To write a note back

[Lexie1970]

I park my car on a side street near the station so I don't have to pay the parking.

Several times somebody has written this isn't a car park, use a car park etc on the window with a glass pen so it does come off.

Last night had message scrawled again and on this occasion the perpetrator has let some air out of the tyre, or to give benefit of doubt it is a coincidence.

I now wish to leave a note basically stating that the road is a public highway, my car is taxed and insured and you don't have the right to park on your street unless it is a private road.

My car is gone by 5.00pm and I do get that it is annoying that you can't park outside your house, but equally you could have a neighbour with 3 cars and there would still be issues with parking.

DP thinks I should report to police as the 'writer' is causing criminal damage where I am actually legally parked.....

[dexter73]

But chipsandbeans, the op isn't breaking the law but the people who have damaged her car are! They are totally unreasonable!

[Lexie1970]

But chipsandbeans it's not every day. I work 3 days a week and if I find alternative parking I don't park in the street, it is very rare that I am outside the same house on each occasion.

I agree it can be annoying if you are the resident, but it still doesn't give you the right to deface my car.....

[DublinMammy]

Oooooh, great, another parking thread... Anyone know what ever happened with Parking Wars (OP vs guy opposite who used to wait until she had moved then park his car in front of her house despite having space for 2 cars on his own drive AND being able to park in front of his house). Keep us posed, Lexie.

And YANBU, sounds like you are parking totally legally.

[TheBigJessie]

The law is on your side, even before they began to commit criminal damage. However, I can't help but feel that they have more of a moral right to park there. I'm a bit on the fence.

[DontmindifIdo]

Hmm, I think that while you are legally in the right, you shouldn't be surprised if the residents start campaigning for a resident only parking for their road. Normally, people who live near stations snap and insist on this... Councils normally agree as they get the money from the permits, everyone wins.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I'm on the fence.
On one hand, yes it is completely out of order to deface/damage someones car.
But OTOH.
If you use the station, and there's a station car-park for people using the station then that's the extra ££ you have to pay. Or like I do if I go to London- I get the bus to the Underground.
Or if it's evening and I want to get home quickly I pay the £4.50 for the safety of the car-park.

Don't forget the people who buy houses near stations, undergrounds and schools will have paid a premium for these properties compared to a similar house a mile away.

[QuenHelle]

I think you did the right thing Lexie.

It doesn't seem to me that by parking there on occasion you can be causing anyone regular and major inconvenience. And if they have written on your windscreen and possibly deflated your tyres you would have reason to worry about their behaviour escalating.

I'm glad the police have taken it seriously. Let us know what happens.

[waltermittymissus]

Legally you are right but morally I don't know!

[ExitPursuedByAaaaaarGhoul]

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I like what they did at my parents' station. Parking is illegal for half an hour in the middle of the day. Stops people like the OP but doesn't annoy the residents.

[Lexie1970]

I live in Norfolk where buses are every hour :( I use the car to ensure I pick up son from ASC on time.

Lot's of fence sitters - crisps and coke anyone :) :)

[CoolaSchmoola]

My Dad in a very narrow street opposite a hospital. Every single day the one side of the road and half of the pavement are covered with cars bumper to bumper. They do this to save a whole £1.50.

Yes my Dad has a drive, and he uses it. But there is nowhere for visitors to park at all, so I end up parking a good walk away, which is far enough to warrant a pushchair for my DD. But as my Dad's garden runs the length of one part of the street where they park, and they park on the pavement I can't actually get my pushchair anywhere near his gate, because it won't go between the cars and the wall - nor can I walk up the other side and cross over as they don't leave any space between them to get a pushchair through either.

These drivers are inconsiderate. To the point where the council has decided to make it residents permit parking only - and are CHARGING £500 per year for the permits. No parking at all for visitors. So the actions of a few people have resulted in no parking for anyone at all unless they are willing to spend £500.

Someone ALWAYS ends up paying for the so-called free parking in the end, and it's not going to be the people who's parking has resulted in the permits being introduced. Maybe now they'll suck up the fact that they chose to work somewhere that requires them to pay parking and actually pay it.

[CoolaSchmoola]

My dad LIVES in a very narrow street obvs!

[DontmindifIdo]

CoolaSchmoola - that seems rather steep compared to any resident only parking I've ever come across, most range £40 - 100 per year but then very expensive for second cars. Could your father complain about hte cost of the permit?

also, normally resident only bays aren't 24 hours, you might just have to be careful about when you visit. (When we lived near a station it was resident only from 10-11am, this stopped people leaving their cars all day but meant we could normally have no problems for visitors)

[Ephiny]

£500/year to park outside your own house?

I would actually quite like residents permits here, if the cost was reasonable. It was temporarily permit-only (free permits for residents) during the Olympics and I've never seen the streets so quiet.

[charitygirl]

Ugh - this is so suburban. Thank God I live in London.

[SHRIIIEEEKPoolingBearBlood]

"Add message | Report | Message poster MrsTerryPratchett Fri 26-Oct-12 17:30:42
I like what they did at my parents' station. Parking is illegal for half an hour in the middle of the day. Stops people like the OP but doesn't annoy the residents. "

I don't understand this? What do the residents do if they're not planning to go out all day?

[suburbandream]

You are parking perfectly legally, whoever wrote on your car and let out air is causing damage - I'm glad the police are taking it seriously. It may well be annoying for the people who live on the street but that's their problem for living close to the station!

[NotGoodNotBad]

"However, I can't help but feel that they have more of a moral right to park there. "

But they don't have a moral right to park there. They don't own the street outside their house.

[TheEnglishWomanInTheAttic]

You've got off lightly - my (young, able bodied, active) neighbours have 4 cars, they sometimes park in front of our garden and we sometimes park in front of theirs - we both have 2 car drives (at a squeeze, and quite narrow) but they keep theirs free for their dog and I keep ours free for my 3 kids to get their bikes and the push chair past without scratching the car, and the toddler to play on the gated drive. The road is really quiet - furthest you ever have to park away is about 10 meters, most people on our road have bigger houses, generous double garages and bigger drives, the kind you can turn a car around on. All has been friendly for 5 years then they left a note on my car when I parked it in front of their garden on a Saturday, saying it would be nice if they could park near their own house (they had to park about 15 steps away). I laughed at the note and DH said to keep it and put it on their car next time they parked in front of their garden. I didn't move the car on Saturday nor all day Sunday as I didn't need to go anywhere. On Monday there was battery acid poured all over the bonnet of my car - ?500 to repair, we have a ?300 excess. Police seemed to take it seriously and filled a report but afak nothing has actually happened since...

[TheEnglishWomanInTheAttic]

put it on their car next time they parked in front of our garden

[midseasonsale]

Report to the police and leave a note in the window. Have reported vandalism to the police. This is a public highway and I am parked here legally.

[justmyview]

Some people get very precious about the road immediately outside their house. I don't get it. It's public property

[Lexie1970]

So police officer phoned. Has said as writing can be removed it is not criminal damage. As there is no proof that the tires were deliberately let down there is nothing they can do.

Hs advice is basically find somewhere else to park and he said that he can understand why the residents are peeved.

PCSO will make routine visits to streets.

At the end of the day I will probably still park there if there is no other space to be found as it is not illegal and just get on with it.

Thanks for all views