No more parking costs....

joanie

I've thought of a bike but there is not enough of the route on cycle paths and I'm scared of being on the road as it must be 35 years since i was competent on a bike. Also a few people at work cycle in and they have had a few falls due to the greasy roads/paths.

V_Chic_Chick

Depending on where you are, it's often possible to pick a slightly longer but almost traffic free route through residential side streets.

Anyway, there's only one way to become confident on a bike - and I say this as someone who started cycling for the first time since primary school this January . . . I now cycle absolutely everywhere (unless I'm going inter-city, when I get the train), including along some very busy A Roads.

Greasy roads are a bit of a funny one though - I've never come across it as being a problem, but I ride a hybrid which has thicker wheels with a good grip; I suspect that your colleagues ride road bikes (the ones that have thin wheels and sod all tread), which can be more vulnerable to these sorts of problems.

amiehall

I do this at my work and save myself about £45 a month. Honestly if the residents are that bothered, they should apply to get a permit zone. It's just the road after all. Why should you make people feel bad about parking there?!

Ilona

I don't go to work, but whenever I go anywhere in my car I never pay to park. I always park a short distance away in a street and walk to where I want to be. I find a space that is not going to upset anyone if I park there, not outside someones terrace house, or close to a driveway.
Ilona

Betty_Crumble

I did this from Jan this year and have only paid parking once since, my calf muscles have benefitted lol. I must admit im getting pushed further and further away due to parking restrictions popping up all the time. I might start buying a few spaces on the moon, cash in when we've run out on earth.

have been contemplating contract parking but for the time being its doable. Good luck op it definitely saves the pennies.

wanchai_2

starsandmoon wrote: »

I know someone who did this and when asked nicely to park somewhere else as the resident quite rightly wanted to park by where they live told them to get lost and was most surprised to find their car vandalised one day and no witnesses! A few months later the area was residents permits only.

What an odd thing to say! If you do not have a driveway, you do not have a divine right to park in any given space! It is a public road and anyone can park there. End of story. Whoever vandalised the car is a criminal and a scumbag IMHO.

OP - I agree with the cycling suggestion. Best form of transport there is. Free after you've paid for the bike, healthy, and - best of all - you don't get stuck in traffic jams! I can highly recommend it

starsandmoon

wanchai wrote: »

What an odd thing to say! If you do not have a driveway, you do not have a divine right to park in any given space! It is a public road and anyone can park there. End of story. Whoever vandalised the car is a criminal and a scumbag IMHO.

OP - I agree with the cycling suggestion. Best form of transport there is. Free after you've paid for the bike, healthy, and - best of all - you don't get stuck in traffic jams! I can highly recommend it

Its not an odd thing to say. Not everyone has a drive. Where I live is inbetween two major football grounds and on match days you couldnt park within 2 miles of where you live so the whole area is residents parking only.

I agree damaging a car is wrong and people dont have a"divine right" to park anywhere. Its called consideration for others.

lostinrates

starsandmoon wrote: »

Its not an odd thing to say. Not everyone has a drive. Where I live is inbetween two major football grounds and on match days you couldnt park within 2 miles of where you live so the whole area is residents parking only.

I agree damaging a car is wrong and people dont have a"divine right" to park anywhere. Its called consideration for others.

I am afraid while it's not a 'divine' right ( I don't think the gods worry too much about our parking woes;) )car drivers with upto date tax, mot and insurance do indeed abcolutely have the right to park anywhere that has no restictions, and those who think otherwise are mistaken.

That's why those properties with drives that not every one has, or other off road parking, are more expensive than the identical properties without them.

amiehall

You do not own the road in front of your house. I'm sure if there are parking issues, then the houses are priced accordingly. Your problem has been solved by bringing in a permit zone. I really don't think you should be trying to introduce some 'moral code' into choosing a parking space. I would never block someone's access but other than that, the road is the road. Maybe the solution would be for the residents to campaign for more reasonably priced parking in the centre of towns. I work places sometimes where you can pay £8 for a days parking. Who could afford that everyday?!

Most of the time this makes little difference to residents anyways. By the time they come home from work, all the commuters cars have cleared. If this is a big issue for you, you'll know next time you move that you need to look for somewhere with off-road parking.

heretolearn_2

Great thread and I'm hoping it'll inspire me.

I too used to park free on a street about a 10-15 minutes walk from work. But now I've got lazy and use the £4 a day car park at the back of the offices, every day.

That's £20 a week...around £1000 a year!

I can't believe it now I've added it up. When you just think about £4 it doesn't seem so bad, but overall that's awful, especially as I'm trying to save up at the mo. l

Back to walking - better for my pocket and my figure.