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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To report this 'abandoned' vehicle?

24 replies

MerricatsHouse · 01/12/2016 15:44

First thread so please go easy on me! More of a WWYD really. Where I live parking is a squeeze - university area so lots of HMOs and many problems with staff and drive-in students parking in residential streets.( Council tried to bring in resident only parking but objections from people who don't have parking issues meant they didn't end up doing anything.)

On the side street where I and my neighbours park there is a vehicle parked right on the corner, only a few feet from the junction. It is almost all the way on the pavement in front of one of those green exchange boxes, leaving a gap an adult can barely fit through (as in, if you are carrying bags etc you can't get through). You have to walk on the road just to get around it. I've checked the tax on it and it is valid until Feb 2017. Someone has written a note and put it in the windscreen saying the engine has seized and any problems call this number, giving a phone number. For a while I thought fair enough, it's broken down, but it has been there since September now. Haven't seen any people around it and it doesn't belong to neighbours. (Also someone abandoned a car in the same spot back in August, saying it was for sale when it was marked SORN.)

I know it can technically be there as it's taxed etc, but can it still be reported as abandoned or something else? Is it being so far on the pavement and in front of a junction box something that should be an issue? BT or whoever wouldn't have a chance at working in that box if they needed to. I don't want to waste time or cause trouble but it's bugging me now and parking is hard enough as it is! Any advice for this kind of thing?

PS I obviously don't want to phone the number as a. what's the point, and b. I am a coward Grin

OP posts:
Ahickiefromkinickie · 01/12/2016 15:56

YANBU. If it's causing an obstruction and endangering pedestrians by forcing them on to the road then I would definitely report the vehicle, regardless of whether it is taxed or not.

They have had plenty of time to sort it.

GrumpySausage · 01/12/2016 16:00

YANBU. I initially thought you were going to say it had been there a few days and I was thinking ywbu though I'd have been itching to call after a day

But since September! That's ridiculous. Even if the person can't get the car fixed, they should get it moved. I'd definitely report it abandoned.

Glastonbury · 01/12/2016 16:13

If it's taxed then I doubt the council would be interested. Try the police they deal with causing an obstruction.

baconandeggies · 01/12/2016 16:23

Report to 101

SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 01/12/2016 16:25

Tax discs are no longer issued - have you read the date on it correctly?

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 01/12/2016 16:27

You can report as abandoned, they'll stick a "contact us or move this car within 30 days" notice on it and tow it if nothing happens after that. If it's road legal and the person calls; it wouldn't be classed as abandoned, but you'd expect the council to ask them to move it so it wasn't obstructing the pavement in that case.

RocketPockets · 01/12/2016 16:39

You can report it to your local traffic wardens if it's blocking the path. Or you could report to police as it might have been stole etc... a car was once left in our parking space and it turned out it had been stolen and just left there!

19lottie82 · 01/12/2016 16:41

You can check online and see if it's insured too? If it's insured and taxed I doubt the council will do anything.

PS just phone the number!

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 01/12/2016 16:46

It's dumped because some inconsiderate fucker has left it.
Not much you can do.

baconandeggies · 01/12/2016 17:42

The police remove cars that are an obstruction. The council remove cars that are abandoned or that have not been moved for 3-4+ weeks, regardless of tax status. They put a notice on the car and if it's still there 7 days later it gets towed.

BratFarrarsPony · 01/12/2016 17:44

How would you know if it was taxed? Confused

baconandeggies · 01/12/2016 17:49

You can look up online if you have the make and reg no

c3pu · 01/12/2016 17:54

So it's still taxed, Is the mot still valid? Does it show up as insured?

If one of the 3 is lapsed, then report it.

BratFarrarsPony · 01/12/2016 17:57

oh I see thanks x

Original poster
MerricatsHouse · 01/12/2016 19:19

Thanks for all the responses, I didn't know you could check insurance. I just did a check on that and it's saying it is insured Angry Tried the online tax check again and it's not working properly, but that's probably the site.

We have traffic wardens around here all the time and they haven't ticketed it. The situation is complicated by the fact that everyone who parks there parks slightly on the pavement, so the traffic warden probably wouldn't look that closely. However, you have to be almost completely on the pavement to cause a serious obstruction and nobody else parks very far on, or by the exchange box. It's really awkwardly positioned! Anyway, if it's true the council will put a notice on it, perhaps I'll try them first.

Can't see the phone number now because it's all iced up, not that I was ringing it anyway Grin

OP posts:
TaliDiNozzo · 01/12/2016 20:05

baconandeggirs - I very much doubt the council remove vehicles just because they've been parked somewhere for a few weeks. They deal with untaxed or dangerous vehicles only.

OP, the police are your best bet here as the vehicle is causing an obstruction.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 01/12/2016 20:11

Is it on the pavement?
Report to the council and the traffic warden.

Glastonbury · 01/12/2016 20:33

My council certainly wouldn't remove a car that was taxed and mot'ed no matter how long it was parked there.

PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 01/12/2016 20:42

Just call it in and say it's abandoned. They will put a notice on it then move it

19lottie82 · 01/12/2016 21:26

Peppa......... not if it's taxed and insured they won't.

Original poster
MerricatsHouse · 02/12/2016 09:22

Well I reported it to the council and they seemed to take it seriously (more than I thought they would), especially because it is blocking access to the exchange. In terms of access they asked if a pram or wheelchair could get past it and it can't, so it looks like it will be moved on that basis. That hadn't crossed my mind but of course that's a big problem. It is intimidating enough having to squeeze through / walk on the road around it with my 3YO as the main road that junctions onto it is a bit of a blind corner. A pram or wheelchair would be a nightmare.

I asked what was likely to happen and they said they would get someone from Highways out to look at it straight away and phone the number, and get it sorted as soon as possible. So, fingers crossed they're telling the truth!

OP posts:
Redpony1 · 02/12/2016 09:50

Great news!!

Original poster
MerricatsHouse · 07/12/2016 09:26

Update (in case anyone is wondering whether councils will move stuff) : IT'S GONE!!!

A council notice was on it Monday evening saying the vehicle is suspected abandoned and to contact them within 7 days. When we got home yesterday evening it was gone. Cue wild speculation as to whether the engine was actually seized up, did it get towed etc. But anyway, we can all finally get from the car to the front door without taking our lives in our hands! Grin

OP posts:
c3pu · 07/12/2016 12:08

Result! :D

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