son hit neighbours car

Imp

I did once live on a narrow Victorian street where, to accomodate people's cars, they were parked on and blocked the pavements. The convention in the area was for pedestrians to use the road, and for vehicles and pedestrians to co-operate when they met.

The majority of people tend to muddle on by, and generally work together to overcome these small inconveniences. Those who get on their high horses just end up stressed and unhappy.

elvis86

RacyRed wrote: »

Elvis, please do something for yourself and the rest of us.

Go borrow a child's buggy, load it with a few kilos of shopping and try negotiating it up a street where there are cars parked on the pavement.

Should I try and borrow a child too, or just the shopping?

RacyRed wrote: »

By your own admission, all of your family park on the kerb outside their home, so it isn't just one car, is it, and I'm sure your family have neighbours doing the same, don't they? There is no offstreet parking, so there won't be any dropped kerbs, will there. So how many times would you have to get you and your burden over the kerb into the road and back again if you have to walk most of the length of the street?

Go on Elvis, please try it, then come back and talk to us again.

Each house has a driveway large enough to accomodate one car, kerbs are therefore dropped in front of each driveway.

My dad parks his van (used for work) on our driveway. My mum parks her small car outside the house (halfway on the pavement). My sister parks hers opposite (halfway on the pavement).

The neighbour next door-but-one parks her car outside the house (halfway on the pavement). Her disabled husband parks his motorbility car on the driveway. I suppose they should get rid of one of their cars too?

Next door to them, the parents each have a car (their house is set back from the road, so the driveway accomodates 2 cars), and their 2 kids (one working, one at university) each have a car parked in the street (in the only 2 dedicated parking bays which are outside their house).

The couple opposite have a van parked on the drive (used for work), and a recently purchased MPV outside the house (halfway on the pavement), bought to accomodate the 3 young sisters that they just adopted. Terrible people...:cool:

The childminder at the top of the street has a car parked on her driveway, and her husband's car parked outside the house (you guessed it - halfway on the pavement). She walks around 4 or 5 children to school every morning (yes - I've wondered whether she should be looking after so many,but one is her own granddaughter and only 2 come back from school with her, so perhaps it is within the rules?), with a pushchair. And do you know, she doesn't seem to mind in the slightest that the kids maybe have to walk single file behind/infront her to pass a couple of her neighbours' parked cars.

It's all very black and white with you. What I'm saying, is that it really depends on where you live, and that anyone who parks halfway on the pavement isn't necessarily the selfish, antisocial bas***d that you've got them down for. Mostly just people trying to earn a living and get along with their neighbours.

RacyRed

Imp wrote: »

I did once live on a narrow Victorian street where, to accomodate people's cars, they were parked on and blocked the pavements. The convention in the area was for pedestrians to use the road, and for vehicles and pedestrians to co-operate when they met.

The majority of people tend to muddle on by, and generally work together to overcome these small inconveniences. Those who get on their high horses just end up stressed and unhappy.

But have you ever tried being on the pedestrian side of that arrangement Imp?

Would you consider trying the same thing I've suggested to Elvis please? Just once so you experience the other side of this argument?

Teddy_KGB

RacyRed wrote: »

But have you ever tried being on the pedestrian side of that arrangement Imp?

Would you consider trying the same thing I've suggested to Elvis please? Just once so you experience the other side of this argument?

Try driving a car down my street with 2 cars parked fully on the road on each side!

Imp

RacyRed wrote: »

But have you ever tried being on the pedestrian side of that arrangement Imp?

I'll give you three guesses what I become when I step out of the car.

RacyRed wrote: »

Would you consider trying the same thing I've suggested to Elvis please? Just once so you experience the other side of this argument?

When I moved in and out, I couldn't park the van within 100 yards of my house. I moved my entire worldly possessions by walking along the road.

I always carried my shopping from my car to my home. My car was not big enough for me to do otherwise.

RacyRed

Teddy_KGB wrote: »

Try driving a car down my street with 2 cars parked fully on the road on each side!

I have tried doing that (though not in your street )

Why not try what I suggested so you have experience of both sides of the debate too?

newcook

elvis86 wrote: »

The childminder at the top of the street has a car parked on her driveway, and her husband's car parked outside the house (you guessed it - halfway on the pavement). She walks around 4 or 5 children to school every morning (yes - I've wondered whether she should be looking after so many,but one is her own granddaughter and only 2 come back from school with her, so perhaps it is within the rules?), with a pushchair. And do you know, she doesn't seem to mind in the slightest that the kids maybe have to walk single file behind/infront her to pass a couple of her neighbours' parked cars.

Which is fine providing there is room for a pushchair to go past – a lot of the time drivers who park part on the pavement don’t think about if they have left enough space for people to walk past or if a pushchair/wheelchair can get past

RacyRed

elvis86 wrote: »

It's all very black and white with you. What I'm saying, is that it really depends on where you live, and that anyone who parks halfway on the pavement isn't necessarily the selfish, antisocial bas***d that you've got them down for. Mostly just people trying to earn a living and get along with their neighbours.

I don't think it is black and white at all Elvis, but I don't think negotiating pavement parked cars is as easy as you would have us believe either.

All I'm trying to say is that if it can be avoided it should be avoided. And if cars are parked in such a fashion then their owners have to accept the risks involved.

My original arguement was that the OP's 6 y/o should not be held responsible for any damage in the particular set of circumstances described.

You've not accepted my little challenge. I'm puzzled by that.

Teddy_KGB

RacyRed wrote: »

I have tried doing that (though not in your street )

Why not try what I suggested so you have experience of both sides of the debate too?

I've got kids so have used a pushchair and can't say it's ever been an issue for me, but I work and my wife stays at home looking after the kids so she might have a different opinion.

My point is that in some situations it is wrong to park half on the pavement and in others it is the best option. It isn't a black and white issue so as long as everyone uses their best judgement we'll all get along fine.

Acc72

Imp wrote: »

Personally, I agree with thegirlintheattic

Imp MEng CEng MIMechE ACGI

Strange .......

You are of course entitled to your opinion, however listing your qualifications does not somehow make this opinion univerally correct.