courtesy bay's?

stroppiemare

We live down a street where parking is a nightmare add to that predatory parking warden's leap out at every opportunity,i have noticed that people with drive's have no double yellow line's and i am sure i read somewhere that these are courtesy bay's and you are entitled to park in front of them,so i did i had this woman screaming at me that i wasn't allowed to park there and i pointed out that they only own the drive not the pavement and not the road,that in fact we pay road tax so entitled to park there and as a matter of courtesy i gave her my address said if you want me to move give me a knock and i walked away,am i right?

pinkfluffybabe

stroppiemare wrote:

We live down a street where parking is a nightmare add to that predatory parking warden's leap out at every opportunity,i have noticed that people with drive's have no double yellow line's and i am sure i read somewhere that these are courtesy bay's and you are entitled to park in front of them,so i did i had this woman screaming at me that i wasn't allowed to park there and i pointed out that they only own the drive not the pavement and not the road,that in fact we pay road tax so entitled to park there and as a matter of courtesy i gave her my address said if you want me to move give me a knock and i walked away,am i right?

I wouldn't have said so. What if she has an emergency in the middle of the night and needs out?? I'm pretty you can get the police involved if someone traps you in your driveway.

rdwarr

I think it depends on whether there's a dropped kerb or not. If there is, then it's obstruction and you can be fined for it.
But, as a matter of courtesy, you shouldn't be blocking drives anyway. I have many friends in London who are glad to park with 100 yards of their house so it's just another thing to put up with.

DealDrivers_company_representative

I'm sure the screaming lady was charmed by your courtesy. Good old fashioned manners and common sense are always good rules of thumb, in my book.

Have you checked kerb restrictions, or even asked your local authority what your 'rights' are regarding blocking access in and out of private residential or business premises in that road?

Blocking a private driveway, obstructing access in and out of their home by expecting them to come and 'give you a knock' each time they'd like to leave or access their private drive is, frankly, outrageous. What an invasion of their privacy.

- What if they ran a business from that address?
- What if they were one of the thousands of motability drivers?
- What if it is an emergency?
- What if you go out, leaving your car there? Would your 'courtesy' extend to refunding their cab fares due to them being unable to get their car out of their own driveway?

Have I just been wound up? Surely it can't be April 1st already?!

livinginhope

It ISN'T illegal to park over a driveway IF there no vehicle on the drive,if there is a car there,then you are causing an obstruction and that is illegal,we went through all this in a house we owned a few years back,a neighbour kept blocking our drive,we asked them to move,they wouldn't,the police were called and that is what we were told,it got to the point where my DH wanted to buy an old banger to sit on the driveway to stop people parking over it.
I think that blocking a drive is a horrible thing to do and your attitude needs to change,you do not know this families circumstances,the drive may be needed for all sorts of reasons,you have no right to block it,whether legal or illegal.

stroppiemare

i got hold of the parking warden this morning and he told me i had every right to park there,just because someone builds a grarage and drive doesn't give them ownership of the pavement or road so there is no private drive they only own the drive after their garden gate.If a car is parked in the drive i would try to avoid parking there as not to obstruct but if it's empty i don't see why i shouldn't as £30.00 parking fine = parking bay i will use the bay everytime after all i am on money saving forum,and as for i need to change my attitude i don't think so i have as much right to park as they have they don't own anything,and i love being right

ckerrd

Very interesting.
Maybe they can ask their local council to extend the double yellow lines over their driveway.

Edit - From the Highway Code (my highlight)

Maybe you are not as "right" as you thought


217: DO NOT park your vehicle or trailer on the road where it would endanger, inconvenience or obstruct pedestrians or other road users. For example, do not stop

near a school entrance
anywhere you would prevent access for Emergency Services
at or near a bus stop or taxi rank
on the approach to a level crossing
opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space
near the brow of a hill or hump bridge
opposite a traffic island or (if this would cause an obstruction) another parked vehicle
where you would force other traffic to enter a tram lane
where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users
in front of an entrance to a property
on a bend.

steveo3002

you'l be posting on here soon that someone has keyed your car or slashed your tyres, have some manners as you wouldnt like it if you had a house with a driveway

derrick

livinginhope wrote:

It ISN'T illegal to park over a driveway IF there no vehicle on the drive,

It IS illegal,(what if the car is in the garage?)it is called OBSTRUCTION

The following was taken from Lancs Police webpage

Lancashire Constabulary - Frequently Asked Questions – Answers


[FONT=&quot]Page 1 of 1[/FONT]

Frequently Asked Questions - Answers
Someone has parked on the road outside my house blocking my driveway and I can't get in or out. What can I do?
The vehicle is causing an obstruction and so you should call your local police station. We will check whether the vehicle is stolen and an officer will be asked to attend.


I have called the police on several occassions due to inconsiderate parkers,(never any need to do it always free spaces available), and they have always responded, usually by a phone call to the owner.

nej

stroppiemare wrote:

We live down a street where parking is a nightmare add to that predatory parking warden's leap out at every opportunity,i have noticed that people with drive's have no double yellow line's and i am sure i read somewhere that these are courtesy bay's and you are entitled to park in front of them,so i did i had this woman screaming at me that i wasn't allowed to park there and i pointed out that they only own the drive not the pavement and not the road,that in fact we pay road tax so entitled to park there and as a matter of courtesy i gave her my address said if you want me to move give me a knock and i walked away,am i right?

I'd find a reason to use my car every 10 minutes or so.

All you will do is make that person park in front of their own driveway to stop you from blocking them in or out.

stroppiemare

no it doesn't count and if you had the problem's many have down here for parking i am sure you would do the same ,as the law is on my side i am not breaking any law's i will continue to park were i can.