Woman’s death could have been due to parked cars

ETA To be fair as some PPs have pointed out some pavements are very wide and that's a different story but I'm sick to death of the selfish idiots who decide that the narrow pavements make a good parking space

In many cases, it's expected by the council and there are signs to say as much. It's not happening because people are being selfish, it's because there's genuinely no other choice and the council has told people to do it to keep the roads clear.

People like you are the reason people like me have to step out into the busy road with children, push chairs etc. You are also the reason that people with wheelchairs have to do the same... and lets not forget blind people...

If you can't fit don't park it's dangerous

ETA To be fair as some PPs have pointed out some pavements are very wide and that's a different story but I'm sick to death of the selfish idiots who decide that the narrow pavements make a good parking space

Our street is narrow and cars park all along one side. Normally that creates enough near misses. We are currently the diversion for the A road roadworks so we have buses and trucks coming along this week. They're all driving with one side on the pavement to get past - not slowing down either!

Indeed - blind people get clobbered by cars parked on the pavement.

Really ! As long as you people only have to step out of the house and straight into their car, sod the disabled, mothers with buggies, toddlers etc but as long as the driver is okay dont worry !!

Cue a flood of posts from people whining how it doesn't work for them.

Technical innovation is one thing, but sometimes it has to wait until it's time comes.

In lots of Spanish towns there's a carpark underneath each apartment block, for example

The trouble comes in places where there is a lot of rain, though. And we do tend to have a lot of rain (and underground rivers that like popping up to say hello during storms).

If only self-drive cars were a bit nearer reality. That would remove the need for many people to have a car, if you could simply tap on your phone and have a self-drive car turn up on your doorstep. Then send it away when you got to your destination. That would hugely reduce the on-street parking (bearing in mind the average car is parked for about 80% of its life).

Meanwhile, I'd settle for narrower pavements, defended by bloody big bollards.

I imagine it also depends on size of the car. Fiat 500 can probably leave enough space for both, Range Rover not so much. Too many entitled drivers about think they should be able to park anywhere they like. Even if it is technically allowed, if you don't fit properly you still shouldn't park there.

This ^

When we moved to this city 30 years ago we were surprised that everybody parked on the pavement. Our new neighbours explained they you had to park on the pavement to allow emergency vehicles and bin lorries through. The pavements are plenty wide enough to ensure that wheelchair users and pram pushers are also able to get by unimpeded.

And as in your case there is nowhere else to park - the whole area is like that.

We've lived opposite a NHS hospice for 20+ years and on that side of the road people park with all four wheels on the pavement. It's never been an issue for all the wheelchair users who use our road. If it had been, I'm sure we'd have known about it.

A lot of people don't seem to realise that parking wholly or partially on a pavement does not necessarily mean that wheelchair users and prampushers must automatically be obstructed or inconvenienced. It ain't necessarily so - it depends on the circumstances.

When a blanket ban on pavement parking was introduced in London (in 1974?) it was acknowledged that one size does not necessarily fit all by allowing local authorities to permit pavement parking in specific areas. Obviously such permission is only given where necessary and where it won't obstruct or impede pavement users.

That's fair enough. The pavement is wide. There's still room to get down it.

It says that the ambulance was at her address within 11mins.

I wonder how many were wasted waiting for a car to be moved?

They will forever be wondering.

What a tragedy.

Or if you can't park to allow space for both vehicles and pedestrians you should park elsewhere.
Quoted wrong post, but you get my point.

My parents' road of 1930s semis, lots of cars to park but not much traffic, where the path is narrow and badly maintained, so everyone parks on the pavements and walks in the road. That's crying out to be designated "shared space" and paved accordingly, Too many drivers take the view that if it's tarmaced, it's for cars, and they should drive as near to 30mph as possible, which means it's not safe for pedestrians to walk in the road.

You should park on the pavement to allow room for emergency vehicles to get through provided you can do so without obstructing the pavement. If you have to obstruct the pavement to park, then you should park elsewhere. Obstructing the pavement doesn't have a definition, but in practice it tends to mean not leaving enough room for a double buggy.

Pavements are for people. You should never obstruct, which most police forces seem to interpret as - you should always leave enough room for a double buggy to get through.

Did you miss the word "should" from @soupfiend's post?

There are places where you should park on the pavement because that's where you are meant to park.

There's a blanket ban on pavement parking throughout London - except where the local authority has authorised it, as here:

75 Darwin Dr - Google Maps

That's how you are meant to park to the right of that sign - two wheels on the footpath.

@soupfiend is most definitely not saying that you should park on the pavement if it would obstruct wheelchair users and other pavement users.

Parking on a pavement does not necessarily mean that other users are automatically obstructed. It obviously depends on the width of the pavement

We have those half pavement parking spaces on lart of our road in London. Trouble is:

• that often doesn't leave enough room for even able bodied peolle to get past due to ever larger cars and shit parking.

• many car drivers are dicks so park fully on the pavement and on the pavement on parts of the road where it isn't permitted.

I often walk up with heavy bags of shopping. It is a shame how often a heavy bag of cans accidentally hits a car when I am trying to squeeze past.

Let's face it, there are a lot of dickheads around among car drivers, bikers, cyclists and those on foot who are so bloody entitled in so many ways.

Grew up in an area with lots of terraces housing, it’s not possible to always park somewhere else without defeating the object of having a car. Most people that park on pavements are not fully on the pavement, so there should be enough room for the average sized human being with a single pushchair or wheelchair to get through. The issue in my experience for buggy and wheelchair users, those partially sighted is the state of the pavements and other obstructions coming from gardens, such has bushes, not people partially parking on pavements.

This.

Ive already given examples of instances where I and other professionals have to visit clients. Sometimes I have to park half on the pavement, theres nothing else for it, there isnt 'somewhere else to park' because the road is surrounded by similar roads and the main road they are off, are busy A roads which dont have pavements or parking.

Where would I park to complete my job? Even if there was something half a mile away I physically cannot get to the actual road I need on foot. I dont live where there is adequate public transport. There is a local bus to local towns but lots of places where you cant walk, unlit, unpavemented country lanes, narrow, twisting, so you might get a bus somewhere but be unable to make it to your final destination

The nearest city has a bus here which stops at 530, you cant get home later

If there's no other option but to park on the pavement forcing pedestrians and WU into the road. Then you find somewhere else to park.

I went to London recently for the first time in years (used to live there in the 90s), and the residential streets all seemed so calm and orderly. No parking on the pavements, lots of streets blocked to cars driving through- and the air is so clean now! You can run your finger along random bits of street furniture and it won't come away black!

They need to roll this kind of traffic management out nationwide.

They shouldnt have to - and the person who blocks the road with their parked cars are complete morons but why do paramedics sit there with the blues flashing and sirens going? One could have got out and walked down the road - could they not? or is that too simple?

Where is the land for the parking spaces coming from? And what about those who can't walk to and from these rented parking spaces?