their car or get off the lot. I would think that after a week people would get the hint.

I know it's a bummer to have to sit out there but for me I'd be all over that parking lot every weekday. As soon as they drove in I'd be headed their way, I'd take a photo while they watched me and then I'd tell them to move along or else

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