Money Moral Dilemma: Should I park outside someone else's house to avoid paying?

MSE_Sarah

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

Parking at the train station I commute from costs over £1,000 a year, so I park a 10-minute walk away, on a quiet residential street. I know the people who live there hate it, as they sometimes struggle to find a space - but there are no restrictions and it saves me a fortune.

Unfortunately the MSE team can't always answer money moral dilemma questions as contributions are often emailed in or suggested in person. They are intended to be enjoyed as a point of debate and discussed at face value.

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply!

[purplesignup][/purplesignup]

NBLondon

Yes.

If you are doing so legally and considerately (i.e. not across or too close to a driveway) then you have as much right to park there as they do.

You do run the risk of vandalism - but that could happen if you parked in any street just once.

Longer-term there is the risk that enough residents will petition the council for a resident's parking zone. Which will cost them and push you into another street.

If you really have a moral issue about it - why not offer the residents a fiver a week? Still cheaper than the station parking :money:

pogofish

How is there any dilemma? - the laws governing parking on a public road are absolutely clear.

motorguy

Do we have to have these cheesy moral dilemmas posted by mods?

They're naff and made up.

If they were real the people would just post themselves rather than email a mod

neilmcl

pogofish wrote: »

How is there any dilemma? - the laws governing parking on a public road are absolutely clear.

It's a "moral" dilemma, hence the thread title.

Personally I try to park in a way that doesn't antagonise others, despite whether it's perfectly legal to or not.

misterbarlow

No dilemma for me!
If there is unrestricted parking I park there!!

When we visit our local seaside resort, the parking is either a pay&display or the all day car park for £5, but I always park around the corner on a residential street. Its about a 4-5min walk..

worried_jim

No issue for me. Just don't end up on yplac.

Strider590

I used to work in Worcester and the local council have gone crazy with the double yellow lines and parking restrictions, to force drivers into their car parks (at a rate of £4+ for one day) or their park'n'ride. In my opinion it's just greed, because many of these roads are wide and quiet and parking would not cause any issues on them.

There is one road however, 1.5 miles from the city centre, where there are dental surgeries and care homes, the only street within 5 miles of the city centre where there is unrestricted parking. I used to park here and walk in to work and quite frankly if anyone had issues with that, then they need to take it up with the council, because i'm not paying £4 a day to park. Businesses are the life blood of any city or town centre, to tax people for working there is just stupid.

The Australians have the right idea, many of their busy towns/cities even have FREE multi-story carparks.

As for OP, anyone buying a home near a train station should know what to expect, just as people buying homes next to airports or racing circuits.

jgriggle

No dilemma at all. I've been parking in the same residential street when I go to work for 14 years. It's either that or £8 a day in the car park. I've had the odd complaint from residents but I always give them the same answer: living on a street doesn't give you any more right to park on it than anyone else, and that if they wanted to be able to park outside their house, should have bought a house with a drive. Anyone who chooses to live near a town centre, office block, hospital, railway station, airport etc. needs to accept that people will park there.

patman99

I live 1.5 miles from a mainline station and commuters choose to park right up to the entrance to the development I reside in.

They park both sides of a very busy road that is also a busy bus route. So far, their parking has lead to 49 collisions and massive tailbacks as buses and lorries cannot pass each other.

The NEPP who control parking are not in anyway interested in dealing with the issue, citing that by putting in restrictions, they will force the commuters to park in even narrower local roads.

In the village where the station is based, NEPP worked with Marks Tey PC to install parking meters on every road blighted by commuter parking with a view to share the profits.

Marvel1

They don't own the road, first come first serve.