is it illegal to save parking spaces?

[Chippy Minton]

Won't that be specific to commerical vehicles owned by the business not privately owned vehicles who's owners are perfectly entitled to park in the street?

[the-e-dealer]

Depends on how well the permission is written. I would go ahead and complain.

[Chippy Minton]

Oh I agree...don't get me wrong - I'd be annoyed as well, I just don't think the garage will have broken any laws. Seems like a grey area and therefore won't ever get "enforced."

[SteveUK1978]

bemusED - what's your problem? A sensible and articulate suggestion such as the one you made above has no place on an online forum......

For what it is worth I agree - a polite conversation with the neighbour should be the starting point.

I don't agree with the comments about the stapler though - it is annoying when someone pinches your stapler in the office. Stationary cupboard is for all but big ticket items such as staplers & hole punches, once claimed, should be protected at all costs.

[whatever]

OK everyone, thanks for your comments! Amazing how a simple question / complaint about bins in the road has digressed into a mildly lesbian thread about mechanics and whether or not children are a lifestyle choice. I love the edf for this!

Anyway - yes it's every day, no it's not bin day, no they aren't having anything delivered, no they're not in any way disabled - unless being a bit pathetic and selfish can be classed as a disability?

I suppose I could have a word with them but I can't really be arsed.

I do have a car (and children) of my own, and yes, parking is a problem, but so what? I knew that when I moved here. It doesn't exactly ruin my life not to park in front of my house.

Actually I noticed yesterday there was a different car in front of their house so unless they've bought a new one (or an extra one) maybe they've seen this thread and given up!

[giggirl]

whatever Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I do have a car (and children) of my own, and yes,

> parking is a problem, but so what? I knew that

> when I moved here. It doesn't exactly ruin my life

> not to park in front of my house.

>

I think that is the best attitude to have Whatever. I like it.

[LeahP]

This thread may currently have 1,554 views and 56 posts already but I still believe my Gorilla suit solution is the only workable idea, guys.

[giggirl]

Are you and your Gorilla suit available for parties? PM me your rates.

[LeahP]

Only private parties Giggirl?. be careful what you wish for!

Gorilla-gram, anyone?

[Salsaboy]

How private??

[civilservant]

stationary parties or moving parties?

[Pugwash]

I had to put bins outside my Mother in laws House once to reserve a parking space. I also put out at note expaining that a skip delivery was expected and the bins would be removed once it was delivered. There was no comeback from neighbours.

When I have to use my local garage, I drop the car off about 9/10 pm the night before as hardly any cars in the street near the garage. I go down in the morning around 9 am to drop off the keys, and the street is bumper to bumper with cars. This shows that local businesses and commutors are the prime 'suspects'.

[LeahP]

In the parlance of criminal justice, a 'suspect' is a known person suspected of committing a crime.

These people are not committing a crime as they are not parking in spaces reserved for specific users, such as Blue Badge holders, residents or motorcycles.

Renting or owning a house does not automatically grant you ownership of the parking space directly outside your front door. In fact, deliberately restricting access to a parking space that is not reserved for your use does not adhere to the Highway code and therefore you are committing a crime / offence.

I?m beginning to understand why people crack, shave their heads, climb the nearest electric pylon brandishing a glock and shoot everything in sight.

There are too many self righteous muppets completely missing the point on this thread.

[the-e-dealer]

I think most reasonable people would accept the occassional "Binning" of a parking space for a delivery or a

skip. Its the selfish people who want to designate a piece of public highway as their own that upsets.

[Gidget]

LeahP Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> In the parlance of criminal justice, a 'suspect'

> is a known person suspected of committing a

> crime.

> These people are not committing a crime as they

> are not parking in spaces reserved for specific

> users, such as Blue Badge holders, residents or

> motorcycles.

> Renting or owning a house does not automatically

> grant you ownership of the parking space directly

> outside your front door. In fact, deliberately

> restricting access to a parking space that is not

> reserved for your use does not adhere to the

> Highway code and therefore you are committing a

> crime / offence.

> I?m beginning to understand why people crack,

> shave their heads, climb the nearest electric

> pylon brandishing a glock and shoot everything in

> sight.

> There are too many self righteous muppets

> completely missing the point on this thread.

First you said these people are not committing a crime. Then you said they are committing a crime/offence by restricting access to a parking space that is not reserved for your use.

[James Barber]

Toddlers and babies can't walk.

You get the horrible dilema - do I take the kids to the house and then leave them in the house on their own while fetching shopping or vice versa or double park to drop the shopping and then park and take kids. All are fraught with danger. Suspect this is part of the populatirty of internet grocery shopping.

[Gidget]

James Barber Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Toddlers and babies can't walk.

>

> You get the horrible dilema - do I take the kids

> to the house and then leave them in the house on

> their own while fetching shopping or vice versa or

> double park to drop the shopping and then park and

> take kids. All are fraught with danger. Suspect

> this is part of the populatirty of internet

> grocery shopping.

Yeah, well, stuff happens like that. What about getting a trolley and wheeling it from car. Or just take in perishables first and leave the other stuff till later.

[Huguenot]

My understanding is that anyone who obstructs the public highway (with green bins for example) is committing an offfence under section 137 of the Highways Act 1980 or section 28 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847.

However, the application of these laws is also subject to 'reasonable use' - for example loading and unloading etc. that is established by magistrates.

So the use of green bins to 'own a parking space' would have to be tested in this context. I suspect that there would have to be a sustained and recorded series of offences, along with a demonstrable impact upon the neighborhood for a case like this to even reach a magistrate, and even then you'd be hard pushed to prove it was unreasonable given the history and regularity of public parking infractions.

The best way to establish an 'unreasonable' obstruction of the public highway may be if this action were proved unreasonable because it lead to a public order offence.... ;-)

Regarding the various garages, carwashes and estate agents that make use of on-street parking, I think this would need to be tested under a separate offence - the use of the public highway for commercial storage.

I think there'd be a much better chance of success in a case like this, but even so the decision regarding parking would also be weighed up against the needs of the community for local services and commerce.

In addition, most councils view licensed and taxed vehicles (even if parked up for commercial purposes) as 'reasonable' users of the highway, meaning that if you did decide to test the law you'd need a pretty strong case to win it. Feeling pissed off wouldn't be enough.

So I think you'd probably lose that one too.

Best way is to use social pressure to change the antisocial behaviour of these twonks.

[Chick]

LeahP Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> SweetGirl - I'd like to put you in that bin and

> swing it off Beachy Head.

LeahP I think I love you. Can we hop into a wheelie bin together and swing off Beachy Head, into the future?????

[roblay]

The most shocking thing about this thread is finding out there is a woman living in ED that doesn't want to have kids.

[klikker22]

This thread is unbelievable....

If you have a problem with the behaviour of your neighbours, why don't you just at least try talking to them about it first, before moaning on online forums or getting the council or police involved? While its true that some people may not react well to being asked to change their behaviour, but you could at least try - they might be perfectly reasonable about it if you explained why it is a problem for you.

The original complainant's statement of "I suppose I could have a word with them but I can't really be arsed." sums it all up - its easier to moan to others behind their back that get off your backside and see if you can resolve the problem. Why is it that British people can't confront somebody face to face and prefer to moan online...??

[the-e-dealer]

Because there are so many cases of people getting stabbed for politely complaining?

[giggirl]

Doesn't even need to be "confrontation" Klikker. I love my neighbours. Sure they like the odd party and they have their cars and their kids but they're really good people. I daresay that sometimes I'm an annoying neighbour for whatever reason. We don't sweat the small stuff and we never have. It's a very chilled out corner of our street. In the last year I've had skips outside my house constantly, and major deliveries to the house (bricks, steels etc.). Nobody parked outside my house in all that time - they wanted my builders to have the best and most convenient access to my property. Without being asked - everyone was really considerate. I didn't need to put bins out. Now the skips are gone and the cars are back. Not an issue (and never has been).

[the-e-dealer]

Huegenot that's a damn fine answer!

[MichelleE]

roblay Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The most shocking thing about this thread is

> finding out there is a woman living in ED that

> doesn't want to have kids.

Ha ha ha ha, that really made me laugh!