Our Condo development has only one way in or out and sits off a major 45 mph road. The entrance/exit is a boulevard with two narrow lanes in and two out. The island in between has our flagpole and some flowers etc.

The local school has decided to make its bus stop in the street cutout just before our roadway.

Around 3:30 each day (and probably in the morning), cars park/stand in the roadway, narrowing our private road to one lane. There is a small lot inside our development and legal street side parking about 50 yards from where cars park to pickup their kids, also inside the development.

I believe some of these families do not live at my Condo. Children aren't common as the largest units are 1520 sq. ft, two bedroom units.

I photographed the license plates and rear portions of four cars last week. One mother objected, claiming it wasn't legal for me to photograph them...only to later chase after my car to photograph my plates. An officer came to my door about 50 minutes later to get "my side of the story". He said they reported I was acting suspicious and that children had gotten scared.

I was advised that only certain traffic violations were enforced and I could call if the road was totally blocked. The Officer and I had a 15 minute conversation inside my unit.

I did a FOIA request and got his redacted report. He summed up our conversation in three sentences and made some errors.

1. Is there a process to correct an existing (civil) police report?

2. How do I get these parents to make other parking arrangements? They usually wait 30 minutes and that seems enough time to drive to the school and skip the bus altogether. If a kid can walk between 100 ft. and 1400 ft., there really is no need for a parent to wait at the stop. Our Property Manager isn't very helpful. Says the School won't change the bus stop and the police say they won't get involved.

UPDATE: I made an official request for marking the curbs NO PARKING or posting a sign. The Board will consider it at their next meeting. I've emailed a strong case as a safety and liability issue. I also found out who one of the soccer Moms is and requested a warning letter. Second offense is a small fine.

Met the Chief of Police at a Community Relations Department roll out of a new program for citizens and cops to get acquainted. Haven't written a rebuttal to the report yet. Not 100% sure if I will be doing it. Leaning that way, especially if the soccer Mom is fined.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Redford1970,

Kids are probably registered at one of the condo addresses (their friends place) for school, also where mom has her gubmint benefits addressed.

I went through this with my piece of ex, school doesn't care

Sounds like something some dumb bitch Michigan soccer mom would do (calling the cops). It makes no sense to me why parents would obstruct traffic on private property so their kids don't have to walk the rest of the way home. Why not just drive to the school like you mentioned? I don't know how important this issue is to you, but can you petition for signage against standing/parking? If I accurately am picturing this, these parents are creating an unsafe situation for any child getting of that bus. Has the school considered their liability in case of an accident? I know our school system would drive right past my driveway to drop my kids off at an intersection in the sub even when my kids were the only ones dropped. I guess don't look for much common sense there.
good luck Redford from Belleville

We have a sort of similar situation here. Gated community.

"Illegal" to take photos of license plates, of cars that are blocking the right-of-way? Give me a break! If I were aggravated enough by this, I would continue photographing, and if a snowflake's mommy objected, I would just tell her that I have every right to document the fact that they are blocking a traffic lane. Pound sand, lady.

As far as property manager not showing any interest, s/he is probably an employee of a property management company. Not at all likely that this manager is the top of the food chain. My approach here (yes, I have done this, with excellent results) would be to find out who the Big Kahuna is, the Top Dog in that management company, and write a diplomatic but firm letter, sent by certified mail. Or if you have a lawyer who will not charge you an arm and a leg to generate a letter like this, that would be even better.

You might want to investigate the process, in your jurisdiction, of getting an injunction from court, restraining the miscreants from blocking a traffic lane.

As far as the officer's errors in the report, a brief summary letter correcting the errors, again sent by certified mail to the PD should create a documentary trail.

I, too, would be aggravated about the whole situation.

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
Kids are probably registered at one of the condo addresses (their friends place) for school, also where mom has her gubmint benefits addressed.

I went through this with my piece of ex, school doesn't care

Kids no longer need to live in the District. I heard it's called School of Choice in Michigan.

quote:

Originally posted by Redford1970:
Kids no longer need to live in the District. I heard it's called School of Choice in Michigan.

Not all districts in Michigan are School of Choice, and even those that are can set some restrictions (i.e. only kids from neighboring districts).

But to answer your questions:

1. No, other than contacting the officer's supervisor and making a stink that he/she got details wrong in the report. You are not going to get the officer's report "changed," they would probably just add your comments into a supplemental report. Maybe not even that.

2. I think you answered your own question. With the details you provided and no one really being willing to help, you will not be very successful in getting these people to move.

The District is not going to care about your plight, the police already told you the same. The only other solution, I suppose, would be to see if there is anyone higher up the chain than your property manager as V-Tail suggested.

If it is a private road, you can have them charged with trespassing if not visiting someone in the development. Also it has to be posted that it is a private road.

The police will not enforce it unless you are having problems and a letter from the management is addressed to the police of the problem.

Maybe they should put up no parking along the roadway?

We have that problem all the time at my lot out in the country. I could write a book about the experiences and close calls.

GTE parked in my driveway eating lunch, trashing the place and then taking a nap; couple getting friendly and me taking pictures and she wants to know why I'm taking pictures since obviously they were not married.

41

Is this a private or public school? There are perhaps other avenues to explore which might prove helpful. The buck usually stops at the School Superintendent's office. Where I live they are elected officials. The issue to stress in not yours but CHILD SAFETY. Most news stations also have so called "ACTION REPORTERS" who do some story about this kind of stuff. Of course this would not work in a major metropolitan area. Do not mess with Soccer moms, they can make up all kinds of shit like you were a sex offender or something. These parents often will stop at nothing to make your live miserable. I guess you could also bribe the bus driver. Try to think outside the box. Hope this helps.

Let's break this down.

You have a property manager, so you likely have an HOA, with a board. Start wearing them out.

You started obviously taking pictures, but then when you were confronted, you didn't get in front of this. You allowed the parents to mischaracterize what you were doing so when the officer showed up you are on the defensive.

You invited the police officer inside. You don't need to do that, especially if you are the POI based on the buttercups report.

You see, this had turned from a traffic problem, to a suspicious person.

You FOIA'd the report? If it's inaccurate you are not likely going to get it changed, but you are cementing the opinion that you are a PITA down at the station.

If you want anything done, you need to reframe this.

The cars reduce the passageway to one lane. If a child darted out between the cars, he would certainly be hurt. You were taking pictures to show the school principal, because you don't want a child hurt.

Then go see the principal and get yourself on record about the hazard.

Then start in on the HOA. And the Property Management company about the hazard. If a child is injured on your private road, then there is a risk that the legal entities will all be defendants. You are only trying to be the good guy here.

Escalate with the elected school board, get some of your neighbors to write letters to the local paper about the risk that this bus stop poses.

Don't allow this to be about the snowflakes and how they are trespassing and you may get somewhere.

I think ZSMICHAEL hit it on the head. He was in while I was still typing! LOL.

You might try the police chief himself.
You might also pass a petition among those who live in the neighborhood to get it stopped. Give it to city council.

Unless the property owners themselves filed the required paperwork to allow traffic enforcement on that portion of private property, local pd's have zero jurisdiction. In NJ, only DWI, Careless and reckless Operation can be enforced on private property. This would be neither.

The property owners or HOA can file the paperwork to have the roadway included in a legal and enforceable No Parking ordinance.

I had a similar issue with a School District also in Michigan. They placed a bus stop in front of our house without asking us. The Superintendent and I had a long discussion regarding property damage, liability and inconvenience to us as taxpayers,property owners and residents. Bottom line, bus stop was moved.

Yeah in Ohio, on those private streets, all they can do is reckless and OVIs as well. The popo can watch a car run stop signs on that street and can't enforce it unless they hit someone (that's where the reckless comes in).
They can't even write parking tickets unless someone is blocking a hydrant.

Does this impede emergency vehicles (firetrucks) from the neighborhood ?

Cut down the bus stop sign and post "no parking between the following hours..." signs?

Police reports are a matter of public record and anyone should have access to them. BUT they could charge you for a copy. Macomb County has some issues and not the most OPEN county in this state of Michigan. People are allowed to photograph things on public property but you are probably dealing with some CRAZY HELICOPTER MOM. GOOD LUCK!

Some clarification

This is a bus stop which is unmarked and it from a public school. The road is 4 lanes wide in both directions. It stops in a "cutout" which is a very short 5th "lane". It would be City property, probably in an easement.

There is a HOA because it is a CONDO development

When we co-owners report violations, we are asked (in writing online) to provide photographs to upload but the burden is on us to identify which resident/co-owner is the guilty party.I have identified cars and plates but have no way to run them.

FOIA requests are often No Charge, copies of Police Reports, when ordered as such are $12. They are identical with the City having more time on a FOIA request (24 hours versus 5 days).

Someone else had to have complained in the past, because our Property Manager advised me nothing could be done and she talked with someone at the school and a police officer.

My ideal solution is for her to appear for a few days and verbally advise people where to safely park and tell any co-owners they can be fined. They will claim it is not part of their services. She's a lazy quitter and has the support of her boss.We may fire the firm in April.

quote:

Originally posted by oldbill123:
Does this impede emergency vehicles (firetrucks) from the neighborhood ?

Without convincing the local FD to test this, I can't say. It's two cars wide but barely.

This was a "suspicious person" complaint from the start. Of course, I only learned of the complaint when an Officer knocked on my door. I learned how it was characterized from my FOIA request.

There are times I would not invite an Officer in, this just wasn't one of them. He didn't ask. I offered.

quote:

Originally posted by Dresden:
Let's break this down.

You have a property manager, so you likely have an HOA, with a board. Start wearing them out.

You started obviously taking pictures, but then when you were confronted, you didn't get in front of this. You allowed the parents to mischaracterize what you were doing so when the officer showed up you are on the defensive.

You invited the police officer inside. You don't need to do that, especially if you are the POI based on the buttercups report.

You see, this had turned from a traffic problem, to a suspicious person.

You FOIA'd the report? If it's inaccurate you are not likely going to get it changed, but you are cementing the opinion that you are a PITA down at the station.

If you want anything done, you need to reframe this.

The cars reduce the passageway to one lane. If a child darted out between the cars, he would certainly be hurt. You were taking pictures to show the school principal, because you don't want a child hurt.

Then go see the principal and get yourself on record about the hazard.

Then start in on the HOA. And the Property Management company about the hazard. If a child is injured on your private road, then there is a risk that the legal entities will all be defendants. You are only trying to be the good guy here.

Escalate with the elected school board, get some of your neighbors to write letters to the local paper about the risk that this bus stop poses.

Don't allow this to be about the snowflakes and how they are trespassing and you may get somewhere.

I think ZSMICHAEL hit it on the head. He was in while I was still typing! LOL.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Cut down the bus stop sign and post "no parking between the following hours..." signs?

Luke? Is that you> What we have he-ah is a fail-yah to communicate!