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Brianb, wait and see whether it's a one-off before you do anything. There's no mention in your post that it's happened before.
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People not far from us bought a Sherpa Luton van for a new business they started. Despite a large parking area/drive, they parked it on the pavement outside their house, leaving about 20" to walk down, past their beech hedge. After a few days of this I had a barney with the "lady" of the house (he said nothing) - I had simply asked if they could move it off the pavement - she got very shirty.
Came home, and rang the police, citing the pavement being obstructed by a goods vehicle. They got busy, and the van was never parked on the pavement again, always on the drive.
I suggest you try the obstruction tack, and see what happens.
Edited by oldnotbold on 25/05/2008 at 13:12
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Our local County Council ask the Police when they book Goods vehicles parked on pavements to provide them with details so they can chase the owners for damage to kerbs etc etc. Planning Departments are also interested in people who trade from home.
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Contact your local council without delay. Its mindless idiots like this one that destroy pavements and make them a hazard for pedestrians that then fall. When they then claim against the council its YOU and your neighbours that end up paying with increased council tax. So it is directly affecting you.
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The only thing I can think of is to check your deeds.
They usually state that your only allowed to park cars -no caravans, vans etc.
You will then need to maybe engage a solicitor or the council (or even the builder) to resolve this.
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ive got to go with L'escargot on this one, he may have done it unknowingly thinking it wouldn't cause a problem to you. if it isn't a one off then you need to have a word with him.
what happened in this world? when i was younger (im 24) if you had an issue with someone it was dealt will civilly by voicing the issue, not right lets run to a solicitor or council etc. to see if we can stitch him up over it. and a result of this behavior everyone is now resentful of anyone who possibly infringes them in any way even if it is unintentional.
chris
Edited by thomp1983 on 25/05/2008 at 15:38
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The OP does not state whether or not the offending neighbour could have parked the van on his own drive. I'm assuming that he could, as it states that he's away for the weekend.
I have to say that a quick and polite word seems to me the best way to deal with this. The OP would seem to live in a decent neighbourhood from his own account so it's hardly a case of being frightened of reprisals. If no response (or a negative one) is forthcoming after that, then by all means complain to the local council.
Forgive me playing "devil's advocate" though; I can't help wondering from the tone of the post,would the OP be so resentful if it was a tidy BMW rather than an old builder's van? ;-)
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A man in my street took to parking his van outside my terraced house - his cars were outside his own.
Didn't bother me, the house has a large back yard with parking and I tend to operate from the rear anyway, if you'll pardon the expression.
Spoke to him by chance one day and he said the only reason the van was often outside my house was because I was the only one in the street who didn't complain.
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Not me, I hasten to add. Though some people I know would not stand for this outside their home and consider it justice to making the said vehicle unroadworthy!
They assure me that a couple of new tyres focuses the mind. Especially the next time they feel like being anti social. I do not condone such behaviour. Though it has worked for them.
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Brian,
Another point to consider is that any formal dispute with a neighbour must be reported to any prospective buyer.
Clearly, that might influence thinking on both sides, depending on any plans either of you has to move.
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Get some
tinyurl.com/65skja
and pop a warning letter on from the "Community Parking Enforcement Team"
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"Spoke to him by chance one day and he said the only reason the van was often outside my house was because I was the only one in the street who didn't complain."
That squares with my perception of the situation in general: legalities aside, most people do not like having the vehicles of others parked (often unnecessarily) outside their property; those same people will avoid doing it to others; a small minority just don't understand until someone does the same to them; and a hard core have such blunted social sensibilities that they will never understand (and will be the first to point out their legal entitlement to displease others). Such is the little lubrication needed to keep neighbourly relations running smoothly -- a little forethought and consideration.
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"Pavements are for Pedestrians" stickers are available from the Pedestrians' Association.
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I can't believe some of the replies on this thread. If the van is legally parked then stop being a snob. You don't like it becuase people think it might be yours? Get a grip - live and let live.
I'm amazed at the suggestions being made that you should go and damage someone elses property as well.
Shame on you all.
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And you are Saint.............
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Not claiming to be a saint :)
Other people often park outside my house, never bothers me. Even if it is an 'old banger'.
How about this for a story:
A friend was asked not to park his works van (brand new) outside his own house by the neighbours. The reason given was that it lowered the tone of the street. Neigbours wanted him to park it in the next street.
He told them to get stuffed...
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Moonshine:
the OP wrote: "I currently have a white van parked on the pavement"
and you wrote "If the van is legally parked then stop being a snob" - however, parking on the pavement is not legal, so he's not being a snob.
You may have jumped to an erroneous judgement, I suspect.
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These are the things that bug the OP:
1. It is blocking the pavement, and as it's outside my house I don't want people thinking it's mine.
2. It's an eyesore from my windows.
3. The van is also in a part of the road that's a turning head near the end of a cul-de-sac. Again I don't want people thinking it me being a PFDand making turning difficult for everyone else.
4. This isn't the first time people have used the frontage of my house to park cars, as we have quiet a large frontage which includes the turning head.
The OP seems more bothered that people think he drives a beat up old van. Isn't that being a snob? The van being parked in the pavement doesn't feature in his list of things that 'bug'.
Number 4 on the list is a great one - when will people learn that roads are for the public.
I think my judgement is correct - the OP is being a snob.
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The van being parked in the pavement doesn't feature in his list of things that 'bug'.
Er, yes it is - it's the very 1st point!!!
His first point is:
"1. It is blocking the pavement, and as it's outside my house I don't want people thinking it's mine."
Fairly plain that he doesn't want the social opprobrium of having a vehicle parked that's blocking the pavement being assocoated with him - the fact that it's a big old van just compounds it.
"3. The van is also in a part of the road that's a turning head near the end of a cul-de-sac. Again I don't want people thinking it me being a PFDand making turning difficult for everyone else."
It's also (partially) blocking a turning area in the cul-de-sac - again, he doesn't want to be thought of as an inconsiderate type.
I think my judgement is correct - the OP is being a snob.
No, not him methinks.
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Ok, fair point that he does mention in the first point, that's what I get for reading things too quickly. I stand corrected.
However, the general tone of the OPs post is that he has taken objection to someone parking outside his house and is looking for reasons as to why it shouldn't be parked there.
You missed out points 2 and 4 - how can you say this is not being a snob:
2. It's an eyesore from my windows
4. This isn't the first time people have used the frontage of my house to park cars, as we have quiet a large frontage which includes the turning head.
Point 4 implies that the OP objects to anyone parking outside his house, even if its just a car. His own words are "a large frontage" - surely enough room for everyone? Ever heard of sharing?
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A lot of the houses on our street are still being built or fitted out. Sometimes there are five or six suppliers trying to service one house. I let them park around my house or in front of it so long as they don't block the garage or throw their fag ends out. Doesn't bother me at all, sometimes get odd jobs done for free if you take them tea or water. But if someone parked a big van outside my kitchen window for days on end I would be well miffed of course I would. New or not. I don't want to be staring at a big white metal box with someone's phone number on the side.
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Not speaking directly to him is the action most likely to worsen the situation.
Speak nicely to the owner of the van; wait until you get a response and then judge what course of action to take.
And never ever park outside anybody else house of course !
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But if someone parked a big van outside my kitchen window for days on end I would be well miffed of course I would. New or not. I don't want to be staring at a big white metal box with someone's phone number on the side.
Totally agree with that - at night and weekends our estate is blighted by vans parked all over the place, but luckily our road has so far remained unaffected. Even if you're not bothered about it, it must affect potential buyers when they see a road stuffed full of vans.
There's really no excuse for commercial vehicles to be regularly parked on residential streets, never mind that they generally park half on the pavement.
Edited by Bill Payer on 27/05/2008 at 14:50
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Nothing brings a nice area down more than vans parked on the street.
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In a street in my nearest village one chap parks an artic tractor unit on his drive. It's nearly as big as the bungalow. There used to be an Abbot self-propelled gun outside another house.
I think I'd rather have the Abbot next door to me.
Edited by nick on 27/05/2008 at 15:01
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Just driving to a local small town today: 3 commercial vehicles on pavement, blocking completely in 2 cases, and partially, but with bonus points, to Securicor van on zebra crossing chevrons as well. As they say in the Oz tourism ads, where the xxxx are you, enforcers of the law? Because its a pavement, it gets no attention.
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Brianb, to avoid an eyeball to eyeball confrontation, why not ring him up? Especially if he's the sort of person who could turn nasty and give you a good kicking.
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Move to a street where there are double yellow lines so that nobody will ever park outside your house. It works for me.
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Find yourself an abode out in the sticks, down a muddy track.
You won't have any white vans parked outside the house, but at least twice a day White Van Man will knock on the door asking for directions to your next-but-nearest neighbour who also lives 400m from the road on an unmarked track.
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And of course the other advantage of rural life onb is that if you happen to have a couple of white vans or other jalopies yourself that need to be parked somewhere, your neighbours don't start up a clamour about their ancient lights...
:o}
That wasn't meant as a shot at the OP by the way. Obviously these things can matter in a small close or side street. I myself live on a metropolitan main road which has its own inconveniences, but vans and skips come and go without usually upsetting anyone.
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"but vans and skips come and go without usually upsetting anyone."
As they do here in my part of Yorkshire..
I have a small white van, used as regular transport as you all know, its seen as no different to a car by our very friendly neighbours.
There seems to be a lot of snobbery going on towards vans, but I could walk into a showroom and buy at least a fistful, cash, of the big luxo-barges that some of you puff and pomp about out on your drives and on the Forum.
We are into thrift around here and not showing wealth.
I`ve never been more happy to live in ex mining community West Yorkshire.
Regards
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Nothing to do with snobbery. I don't want my view blocked by a van. Not mine or anyone elses. Not even if it was jewel-encrusted and worth millions. Simple. I want to be able to see my kids on their bikes and watch the woman opposite as she leaves for work.
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Huh?
Some people (e.g. tradesmen) drive vans as part of their work and understandably need to park them near their homes.
Some other people (e.g. regional sales managers) drive Jaguars as part of their work and understandably need to park them near their homes.
I'm struggling to understand the difference.
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"I'm struggling to understand the difference."
A Jaguar parked outside my kitchen window wouldn't be seen above the hedge.
A Transit with "Plumbers R Us" emblazened down the side would block the whole view. Since my front garden is very small, it would be very close to my window and it's all I would see.
It's a really, really, really, obvious, simple difference.
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There is no difference in the sense that both the transit and jaguar owner both have the right to park there.
If plumbers R us decide to park out side BBDs house there is nought he can do about it, no matter how much it spoils his view.
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"If plumbers R us decide to park out side BBDs house there is nought he can do about it, no matter how much it spoils his view."
I can as it happens, I own the road outside my house - all my side of the street does. Houses opposite only have right of access, not parking. I'm just trying to make a point in support of the OP.
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BBD lives in Warsaw = different laws!
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>>If plumbers R us decide to park out side BBDs house there is nought hecan do about it no matter how much it spoils his view.
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That is arguable.
As I understand it, one only has the "right" to pass and repass on a public highway.
There is no "right" as such to park on a public highway, whether it is in front of your house, your friend's house or anyone elses house.
Ergo, one has no more or less "right" than Plumbers r Us to park on the public highway in front of ones own house.
E & O E
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I don't mind people thinking I being a snob about the white van, I've paid a lot for my house and wanted to live in a nice area. I also paid so that we could have a large drive where both our cars and any visitors could park off the road.
2 years ago we spent 12 months underseige by a group of builders whilst 10 houses were being built next door to us. Everyday from 8-5 we had 7 vans lining the pavement and turning head, fag ends tea bags chewing gum were all left behind to remember the experience by. I tried contacting the developers and the local community police both didn't want to know.
I don't mind people (even with taty vans) parking outside my house on a none permanent basis, accepting this as being part of life and not owning the whole road! As the van was left for 4 days without moving whilst the owners driveway was empty, aswell as causing an obstruction to the pavement.
In the end I did see the owner mowing his lawn, so went over for a word. He was very polite and moved the van immediately, apparently he was expecting a delivery of some equipment so wanted to leave his drive clear for access. I explained that providing it didn't become a permanent fixture I didn't mind doing the same in the future.
Thanks for all the constructive comments, I just wanted some advice prior to approaching the vehicle owner so as to be on firm ground with a constructive argument (or not arguing as the case maybe).
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Glad it was resolved so easily - you both still on good terms and he is now aware of your feelings and may well tell you in future what is going on...
Most important, good relations with neighbours, if you don't have that then life can be hell!
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