To think the pavement is for pedestrians

[Whiskeyjar]

Why do people park their cars over the pavement? I genuinely want to understand this better as I think there surely must be an reason for this that I am missing. Example - I live next to a busy main road which is very long and I need to walk up this to access DS1's school and DS2's nursery. Since having DS2 I have walked everywhere with the pram and have came up against this problem almost every week- majority of the time it's different cars but some are repeat offenders. They don't just park slightly over the pavement but over enough that you can't pass with a pram which then forces you to have to cross the road which is really busy and no proper crossings on it. I get so annoyed that I'm being forced on to the road and putting my kids in danger because people do this- but why? What's the purpose of it? It's a wide road so if you parked entirely on the road cars would still pass with ease and even if they didn't, you could still do single file to get round a car that's parked? I have knocked on doors and asked people to move their cars on several occasions and never had any push back luckily. Is it just thoughtlessness?

[Defrack]

And again were not annoyed by people who have to park there. If there's space provided for you then go ahead as that means there's still enough room.

What were pissed about is cars not leaving any room and forcing pedestrians, who the pavement was designed for, onto the road.

And they don't purposely key cars, they just walk along and if someone blocks there way and the keys hangingnkn the side accidently scratch it, then oops

[Johndoe10]

If they can get through a gap big enough to get a trolly through with keys purposely attached then there is room. Why they hell would you force yourself through a gap knowing your going to damage a car or your trolly. Walking in to a situation prepared to cause damage to someone’s property

Just take a photo and send it off to ever it needs to go.

Going out your way to purposely keying a car is criminal damage. Be pretty embarrassing is some one caught up to you at school and started having a go at you while your with your kids.

I don’t park on curbs because I’d damage my tyres and the body is very low so I’d likely rip something off. However if I caught some one purposely keying my car because it was their idea of justice, I’d be fuming and no way would I let it rest.

[Fatasfook]

It should be illegal. People could take photos of the cars and email the photo to a dedicated email address which will then fine the owner of the car.

[Defrack]

But they aren't purposely keying are they?

They're walking on the pavement. If the knob left enough room to get through then the keys won't touch the vehicle and if they don't then purely accidental.

I don't do it myself as I can squeeze through a gap, but why should people in wheelchairs be careful and cross roads to avoid damaging the car? If it wasn't parked blocking the way it wouldn't happen.

[LaurieMarlow]

However if I caught some one purposely keying my car because it was their idea of justice, I’d be fuming and no way would I let it rest.

No one would be 'purposely' keying your car. You'd have parked your car selfishly (on purpose) and they'd be doing their best to get through the gap because that's the safe thing to do.

If their keys happened to be hanging off the pram at the time, then shrug

If entitled arse holes don't want their cars damaged then they should take a parking lesson.

[Satsumaeater]

why should people in wheelchairs be careful and cross roads to avoid damaging the car? If it wasn't parked blocking the way it wouldn't happen

Exactly. If you block the pavement and someone can only get through by scratching your car I'm afraid it's tough. You have a choice not to park there. It's very different from someone deliberately damaging your car for the sake of it eg because they just don't like where you've parked (happened to me and a neighbour years ago when we parked on a residential street near a station - on the road, perfectly legally - neighbour got her scratches fixed and they did it again).

[LaurieMarlow]

Why they hell would you force yourself through a gap knowing your going to damage a car or your trolly.

Because that's the safe thing to do and you're going to try to do it if possible.

As you don't give a fuck about my safety, why on earth do you expect me to give a fuck about your car?

[JacquesHammer]

Because I'd be suprised if anyone who drives could honestly say that they've never parked partially on a pavement before

Outside my house only and very rarely - the difference being whilst it appears like a pavement, it is in fact my land. It is a bizarre set up so if you can imagine a full pavement on the other side of the road, no pavement on my side except the small bit outside my house that sticks out. Its highly odd . The upshot being that pedestrians never use it. Ever.

I don't do it anywhere else because it it is selfish behaviour.

[MadameButterface]

I do feel like climbing on to the bonnet and walking over the car tbh

see also: drivers who straddle pedestrian crossings

I am always filming bus drivers and complaining my arse off whenever I see them do it (and they are buggers for it, to say they drive for a living)

[SillySallySingsSongs]

Council around here tell people to park on the pavement (leaving room obviously) so that bin lorries can get down the narrow roads.

[BluthsFrozenBananas]

Where I live there are many streets where everyone parks on the pavement. It’s an area of mostly Victorian terraces with narrow roads and most houses don’t have any land in front of them which can be parked on. It’s not a case of go and park a bit further away, there just isn’t anywhere else to park and if cars don’t park on the pavement the road becomes impassable.

I’m lucky enough to live in one of the few streets where the houses were designed with front gardens, so ours is paved over so we can park, but it’s a rarity and one that we’ve paid for. When we bought our house it was a straight choice between two bedrooms and off street parking or three bedrooms and on street for the same price.

[Woolythoughts]

What is the alternative in this road for (normal) two car families?

All the roads in the area are the same so parking one or two streets over wouldn't work.

[LaurieMarlow]

wooly is there enough space for a pram/wheelchair to pass? Hard to tell from the photo.

[Defrack]

@woolly, if a wheelchair can get through, then no problem at all, even though I would prefer the full use of pavement. However if you need to park like that and are courteous doing so then I have no problem as you aren't putting me in any more danger by forcing me into the road.

[Lettherebelight]

If a wheelchair/pram can get past then it's not a big issue and the pavement that is used as road should just be lowered when works are next done. This is the kind of problem I had in mind - parked on a pavement in front of a drive but so close to the end that I couldn't squeeze a normal single buggy through the gap. It's a two lane road so no issue of emergency vehicles being blocked if it were fully on the road.

And to those saying take a photo and report - who to?

[TurquoiseCat]

FYI, I asked my local force this recently (sick of not being able to use the drop kerbs on school run). This was their reply.

[MulticolourMophead]

I noticed one comment on here earlier, referring to reg plates as personal information.

They aren't. You can publish a plate number, as it refers to the car and not to a person.

[adaline]

If there will not be enough space for vehicles to pass on the road, unless you park on the pavement where you want to park, you need to go and park elsewhere, not park partially on the pavement.

But in a lot of towns, every single road is like that. What do you suggest people do, park in the next town over and walk?!

[HolesinTheSoles]

Because I'd be suprised if anyone who drives could honestly say that they've never parked partially on a pavement before

I am 100% sure I have never done this. I think there are situations (like my road) where the pavement is very wide where it wouldn't cause too much of an obstruction but if it was going to force buggies and wheelchairs into the road I just wouldn't do it.

[HolesinTheSoles]

What is the alternative in this road for (normal) two car families?

Put in a drive I guess - what do you suggest wheelchair users do if they have to walk down the pavement?

[MrsGollach]

I can assure you @HolesinTheSoles that I have NEVER parked partially or fully on a pavement - even although you obviously do.

Don't tar us all with the same brush.

[SillySallySingsSongs]

Put in a drive I guess

You are aware that not everyone has or can have driveways right?

I am a wheelchair user and I have no issue with people parking on the pavement as long as it isn't causing an obstruction.

[MissLingoss]

What do you suggest people do, park in the next town over and walk?!

Well, I often walk to the next town, so I don't think it's a hugely unreasonable suggestion, always depending on the distance.

[HellenaHandbasket]

I am a wheelchair user and I have no issue with people parking on the pavement as long as it isn't causing an obstruction

That's pretty much exactly what the entire thread is saying.