Parking!

[deniser]

As I parked my car this morning in the same residential street as I always do just round the corner from my shop - about 50m away - a woman was complaining in a very loud voice about people parking in the street who weren't resident, I'm sure aimed at me but I wasn't sure until I had walked away and then thought it was too late to turn round and confront her.

I wasn't outside her house but round a corner which didn't front onto anyone's house.

Now the way I see it is:
1. It is an unrestricted public highway and anyone can park there and
2. I am a resident anyway as I own premises in the vicinity and the place I parked in was the closest I could legally park to my own premises. I pay a lot more in business rates than she does in council tax.
3. the residents have often been asked if they want residents parking but they have always said no
4. there is alway space outside her house anyway
5. it is in the town centre in an area of mixed commercial and residential use

Who is right and who is wrong? Does she have a valid complaint? I want to speak to her if I see her again as I feel irritated by this.

[wizzard]

I would just ignore the woman and go about your normal day.

[dataferret]

1. You have paid road tax so are perfectly entitled to park anywhere which is not restricted

2. You have premises near to where you parked so are contributing to the local economy in the form of business rates and business services

Personally I would not bother about it. She may have been having legitimate problems where people are parking in the street (most likely because of local parking restrictions) and because she lives there feels irritated. It is probably not aimed at you specifically - just you happened to be there at the time.

Legally you have every right to park where you do. However, there are always two sides to every story. Either way I would not worry about it and certainly would not rise to any argument. If you are challenged just smile and move on. It would be a waste of time and energy having a confrontation. But also don't be intimidated into parking elsewhere.

[KidsBeeHappy]

I think she fell over, not having a leg to stand on, and all that.

[sirearl]

Now ask yourself why would you get upset by someone you don't know making a bit of noise about parking.?

If you are parked legally then.

Don't be so paranoid and get on with your life.

It mostly takes 2 people at least to start a war.:)

Earl

[Officebird]

I park in a similar area to what you describe and have had these comments too. At the end of the day you aren't parking illegally and you aren't doing anything wrong.

Parking is a contentious issue near the town centre here but mostly one side of the road is for permit holders and the other isn't.

Yes I can see it is annoying having people parked outside your house, but most of the time the cars there at night go during the day as the residents work, and the daytime cars arrive. They then swap over at night. The thing that really gets me about people moaning at me when I'm trying to get to work is that they knew there were parking issues when they moved there and they decided to move there anyway.

Basically as long as you aren't taking up 3 spaces because you are parked badly I don't see that you are doing anything wrong. People have to get to work! If the residents have turned down a residents scheme in the past then they clearly don't think it's that much of a problem.

Rant over!!

[lucy*tenable]

As I parked my car this morning in the same residential street as I always do just round the corner from my shop - about 50m away - a woman was complaining in a very loud voice about people parking in the street who weren't resident, I'm sure aimed at me but I wasn't sure until I had walked away and then thought it was too late to turn round and confront her.

I wasn't outside her house but round a corner which didn't front onto anyone's house.

Now the way I see it is:
1. It is an unrestricted public highway and anyone can park there and
2. I am a resident anyway as I own premises in the vicinity and the place I parked in was the closest I could legally park to my own premises. I pay a lot more in business rates than she does in council tax.
3. the residents have often been asked if they want residents parking but they have always said no
4. there is alway space outside her house anyway
5. it is in the town centre in an area of mixed commercial and residential use

Who is right and who is wrong? Does she have a valid complaint? I want to speak to her if I see her again as I feel irritated by this.

I hate people like that! If it was me i would park outside her house next time ;) assuming you can legally (i.e. no permits only, double yellows, dropped kerb).

People like this infuriate me, especially when they don't actually confront you!

I would also smile and wave the next time you see her - just to P*ss her off completely when she knows she can't do anything about it!

[deniser]

Thanks all for making me feel better. I have calmed down now - it just annoyed me intensely that she didn't speak to me directly.

Yes best tactic is to smile and be friendly. I will do this whilst I park directly outside her house next time....

Actually come to think of it, both I, my husband and an adjoining shop owner have had flat tyres in the last few months when we got back to our cars - maybe she is the cuplrit?

[Mister B]

I can see your point and maybe she is being a little pedantic, but put the boot on the other foot. How would you all feel is somebody parked outside your house, leaving your car for the day meaning that legitimate visitors to these households cannot park close by?

Reason why I say this, is that we used to live about half a mile from the town centre, and the street was full of people trying to avoid town centre parking charges. Ultimately, anybody that used to visit in the daytime, had nowhere to park. Okay, valid point in that people buy houses knowing that there is a possibility that car users may try and park there for the day, but conversely, these car users also take jobs in town centres whereby they know that all car parks are chargeable.

We never used to mind cars parking outside, but when you get persistent offenders, it does get irritating. IMO.

Mister B

[KidsBeeHappy]

I once knew a cankerous old man who had a large house right on the front of Portpatrick Harbour. He got fed up of people parking outside his house, so he bought three old bangers, a boat and a caravanette and parked them all directly outside his house. Much better than looking at other peoples cars all day (?????)

[plymgary]

I hate people like that! If it was me i would park outside her house next time ;) assuming you can legally (i.e. no permits only, double yellows, dropped kerb).

People like this infuriate me, especially when they don't actually confront you!

I would also smile and wave the next time you see her - just to P*ss her off completely when she knows she can't do anything about it!

LOL! Lucy, marry me!!

[lucy*tenable]

LOL! Lucy, marry me!!

ooohh is that a proposal lol :p

[lucy*tenable]

Okay, valid point in that people buy houses knowing that there is a possibility that car users may try and park there for the day, but conversely, these car users also take jobs in town centres whereby they know that all car parks are chargeable. Mister B

Which is why they find somewhere else to park :p

[BlueprintAnimation]

Seconding the smile and wave idea!

The street where we live is similar, it's fair game for residents, visitors, people working nearby... our block has a private car park which actually tends to get used by everybody, but it only annoys me when it's people visiting town for the whole weekend.

[lucy*tenable]

Seconding the smile and wave idea!

The street where we live is similar, it's fair game for residents, visitors, people working nearby... our block has a private car park which actually tends to get used by everybody, but it only annoys me when it's people visiting town for the whole weekend.

My house is the same and to combat it i turned my front garden into a drive and had my kerb lowered. Problem solved...........

[plymgary]

My house is the same and to combat it i turned my front garden into a drive and had my kerb lowered. Problem solved...........

God help anyone that parks in front of that kerb! :p:p

[lucy*tenable]

God help anyone that parks in front of that kerb! :p:p

I'm like a rottweiller :eek:, they get their cars blocked in so they have to knock on the door before they leave ;)

[Cornish Steve]

I can see both sides of the argument.

When I return to Britain, we often stay at my mother's house in Cornwall. It's a small terraced house on a winding and narrow cul de sac, and there's just enough space for cars to park on one side of the road. Residents play a constant game of "grab a space" when one frees up, because there's really nowhere else to park within about half a mile (very built up area). On the whole, neighbours sort things out - until someone comes along, who may live 2-3 minutes' walk away, and parks his car there. Now the neighbours are all upset because they literally have nowhere to park. Some have parked on the grass of a nearby park; it's illegal, but there's not much else to do.

I have no idea whether the complaining lady in this case faces a similar situation but, if so, I can understand how she feels. The solution is probably for the neighbourhood to agree a scheme whereby spaces are marked out and only certain cars can park there. At that point, everyone would have a better idea of what to do.

[Robert Wheeler]

If there are no road markings and there is no signage in the road that restricts parking there, and provided that the road is part of the British Highway, then you can park there. Actually, unless there is a specific by-law to prevent it, you can even park in front of someone's drive even if it blocks access, which is obviously ridiculous.

Those who live near to town centres should expect people to park near them really. I can see why it might be annoying to people who have seen a town sprout up around them, but how often does that happen?

What I find is really annoying is the number of local authorities that permit disabled badge holders to park on double yellow lines. What is the poit of double yellow lines if you let everyone go and park all over them? Why not replace the double yellow lines with disabled parking spaces, and keep the double yellow lines for places where it is not safe to park? Then maybe our buses won't have to go trailing about accumulating a trail of battered vehicles in their wings...