Pavement chalk - AIBU?

[HubbabubbaT]

I saw a lovely thing online about a sensory walk pavement trail for kids - hop like a bunny here, spin here, follow the dots, touch your toes, smile - that sort of thing ... Thought it would be a lovely idea to do outside our house for all the kids going for walks with their parents .. cheer the kids up a bit. Happened to mention to neighbour over the fence before I started... He said oh isn't that vandalism of the council's property??? - AIBU or would it be nice thing to do? I tried googling it but there doesn't seem to be any clear cut law against it as far as I can see..?? Just don't want to draw it all out and then have to wash it straight off if it's illegal! Just to confirm I tried the chalks on the patio and they wash straight off..

Your neighbour sounds like a tool

Chalk? I don't think that's vandalism it's a lovely idea

I don't think it's vandalism as it washes away!

I saw the same thing and it really cheered me up and was thinking on doing similar on our estate but miseries like your neighbour are the reason I haven't.

It’s chalk - it’ll wash off when it rains. Do it, sounds like a lovely idea to me.

well it is sort of a lovely idea, except you are not really going to a walk if you are stopping and drawing on the pavement as you go. How is that different from stopping to sunbathe in the park?

Kids round here have chalked hopscotch grids everywhere, I think it’s lovely. Can’t even get upset with one who’s written “I fucking hate you covid19” I can only agree.

Can't see why a bit of chalk on the pavement is any harm....there's enough rain in the UK for it to be gone in a few days!

We used chalk on the pavements when I was a kid, but back in the 70s it was for hopscotch rather than coronavirus rainbows!

Not vandalism, not when it'll be gone with the first rain, and can be washed off if it needs to go earlier

There are chalk rainbows and easter eggs all over the pavements in my area.

You wouldn't want young children hopping and spinning along a pavement if you're on a busy road, but if you're not then I don't see a problem. It'll all wash off next time it rains.

Draw a middle finger outside his house.

It washes away. I got told off by a man couple of years ago as my son was “vandalising” the pavement outside our house.
Told him to not to be ridiculous.

What a grumpy arse.

Your neighbour is being ridiculous. It's just chalk!

Nothing that can be solved with a bucket of water can be considered a huge problem in my opinion.

Just do the chalking anyway. Let him report you if he likes. I’m sure the council would laugh at him.

There was a shopkeeper that got told off by the police for chalking 2m lines outside her shop. The police officer was told off for being stupid but only because of the purpose it was for. It technically is vandalism but the police might have better things to do. One issue however is not all your neighbours might be happy with you doing it.

It is actually an offense to do this. There are loads of stories about this if you Google. It just depends on whether the police can be arsed or not.

My Dd always chalks on pavement outside our house,i do wash it straight off after though as if kids go over on scooters it can drag on pavement in front of neighbours,but as it's lockdown you won't have this problem.

We used to do stuff like this as kids all the time, it’s only now I think about it there was chalk everywhere!

Do it OP, it sounds lovely 😊

Love the idea of a middle finger outside the grumpy fuckwidget’s house!

Right.. I’m reporting my dd to the council , she defaced my garden with chalks yesterday ! Clearly a case of bad parenting .. doh!

I did Google quite thoroughly @BlackCatSleeping but as far as I could see it's ok if it washes off and it's not offensive words/slogans/pictures ? - we live in an area with loads of children and I'm sure they would enjoy it! And @WickedlyPetite it's a really quiet road..

Some teen has chalked inspirational quotes all around our local park. One says - April distance brings May existence. They seem to be uplifting lots of people in my estate.

YABU, because it's illegal. e.g. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/6605107.stm (admittedly quite old).

I believe it's because it would cost the council money if they needed to remove it. (Someone coming out and washing it away is still money councils could better spend elsewhere.)

The law doesn't suddenly not apply because "nobody is harmed". If that were the case, it'd be fine to bomb along the motorway at 90mph and you'd only get in trouble if you caused a crash.

I think as an adult you would be more likely to be prosecuted than a child, for instance a shopkeeper advertising on the pavement would be more likely to get into trouble than a six-year-old playing noughts and crosses.

I love pavement chalking. Ignore the grumpy toad.

Sounds lovely.

There are lots of rainbows chalked on the pavements here