On 10 Apr 2015 at 12:58pm Patrol wrote:
Please stop parking your white van outside your house on the grass verge/pavement to refill your van. This is a residential road not a works forecourt. The grass and verge are being ruined. It's also impossible to get passed with a buggy etc and dangerous as children have to walk out into the road. I may report this to the council.
On 10 Apr 2015 at 3:42pm Lewes Resident wrote:
Best of luck Patrol - report it and you'll probably see the following type of buck-passing par excellence:
Council will say its a Police matter, not a council matter, if the van is causing an obstruction, and tell you to report it to the Police etc.
If you have the patience to hang on for ages before your call to the "non-urgent" number for Sussex Police is actually answered, the Police will probably say, "sorry haven't got resources to deal with it now, but we'll ask a PCSO to walk past at some stage", they will then probably suggest you report it to the council and ask them to put yellow lines down if its a regualr problem (etc)..
Of course, unless saidd Van is actually present and causing an obstruction/danger when plods (or plastic plods) actually breeze past, then they'll do nothing as they will say they cannot see any offence being committed.
A case in similar vein - a number of residents in our Lewes street complained that a non-resident's car (under a canvas-type car cover) was being left parked on the road for weeks on end, and causing some degree of hinderence to traffic flow, and also hindering residents' ability to enter/leave driveways safely (due to impaired visibility caused by the covered vehicle parked on the narrow, but busy road.
The covered car hadn't been moved for weeks, and was left covered in the car cover that completely hid both rear reflectors and also both index plates.
When PCSO eventually turned up they shrugged their shoulders and didn't see it as a real problem. When I said, but we all believe it is a road traffic offence to leave a vehicle parked on the highway without index plates visible and with reflectors covered, they uhmmed and arhhed and said but it wasnt really causing a problem was it? "So it's okay for me to park my car on the highway and deliberately obscure the index plates (and tax disc if applicable) with gaffer tape then is it?", I asked. PCSO quickly replied, "Oh no, you can't do that sir....". When I said "Why not? Whats the difference?" I was told (Quote), "Sorry Sir, but I've been on duty all day, and should have finished work an hour ago, I haven't got time to discuss the matter, thank you and goodbye..."
So, the council see inconsiderate parking as a police issue, unless wardens can spot an offence and issue a ticket, and council will therefore refer you to the Plods, the Plods aren't really interested as they lack resources for such relatively trivial issues, so will refer you to the council if parking problem is an ongoing issue that needs to be resolved by extra yellow lines etc....
As for approaching the driver (politely) - yes might be worth a try, but then again, you may find you get a brick through your window... or a smack in the mouth for raising the issue.
Welcome to the so-called "Big Society" that 'Call-me-Dave' wants us to believe in....
On 10 Apr 2015 at 4:55pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I thought that parking rules, especially pavement parking rules, didn't apply to vans.
They certainly don't seem bothered about observing them. The builder who worked on the house opposite ours used to pull up right onto the pavement so you could scarcely get a Rizla between the van and the fence.
Not only did this mean that everyone had to walk in the road, it made the gap between the van and cars parked on our side was so narrow that other vans couldn't get down the road. It also made it impossible for us or our neighbours to get into or out of our drives.
On 11 Apr 2015 at 8:05am Old Malling wrote:
Sadly some people in Malling seem to think that they own the road outside their house. I've been 'told off' more than once for parking, perfectly legally, outside a house despite the fact that I only live around the corner.
On 13 Apr 2015 at 10:37pm Vans wife wrote:
Hi petrol. Thanks for your message rather than coming and have a chat with us. The van is always parked so there's enought room for buggys to pass but the yellow hose you are talking about my husband is always near the van would be quite happy to lift it up for you. He's only there for a short amount of time while he's filling up. As for the grass verge I think you may find it's cars from the school churning it up rather than finding a space round the corner. If there's anything else I can do for you please let us know