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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think you can't just go painting a while line on the road because you don't want to pay £170

28 replies

Princecharlesfirstwife · 26/09/2017 19:04

Because dh thinks he can.

Local council charges £170 to paint white line on the road in front of our drive to stop inconsiderate bastards people parking their cars hanging over the edge. We are cheapskates and will not pay that. Dh has just come home from work and started twittering away about I knew not what but eventually established that he's considering buying some paint and painting his own line. H e reckons the council will never know. I being the sensible partner in this relationship think he's an idiot, of course the council will know and it's no doubt illegal to go painting random lines on parts of the road you have no ownership over.

OP posts:
Original poster
Princecharlesfirstwife · 26/09/2017 19:04

That's a white line not a while line obviously.

OP posts:
PeaceAndLove1 · 26/09/2017 19:12

I'd do it. Power to the people and all that. Don't get ripped off by the council. Picture when done will be much appreciated.

Ginmakesitallok · 26/09/2017 19:13

You can't just go painting white lines on a public road! We'd all do it if it was that simple

scaryclown · 26/09/2017 19:14

You can buy white lines in tape from several playground marking companies and blowtorch them, so it looks legit :)

spaghettithrower · 26/09/2017 19:15

You have three choices really:

  1. Pay the 170 pounds to have the line painted
  2. Don't pay it and have to put up with the inconvenience caused by the inconsiderate bastards
  3. Paint a white line on the road, get charged with some offence (I am sure it must be an offence) and then have to pay a fine which will probably be more than 170 pounds.

Your choice

Butterymuffin · 26/09/2017 19:18

Save up and pay for it. How embarrassed are you going to be to be fined by the council for painting your own line? Plus was your DH planning to go out painting in the dead of night to remain unseen?

SilverdaleGlen · 26/09/2017 19:18

It would probably be illegal and he absolutely should not do it.

but he will never get caught and if there is no CCTV he can just deny it anyway so I'd turn a blind eye

Lethaldrizzle · 26/09/2017 19:19

Surely if you want the council to make it official you would pay it! How many years are you going to live there. Of course it's worth it!

EggysMom · 26/09/2017 19:21

Your greatest concern is the neighbours - if they see your DH painting the line, they will (1) ignore it as it is unofficial and (2) possibly report you to the council. So unless he plans on doing this at 3am, I don't see it working ...

MoonfaceAndSilky · 26/09/2017 19:21

Yes I'd absolutely do it. The council will never know and if they ever find out - deny all knowledge Wink

IrregularCommentary · 26/09/2017 19:23

What spaghettithrower said.

Spam88 · 26/09/2017 19:23

No I definitely don't think he should...

Isn't the white line irrelevant though? I thought you're not supposed to park in front of a dropped curb regardless of whether or not there's a line?

AntagonyAunt · 26/09/2017 19:25

Let him do it and post pics....solely for my amusement.

MrsPicklesonSmythe · 26/09/2017 19:33

Omg just pay it Confused how mortifying to do that and get caught or have someone see you do it

PeaceAndLove1 · 26/09/2017 19:38

OMG, how are we going to have a revolution if we can't even do stuff like this. Looking for the approval of others is the road to disappointment ville. Someone's gotta make a stand.

wanderings · 26/09/2017 19:46

Someone I know painted the words "no parking" on the kerb opposite her drive, but that was back in 1990, when parking was less of the money spinner it is for councils nowadays, CCTV was rare, and traffic wardens weren't yet seen in the suburbs.

jaseyraex · 26/09/2017 19:54

My neighbour down the road done this. He painted his own line and people still park over it, but now he can't even complain to the council about it because the line shouldn't be there and he refuses to pay the fee or fine he would undoubtedly get. I'd just save up and pay it tbh but doesn't mean people will be considerate of their parking even then.

Mumsnut · 26/09/2017 19:56

People will park over it whether council do it or you do it

brownfang · 26/09/2017 19:57

I'd do it.

ReinettePompadour · 26/09/2017 20:02

Even if you get the council to do it everyone will ignore it anyway.

My neighbour went to great lengths to have a white line painted at the end of their drive. Bizarre thing is that I only ever saw their own cars parked across the end of their drive in a cul de sac and they continue to park across the line to this day. Its all very odd Blush

justmatureenough2bdad · 26/09/2017 20:10

a)its an offence
b)white lines aren't enforceable anyway.. they have no legal basis (a traffic regulation order)
c)paint would wash off after a few rainfalls/driven over... line marking is done with thermoplastic
d)if its a genuine issue, campaing with local councillor/roads dept to put dyls in... they do all the legal stuff and paint it as well... costs you nothing

notangelinajolie · 26/09/2017 20:15

Maybe your DH could do it in disguise and the neighbours would just think it was someone from the Council Grin

RapidStreaming · 26/09/2017 20:26

As long as he wears a high vis jacket whilst doing it he'll get away with it. You are invisible in a high vis jacket!

SugarPlumLairy · 26/09/2017 20:32

We have a drive, no lines, and every bastard parks hanging over the edge our drive a bit, so it's nearly impossible to get out when two inconsiderates park either side.
Over the road from us have a drive WITH the marvellous white line and.....every bastard parks on top of those too.
Round the corner have got a massive drive with two entries, one has white lines the other has yellow double lines (on a corner/turning circle beside school. BOTH get parked on by parents doing school run.

So don't bother is my opinion...

Ttbb · 26/09/2017 20:58

Why don't you just call for a traffic warden when people park like that. It's still illegal-what difference would a white line make anyway?

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