Commute parking - snotty windscreen note..

[glasgowcyclist]

Confession time: I was deeply involved in the initial planning for the WPL (Workplace Parking Levy), identifying liable employers - those with more than 10 employee parking spaces - collating information from the Business Rates database with data from various other sources.
Overall, I consider the WPL to have been successful in reducing the projected increase in congestion and raising funds for public transport, mainly the extension to the tram network but also redevelopment of the railway station and supporting the Link bus network.

Am I right in thinking that it wouldn’t be the council (Nottingham) charging the workers, but that the employer was required to pay the levy which they could choose, or not, to pass on to their staff who used the parking?

 

[Poacher]

Am I right in thinking that it wouldn’t be the council (Nottingham) charging the workers, but that the employer was required to pay the levy which they could choose, or not, to pass on to their staff who used the parking?

Correct.

 

[MontyVeda]

Oh dear... a motorist feeling hurt and inconvenienced because someone didn't like them parking half on the pavement. Get over it and leave the pavements for peds.

 

[wafter]

So, to yet again attempt to address all those willfully ignoring all other aspects of this situation so that they can capitalise on this opportunity to costagate me for parking on the pavement:

1. This was the first time I'd parked on the pavement. Usually cars are parked on-road on one side; on this occasion there was at least one - apparently resident-owned -vehicle parked on each side of the street, half-on, half-off the pavement. As such, on this occasion parking behind one of these in a similar fashion seemed like the least-disruptive approach; while also remaining apparently in-keeping with how those who live there choose to park.

2. The note made brief, inaccurate reference to this one indescretion (stating that I'd done it repeatedly; which is entirely untrue) and again, the main issue for whoever wrote it appeared to be the fact that I chose to park there at all ("oh no, an outsider in our street!") or that I happened to ride a bike; a prejudice I'm sure we can all relate to.

3. While I always try to avoid parking on the pavement, according to the RAC it's not actually illegal outside London, while my car did nothing to diminish pavement access over what was already allowed by the vehicle I'd parked behind.


While I accept that it's something to be avoided and perhaps I should have considered other options at the time, I find the posts from all those willfully disregarding every other facet of this situation and focussing entirely on the fact that I dared park half-on the pavement as an excuse to attack me pretty pathetic tbh.

 

[FishFright]

So, to yet again attempt to address all those willfully ignoring all other aspects of this situation so that they can capitalise on this opportunity to costagate me for parking on the pavement:

1. This was the first time I'd parked on the pavement. Usually cars are parked on-road on one side; on this occasion there was at least one - apparently resident-owned -vehicle parked on each side of the street, half-on, half-off the pavement. As such, on this occasion parking behind one of these in a similar fashion seemed like the least-disruptive approach; while also remaining apparently in-keeping with how those who live there choose to park.

2. The note made brief, inaccurate reference to this one indescretion (stating that I'd done it repeatedly; which is entirely untrue) and again, the main issue for whoever wrote it appeared to be the fact that I chose to park there at all ("oh no, an outsider in our street!") or that I happened to ride a bike; a prejudice I'm sure we can all relate to.

3. While I always try to avoid parking on the pavement, according to the RAC it's not actually illegal outside London, while my car did nothing to diminish pavement access over what was already allowed by the vehicle I'd parked behind.


While I accept that it's something to be avoided and perhaps I should have considered other options at the time, I find the posts from all those willfully disregarding every other facet of this situation and focussing entirely on the fact that I dared park half-on the pavement as an excuse to attack me pretty pathetic tbh.

1. You parked on a pavement, the rest is just self justification for poor behaviour

 

[markemark]

Blah, blah, blah
I parked on the pavement
Blah, blah, blah

No excuse. Don't do it again. Accept you were wrong.

I do feel you pain about reading snotty self entitled nonsense though. The opening post is a good example.

 

[Profpointy]

In our street everyone parks slightly on the pavement. This is "the done thing" and it suits the majority of us, as only parking on one side would be a nuisance for the majority that own cars. By living in such a place I can mostly avoid driving at all as pretty much all of Bristol is walkable / cycleable. However certain journeys need a car so I continue to own one.

 

[Drago]

as only parking on one side would be a nuisance for the majority that own cars.

Thry should do just that, keep the nuisance among the car drivers where it belongs.

Don't alleviate your problems by making it a problem for peds instead.

If they suddenly found that you didn't have room for a shed, television or cow (other large objects are available) you wouldn't store them part on the footway, so don't do it with cars.

 

[Profpointy]

Do just that, keep the nuisance among the car drivers where it belongs.

Don't alleviate your problems by making it a problem for pets instead.

If you suddenly found that you didn't have room for a shed, television or cow (other large objects are available) you wouldn't store them part on the footway, so don't do it with cars.

That's fine and dandy but to effectively preclude town dwellers from owning cars would likely encourage exodus to the 'burbs or the countryside and lead to more driving rather than less. And precluding on-street parking by residents seems to mean only allowing out-of towners (dare I say like yourself) to park on "our" streets.

By way of illustration, rather than intended as "special pleading". I visit my very elderly father 3 times a week, an hour's drive away. By public transport I suspect it would take two to three times as long. Many people have similar needs. Fair enough being "anti car", a view I tend to share, but to target such sentiment at those who likely drive least seems a little off.

Sounds a little like the idea of increasing fuel tax but then have special pleading for those in the countryside who drive more.

Admittedly at the risk of making excuses, one major reason for my choosing to live in town is that it considerably reduces my need to drive. When I worked away for the last 5 years of my career, after a year or two I realised I could do it nearly all by public transport. Had I not lived in town I could not have made that desirable switch. If it precluded driving entirely that would have been difficult for my circumstances.

 

[MontyVeda]

So, to yet again attempt to address all those willfully ignoring all other aspects of this situation so that they can capitalise on this opportunity to costagate me for parking on the pavement:

1. This was the first time I'd parked on the pavement.

...

presumably the first time you'd got a note too?

You're just another motorist feeling hard done by because you got told off for encroaching on spaces intended for pedestrian use only.
...and you're feeling all the more hard done by because you're not getting the empathy you think you deserve.

 

[tyred]

Would saying it's the first time I robbed a bank be a defence?

 

[Drago]

That's fine and dandy but to effectively preclude town dwellers from owning cars would likely encourage exodus to the 'burbs or the countryside and lead to more driving rather than less. And precluding on-street parking by residents seems to mean only allowing out-of towners (dare I say like yourself) to park on "our" streets.

By way of illustration, rather than intended as "special pleading". I visit my very elderly father 3 times a week, an hour's drive away. By public transport I suspect it would take two to three times as long. Many people have similar needs. Fair enough being "anti car", a view I tend to share, but to target such sentiment at those who likely drive least seems a little off.

Sounds a little like the idea of increasing fuel tax but then have special pleading for those in the countryside who drive more.

Admittedly at the risk of making excuses, one major reason for my choosing to live in town is that it considerably reduces my need to drive. When I worked away for the last 5 years of my career, after a year or two I realised I could do it nearly all by public transport. Had I not lived in town I could not have made that desirable switch. If it precluded driving entirely that would have been difficult for my circumstances.

Except its been working well in London for half a century, and none of the tales of doom or woe have come to pass there.

It's not effectively precluding anyone from doing anything. They can own all the cars they want, but they need learn to take responsibility for their own problems, and easing their own burden by making it someone else's problem Instead is not an acceptable substitute.

 

[Profpointy]

Except its been working well in London for half a century, and none of the tales of doom or woe have come to pass there.

It's not effectively precluding anyone from doing anything. They can own all the cars they want, but they need learn to take responsibility for their own problems, and easing their own burden by making it someone else's problem Instead is not an acceptable substitute.

Cars always cause problems to others. As you drive yourself, and I think live in a rural place I'd hazard a guess that you drive more than many townies.

To be honest it seems a touch hypocritcal for any car owner to preach too much, particularly to preach about on-street parking in a street where most of us own cars, and even those who don't will have visitors, tradesmen, deliveries, and even ambulances from time to time

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Wow. What a thread.

As some may be aware I currently split my commute between car and Brompton; driving to the outskirts of the city, parking and doing the rest on the bike.

First of all, well done on that. A bit of regular cycling is good for body and soul and you've described the horror of your car commute before.

You refer to the space you left as

This appeared to be enough for.......

But given that a local felt strongly enough to leave a note, perhaps it wasn't enough?


I lost any sympathy however with..

The shouty Karen

&

double-little-baby-asbo carrier

&

assuming she / it even exists

Wow. A double little baby asbo carrier?
Really?

I often see other (residents'?) vehicles parked half on the pavement.

Here's the thing with residents - they're local, probably know each other and better able to know each others comings and goings and work around them. A car parked in the wrong? A quick phonecall can often sort it out. A stranger's car sitting for the workday? Not so much.

The note went on to rant about......

Perhaps if you saw it as less of a rant and more of an emotionally charged complaint it might help you find a different course of action. Your own language in the op was less than kind.
Have you never had a bad day? Never spoken too rashly?

So, to read between the lines

Ah! Never mind what was said, sure I'll just apply my own meaning.
I find it hard, at times, to read between the lines of people I know well. Absolute strangers? That's a real skill!
And probably not helping.

have clearly been watching me.

Of course they have. A stranger parking regularly in an estate is going to be noticed.

I'm confident that there is absolutely nothing wrong with my parking

Not the day you parked on the pavement.

In any case, whether flawless or not, there is a problem. You're now going to be looking for damage. What of the day when you get back to the car to a flat battery or suchlike?

While I'm very happy to change my behaviour out of courtesy if given a good reason / approached in a respectful manner, I refuse to bow to the irrational, self-entitled demands of some delusional curtain-twitcher. Being treated with such disdain will only cause me to dig my heels in.

Ah, so if the mother who wrote the note isn't amenable to hanging around and waiting for you to show up to talk to you in a way that you find appropriate you're perfectly entitled to dig your heels in?
@All uphill has given a perfectly valid reason as to why someone may not want a face to face encounter with a stranger.

Just to point out something. Once, (according to your recollection) you parked on the pavement. Once, you've received a "rant" of a note. Your misjudgement is acceptable to you, but a possible misjudgement by the other is not? Seems fair.

My suggestion, which I expect to be openly derided is to expend every effort to communicate with the letter writer. Apologise. Explain a little of your situation and ask how best you and the residents can best get along. Listen. By all means debate and stand up for yourself. You might just have the chance to turn a ranter into an ally.
Such an approach wouldn't have been my usual style in the past, but I have managed to change my usual reactions. In my case, a man who abused me from a height to my face became one of my most important allies.

 

[fossyant]

TBH OP, you'd hiss me off leaving your car outside my house for 10 hours a day, but fortunately, I don't live anywhere where people dump cars because of the local train station. It does cause inconvenience for residents, not everyone parks considerately.

Take it this way, I feel for the poor residents that live near a high school near work. Their roads are full of dumped cars come 8am, from the flipping teachers, never mind school drop offs. The level of cars filling the road/pavement makes it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians crossing, and it's also a nightmare for cycling.

I'd look for a space that isn't outside someone's house, or it's outside, say a business, or there are no driveways nearby. Don't leave the car outside someone's home.

Or, shock horror, use a car park ?