Parking (with picture)

[EvilTwins]

I run a business which in school hours delivers a post-16 course to a group of 16 & 17 year olds. It’s state funded and whilst we’re not on a school site, we are part of a (virtual) School. I have a studio near the town centre where I live. 3 doors down is a guy who runs a garage. He parks his cars (some of which he’s fixing, some of which he’s selling) all down the street. I’ve asked him a number of times not to park in front of my building - I need a clear emergency exit and disabled access. He consistently parked in front of my exit up until about February, then stopped but this morning I found two cars blocking both my main door and emergency access. I left a note (I couldn’t see him) and about 10 mins later he hammerd on my door and was very aggressive. Luckily none of the students had arrived at that point. So what can I do? AIBU to be really pissed off with him?

Perhaps, request the council ADD some parking restrictions to enable access?

I’m not disputing the legality of it, just pissed off that A) he’s inconsiderate, B) he managed to leave the fire access/disabled access free from February til now but now feels the need to park there again and C) he’s trying to intimidate me by being aggressive when I ask him (politely) if he would mind moving one of the many cars he has parked on the lane.

I would speak to the council about what they can do because your insurance might not be valid if you can't evacuate safely. Stop putting up notices that people can ignore and see if the council can do sonething to make it enforcable.

Talk to the council. It's not a traditional "vehicle crossover" / dropped kerb, it's more a short pavement! Perhaps to allow wider vehicles to use what's a narrow road? So I'm not sure normal dropped kerb rules apply.

It’s a lane behind a terrace of big houses - the buildings were originally stables for the big houses so it’s narrow with a narrow pavement on one side only. There are parking bays (which are patrolled by traffic wardens) elsewhere on the lane but nothing outside my premises. I get that he’s not parking illegally. I have contacted the council so will see what they say. I have also contacted local police again (they logged a call after he was aggressive in February) and they have said they will follow up his behaviour as it’s a repeat of the aggression and attempt to intimidate. The parking is a PITA but I may need to put up with it.

I don't think you need to put up with it, that's the point, OP.

Speak to the council before you write off your chances of a positive outcome.

What did your last Tenant Fire Risk Assessment show? Could be leverage for the council to support you.

Contact the highways part of your council and look in to getting a white ‘I’ bar painted on the road. A lot of people have I bars outside their homes if they’re disabled.

Potentially, yes. It’s in my risk assessment. I’ve been there since September. Previous tenant was a different sort of business and Landlord has assured me there have been no fires, to his knowledge, in over 100 years (not sure how he’d know that) PCSO who called this evening did actually say that they’d passed info on to the fire service so it sounds like they are willing to help out if they can with more than just the aggression.

Your “Please don’t park here“ signs are CFery, really. You don’t have authority to ask people to park elsewhere and making people think you do is unfair on them. Go to the council - see if they are prepared to ensure your building is suitable - they are the ones with the authority to decide whether your business use of the premises is an appropriate reason to limit parking for everyone else. For what it’s worth, I hope they side with you.

“Your “Please don’t park here“ signs are CFery, really”

Preach

I’ll never understand how the people trying to dictate what others can or can’t do with a public space, when they have no authority to do so, think they’re morally correct and the people acting within the rules are wrong.
Stop trying to impose your personal desires on other private citizens

Police were on my side and he’s moved the car.

So there are parking restrictions?

Or they’re on your side about the aggression?

And given how many cars he has (between 12 & 15 on any given day) I don’t think it’s unreasonable. He’s basically running his business on the highway. FWIW, 2/3 of the homes/businesses on the lane have similar “please don’t park here” signs. He parks outside mine because A) I’m “new” and B) I’m the only woman with a business. I don’t think he’d try to intimidate any of the men in the lane in the same way.

So.... parking restrictions or not?

About the aggression Quimby but also about the lack of consideration. They’ve asked the fire brigade to come and have a look because of the nature of the business. I think a PCSO has been round to ask him to be a more considerate neighbour.

He is more of a CF than me. The road is often unpassable because he’s fixing cars in the middle of it.

There are no specific parking restrictions on that stretch of the lane. I never said there was. It’s about being considerate - we both run businesses on the same street and a bit of mutual respect goes a long way. I think that’s the route the PCSO was going down anyway.

If he is selling the cars on the street he is commiting an offence:
www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q559.htm
An offence is committed if two or more motor vehicles for sale are left on a road within 500m of each other by a person acting for the purpose of a business of selling motor vehicles. This offence is aimed at certain garages and businesses that sell motor vehicles and park them for long periods of time on the road which can cause a nuisance to local residents.

Then I’m with him and think yabu

Leaving notes and trying to dictate that others bend to your will, then calling the police when they get annoyed at something neons trying to stop them doing something they’re legally entitled to do

Yabu

• someone

Not - something neon

If you are part of a school then your health and safety person needs to deal with this.

hackney.gov.uk/illegal-street-trading-vehicle-repairs

Quimby so you’re ok with him hammering on my door and being aggressive on my doorstep? OK with him parking 12-15 cars on a narrow lane blocking disabled and emergency access to a group of 16 year olds?

There’s a car park at the end of the lane - council run and free parking for 18 hours out of 24 (not that anyone checks) which is 2/3 filled with “his” cars too - mostly untaxed, uninsured and bashed about. The man takes liberties. He knows his business is dodgy. There are two other garages on the lane and neither one of them does the same.

Lynda thank you. I’ll see if that’s the same in my area and find out who to contact.

I’m ok with people parking legally

I’m not ok with people unilaterally deciding who can and can not park legally

to Be honest I feel sorry for anyone else in the area as it sounds like they have two two local businesses who are a pain in the arse!