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Using my 70 series to push cars blocking my drive - legal or very illegal?

Rusty Bottoms

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Aug 23, 2016
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121
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scotland
Hi all, just venting some anger here with a serious question over UK parking and traffic laws. First of all, our house is located at the end of a narrow alleyway in a small Scottish town. We're getting blocked in by cars almost once a day now, if not twice, and it gets worse in summer when traffic increases.

The main street alley entrance has double yellows and a couple rather small no parking signs on the buildings, but lazy arses commonly either block part or all of the entrance. Anyone who has any common sense can tell they should not park there, but loads of people do. I've had a number of shouting matches with people, and have come close at least three times to physical fights asking people to move - a lot of people act greatly offended and it escalates from there. If I need to drive somewhere, we are completely trapped unless I go around all the shops and hotel and find out who owns the car and have them move. Likewise, if I'm returning home, I'll slow down and brake to turn in, and then find it's blocked and have to cancel and continue straight - this irritates people behind me and may well cause an accident. Naturally, I'm sick of all this BS.

Parking wardens or police never ticket.

First of all, the rational approach - I'm emailing or calling the council on Monday to see about having white no parking stripes and better signs put up, but they may not do anything. I'll try the police as well and see what they say.

Secondly, I hate to damage the factory front bumper on my nicely restored V8 LJ70, but I'm at the point where I'm considering temporarily strapping an old car tyre to the front like a bush truck to try and push the offending car's front end out in the street enough so I can get out for work, doctors, etc. or indeed a real emergency like fire or flooding or medical - which I would do in a heartbeat anyway as we have a small baby. I have a 3-ton trolley jack which would make it a lot easier to shift front ends too. I would assume the car will receive at least moderate damage. Oh well.

So...(seriously)
A.) Do you think my LJ70 would be able to push most cars front ends sideways on tarmac you think? Not like a Transit or large vehicle, mind. I'd inch up in low range and then apply the pressure - not going to ram them like a Hollywood movie.
B.) Would I get in massive legal trouble as they are parked illegally?
C.) Just buy 4 car dollys from machine mart and roll it back or out?
D.) Other ideas if the council does nothing? (we don't want to move, love it here other than the parking fiasco)

I'm at my wits end here.
 
Sorry to hear that RB but two wrongs don't make a right (and I'm pretty sure you know that which is why you're posting this). Much as we've been there and felt the same way, you will end up on the wrong side of the law if you damage vehicles. Plus you might hurt your cruiser and that would only add to the red mist.

I would suggest taking registrations and reporting them as causing an obstruction. If you have an official driveway with dropped kerb and white line then they mustn't park there. Drop kerbs and lines have to be paid for for the council to install them so be prepared for them to charge for the work.

Car dollies are probably the least illegal. If you absolutely don't damage the car and photograph it in detail before you move it and after then you might be alright. Not easy to do though, especially if it's a big heavy car like a cruiser.
 
Yeah I'm hoping the council will at least put up better signs. I don't know why they have it double yellow instead of white line, it has a dropped curb, but the alleyway also serves a council building next door, though they rarely drive anything back there.
So the council might charge me to repaint and put up new signs? Hmm...
Maybe I'm just dreaming about shoving cars out of the way, I know it's excessive and I rally would rather not, but if it is an emergency it's going to happen. At any rate, I will end up scraping the front of someone sooner or later coming in or out if we stay here. You do speak sensibly though StarCruiser! Thank you.
 
If it denies access for emergency services it is illegal parking and if the the council forewarned do not act to remedy the situation then they are complicit if somebody dies as a result .

Or at least that is how i would pen a letter recorded delivery to the council trusting the oblique financial threat to get results that moral obligation wouldn't .
 
That sounds about right - I like your wording! If there is a fire, there is very little access back here. It's a really cool place to live, right on the sea (which is why I love it here) so the only other option for fire services is to drive along the seafront (restricted access). Likewise, it has flooded here in 2012 (waves knocked the bottom windows out!) and 2014, so leaving through the windows instead of the alley would be a no go in that sort of situation. There is a council building on one side, and a shop in front of us towards the main road, so I'll approach them as well about having H bars (white lines) painted in front and better signs. My MadMax side dreams about blasting through to the main street with bits of Citroen and Kia raining down :crazy: Kidding! I think. I'll get on the phone Monday and do something.
 
A phone call is not worth the paper it is written on mate paper or email can be produced as evidence that they were forewarned and refused to act which is a no win no fee ambulance chasers wet dream .
 
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A phone call is not worth the paper it is written on mate paper or email can be produced as evidence that they were forewarned and refused to act which is a no win no fee ambulance chasers wet dream .
Got it! Will send an email with a few people CC'd in and maybe send a letter signed for. Thanks for the advice, I sincerely appreciate it!
 
Good luck with it , we had a similar problem with new residents in our street though it was them stealing all the parking spaces and it beggars believe how it took less than a month for everyone in the street who have all been friendly neighbors for decades to be at loggerheads with each other . The council were worse than useless in that situation :icon-rolleyes:
 
From what I've read online, it's pretty common issue with parking problems. Sorry to hear the neighbors turned angry at each other, I'm really trying to avoid that situation, but it can happen quickly I guess. We really want to stay here. I'd park out in the town, but my insurance requires I park the LJ in a locked compound overnight, especially with my work tools and besides, it would get bumped left and right in the town car park, it's like a kiddie ride in a zoo there!
 
As you say, pushing them might cause damage to your front bumper, however towing or winching.........:icon-wink: :eusa-whistle:

(Not that I would ever condone such behaviour! :lol: )

As has been mentioned already, a strong letter to your local authority (cc in you local councillor and even MP) outline the risk as mentioned above and the day-to-day inconvenience to you and (presumably) your neighbours.

In the meantime, might it be worthwhile putting up some temporary warning signs - a couple of sheets of A4 in plastic sleeves stuck either side of the alley?
 
If people are parking on yellow lines that is a local authority matter. If they are blocking access to public or private property that's obstruction, and a criminal offence . It should be reported to the police on an non-emergency number. At least that's how it works in England and Wales. May be different in Scotland.
 
chadr - Yep, not worth a scratch on the LJ to bother with shoving cars, unless it's a proper emergency. Like the sheriff said in Smokey & the Bandit 'You can think about it, but don't do it' :icon-biggrin:
Some better signs are badly needed.
Rob - that's interesting to know, I'll ask down at the police station Monday what their thoughts are. We are the only residence back here, but both the council and high street shop have access back here, though they don't seem bothered and rarely send a vehicle back.

I'm sure there is a reasonable solution which will improve the situation without me having to mess with people's cars, I really do not want to do that.
 
From what I've read online, it's pretty common issue with parking problems. Sorry to hear the neighbors turned angry at each other, I'm really trying to avoid that situation, but it can happen quickly I guess. We really want to stay here. I'd park out in the town, but my insurance requires I park the LJ in a locked compound overnight, especially with my work tools and besides, it would get bumped left and right in the town car park, it's like a kiddie ride in a zoo there!

All friends again now working together to make the best of a bad situation . I think someone explained to the newcomers how long it would take police to respond to a 999 call around here and what might happen in the interval .
 
All friends again now working together to make the best of a bad situation . I think someone explained to the newcomers how long it would take police to respond to a 999 call around here and what might happen in the interval .
Haha...glad to hear it! (not the slow 999 reaction time of course :blush:)
 
Don't even think about moving the car yourself unless you're prepared to be hit with a damage claim. This could not only include physical damage to the other vehicle but could include compensation for loss of use/earnings, hire car etc..etc....
As Rob Cowell has pointed out, the police will take action and ticket the vehicle in England which doesn't help you in your situation of course. I was going to suggest getting a clamp and putting a warning sign up but I think they are illegal in Scotland?
I think your best way forward is as has already been suggested by getting on the Council's back in black and white and if they don't respond then maybe a solicitor's letter will give them some incentive.
 
When my driveway was blocked, I called the police and was told if you need to leave your property (it could be an emergency) the police are required to come and remove the blockage, that's what they did when I was blocked in. But they don't have to come if you just want to get on your drive, the difference is a possible emergency such as taking someone to hospital. In my case I was going to hospital to attend an appointment, I didn't actually say that though.
 
Don't even think about moving the car yourself unless you're prepared to be hit with a damage claim. This could not only include physical damage to the other vehicle but could include compensation for loss of use/earnings, hire car etc..etc....
As Rob Cowell has pointed out, the police will take action and ticket the vehicle in England which doesn't help you in your situation of course. I was going to suggest getting a clamp and putting a warning sign up but I think they are illegal in Scotland?
I think your best way forward is as has already been suggested by getting on the Council's back in black and white and if they don't respond then maybe a solicitor's letter will give them some incentive.

All very good advice, don't really want to have to do anything extreme! Don't have the money or desire for legal stuff either.
 
When my driveway was blocked, I called the police and was told if you need to leave your property (it could be an emergency) the police are required to come and remove the blockage, that's what they did when I was blocked in. But they don't have to come if you just want to get on your drive, the difference is a possible emergency such as taking someone to hospital. In my case I was going to hospital to attend an appointment, I didn't actually say that though.
Ah right, so I can ring them to leave, but not to return, I've heard something similar elsewhere I think. THere have been a few times I was taking our little one to the doctors and someone was parked up, but fortunately had pulled away just as we were leaving. I don't think a lot of people realise there is a house down the end.
 
That's what I need really! No clamping in Scotland, though that's fine with me too. I'd have to get permission from the shop in front, but they would probably be fine with it as they park back here sometimes too.
 
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