Parking on the pavement - SELFISH motorists!

WHA

A couple of years ago when WHA junior was in his pram, I often had to walk down a very busy "A" road. There was a very bad blind bend, so bad that there is a fatal accident on average every year. Right at the worst bit of a bend, there was one of those houses that seemed to have dozens of cars all the time, often with one or more parked on the pavement. As there was also a bit of a grass/weed verge, I could just about get the pram through, but often ended up scraping whichever car was parked there. I simply refused to walk out into the road as there was "never" a break between traffic to make it safe to do so.

Turning_into_scrooge

The police actually came down one street where i live and placed parking tickets on all of the vehicles that were parked on the kerb. unfortunately it didn't stop it but it is something i never do as i always think of the person who has a push chair with a child in and a toddler at the side, where is the room for them both to walk when a car has taken up most of the space. I do know though that if it is a reletively wide pavement that you can legaly park your car on the pavement providing it is totally off the road and not endure any parking tickets. It certainly is not fair to park practically on someones door step, i should imagine its quite dangerous.

derrick

Turning_into_scrooge wrote:

The police actually came down one street where i live and placed parking tickets on all of the vehicles that were parked on the kerb. unfortunately it didn't stop it but it is something i never do as i always think of the person who has a push chair with a child in and a toddler at the side, where is the room for them both to walk when a car has taken up most of the space. I do know though that if it is a reletively wide pavement that you can legaly park your car on the pavement providing it is totally off the road and not endure any parking tickets. It certainly is not fair to park practically on someones door step, i should imagine its quite dangerous.

Parking regs, assumming the yellow lines and waiting time plates are in existance extend upto the wall, unless there are specific details for parking off road in relation to width of pavement, which I think is very unlikely, so if anyone thinks they are immune to the yellow lines by parking on the pavement, think again.

NigeWick

There are a number of issues here. Are the offending motorists parking on a footpath? If so, then the Police have the option of issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for unnecessary obstruction. If the offenders are knowingly blocking a person's drive or doorway it can be wilful obstruction and allows for removing of the vehicle and charging the driver/owner the cost. If a member of the public is obstructed from using a footpath by a vehicle, this could still come under "driving without reasonable consideration for other road users." With this last, it is possible to note all details, contact the Police and make a formal complaint, remembering that the complainant will have to give a written statement and possibly attend Court to give evidence. Notes written at the time and photos/video of the alleged offence will help provide enough evidence for a conviction. Also, it is preferable to have independent witnesses to give evidence as this will help negate the "one against another" type defence.

So, FPN for simple obstruction, FPN/Court for wilful obstruction and Court for driving without reasonable consideration for other road users are all possible options at the Police's disposal.

Nigel.

Lyndsay_21

i luckily live where there are allocated spaces so dont have that trouble however i do get... every friday morning on my estate it's dustbin collecting day and it happens to be my daughters nursery morning oh how i love dodging mounds of stinky rubbish bags placed on the pavement thus making me walk into the road with a double buggy (not easy to control at the best of times). I swear they do it on purpose knowing we walk to school at that time GRRR

shrek101

That's another pain, wheelie bins. I live on a very busy street and dustbin hate coming here, I know they told me, cant blame them. They tend to leave bins cluttering the street, I don't particularly blame them they are stressed with the job.

What I do hate is people leave there bins sometimes for days, then yobs have fun and games with wheelie bins. My thoughts are with safety in mind, as it tends to obstruct the pavements for other people.

IvanOpinion

The worst for parking all over the pavement in our area is the flamin school run - exactly the same dumbasses who complain when they can't get a pram past. Yesterday some BIMBO actually parked across a T-junction and started to get out of the car to go and collect her little brat ... a van driver explained to her in mono-syllable words that she could understand (i.e. less than 5 letters long) what would happen if she did not move her car immediately... she wisely decided to move it.

Ivan

Norma_Desmond

Hello everyone - all your comments suggest that at least I'm not alone on this one! It's just hard to fathom why so many motorists are selfish to the point of being dangerous, and won't even park up properly and walk a few yards (God forbid!) from their tin boxes! Most of them look at you incredulously if you DARE to suggest that they **** off, too. Well, no more Mrs Nice Guy for me......THIS MEANS WAR!

shrek101

I hate the school run. I think parking should be banned near schools in most circumstances, and traffic wardens should make a habit of going to school starting and leaving times to make sure the restrictions are honoured.

I have often seems parents with no regard to anyone but them selfish selves parking in ludicrous places, not only endangering children and parents, but other road users too. If they had my way, I would take the licence off them for frequent abusers.

SidB_2

My daughters school regularly has "Walk to School" days. Last week it lasted all week. Anybody who walked all 5 days got a house-point. Good policy from the school. Sometimes "pester power" can be a positive thing.