People that park their cars on pavements.....

doughnutmachine

lazer wrote: »

A car parked half on half off the pavement from 9 or 10 at night to 8 in the morning is unlikely to be blocking anyone and the roads are also quiet at that time of night, so the chances of being hit by a car if they are forced onto the road is equally as unlikely.

so what happens at the weekends? you still park on the pavement leaving it blocked?

MamaMoo_2

lazer wrote: »

I know the area i lived in and the number of assaults and rapes on young females walking at night is surprisinginly high - so its not paranoria - it was actually police advice not to be out on your own in the dark.

I am happy to walk miles during daylight in buy areas but not at dark in areas where there have been a spat of attacks.

A car parked half on half off the pavement from 9 or 10 at night to 8 in the morning is unlikely to be blocking anyone and the roads are also quiet at that time of night, so the chances of being hit by a car if they are forced onto the road is equally as unlikely.

Roads are often quite busy after around 6:30am, at least near me. This car is on the same road as a nursery that opens from 6-6, and 100m from a local primary school, where there is a pre school breakfast club starting at 7, so actually, you could be inconveniencing a fair few people, depending on your local area.

Also, as has been pointed out, it's still illegal and also, you are presumably parked there at weekends/on days off?

Whilst there may be a "high incidence of rapes and muggings", I'd wager that it's not extremely dangerous, not far from me is Coventry, with the highest rape rate in the West Mids, which equates to a risk of 0.06% chance.

If you value your safety, buy a rape alarm, phone someone on your walk home so you feel safer, etc., don't break the law and inconvenience people over a tiny risk. That's just selfish.

You chose your home, if the parking isn't suitable that's your own fault, and inconveniencing others because you chose somewhere without adequate parking isn't really acceptable.

lazer

MamaMoo wrote: »

Roads are often quite busy after around 6:30am, at least near me. This car is on the same road as a nursery that opens from 6-6, and 100m from a local primary school, where there is a pre school breakfast club starting at 7, so actually, you could be inconveniencing a fair few people, depending on your local area.

Also, as has been pointed out, it's still illegal and also, you are presumably parked there at weekends/on days off?

Whilst there may be a "high incidence of rapes and muggings", I'd wager that it's not extremely dangerous, not far from me is Coventry, with the highest rape rate in the West Mids, which equates to a risk of 0.06% chance.

If you value your safety, buy a rape alarm, phone someone on your walk home so you feel safer, etc., don't break the law and inconvenience people over a tiny risk. That's just selfish.

You chose your home, if the parking isn't suitable that's your own fault, and inconveniencing others because you chose somewhere without adequate parking isn't really acceptable.

Very bad advice - phoning someone on your way home is something you shouldn't do - it can increase your risk as it makes your phone noticeable and attractive to thieves.

The area is Belfast

There is no schools or daycare in the area - stop inventing reasons why it was unsuitable - and after I got my car I moved house as soon as my lease was up so I could park it safely because as you say it asn't adequate.

At weekends - I was visiting my parents - so the car wasn't there, same as with days off. And 99% of the time the car was parked with more than enough room for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

So it was very very rare if I ever, that my car was actually causing an obstruction to anyone. I tried to park as reasonably as I possibly could and did consider the pedistrians.

Just out of interest, if a car is parked half on a pavement but there would be plently of room for a push chair or wheelchair if it wasb't for a seriously overgrown hedge - why is it the driver gets blamed for causing the obstruction and not the occupier of the house with the overgrown hedge?

WiggyDiggyPoo

lazer wrote: »

..................
Just out of interest, if a car is parked half on a pavement but there would be plently of room for a push chair or wheelchair if it wasb't for a seriously overgrown hedge - why is it the driver gets blamed for causing the obstruction and not the occupier of the house with the overgrown hedge?

A fair point, anyone for a 'Your Hedge is Too Big!' thread :rotfl:

Moglex

lazer wrote: »

Just out of interest, if a car is parked half on a pavement but there would be plently of room for a push chair or wheelchair if it wasb't for a seriously overgrown hedge - why is it the driver gets blamed for causing the obstruction and not the occupier of the house with the overgrown hedge?

Because cars belong on roads, not on pavements. That's why roads and pavements are built to look different and normally delineated with a kerb.

In fact, the owner of a hedge that overhangs the pavement can be required by the council to cut it back, but, if an obstruction is caused, it is always the car driver who has made a concious decision to leave too small a gap and who is liable to prosecution.

andygb

WiggyDiggyPoo wrote: »

A fair point, anyone for a 'Your Hedge is Too Big!' thread :rotfl:

I find that when my bush gets a little overgrown I have to give it a trim, or my OH complains about it looking unsightly;)

lazer

Moglex wrote: »

Because cars belong on roads, not on pavements. That's why roads and pavements are built to look different and normally delineated with a kerb.

In fact, the owner of a hedge that overhangs the pavement can be required by the council to cut it back, but, if an obstruction is caused, it is always the car driver who has made a concious decision to leave too small a gap and who is liable to prosecution.

And hedges belong in people's gardens - not on the pavement.

On a street where the cars do park half on the pavement but it doesn't cause an obstruction, then the occupier of the house is also making a consience decision to obstruct the pavement if they don't cut it back.

I could park my car on a pavement today and it wouldn't be causing an obstruction as the hedge isn't overgrown, but say I was away on holidays for 2 weeks (with the car left at home) and come home and the hedge was overgrown and causing an obstruction - then it wouldn't be the drivers fault - so it is wrong to say it always the drivers fault.

Moglex

lazer wrote: »

And hedges belong in people's gardens - not on the pavement.

On a street where the cars do park half on the pavement but it doesn't cause an obstruction, then the occupier of the house is also making a consience decision to obstruct the pavement if they don't cut it back.

Cars belong on the road, not pavements and no matter how many half baked excuses you make that remains the case, It also remains the case that people who park on pavements are inconsiderate oafs.

so it is wrong to say it always the drivers fault.

No it isn't. Roads are provided for cars and pavements are provided for pedestrians. Just because some ignorant oaf feels entitled to use road space allocated for other users does not make it right.

If a driver parks on the pavement he or she is in the wrong. End of story. Every scumbag in the country who breaks the rules has some stupid excuse for why they're not doing anything wrong. Doesn't stop them being scumbags, though.

earthstorm

Moglex wrote: »

It also remains the case that people who park on pavements are inconsiderate oafs.

They are also Law breakers

MamaMoo_2

lazer wrote: »

And hedges belong in people's gardens - not on the pavement.

On a street where the cars do park half on the pavement but it doesn't cause an obstruction, then the occupier of the house is also making a consience decision to obstruct the pavement if they don't cut it back.

I could park my car on a pavement today and it wouldn't be causing an obstruction as the hedge isn't overgrown, but say I was away on holidays for 2 weeks (with the car left at home) and come home and the hedge was overgrown and causing an obstruction - then it wouldn't be the drivers fault - so it is wrong to say it always the drivers fault.

It is illegal for you to be driving on that pavement. It is not illegal for some shrubbery to grow.

If the shrubbery is overgrown, I can move over a bit on the pavement either not having to go in the road or only having to walk beside the kerb and not halfway out into the road. Shrub owners also bitch a lot less if you push past the shrub and knock a few leaves off.

Also, the likelihood is that the shrub was there already (unless you have left your car parked for a long time!) and providing the shrub wasn't originally causing a problem or blocking access, then the issue was only created when you illegally drove your car up onto the FOOTpath.
Hint: FOOTpath. The clue is in the name.


Also, your argument re: leaving your car somewhere when on holiday and a shrub growing and causing an obstruction, I'd still say you were at fault. Bushes don't grow a huge amount in a fortnight, so you would have been cutting it fine. You should have made the decision, seeing that the shrub was already overhanging quite a bit and could possibly cause an obstruction, to park somewhere more appropriate. If you're away for a fortnight, park responsibly.

You can come up with all the excuses in the world, the fact is if someone parks so that it's difficult or not possible for a parent with a pram or a wheelchair user to get past, then they're a pig ignorant git.