Commute parking - snotty windscreen note..

[wafter]

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.

No, I'm "feeling hard done by" because the note attached to my car went far beyond legitimately pulling me up one one instance of arguably unacceptable behavior - falsely accusing me of doing it repeatedly, and clearly using it as an excuse to attack me for otherwise entirely legitimately parking on an unrestricted public road... which seemed to be the core issue from its content.

Had the note simply stated "please don't park on the pavement" or similar I'd have happily complied, having been suitably admonished. However, "You can't park on our street / we don't like your sort round here / I saw you on the grassy knoll when JFK was shot" is hardly going to make me receptive to the phantom note-writer's demands.

As it happens when I returned to the car yesterday, again many seemingly-regularly-parked vehicles were once more half on the pavement; none of them with notes on their windscreens. Equally I've never seen similar on any other vehicles since I've been parking there either. This clearly isn't about the pavement, and all about an outsider daring to park on a street that someone thinks is entirely theirs to be used exclusively as they dictate.

I had similar when I was living in Oxford - the irrational, self-entitled dickhead across the road choosing to box me in because I dared to park outside his house on the road.

Further, just as whoever wrote the note saw fit to add a liberal spoonful of fiction to embellish their own position, so it seems that many on here are choosing to cherry-pick aspects of this situation and ignore others in order to turn this into a clear black-and-white, right-and-wrong situation to lynch me in the name of their own self-rightiousness.

I may have been in the wrong to a degree and I accept that, but presumably that doesn't legitimise the false accusations or illegitimate demands of the other party..?

 

[fossyant]

Well, you've picked the wrong road to dump your car for 3 days a week, find another one. Maybe the residents are piddled off with all the dumped cars.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

No, I'm "feeling hard done by" because the note attached to my car went far beyond legitimately pulling me up one one instance of arguably unacceptable behavior - falsely accusing me of doing it repeatedly, and clearly using it as an excuse to attack me for otherwise entirely legitimately parking on an unrestricted public road... which seemed to be the core issue from its content.

Had the note simply stated "please don't park on the pavement" or similar I'd have happily complied, having been suitably admonished. However, "You can't park on our street / we don't like your sort round here / I saw you on the grassy knoll when JFK was shot" is hardly going to make me receptive to the phantom note-writer's demands.

As it happens when I returned to the car yesterday, again many seemingly-regularly-parked vehicles were once more half on the pavement; none of them with notes on their windscreens. Equally I've never seen similar on any other vehicles since I've been parking there either. This clearly isn't about the pavement, and all about an outsider daring to park on a street that someone thinks is entirely theirs to be used exclusively as they dictate.

I had similar when I was living in Oxford - the irrational, self-entitled dickhead across the road choosing to box me in because I dared to park outside his house on the road.

Further, just as whoever wrote the note saw fit to add a liberal spoonful of fiction to embellish their own position, so it seems that many on here are choosing to cherry-pick aspects of this situation and ignore others in order to turn this into a clear black-and-white, right-and-wrong situation to lynch me in the name of their own self-rightiousness.

I may have been in the wrong to a degree and I accept that, but presumably that doesn't legitimise the false accusations or illegitimate demands of the other party..? I apologise.

Corrected for you. You're welcome.

(In all seriousness, you'd probably feel a lot better about it if you just wrote that and left it)

 

[fossyant]

Outraged of Oxford !

 

[Electric_Andy]

I can see both sides if I'm honest; and think that this forum is not necessarily the place to get any sympathy as a car owner, even if you cycle as well. There are some things I'd point out (which support both sides of the argument to some degree):

1. Lots of people park half on the pavement leaving enough room for disability scooters/prams/blind people to freely pass; it's not a cut and dry case of blocking pedestrian access just because you intrude a few inches on pedestrain space. It's done like this where I used to live in order to leave enough room for emergency vehicles and the bin lorry. Everyone's happy.
2. If the above practice was not done in some areas, there would be nowhere else to park, so all of Road A would park in Road B and the problem would both be exasserbated and transferred to other raods.
3. If the locals do it then they have no right to complain about others, unless they are leaving "snotty notes" on everyone's cars including their neighbours and their own.
4. A home owner or tenant does not own the road outside or near their house. Complaining that others are parking there is just low level xenophobia and pettiness. "Let they who have never parked in a street where they do not live, casteth the first stone."
5. In spite of the points above, I would only park there if there was absolutely no other option. Putting your foot down is all well and good, but you will never change this person's mind and will probably get your car bumped or keyed at some point, If you're not bothered about that then I'd just keep parking there. If you ever get approached then I'd just politely say that there is nothing stopping you from parking there, and if they have a problem they should take it up with the council.

It also depends on the city and area you live; Plymouth is notorious for having a huge number of dwellings with no driveway or road parking. It's a big problem but something everyone lives with. There's also the fact that if you don't want cars parked outside your house then you have the option not to buy/rent there. If you can't afford it then, like me, we have to put up with a degree of inconvenience.

 

[MontyVeda]

No, I'm "feeling hard done by" because the note attached to my car went far beyond legitimately pulling me up one one instance of arguably unacceptable behavior - falsely accusing me of doing it repeatedly, and clearly using it as an excuse to attack me for otherwise entirely legitimately parking on an unrestricted public road... which seemed to be the core issue from its content.

Had the note simply stated "please don't park on the pavement" or similar I'd have happily complied, having been suitably admonished. However, "You can't park on our street / we don't like your sort round here / I saw you on the grassy knoll when JFK was shot" is hardly going to make me receptive to the phantom note-writer's demands.

As it happens when I returned to the car yesterday, again many seemingly-regularly-parked vehicles were once more half on the pavement; none of them with notes on their windscreens. Equally I've never seen similar on any other vehicles since I've been parking there either. This clearly isn't about the pavement, and all about an outsider daring to park on a street that someone thinks is entirely theirs to be used exclusively as they dictate.

I had similar when I was living in Oxford - the irrational, self-entitled dickhead across the road choosing to box me in because I dared to park outside his house on the road.

Further, just as whoever wrote the note saw fit to add a liberal spoonful of fiction to embellish their own position, so it seems that many on here are choosing to cherry-pick aspects of this situation and ignore others in order to turn this into a clear black-and-white, right-and-wrong situation to lynch me in the name of their own self-rightiousness.

I may have been in the wrong to a degree and I accept that, but presumably that doesn't legitimise the false accusations or illegitimate demands of the other party..?

have you considered suing 'the whole street' for liable?

 

[wafter]

Well, you've picked the wrong road to dump your car for 3 days a week, find another one. Maybe the residents are piddled off with all the dumped cars.

As much as some on this thread would evidently seek to portray me as some irredemibly callous monster, were the street over-populated with vehicles of course I'd park somewhere else. Fact is, it's not. In the four months I've been parking there, there has always been an abundance of spaces and I've never been required to press further into the estate for this reason.

Outraged of Oxford !

Sadly not - if I was in f*cking Oxford this would be a moot point as the car would be safely at home with the entire journey on the bike. Perhaps "the whole street" would like to help me with a deposit..?

I can see both sides if I'm honest; and think that this forum is not necessarily the place to get any sympathy as a car owner, even if you cycle as well. There are some things I'd point out (which support both sides of the argument to some degree):

1. Lots of people park half on the pavement leaving enough room for disability scooters/prams/blind people to freely pass; it's not a cut and dry case of blocking pedestrian access just because you intrude a few inches on pedestrain space. It's done like this where I used to live in order to leave enough room for emergency vehicles and the bin lorry. Everyone's happy.
2. If the above practice was not done in some areas, there would be nowhere else to park, so all of Road A would park in Road B and the problem would both be exasserbated and transferred to other raods.
3. If the locals do it then they have no right to complain about others, unless they are leaving "snotty notes" on everyone's cars including their neighbours and their own.
4. A home owner or tenant does not own the road outside or near their house. Complaining that others are parking there is just low level xenophobia and pettiness. "Let they who have never parked in a street where they do not live, casteth the first stone."
5. In spite of the points above, I would only park there if there was absolutely no other option. Putting your foot down is all well and good, but you will never change this person's mind and will probably get your car bumped or keyed at some point, If you're not bothered about that then I'd just keep parking there. If you ever get approached then I'd just politely say that there is nothing stopping you from parking there, and if they have a problem they should take it up with the council.

It also depends on the city and area you live; Plymouth is notorious for having a huge number of dwellings with no driveway or road parking. It's a big problem but something everyone lives with. There's also the fact that if you don't want cars parked outside your house then you have the option not to buy/rent there. If you can't afford it then, like me, we have to put up with a degree of inconvenience.

Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to summarise that and for being one of the apparent minority to view my post with objectivity and even-handedness, rather than as an opportunity to twist it for a self-righteous lynching.

FWIW as I've said previously I'm happy to work with people, and if approached with respect and a legitimate argument I'll happily consider changing my behaviour for the greater good. I hate conflict and confrontation, however the one thing I detest more than both of these is having the p*ss taken out of me (or seeing the same happen to others)...

The driveways are a good point not yet touched on in this context; I think every house has the provision to park at least one vehicle off-road; potentially two in many cases.. which again contributes to the free availability of on-street parking.


If nothing else it'll be interesting to see if the phantom note-poster strikes again... hopefully they were just having a bad day and will wind their neck in as I have plenty to worry about without another helping of grief..

 

[wafter]

have you considered suing 'the whole street' for liable?

I don't, in any way shape or form expect the whole street to be complicit in this petty little crusade, while even if I did you do know that libel relates to "broadcast or published words or images" which clearly a note on my windscreen isn't....?

 

[Drago]

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

Significantly less than 2000 miles a year, and a good half of those when when ferrying the disabled Mrs D, so less than most townies. When working I almost never commuted by car, evening the most horrendous of weather. Been practicing what I preach for decades.

And I have never once parked on a footway. Never. If I can't park then I park somewhere else and use said footway to walk to my destination.

I manage it alright, so don't accept ridiculous excuses from others.

Visitors and tradesmen/women have no excuse, because there is no excuse. They are bound by the same laws of society and rules of decency. There is no excuse for anyone to use a footway as a storage area.

I don't car if a car on the footway is a resident, a tradesman, or mother Theresa's chauffer. If I'm pushing Mrs D's wheelchair I'm not going up on the grass or someone's garden to avoid giving them a stainless steel sculpted speed stripe.

 

[richardfm]

I don't, in any way shape or form expect the whole street to be complicit in this petty little crusade, while even if I did you do know that libel relates to "broadcast or published words or images" which clearly a note on my windscreen isn't....?

A note on a windscreen is published words

 

[Jody]

I can see both sides if I'm honest; and think that this forum is not necessarily the place to get any sympathy as a car owner, even if you cycle as well.

Wafter could have easily left the pavement parking bit out but chose to tell it as is.

The pile on for his admission feels a little heavy given the crime

 

[Drago]

Yeah, fair play for his (or her, who can tell in these enlightened time) candour.

 

[alicat]

I'm really enjoying this thread although I'm glad I live somewhere where the parking is only problematic in the evenings when everyone comes home from parking their cars somewhere else during the day. Mostly they park halfway on the verge and don't like me telling them out how much it damages the grass.

Keep it going, OP! I can ignore the insults for the amusement of reading about your sense of entitlement when you were in the wrong and your lack of kindness for your fellow human beings.

PS don't forget how many goodwill matches you are burning through!

 

[FishFright]

Wafter could have easily left the pavement parking bit out but chose to tell it as is.

The pile on for his admission feels a little heavy given the crime

The 'pile on' is probably for his lack of comprehension of being in the wrong.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Lots of people park half on the pavement leaving enough room for disability scooters/prams/blind people to freely pass; it's not a cut and dry case of blocking pedestrian access just because you intrude a few inches on pedestrain space. It's done like this where I used to live in order to leave enough room for emergency vehicles and the bin lorry. Everyone's happy.

That lots of people do it doesn’t excuse adding to the problem! And the bit about leaving enough room for a bin lorry or emergency vehicle is a nonsense distraction. If a driver can’t park wholly on a road without obstructing it for bin lorries or anyone else, then it shows that he has chosen the wrong place to park.

It’s his problem, not pedestrians’.

If the above practice was not done in some areas, there would be nowhere else to park, so all of Road A would park in Road B and the problem would both be exasserbated and transferred to other raods.

There wouldn’t be ‘nowhere to park’. There’d be nowhere to park that didn’t mean walking further than the driver would like. There’s a big difference and, again, that’s their problem, nobody else’s.