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Original poster

I was LEGALLY parked

59 replies

Readingtoaster · 16/05/2022 07:07

Hello all. I would like to know what steps I can take here.

Small village with parking in front of houses. I park considerately and legally. No signs at all indicating I could not park and walked through the village to have lunch with my friends.
Came back 3 hours later to find I've been blocked in.

Knocked on the door in front of the space and she was extremely rude asking me if I can read - I later found a home made residents parking sign in the long grass next to the parking. She was abusive and threatened me with dogs and then asked me to leave.

The place we had lunch asked her to move also and she refused. We had to call the police.

She admitted she had done it before, the lunch place said she had done it before and so did passing dog walkers. The Police obviously couldn't say anything. They went into her house when they arrived (4 hours later as not an emergency) and came out of the house with her keys.

To say I am furious is an understatement. What legal steps can I take here against this person. The Police advised it would be difficult to prove harassment.

Could I get a freedom of information request from them and then somehow take it further and press charges?

Thank you all

OP posts:
fluffycereal · 16/05/2022 12:35

Followtheyellowsicktoad · 16/05/2022 12:16

Same happens in the place that I live. Local guy insists he owns the lay-by in front of his house (he doesn’t) and harangues anyone who parks there. Same pissy little homemade sign. Locals won’t challenge him cos he’s a nasty fucker. Pub patrons, school run people and tourists all get it from him.

The police, however, are now so sick of him that they are taking a keen interest, they seem to be there every month. As a direct result of his arseholery he has lost his drivers license.

It might be worth you leaving your contact details with the officers who dealt with your situation in case they find a pattern and wish to address the issue.

It’s amazing how often that nasty little sign gets ‘accidentally’ knocked down by locals driving large vehicles!

How has he lost his DL?

Rosehugger · 16/05/2022 12:38

I'd post about it (not naming anyone or posting photos) letting people know about the issue on a local FB group.

Original poster
Readingtoaster · 16/05/2022 12:38

HeddaGarbled · 16/05/2022 09:41

I’ve got some sympathy with her. Imagine you’ve lived in your village for years, parking can be a bit tricky because the houses were all built before people had cars, but it’s a quiet village so you can usually get a space on the road. Then some incomers open a cafe and now their customers are parked all over the village and you can never get a parking space any more. You’d be pissed off, wouldn’t you?

Yes on the face of it except that she had 4 cars - hence her ability to block me in and the lunch place was built and ran as such before her house was built

OP posts:
Original poster
Readingtoaster · 16/05/2022 12:43

TheYearOfSmallThings · 16/05/2022 12:23

It's infuriating but the price probably have better things to do, which is why she keeps doing it.

But yes, if you know anyone with an old wreck that is taxed and can be towed and left outside her house for a few months, that is probably your best bet.

To those suggesting to park there again and lunch every day - gosh if I only had the time! Plus the Police were keen for me to speak to her again at the time to 'try to resolve things' which I would simply not do every day. She was very abusive.

As for parking an old car there - it would still be registered to me - and I would not put it past her to drag it out into the road or set fire to it etc...

Oh if anyone wants details of the lunch place please PM me the food was amazing!

OP posts:
CandyLeBonBon · 16/05/2022 12:54

I would not put it past her to drag it out into the road or set fire to it etc...

Well if she did that, police would charge her with criminal damage, so...

whynotwhatknot · 16/05/2022 12:58

i think it wold be up t the cafe to get hold of the council and ask for advice about homemade signs being put up they can deal with her and maybe send a leter saying theres no restrictions

Original poster
Readingtoaster · 16/05/2022 13:06

CandyLeBonBon · 16/05/2022 12:54

I would not put it past her to drag it out into the road or set fire to it etc...

Well if she did that, police would charge her with criminal damage, so...

Maybe so but she could do it anyway she wouldn't care - and do I want to get into all that?. If I lived locally I would consider it but I don't and I cant come and move a car that's been disposed of. Sadly its so small there would be no cameras watching her.

Plus honestly I am pretty scared of going back to that village - and I will say so to the café when they open on Wed. I don't scare easy but she was just so nasty!

OP posts:
Littlepaws18 · 16/05/2022 14:14

Parking is now classed as a civil matter unfortunately. My neighbour caused some parking issues, I rung the police they said they could only investigate threatening behaviour if we had it recorded and police will only intervene if someone has blocked you in on a driveway, not that you can't access it. Public highways again a civil matter. So even though this is deeply frustrating there is little you can do that you haven't already done!

Followtheyellowsicktoad · 16/05/2022 23:49

@fluffycereal I think it was alcohol related, the main officer was so sick of parking guy that he would have found something - anything, eventually.

It’s not a particularly high crime area round here, there’s a bit more time for this crap.

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