Broken down car left outside my house.

[ButterOllocks]

We have a drive, so that's ok for now, but when my son comes home on leave from the forces we would like to park outside my own home and let him park in the drive. Most of my neighbours have 2 or 3 cars so parking is at a premium. The car is an old one and the last time I saw the owner - about 2 weeks ago he said it needed a new timing belt which is an expensive repair. Not seen anyone near the car since - really frustrating AIBU to want to report the police ??

It hasn't been abandoned and if it is taxed and MOT'd then it has as much right to be there as anyone else, I'm sure the PCSO will tell you the same

If your son is in the forces he's probably quite fit so should be able to manage a walk from his car to the house.

Oh but his car is too good for the street.

Really the OP should move to somewhere her son-in-the-forces can park his car without fear.

Have you thought about calling the council to see if you can buy the bit of the road outside your house? Then you can evict the perfectly legally parked broken down car from your newly acquired land.

Hmmm. No I think you’re right. I can’t see the local council getting involved. They have to be chased up to clean the streets! I’ve reported it to DVLA. I read on their website that you’re not even allowed to park on your own drive unless the vehicle has SORN status so see what happens x

I expect so @TheCurlyKnobhead but the OP can ask the local PCSO for advice. That's what they're there for

If it's broken down then it's not roadworthy. Report to the council. We've had this where I live and the cars were moved.

I think you are supposed to ask the council for permission if you want to park there. I suppose it depends where you live, if you live on a route that parking wardens take then you could be ticketed.

It's the council that generally deals with stuff like this rather than the police if car is legal. We had a garage which is a business, parking cars down our road and it was reported to the council but I don't think they did anything

No. I live opposite. He knew it was mine.

Check tax and insurance online

You could right a very very polite and kind note asking if they could move it along

Well, you can check the tax and MOT.

True, but it's not anybody else's problem if you choose to buy a car that isn't at least averagely secure.

How mean and petty that would be. How 'roadworthy' does a properly maintained car need to be to be parked up until the owner can afford to get a particular problem that's just occurred repaired? It's not a danger at all, just waiting there.

In any case, if it passed its last MoT (or is under three years old), it is officially considered roadworthy unless clearly shown to the contrary.

You may as well say that, after a heavy snowfall, all of the cars on the road are 'unroadworthy', as it would be dangerous to attempt to drive them in their current state, without clearing the windscreens first.

I love the thought of him spitting feathers! I'd give you an extra clap if he'd knocked and you told him where to go! I bet you were getting daggers! The sort of small minded person that only wants to look at their own car would be raging at the affront of you daring to park there!

Honestly, some people buy a house and think they own the road!

If it's taxed and insured then there's nothing they can do.

Weirdly it's not illegal to park on YOUR drive even 🤷‍♀️ - only an issue if they block your driveway.

What’s the fact your son is in the forces got to do with anything? 🤔

I don’t think there is anything you can do. If the car has insurance and tax you can’t force it to be moved as they are allowed to park there.

As the person who would be on the other end of the phone when you did this I would advise you don't waste your time, if the car is taxed police won't touch it. Also it is not abandoned as you know why it is there it needs repairs.

Is there only one person answering the phone then?

Blimey, no wonder it takes so long to get through 😁

Would the person reporting it just be 'educated' (using simple language) about how public roads work, or might it be considered a vexatious/malicious complaint or harassment?

I get your frustration. Of course, the owner has as much right to park there as anyone else, but that doesn't make it any less of an inconvenience if you're used to using that spot as an additional space for your house. We have a similar setup, a driveway we use for my husbands work car and I park my car at the front on the kerb. It's rare but occasionally someone else will park outside my house where I like to park. I know they're perfectly entitled to do so, but that doesn't make it any less annoying that I have to park at the top of the road and trudge down, usually with the kids in tow. It's ok to have a grumble.

I hope this person has their car recovered soon OP, but unless you genuinely believe it's been abandoned you probably shouldn't call the police

I do think that a lot of people - not including the nutty and selfish ones who think they own the road (until it comes to paying to maintain it, of course) - do realise that anybody has the right to park on the public road outside their house, but still believe it to be bad form and cheeky of them for 'taking advantage'.

I'd love to know where this way of thinking comes from: the idea that, although everybody has exactly the same right to park their taxed, MOT'd and insured vehicle in a safe legal space on any road, you somehow have a lot more right if that space just randomly happens to be quite near where your own property is located.

Nobody ever seems to think that they are cheeky or taking advantage by regularly taking that same space near to their home, day in, day out, whenever they can get there first.