A pavement parking odyssey

[Drago]

Time to get the violins out:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-65065520
View attachment 683514
Resident Chris, parked his car in Station Road and said he returned to find an offensive* sticker on his mirror and damage to his vehicle he estimated would cost £1,000 to fix.

(*I think we know what this sticker looked like.)

Spoiler: And then the final cruel twist

Police said they were aware of the vandalism as well as the parking issues and had handed out 57 penalty notices to vehicles parked in Station Road.

The best bit being there's a perfectly serviceable and moderately wide road they could lawfully have parked on.

When I go to my Dad's I ride my folder 8 miles to the station, and I'm fat and 55. I wonder what their excuse is?

 

[wiggydiggy]

Time to get the violins out:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-65065520
View attachment 683514
Resident Chris, parked his car in Station Road and said he returned to find an offensive* sticker on his mirror and damage to his vehicle he estimated would cost £1,000 to fix.

(*I think we know what this sticker looked like.)

Spoiler: And then the final cruel twist

Police said they were aware of the vandalism as well as the parking issues and had handed out 57 penalty notices to vehicles parked in Station Road.

Did the sticker look like this?

 

[Drago]

I think it may have been an extra sticky YPLAC sticker.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Time to get the violins out:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-65065520

Resident Chris, parked his car in Station Road and said he returned to find an offensive* sticker on his mirror and damage to his vehicle he estimated would cost £1,000 to fix.

(*I think we know what this sticker looked like.)

Spoiler: And then the final cruel twist

Police said they were aware of the vandalism as well as the parking issues and had handed out 57 penalty notices to vehicles parked in Station Road.

To be fair on the people that parked the car there and reported the damage, the damage was not limited to residue from a sticker:

"Drivers who parked in Station Road - by Castle Cary railway station in Somerset - on 21 and 22 March reported scratches and wing mirrors being broken off."



Now whilst I find it hilarious when I do see a YPLAC sticker or anything like that on badly parked cars, vandalizing the cars is going too far. Two wrongs don't make a right after all.

 

[Drago]

I agree. Nevertheless, people's lives are being endangered by having to walk hundreds of metres in a busy road, so while I don't condone this behaviour it does pale into insignificance against the potential consequences of such selfish and unlawful parking.

If my own experiences are owt to go by the local authorised recovery agent probably wouldn't have capacity for more than a fraction of them, so a ticket and tow was not a realistic option.

 

[Oldhippy]

I've taken mirrors off of car doors by accident with powered wheelchairs because some entitled t*t thought parking their car over the pavement preventing people with disabilities using it easily. Maybe they'll think twice next time before being a t*at.

 

[matticus]

Now whilst I find it hilarious when I do see a YPLAC sticker or anything like that on badly parked cars, vandalizing the cars is going too far. Two wrongs don't make a right after all.

I'm with you on the latter; but I still find the YPLAC sticker funny in this situation.

Sometimes people bring bad stuff on themselves, and make the universe just a little better ...

 

[KnittyNorah]

I've taken mirrors off of car doors by accident with powered wheelchairs because some entitled t*t thought parking their car over the pavement preventing people with disabilities using it easily. Maybe they'll think twice next time before being a t*at.

Likewise, I've taken mirrors off (or at least damaged them ...) car and van doors with my body (and had the bruises to show it - although I couldn't see them, I could certainly feel them) when I was severely visually impaired and physically did not dare to walk into the road to get round an entitled t**t's vehicle. Sometimes a bodily SHOVE was necessary to squeeze through and whatever part of the vehicle I damaged in the process was no fault of mine.

 

[Drago]

I might clamber across the next one I see. To be criminal damage it has to be intentional or reckless. If I'm really careful to try and avoid damage, it's not intentional. Simply exercising my right to walk along a footway and not endanger myself in the carriageway is not reckless. So unless I were utterly stupid there is no crime.

There is a stated case, someone pitched a marquee across a public footpath. A walker was unable to safely walk around, so cut a small hole in the fabric and walked through. They opted for crown court and were found not guilty, no intent or mens rea, no recklessness in simply wanting to lawfully walk along a public right of way. Provided I wasn't a total arris and started jumping up and down on a car or the like there is no crime.

I will try it one day. I'll pick my target and audience very carefully and will go for it. I'll smile sweetly for the photographer from the local chipwrapper.

 

[wiggydiggy]

There is a stated case, someone pitched a marquee across a public footpath. A walker was unable to safely walk around, so cut a small hole in the fabric and walked through. They opted for crown court and were found not guilty, no intent or mens rea, no recklessness in simply wanting to lawfully walk along a public right of way. Provided I wasn't a total arris and started jumping up and down on a car or the like there is no crime.

You got a link to that, I believe you but I want to read about it as it sounds quite funny!

(I did try searching myself but couldn't find anything)

 

[Drago]

You know it was actually discussed on this very forum many, many moons ago.

Edit - I seem to recall it was during the Henley Regatta if that helps your search.

 

[wiggydiggy]

You know it was actually discussed on this very forum many, many moons ago.

Edit - I seem to recall it was during the Henley Regatta if that helps your search.

Found it. https://campaignerkate.wordpress.com/2020/07/08/regatta-rows/

And the CC post https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/public-right-of-way-question.220213/post-4855311

Her whole blog is full of stories of using our rights of way, something to read later

 

[PeteXXX]

All those spaces to hit in a virtually empty B&M car park and they missed!

 

[DCBassman]

View attachment 683536

All those spaces to hit in a virtually empty B&M car park and they missed!

Fretless player...

 

[C R]

View attachment 683536

All those spaces to hit in a virtually empty B&M car park and they missed!

I suspect a lot of those may be intentional, so as to keep their precious from other people's.