Tax on Cars parked on Pavements

[Hazel at the Hill]

I believe that planning guidelines for new builds these days are such that planning permissions are not granted unless the design allows 1.5 parking spaces per house (yes, I know, I couldn't work that one out either!).

Also, designs are encouraged such that parking is round the back (although this does reduce the amount of garden you have to actually garden in).

I quite JG, houses are built far too close together - but when we live on a small island with a huge demand for housing, there has to be a compomise on 'footprint' unless we all want to live in high rises, I guess.

[SimonCole]

Talk to architects and they will say that people want their garden space round the back, where they can be private!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, my mum is much the same: She wants to keep several 40ft fir trees that surround our small 30ft garden. The nearest house opposite is 200 yards away, but she has probs. We have no real light and the garden is hardly used by anyone except myself when I'm there. She has no quarrel with the 5 houses facing our front garden.

[SimonCole]

I quite JG, houses are built far too close together - but when we live on a small island with a huge demand for housing, there has to be a compomise on 'footprint' unless we all want to live in high rises, I guess.

Well the farmers' are saying that they can't make a living any more. Perhaps we should build on farmland... the ecological imprint must be smaller than that of intensive farming

[johnty greentoes]

If I want privacy I go to my bedroom.

I think houses/estates should be designed with communication with ones neighbours in mind - not as little stockades. That's my beef, not with density but with pseudo-privacy. I've always enjoyed living in places where street design encourages people to meet...because I'm a friendly and lighthearted sort of guy....

[SimonCole]

I don't understand it either. I can suggest that people are nastier that they used to be and that's why people want to be fenced in because there seem to be more neighbourhood disputes (parking, development, huge trees, etc).

[rustylady]

I don't park my Golf on the road in case it gets hit - we live just off a roundabout and the speed some folks hurtle past our house I worry about my precious babe. The everyday cars are indeed parked on the road as they don't matter the same. However, there is always a pavement width between the Golf and the everyday car - I would be seriously cheesed if anyone hit either car! A few years ago OH bought me a Freelander as a wedding anniversary prezzy (okay more money than sense at the time maybe) but I do have horses and kids with bikes and a dog etc so it was used and well muddied as my avatar at one time showed) - got well cross when parked at the supermarket and some muppet put a shopping box on the bonnet of my brand new car!!! Scratched all to heck.

How many cars do you have Shirl? And how many drivers in your household?

[Elmo]

I suspect people do it to keep the road clear and to avoid having their wing mirrors taken off. I imagine they don't even think about the problems it causes for pedestrians. Why don't you try putting a polite notice on the car asking them to not block the pavement as you need to get past. My friend lives on a road like that and its a nightmare going to visit her.

I wouldn't park on the pavement there I tend to get the train if I have to visit (wouldn't leave my baby jimny exposed to traffic one side people the other ).

I believe it is a traffic offense to block the pavement although don't take my word for it

[rustylady]

Pavements are for people, (and prams and pushchairs). Roads, driveways and garages are for cars! I believe it is actually an offence to obstruct a footpath/pavement. My daughter has a toddler and a six month old disabled baby. She needs to use a side-by-side double pushchair and I've lost count of the times she has had to push the children into the road because she can't use the pavements as cars are parked on them (half on or not). This is putting herself and the children in danger and IT IS NOT FAIR!!!!!

[rustylady]

I suspect people do it to keep the road clear and to avoid having their wing mirrors taken off. I imagine they don't even think about the problems it causes for pedestrians. Why don't you try putting a polite notice on the car asking them to not block the pavement as you need to get past. My friend lives on a road like that and its a nightmare going to visit her.

I wouldn't park on the pavement there I tend to get the train if I have to visit (wouldn't leave my baby jimny exposed to traffic one side people the other ).

I believe it is a traffic offense to block the pavement although don't take my word for it

I think Friends of the Earth used to produce sheets of stickers saying "Pavements are for People" - they were brilliant, you could just peel one off and stick it on the offending vehicle (not that I'm saying I ever did that). Not sure that you can get them now, but if anyone knows please advise.

[Hazel at the Hill]

It is an offence to obstruct the pavement - take a snap of each offending car with date/time. showing number plate and send to highways dept?

We have a real problem at a couple of our local stations wherby people are trying to use PT to go to work in B'ham but there just aren't enough parking spaces so people park badly/causing obstruction.

Personally, I'd walk to the station, but that clearly is not an option for everyone.

[Alison]

I think Friends of the Earth used to produce sheets of stickers saying "Pavements are for People" - they were brilliant, you could just peel one off and stick it on the offending vehicle (not that I'm saying I ever did that). Not sure that you can get them now, but if anyone knows please advise.

Have a meeting next week, will ask.

[shirlthegirl43]

My Golf is my pride and joy - saved mostly for shows and summer driving. However, it is not able to go in the garage this winter and has spent the time on the front 'drive'. We live in a terrace house which originally dates from goodness knows how long ago. We have no access to the rear of the property except through the house and it is a bit tricky to get the car through the front door Hopefully, OH's jukeboxes are coming to live in the house soon and Flossie can go back in the garage (at parent's in law - we don't have a garage). Usually there are 2 cars outside the house - parked on the road but Flossie always gets the special spot out of the way. There is always space for people to get past - should people actually feel the need to walk past our house! Public transport is next to non-existent for most of the journeys we do - would love to be able to use it more and try to use the train when we go away anywhere but not always easy as there are very few train's at the weekends.

In all, we have 3 Rover's, one VW Golf, one Mini (elder son's) one Volvo P1800S (younger son's) and an ex riot-van which we haven't got yet but it is hopefully going to be used to ship the jukeboxes around for OH's new venture. Also, 2 non classic, everyday cars. Drivers consist of OH and self elder son due to learn to drive next year but currently restoring his Mini - in the hope that he won't then go out and annoy other road users. All cars that may get used on the road are taxed, MOT'd and insured but the ones undergoing restoration obviously aren't. Old cars are our interest as well as old (1950's) jukeboxes.

[rustylady]

Sorry Shirl, that's 8 cars for 2 drivers and 1 wannabe driver - isn't that a tad excessive?

[shirlthegirl43]

It is a classic car collection.

[dexterdoglancashire]

We have a problem with people parking their cars on the pavement in parts of our estate (not near us though). One night whilst walking Dexter, I noticed that all the cars parked half on/half off the pavement had a police sticker on the windscreen - do not park like this again or else you'll get a fine! low and behold! they haven't done it since! Bernie aka Dexterdog