Nuisance Parking Neighbour
Discussion
Good evening friendly PHers,
I've come to you for your thoughts, it's the typical parking in the neighbourhood issue everyone finds themselves in at some point.
We have a neighbour who rents a small cottage behind our house tucked away from the road. Their allocated parking space is situated in front of our house - they own a garage which is part of a small row of 4 tiny garages each with their own level ground in front of them which residents use as parking spaces. They keep a vehicle there which rarely moves. The level ground is the key to our problem.
Said resident likes to park his second car and medium sized trailer on the road adjacent to the garages. We don't have a problem with his two cars as most households on the road have more than one car so parking is a regularly fluid change of vehicles in different places. However, the trailer which is regularly parked on the road isn't on flat ground. It's on a hill, not a steep one, but a hill nonetheless.
Our nagging worry is that if the handbrake on the loaded trailer happens to fail, or if the brake is intentionally let off by anybody who is looking to cause some havoc, that the trailer will roll down the hill picking up enough speed to at least damage a couple of cars, worst case we would have a missing wall to our living room and a new ornament.
So far we've kept quiet, we don't like much confrontation. Our neighbour to the right hasn't been so quiet and has had the Police involved twice now, after all it could be his property damaged also. The first couple of officers told the neighbour with the trailer he was totally within his right to park it wherever he likes. The second pair of officers the following day weren't as polite and suggested he moved it. The trailer vanished for a few days at most but now it's reappeared!
I happened to be outside working on my car this evening when I saw the problem neighbour and decided to politely question him and suggest that he parked the trailer on the level ground in front of the garage to settle any dispute. Which I thought was an entirely fair request. I was met with arrogance and snarky comments...should have expected that really. His final remark was that he was going to leave it there just to 'pee' you all off. I suggested that he had a delightful attitude.
My question is, can a motorist really park a loaded trailer on a hill for days on end or is it just common sense which is lacking? I wouldn't want to leave my trailer parked on an incline just in case the worst ever happened and the handbrake failed...maybe that's just me.
I'm not sure whether to follow it up with the Police since they're already involved and quite frankly, I wasn't happy with his attitude to it all. Or should I just forget about it all and get back to reading articles about sheds under a grand?
I've come to you for your thoughts, it's the typical parking in the neighbourhood issue everyone finds themselves in at some point.
We have a neighbour who rents a small cottage behind our house tucked away from the road. Their allocated parking space is situated in front of our house - they own a garage which is part of a small row of 4 tiny garages each with their own level ground in front of them which residents use as parking spaces. They keep a vehicle there which rarely moves. The level ground is the key to our problem.
Said resident likes to park his second car and medium sized trailer on the road adjacent to the garages. We don't have a problem with his two cars as most households on the road have more than one car so parking is a regularly fluid change of vehicles in different places. However, the trailer which is regularly parked on the road isn't on flat ground. It's on a hill, not a steep one, but a hill nonetheless.
Our nagging worry is that if the handbrake on the loaded trailer happens to fail, or if the brake is intentionally let off by anybody who is looking to cause some havoc, that the trailer will roll down the hill picking up enough speed to at least damage a couple of cars, worst case we would have a missing wall to our living room and a new ornament.
So far we've kept quiet, we don't like much confrontation. Our neighbour to the right hasn't been so quiet and has had the Police involved twice now, after all it could be his property damaged also. The first couple of officers told the neighbour with the trailer he was totally within his right to park it wherever he likes. The second pair of officers the following day weren't as polite and suggested he moved it. The trailer vanished for a few days at most but now it's reappeared!
I happened to be outside working on my car this evening when I saw the problem neighbour and decided to politely question him and suggest that he parked the trailer on the level ground in front of the garage to settle any dispute. Which I thought was an entirely fair request. I was met with arrogance and snarky comments...should have expected that really. His final remark was that he was going to leave it there just to 'pee' you all off. I suggested that he had a delightful attitude.
My question is, can a motorist really park a loaded trailer on a hill for days on end or is it just common sense which is lacking? I wouldn't want to leave my trailer parked on an incline just in case the worst ever happened and the handbrake failed...maybe that's just me.
I'm not sure whether to follow it up with the Police since they're already involved and quite frankly, I wasn't happy with his attitude to it all. Or should I just forget about it all and get back to reading articles about sheds under a grand?
Seriously? You and the neighborhood lynch mob have wasted police time TWICE because someone has parked something on a slope.
Next, you'll be telling us that there are children around that could be crushed if they happened to be out playing when the brakes decided to spontaneously fail.
And if someone was to release the brake for mischief, then they'd be the
s , not the guy parked up.
If you can't sleep for fear of a runaway trailer, why don't you wander over and put a brick in front of one the wheels?
No wonder he's got a snarky attitude!
Next, you'll be telling us that there are children around that could be crushed if they happened to be out playing when the brakes decided to spontaneously fail.
And if someone was to release the brake for mischief, then they'd be the
s , not the guy parked up.If you can't sleep for fear of a runaway trailer, why don't you wander over and put a brick in front of one the wheels?
No wonder he's got a snarky attitude!
No, there's hardly ever a car attached, it is usually left free standing with what must be a fair amount of weight inside it - it seems to be full of household items.
I know it's probably a slim chance of it budging but it's more the fact that the Police have suggested it moves made me wonder what other people would do in this situation.
I know it's probably a slim chance of it budging but it's more the fact that the Police have suggested it moves made me wonder what other people would do in this situation.
I think life's too short to worry about what ifs, unless there's an obvious likelihood of an accident.
As for remedies, I'd imagine potentially obstructing the highway or something civil were there to be an accident and the person controlling the trailer ignored an obvious and foreseeable fault. But, life is too short...
As for remedies, I'd imagine potentially obstructing the highway or something civil were there to be an accident and the person controlling the trailer ignored an obvious and foreseeable fault. But, life is too short...
I'm assuming nobody is jacking up the trailer and removing the wheels, because obviously that'd stop it rolling anywhere and "pee off" the owner.
I'm also assuming nobody has put cheap d-locks through the wheels to prevent it rolling anywhere.
And I'll also assume nobody with a tow bar has taken to relocating the trailer on behalf of its owner. As with the previous options, that'd upset the owner while solving your problem.
Seems like there's not much you can do but choc the wheels for him and hope he doesn't remove them.
I'm also assuming nobody has put cheap d-locks through the wheels to prevent it rolling anywhere.
And I'll also assume nobody with a tow bar has taken to relocating the trailer on behalf of its owner. As with the previous options, that'd upset the owner while solving your problem.
Seems like there's not much you can do but choc the wheels for him and hope he doesn't remove them.
You should feel blessed one of your neighbours can safely leave a trailer in the street. Around these parts the local 3.14 keys would have it away in flash , contents and all!
Maybe he was snarky with you because he's had the Police out twice. Maybe he thought it was you that called.
Just try again and explain it wasn't you and that you have real concerns that it might spontaneously roll down the hill and cause damage to your car or wall.
If he still doesn't help or gets snarky again just advertise it on Freecycle with the address its kept at - explain that its free to be taken away from the roadside.
Maybe he was snarky with you because he's had the Police out twice. Maybe he thought it was you that called.
Just try again and explain it wasn't you and that you have real concerns that it might spontaneously roll down the hill and cause damage to your car or wall.
If he still doesn't help or gets snarky again just advertise it on Freecycle with the address its kept at - explain that its free to be taken away from the roadside.
CAPP0 said:
At a tangent - just curious, are you actually allowed to leave an unhitched trailer (of any sort, inc caravan) parked unattended on a road?
I assume so but it looks like it would need lights if i'm reading this correctly:hc said:
250
Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 1525 kg unladen weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less if they are:
at least 10 metres (32 feet) away from any junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of the traffic flow
in a recognised parking place or lay-by.
Other vehicles and trailers, and all vehicles with projecting loads, MUST NOT be left on a road at night without lights.
Laws RVLR reg 24 & CUR reg 82(7)
Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 1525 kg unladen weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less if they are:
at least 10 metres (32 feet) away from any junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of the traffic flow
in a recognised parking place or lay-by.
Other vehicles and trailers, and all vehicles with projecting loads, MUST NOT be left on a road at night without lights.
Laws RVLR reg 24 & CUR reg 82(7)
Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff