A parking one!

[holidaysareoverated]

We have put in a new driveway and the council have dropped the kerb outside. However, they have failed to remove the markings that there used to be a parking space there. The markings are a bit of a mess as the old markings are there alongside the guides the council have put there to show where they are moving the parking space to.

A young girl has come along, parked her car, put her headphones in and walked off in the direction of the town centre. I didn't have time to run out and stop her and the headphones meant shouting after her wouldn't have done any good.

Would I be unreasonable to request that the council send a warden out to give her a ticket?

There is no way that she could have missed that she was parking across our drive. It's large and has a big car parked on it. There were 2 parking spaces there and our drive is bang in the middle... she has parked her small Fiesta in the middle too. So right over the dropped kerb with no attempt to leave any room for access. Had it still been a parking space she would be effectively stopping another car from being able to park there. If she had parked at the beginning or end of the bay we could have still got off our driveway.

So What would you do?

[User100]

If someone else tried to do the same, can we all accept at this point that, whether or not OP needs to get her towed, the driver wasn't that stupid given she was parking in a marked bay! Clearly the council are to blame here not the driver!

[Bearsinmotion]

Glad to hear it. Was going to suggest 101 too. Once DP parked so he was parking edging into the blue badge space outside my house (if he does this you can fit 6 cars on the road instead of 5). We had gone out in my car. A nosy neighbour reported him to 101 5 minutes after we'd driven off to ask him to move it - we were surprised the DVLA could have his number but the system worked!

Hope it's all sorted before the school run.

[Tophat90]

Agree Bull - we want live updates OP!

[Ohfourfoxache]

Just ignore the "why can't you get out anyway" comments op - they aren't worth getting stressed about.

[Ohfourfoxache]

Oh great - so the council is to blame for utter stupidity? Really?

[GarlicDoughballsInGlitter]

Ooof how Annoying! Glad 101 was helpful and I hope it is sorted in time for you to go out.

[Pico2]

I hope she comes back soon. Not knowing if you can get to pick up your child is really horrible.

[grapejuicerocks]

Any news?

[oddfodd]

You'd have to be pretty dim not to notice that although there is a bay there, the kerb has been newly dropped and there is a car sitting on a driveway.

It's just stupid and thoughtless of her. If she gets towed, it will be a good lesson for her to pay a bit more attention to where she parks in future

[holidaysareoverated]

Nothing yet. I suspect she has parked and gone off into London. So it could take her a while to get back.

The other man that parked there parked in the are between my dropped kerb and my neighbours dropped kerb. So he wouldn't have been blocking anybody. In any case he spent a good 5 minutes walking up and down and looking at the bay from all angles so he clearly recognised that something wasn't quite right. He didn't just park and bugger off.

[VivaLeBeaver]

When we bought our house it had a dropped kerb and driveway. House is over a 100 years old and will always have had vehicle access as there is an outbuilding originally for carts and also stables in the garden.

The council had put one giant parking bay across the frontage of all six houses in the row. Rather than individual parking bays inbetween the drives which would have been fine. Just lazy.

It too us six years to get the council to agree to change the markings of the parking bay! They couldn't understand why it was a problem to have a parking bay painted over the end of your drive. No end of people used to park there.

[JonSnowKnowsNowt]

I am a guide dog owner with small children. Please don't drive out over the pavement! We have enough trouble with people coming out of their driveways in a dangerous manner, but if it wasn't even a driveway then we'd be in real trouble!

[EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard]

For anyone who thinks it'd be unreasonable to get the illegally parked car towed away let's just imagine the responses if the OP had been something like 'I parked across two poorly marked parking bays even though there was a dropped kerb and a driveway with a car parked on it. I came back hours later and my car's gone. Bastards'

Hope you can get out to nursery in time OP.

[holidaysareoverated]

Don't worry I have JonSnow I have no intention of driving on the pavement.

Still no sign of the car's owner. I need to leave here at 5pm at the latest. Ugh I am getting annoyed now.

[Sparklingbrook]

If necessary you will need to enlist the help of a passer by/ neighbour and drive over the pavement with them watching out for you. Or call a cab.

[Bailey101]

I would call 101 back and ask them to tow it. She's out of order, and an inconvenience like that would make her think twice the next time she's looking for somewhere to park.

The posters telling the OP to drive along the pavement - wtf are you advising her to do that for? Can you imagine the trouble she'd be in if someone got hurt because she was driving like a twat? Not to mention the damage that might be done to her car and the fiesta. I really despair of the lack of driving skills some people display.

[GardenDragon]

I remember having to bump down over a pavement when I was PG, because someone had blocked me in. It was horrible, it made everything in my insides shake about, it really is unpleasant if you have a baby bump! I would not do it if I were you.

[Chunkymonkey79]

Ignore people on here suggesting crazy pavement driving, taxi, walk etc etc etc.

Back here in the real world, you park in a stupid place, you deal with the consequences. The person who parked over your drive is an idiot, they deserved their car to be towed away maybe they will think before they park in future.

[whatarethose]

Stupid arsehole. I hope she gets towed.

I bet you're so stressed out right now!

[Sparklingbrook]

Well it's all very well to say ignore me Chunky but if the towing isn't done in time OP needs to consider a Plan B or indeed C. The most important thing is getting the child back from nursery on time IMO.

[rumbelina]

I am now with you on the towing.... I originally thought you could swerve round her and go over the pavement, didn't realise you meant driving it. I also thought she'd be back in a short time. But no, turns out she's an asshat.

[holidaysareoverated]

Still no sign! Called 101 again and they are now saying it's the council who tow! Arrrgggh I'm really mad now. If this girl comes back I am going to give her a real piece of my mind!

[Sparklingbrook]

I would be booking a cab. now.

[TheRealAmyLee]

I thought there was a bay painted accross your drive due to random painting. If it's actually 2 bays so she has parked over 2 bays AND a dropped kerb? New driver or not there is no excuse.

Call and get her towed now so you can get out for nursery. She had her chance. I can't imagine the stress. You are right to not attempt a stupid pavement driving manouever.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

here you go