To ask people to move their cars if its on the pavement and you cannot get past?

[ShonC]

Hi all,

I am not sure why this bothers me so much but I guess it's the sheer ignorance of some people or perhaps they really don't care.

My dad is reliant on a wheelchair or mobility scooter. He is allowed to use his scooter on the pavement as it's below 12MPH. There has been times where he has been out and he has had to ride in the road because he cannot use the pavement as cars are parked there and I couldn't even get through. I worry for him as people drive very dangerously and often use mobile phones so I don't like him going in the road and neither does he, nor should he have to.

My partner says that I am going to get smacked by someone one day as there have been times where I've knocked on people's doors asking if that is their vehicle blocking the pavement and explain my reasoning, they are usually very understanding/ embarrassed and move it immediately. I think sometimes people just don't think.

AIBU? There are some disabled people who wouldn't have the confidence to ask that someone moves their vehicle for them.. I feel like I do this to help. I am never rude or confrontational either, hence why I think people are reciprocative.

I just think it's unfair that people park like this when it's so difficult for disabled people using wheelchairs or scooters to find a dropped kerb and takes longer for their journey. Similarly unfair for those with young children or prams..

I know that roads and pavements aren't built for purpose but I think people need to be more accommodating for the needs of others. I also don't spend my days knocking on doors in case anyone thinks I do, just if there are serial offenders or I cannot get past myself.

Here is a recent image of someone who I asked to move and they did, but he does this all the time

I hate this, it’s so inconsiderate to buggy/wheelchair users. It’s even worse when drivers do it on a road that’s plenty wide enough - other drivers can go around your parked car, pedestrians shouldn’t have to!

[quote isitjustlockdown]@PinkSparklyPussyCat - My second paragraph wasn't to you, I was just making a point in general. I just wanted to assure you that even in London, where there has been the rule for ages, there are sensible procedures put in place to allow parking to still occur.[/quote]
Apologies for the misunderstanding.

The parking bay idea would actually work quite well here as on one side of the road the pavement is wide and we bump up on it and the other side is narrower (but still quite wide) and very few people park on it.

I’ve never keyed anyone’s car but have stuck notes on windscreens before, “please don’t park on the pavement, I’ve just had to walk past your car in the road with my small children, it’s dangerous”.

I don’t know if that makes any difference since likely most people doing this don’t care, but maybe there are some people who would think twice once it’s brought to their attention?

I don’t know if that makes any difference since likely most people doing this don’t care, but maybe there are some people who would think twice once it’s brought to their attention?

Nope. Selfish cunts are selfish cunts.

Besides, they were only "there for a minute", weren't they ?

It drives me crazy too. A few weeks ago someone parked like that on my street and I was forced to take my pram out into the busy road to get round it. Still there when I got back so had to go in road again. I took a photo and reported it to the police.

I fold the wing mirror in to annoy them

Yes it's a pet hate. I've had to go into roads plenty of times with the pram as no space to get past. Totally unnecessarily as well because the roads I'm talking about, if you just bump up onto the pavement a little there is still plenty of space in the road and plenty of space on the pavement. I wouldn't say that all pavement parking is an issue, only parking that causes an obstruction - the latter is already illegal but it's obviously not policed. I feel for disabled people, it must be an absolute nightmare. I swear so many people get their driving licence and then just morph into inconsiderate twats

This drives me crazy! People who say vehicles need to be parked on the pavement or emergency vehicles can't get through - SO IT'S NOT SAFE TO PARK THERE!! People saying if they're fully on the road it blocks the road - SO IT'S NOT SAFE TO PARK THERE!! Your need to park conveniently for you does not give you the right to inconvenience people who use wheelchairs/prams/mobility scooters on the pavement which is the correct use of the pavement!

This is a regular occurrence where I live.

They used to park like this (same driver old car) until the bus route changed!

Yeah, that is ridiculous parking!

Our street has a system where one side parks fully on pavement which leaves comfortable spavelce for a buggy and zecond side half off pavement which leaves comfortable space for double buggies, wheelchairs and so on. The pavements combinesld are actually tiny bit wider than the road here so this is good compromise and everyone can squeeze through.

I always wondered how it started. Was it a natural development? Was there a street meeting?

We had a problem with this when we lived in the UK, the town centre had started charging for parking on Sundays. The first week it happened all the pavements were blocked. The second week someone went along and put a polite note on each cars' windshield. On the fourth week each and every card had been scratched along the length of the whole car at exactly the same height. After six or seven weeks it got a bit better.

I guess some wheelchairs must have bits of metal protruding from them.

YANBU at all to ask people to move their cars. As you say, everyone knows we're not meant to park on pavements, but often need to so that roads are passable. But we should also be prepared to quickly move our cars if needed.

I sometimes need to use a wheelchair and it is frustrating and worrying to be forced out into the traffic. My husband is like you and will politely ask if needed. I wish there were more people like you and him, but you never quite know what reaction you'll get. There is so much disregard for the disabled community and our needs.

I guess some wheelchairs must have bits of metal protruding from them.

Whilst that may be true, it's also worth nothing that wheelchair users are vulnerable to physical assault and serious injury far more than most. And anyone who is cunty enough to park like a cunt is also cunty enough to go after a wheelchair user (whether they have done anything or not) and have a go. If DW were to be tipped out of or over her wheelchair it could be a clonk to the bonce and goodnight Vienna.

@PatriachyChickenChampion2020

YANBU.

If there are no dropped kerbs free for me to get round cars and vans, and I can just about squeeze through, I will. People should think about their paintwork before they park like twats.

Also. Fucking bin day. Many times I have had to come home without making it to the shops on bin day. I understand some people aren't home to bring the bins in but our pavements are wide enough to get past if the bins aren't left scattered all over them.

I remember when I had a wide pram bin days were much more of a problem than cars parked on pavements.

I’d literally have to drag the bins out of the way all along our road every Friday walking to a toddler group where the bin men had left them all over the place, it was so frustrating!

@Els1e

YANBU. This is one of my pet hates. So selfish and inconsiderate. Wish it would become illegal here.

If it became illegal in most parts of England they'd have to yellow line many of the roads or cars/emergency vehicles/busses etc wouldn't get through. All it does is move the problem.

They're still allowing new build estates to build with insufficient parking. That needs to be stopped immediately, but then that pushes prices up and creates housing problems...

There isn't a perfect answer. Unfortunately.

They're still allowing new build estates to build with insufficient parking.

Because being green and pushing the public transport mantra also happens to make more money for housebuilders.

Hopefully with the impending demise of private motor transport it's a temporary phenomenon. We'll all have to wait and see.

@DGRossetti

They're still allowing new build estates to build with insufficient parking.

Because being green and pushing the public transport mantra also happens to make more money for housebuilders.

Hopefully with the impending demise of private motor transport it's a temporary phenomenon. We'll all have to wait and see.

There is no way anyone could live without a car outside of London.

That is just a pipe dream.

I agree house builders should be factoring in adequate space for off road parking, you can’t just assume not doing that will make people decide to give up their cars!

My journey to work (20 mins drive on a good run) would take over 2 hours by public transport and then would need a taxi at the end as the station is miles from the workplace in a not very nice area.

It’s awful for this where I live. Last week I was picking DS up from the childminders and an enormous removal lorry had parked fully on the pavement on the corner of the road and tied the back door of the lorry to the fence so you couldn’t get past if you tried. And parked their van on the pavement behind it. So to get past I had to go round the lorry and then the van, on a blind corner. We very nearly got hit by a car which had to swerve round us.

There is no way anyone could live without a car outside of London.

The problem with that retort is it has to be balanced against the 90% of people who insisted they could never WFH in February 2020 who are now WFH.

Anyway, I didn't say anything about living without cars.

@DGRossetti

There is no way anyone could live without a car outside of London.

The problem with that retort is it has to be balanced against the 90% of people who insisted they could never WFH in February 2020 who are now WFH.

Anyway, I didn't say anything about living without cars.

I’m not sure how you can compare getting a work station/ computer / internet access to allow working from home to the complete upgrade needed to the uk public transport system, especially in rural areas where you’re only likely to see one bus per day if you’re lucky and nothing later than 5pm!

Oh and also, how it works if you are on call through the night as we are in our role!

My chariot might have spurs fitted to.it.

I definitely couldn't live without a car. I live rurally surrounded by fields. 2 of the 3 village exits have no footpath.

Yet they built a housing estate with dreadful parking and only back to back parking spaces when side by side is the only way to avoid on street parking. House builders and local planning departments have a lot to answer for regarding new developments.

In the meantime if everyone asked themselves when they parked: am I inconveniencing anyone? The world could all keep moving.

Yanbu but to be honest , I’m worried about the reaction I’d get from people!

They're still allowing new build estates to build with insufficient parking.

Mine has insufficient parking AND no pavements for most of it. There are about 5 safe places to park on the road for visitors to 20 houses. It doesn't help when people refuse to park in the garage, or buy a house with parking for two cars when they have 4 vehicles!