Parking on pavements MEGATHREAD

[irenewilde]

Round here it's not so much how they park their cars but the piles of snow they create when clearing their drives. Last year one person down our road created two snow walls either side of his drive - right from the road to his property, completely blocking the pavement. I am not sure whether this is illegal or not but definitely extremely selfish.

 

There's some people on our road who do that every single year without fail. I am so tempted to tell him what a selfish idiot he is.

[WalkleyIan]

Item 8 on the agenda at this week Sheffield on the Move forum

 

http://meetings.sheffield.gov.uk/council-meetings/scrutiny/culture-economy--sustainability/agendas-2013/agenda-17th-january-2013

 

There is a paper attached at the bottom of that page. Here is a short extract, but better to read the whole report.

 

8. Parking on Dropped Kerbs and Pavements

Report of the Head of Transport, Traffic and Parking Services

 

Background – Pavement Parking

 

2.3 A number of years ago legislation was drafted which would have made it an offence to park a vehicle on a pavement. However this was dropped by Central Government at the last moment in response to Police concerns about enforcement. Consequently it is still not necessarily an offence to park a vehicle on a pavement. There are, however, offences associated with the practice. It is an offence:-

 

• To drive a vehicle on a pavement. This is dealt with by the Police. Clearly any vehicle parked on a pavement will have most likely been driven on and the Police can take action if they wish,

 

• To park on a pavement in such a manner as to obstruct pedestrians from moving along it. Again this offence is dealt with by the Police and the offence is only committed if there is actually a pedestrian wanting to pass and is being physically prevented from doing so.

 

• To damage a pavement by driving and/or parking on it. To successfully pursue a conviction it is necessary to prove that the pavement was undamaged before a vehicle was driven on it and that a specific vehicle has caused the damage. In reality this is not possible as most damage is likely to be caused over a period of time by repeated parking.

 

• To park on a pavement which is adjacent to a carriageway which has yellow lines on it - see below for further explanation in paragraph 3.2.

[beansforyou]

The recent snow has highlighted this problem again with many paths not passable or unclearable due to possible damage to parked vehicles.

 

People have taken to walking on the snowy road in the tracks of cars. When meeting a pedestrian who is walking in the road who has right of way, the pedestrian or the car?

 

Many people take to walking in the road as it is not as slippy as the pavement, pedestrians always have the right of way, what with them being human beings.

 

Cars park on the pavement (or should it be more 'up the kerb' than totally on the pavement, is what I mean) more when it is snowy so that the gritter can get access on many roads, if they did not do this then it simply would not get gritted, and there's enough complaints about that already isn't there?

[Coop76]

Many people take to walking in the road as it is not as slippy as the pavement, pedestrians always have the right of way, what with them being human beings.

 

Cars park on the pavement (or should it be more 'up the kerb' than totally on the pavement, is what I mean) more when it is snowy so that the gritter can get access on many roads, if they did not do this then it simply would not get gritted, and there's enough complaints about that already isn't there?

 

Really i'd says common sense tells you

 

Road = Vehicle right of way

Pavement = Pedestrian right of way

 

Cars shouldnt park on pavement unless it leaves enough room for a double buggy to pass & People shouldnt really walk on the Road as its for Vehicles.

[Leadhammer]

I don't drive but on low edges the problem is ridiculous the main road is quite narrow but there are loads of side streets where they could park with ease with all four wheels on the road,

 

Personally i think if a car driver is caught 2 or more wheels on the pavement they should have to pay an additional tax as a penalty for say 6 months they then may think twice of parking in such a manner.

[Coop76]

When i lived in Manchester i used to park one car on drive and other on pavement but this was because the pavement was that wide you could get a double buggy past easily even when palked on pavement so there was no problem.

 

As i said earluier palking and totally blocking a pavement should not go on and i think there should be a department of Council/Police you can ring who will come and just tow the vehicle then £150 to release would soon stop it.

[onewheeldave]

Really i'd says common sense tells you

 

Road = Vehicle right of way

Pavement = Pedestrian right of way

 

Cars shouldnt park on pavement unless it leaves enough room for a double buggy to pass & People shouldnt really walk on the Road as its for Vehicles.

 

Common sense tells most people that if the pavement is icy/snowy and that walking on it carries a high chance of them slipping and possibly breaking some bones, and, the road is clear of snow/ice and there's currently little traffic on it, that walking on the road is the best course of action.

 

Especially in places like walkley/crookes with lots of downhill pavements with an even higher probability of slipping.

[hicksy3]

I agree with every word you've said. On the corner of Holme Lane & Middlewood Rd, at Hillsborough shopping centre there is a takeaway pizzeria. The delivery people arrive in cars, mount the pavement and park with all 4 wheels on the pavement, as you've described. They then stay there until the orders are ready & then drive off, often doing a u-turn across the tram tracks & back up Holme Lane.

A couple of weeks ago, one of these drivers drove right up behind me with 2 wheels on the kerb as I was walking along the pavement. Then pulled in front of me & stopped dead, completely blocking the pavement. As he got out I pointed out to him that he'd almost hit me & then forced me into the road. He shrugged & said "Don't make a fuss" as he walked into the pizzeria.

I don't know what the penalties are, but these drivers are worth reporting to the police.

 

I was going to go to this pizzeria a few weeks back, but couldn't get in due to their pillock of a delivery driver parking on the pavement. They lost business because of it.

[WallBuilder]

I'd not come across that Sheffield on the move forum and found it quite interesting and intend to chase up the car parking issue as I'd like to know how many disabled folk who need access to go about their business had had any input.

As far as walking in the road goes I would only walk in car tracks if the road were a quiet one and if the road was clear of snow I'd walk facing the oncoming traffic. I would agree the roads are for the motorist and so rather than stopping or impeding a car I always would try to step aside to allow vehicles to pass safely probaly standing still so I didn't slip and end up falling out in front of the vehicle as well

[Zaphod]

Catch me if you can;)

 

Just hope you don't get caught by the wrong type of person then.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Zaphod