cars on pavement

[john wilsonhall]

The roads around here aren't narrow but in consideration of other road users people all to often park half on the road and half on the pavement. Considerate indeed to other road users but not at all considerate to my wife and her wheelchair.

[nicholas_1612]

I have the same problem with my mum and her wheelchair here in Canterbury

[Melly1]

They do or where we live too, often totally on the pavement. No room for wheelchairs, pushchairs and often pedestrians. They also block where the kerb is dropped to aid pedestrians pushing someone across the road.

I've taught S to walk on the pavement, so he squeezes through. I always think if their car gets marked in the process - tough.

Melly1

[Honey Badger]

Posted about this last year I think.

And its not just regular road users either, we had a heavy council vehicle for a team dropping a kerb nearby that almost completely barricaded us in, leaving barely a foot gap from the gate. I appreciated what they were doing and why so tried to be diplomatic in my use of words, asking when they might be finished because of the disabled occupant I had indoors, and they got confrontational about it, one of the group got in my face, started shouting and told me where to go.

I reacted pretty badly, my PTSD is due to a group assault so my flight or fight kicked in, so I made a note of the license plate.and vehicle markings, done one of the locks and fished a cricket bat out from under the stairs as I did not feel safe.

[bowlingbun]

Honeybadger, did you ring the council? My son works for the council as an engineer, all the lorries come under the jurisdiction of the Transport Manager, who has to have an Operators Licence from the Department of Transport. Believe me, no Transport Manager wants the DoT to know of any problem with his fleet of vehicles, they log all complaints and the DoT can take away their O licence! Even if a council vehicle is taken for an HGV MoT test and fails for some reason, the DoT are told! So for any HGV complaint, ring the company concerned and ask to speak to the Transport Manager, and if they are not really apologetic, ring the DoT!
I'm sure that legally cars are not allowed to park on the pavement either, that a law was passed against it years ago. Can't think where to look right now for details (supposed to be ironing before it gets hot!)

[bowlingbun]

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/lega ... -pavement/

Here's the RAC's view on the situation (found it while coffee cooling)

[Henrietta]

I doubt that they park like that in consideration for other road users- more to protect their own cars and their wing mirrors being smashed off.

[Honey Badger]

Its illegal in London presently with a fixed fine but a free for all outside the capital. General road traffic guidance at best "encourages" road users to be sensitive to the needs of pedestrians to access the footpath but honestly unless you have pc plod in the flesh actually eye the culprit you shouldn't count on much to come of it. They have no presence anymore.

I did complain and it never really went anywhere and honestly I hadn't given the encounter that much thought since.

But needless to say it is becoming a massive problem. Parking in town is expensive/risky so people park further and further out.. not to mention in quieter areas such as ours (well, relatively I should say) less chance being keyed up or otherwise vandalized.

No better the lorries parking up outside peoples houses on roads leading off the high street sitting there parked up with the engine running for ages, then people wonder why the roads/pavements get knackered.. they were never laid to cope with HGV's.