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Original poster

Yet another parking one (includes cone rage!)

163 replies

EL8888 · 10/03/2023 21:07

We live in a road of terraced houses, barely anyone has a drive -maybe 1 in 25 if they are end terrace and have a slightly larger plot. It’s survival of the fittest and most people accept that. A few months ago some people moved in a few doors down with a very long wide truck. Initially l think they’re super super lucky and always get a parking spot. I then spot them ear mark a spot with a number of cones and don’t take their chances like everyone else. I’ve been giving the vehicle side eye for weeks.

I get back from somewhere late last night and it’s our turn now! It’s been parked outside our house all last night and today. Theyve gone out for the evening and left the cones to reserve “their spot”. Problem is it’s not. It’s a fairly busy road and other people want to park there. I think it’s highly entitled and rude -especially as they don’t do it outside their house.

Options as l see it see it:

  1. remove the cones

  2. remove the cones and put our car in their place

  3. suck it up. The man needs to put his big important man van somewhere, he can’t be expected to take his chances like everyone else on the road

  4. “assess” the situation for a period of time

Husband wants to do #4. Handy for him as he’s not heavily pregnant and didn’t have to walk 300 metres from the other end of the road like l did last night.

If they wants permanent parking for this large vehicle (it’s always partly in the pavement as well) he needs to live in a detached house, semi-detached house or hire a parking space / garage surely?

What are everyone’s thoughts?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Gothambutnotahamster · 29/04/2023 15:26

Absolutely dickhead behaviour!

Original poster
EL8888 · 29/04/2023 11:52

@Coulditreallybe of a fashion! The cones appeared again outside our house last week. 72 hours in the bin men moved them, as no vehicle and they clearly thought they were cheeky. I have had a c-section and some of them are quite heavy so l left them. Good news is this last thing wound my husband up to the degree, where he wanted to take then off the road and install them prominently in our bay window. Then have a “chat” with the neighbour if / when he asked for them back

Haven’t seen the van this week so maybe he’s got the message and has parked it somewhere sensible. Reserving a spot outside your neighbours house for days at a time, is a new level of dick like behaviour l feel

OP posts:
Coulditreallybe · 23/04/2023 14:13

Has he stopped @EL8888

SchoolTripDrama · 15/03/2023 20:54

@EL8888 Have you reported it to the council?
Meanwhile, keep taking the cones into your house/garage. Eventually he'll get so fed up of buying new ones

XanaduKira · 15/03/2023 20:54

You need to keep moving the cones Op - he's an entitled idiot. Glad he's met his match in you!

Missuspotatohead · 15/03/2023 18:56

Stepuptowardsinfinity · 10/03/2023 21:21

Just move the cones and leave them on their doorstep.

I would absolutely do this. No one has any right to park outside their house or to reserve themselves parking spaces. The parking situation is one of the things people should consider when buying a house. I would put the cones on their step every time they use them to reserve their spot.

Sorryyoufeelthatway · 15/03/2023 18:55

Steal the cones and take them to the recycling centre. Park elsewhere for a while and laugh your head off

Puzzledandpissedoff · 15/03/2023 18:54

If you want to avoid comfrontation, why not get a CPSO to have a word?
Clearly the cones shouldn't be there, so I'd hope they'd help if asked

Leggingslife · 15/03/2023 18:54

2

MinnieGirl · 15/03/2023 18:52

Local elections are coming up… your local councillor will be delighted to help out Im sure…

Tinysoxxx · 15/03/2023 18:46

I hope you kept the note. How daft he has written it down. As others have said, you just need to get the community police officer involved now. They could just be walking past and happened to notice… doesn’t need to be connected to you.

Therealjudgejudy · 15/03/2023 18:39

The entitlement of him is outstanding..

GabriellaMontez · 15/03/2023 18:22

EL8888 · 15/03/2023 14:07

ANOTHER UPDATE

I came back the other evening to find no parking, his spot marked with cones and the vehicle gone. I moved the cones and put my car in the space (too tired to haul them into the car). Next day l find a note under my windscreen wiper. Forbidding me from moving the cones from outside his house and informing me he doesn’t wish to look for parking when he gets home at 5am 😵‍💫 Not sure where to start with a reply to that!

-He doesn’t do it just outside his house! I woke up this morning to see it outside a totally different house again. Plus no one owns the space on the road outside their house on this road
-He doesn’t have a permit for the cones so shouldn’t be using them
-Until pregnancy l regularly did night shifts, got home after 8am (getting back at 5am is an early finish!). I put on my big girl pants by finding a parking spot, walking back to my house and then going to bed

Gosh he must be a very important man.

juliettesmother · 15/03/2023 18:20

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 15/03/2023 17:39

Great, you’ve got written proof that he’s been illegally using the cones!

Exactly! Now, write a note back informing him of how street parking works and not only will you continue to move the cones, you will also report any unneighbourly behaviour to the council.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 15/03/2023 17:39

Great, you’ve got written proof that he’s been illegally using the cones!

ChickenDhansak82 · 15/03/2023 17:13

Can you post a photo of the type of van it is? If it's a flatbed, then it might have a maximum load weight about 7.5 tonnes, in which case it certainly cannot be parked on the main road over night!!

As for his petty note... I'd be tempted to shove the cones up his ar*e!!

I would keep moving them every single time he left them out and putting them by his front door. You don't want to be seen getting rid of them. If he catches you doing it, then say you didn't want him to get a fine for littering!

Leftbutcameback · 15/03/2023 17:13

This seems useful and suggests that even at a lower weight there could be restrictions (see the third section). Worth contacting your councillor or council officers on this moderngov.dover.gov.uk/documents/s18099/Background%20Paper%20A%20-%20Lorry%20Parking%20in%20Residential%20Areas%20House%20of%20Commons%20Library.pdf

Leftbutcameback · 15/03/2023 17:08

EL8888 · 15/03/2023 16:26

@Leftbutcameback interesting. I am not sure it’s a 7.5 tonne, l will take a closer look at it and see if l can get info about the model or the reg number.

Does that mean it shouldn’t be parked on the road then? I would say over night but he gives the impression of returning at 5am. Then again he doesn’t work every day and it sometimes doesn’t move a few days in a row

Show quote history

HGV operators have a licence, and that licence will have an overnight address. It won’t be on your road! Truck parking isn’t meant to be in residential areas - that’s why they have specific truck parks and depots.

I do wonder if it’s not an HGV though based on your description - depends on the specification.

BlueHeelers · 15/03/2023 16:51

Remove the cones and put them in a skip.

Original poster
EL8888 · 15/03/2023 16:26

Leftbutcameback · 15/03/2023 14:53

Just checked and it’s 7.5 tonnes it seems which triggers the need for a licence and that specifies where the vehicle is parked overnight. If you look up the vehicle you can see the weight and this might help.

@Leftbutcameback interesting. I am not sure it’s a 7.5 tonne, l will take a closer look at it and see if l can get info about the model or the reg number.

Does that mean it shouldn’t be parked on the road then? I would say over night but he gives the impression of returning at 5am. Then again he doesn’t work every day and it sometimes doesn’t move a few days in a row

OP posts:
HurryShadow · 15/03/2023 15:57

I'd continue to park in the space if it's the only one available, but have a pre-prepared note ready to put in your own windscreen, along the lines of:

"The road is a public space and anyone is entitled to park here, as spaces are available on a first come, first served basis.

I too have worked shifts in the past and got home early in the morning, so there have been plenty of times that I have had to walk a distance from my car, but reserving of a space on the road is not allowed. At the moment, I am heavily pregnant and struggling to walk long distances. I park further away if I have to, but no-one's "need" for a space trumps anyone else's.

As with anyone, I will always park as close to my house as possible, but if you live in a property with no allocated parking or driveway, the risk of this not being possible is a downside to roads such as these.

I will not be parking further away, when a perfectly legal space is available to use, closer to home.

Please also be aware that "reserving" of a space on a public road is not allowed - see [insert government/council web link here] for more information. The use of cones on a highway also requires a permit."

I'd also add something about blocking a pavement from wheelchair or pushchair users, if he's having to block that too to allow cars to go past.

But, otherwise, I'd consider getting a dashcam that records any motion even when your car is parked, just in case, but also as PP have said, speak to your local PCSO and your local councillor.

MeridianB · 15/03/2023 15:55

The cones are super cheeky but the note is a whole new level of twatdom. Keep moving ‘em baby!

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 15/03/2023 15:08

Really appreciate the updates. Please keep us posted.

pontipinemum · 15/03/2023 15:06

Well done for moving the cones! Hope your ankles are ok as well.

SpookyBlackCat · 15/03/2023 15:04

Redkatagain · 15/03/2023 15:01

I have been a councillor for years.
My recommendation is to contact the local PCSO.

They will give "words of advice" about the cones and also about parking on the pavement.

I agree with this. I've been on MN long enough to know that parking threads can really escalate.