Sod’s Law: a parking one

[ReignOfError]

Came back from the school run to find a car parked in front of my drive. I blocked it in and my other half wandered off with the keys, but after ten minutes, the owner hasn’t reappeared to get a bollocking, and, damn it, we have to go out.

I am almost hoping they will still be there when we get back. If they are, bearing in mind it’s the season of sick of annoying people goodwill, what shall I do to them?

Write a note and put it in their car. Be polite but firm. If I recall I think you’re allowed to block it if there’s no car on the drive (I may be wrong), but it’s annoying and you never know if the home owner has a disability etc and would find it really hard to park elsewhere if the drive is blocked

I'm probably being really thick here, so I'm sorry for the dumb question 😅 ..but if it's in front of your drive (not parked on the drive) how have you blocked it in?

But the driveway will have a dropped kerb, so surely as long as they're obstructing that, it'll be illegal whether the car is on the drive or not?

Get a taxi to wherever you need to go.

This is 💯 the correct advice

@WhyAreYouIkeThis, I parked behind it. The road is wide there. (I’ve attached a photo I took at the time, but it’s under review)

@IceIceSlippyIce, I wish I’d thought of that.

There is another vehicle on my drive, but even if not, it’s illegal to block a dropped kerb.

Block them in with the other vehicle that you say is also on the drive, and then go out?

You can’t block a dropped kerb regardless.

I get idiots taking up 2 spaces outside mine all the time. I write notes for the windscreen. If they are sat in the car, which is surprisingly often, I will knock on the window and ask them to move and show some consideration - usually met with a rude torrent of abuse as they are always men.

I was told a dropped curb needs an H line across it to stop parking as so many people put in illegal dropped curbs the council needs to show it isn't a parking space the property owner has taken from the council.

Thanks for answering OP that makes sense now. Good luck with it all, some drivers are so selfish and ignorant, I don't blame you for being annoyed!

The law is that you can’t block a dropped kerb regardless of any markings. If individual councils have different rules then they need to make that clear.

Anyway it’s a moot point as OP says there was a car on her drive.

Yes moot point but it does speak to why there is often confusion about dropped curbs. On our street you have to get permission from the council and pay a regulated provider to put in the dropped curb and markings, for example.

My street doesn't have any markings and they were all built with dropped kerbs

Why wouldn’t the person going to the trouble of putting in an illegal drop curb not just add an illegal H line if this was true?!

I can’t get it off my drive because it’s blocked.

Anyway, I’m back, it’s still there, and I’ve blocked it again. I don’t have to go anywhere until I collect my granddaughter from school, but I may pretend to be out for the rest of the day.

How would they do that when the car is blocked on the drive?

Excellent luck

It's not illegal to park on a dropped curb unless there is the white H markings, it is however illegal to park blocking someone in on their drive. Op you could call the police non emergency and they may come and tow the car.

Please do update OP!

100%
It will be worth the cost

Please let us know what happens
(if they knock do not answer pretend you are out)
Happened to us once in a previous house we blocked it in for 3 days
HAHAHAHA

If its still there when dark throw a bit of wild bird seed across it making sure it sticks to the windscreen. Spray something sticky on first. At first light the birds will gobble it up, crapping as they go. Dried bird crap is the very devil to remove.

If you block them in and pretend to go out or tell them you cant move the car because you had a drink, you could get some nutter who turns nasty. If the birds shat on their car what is the owner going to do? Sue the birds? Sue god?

There were single yellow lines across the dropped kerb of my old house and that still didn’t stop them. Good luck op!

Edit - have you run the number plate through the gov.uk checker for valid insurance and MOT? That would pique the interest of the police if it doesn’t have tax/MOT/insurance

No real update. They are still there, my car is still parking them in, and a friend has offered to lend me hers for the school run.

I did check the legal stuff though. My council says it’s unlawful to block any private entrance. They say a white line doesn’t make it more unlawful but may discourage people, and if this is a regular problem, I can apply for a white line, and they’ll consider it and charge me £300.

In the meantime, ring the police non-urgent line, and if they aren’t to busy (fat chance), they may come out and ticket the car. I’m not sure how that gets my drive useable again.

But I checked the police website. It agrees it’s an offence, but tells me to contact the council!

And then I noticed, to my amazement, that if a car parks, uninvited, actually on my drive, that’s trespass and is a civil offence which the police won’t help with. So next time I can’t find a parking space, I’m off to find a nice empty drive!