Kids football damaging parked cars
Discussion
I'm almost sure nothing can be done but here goes.
I've been living in house at the end of the a cul-de-sac for over 2 years now. The end of the cul the sac is a grass verge and the road widen for cars turning and extra parking. Anyway, because of this extra space the kids from the street and the neighbouring streets come and kick a ball about there. When I first moved into the house, I asked them to be careful not to hit the cars and was civil to them. Any time I notice a ball bounce of my car or my girlfriend's car, I'd go out, explain to them that they had to be more careful and showed them the circle of scratches their ball had made would need to be buffed out.
For a while, they were and recently over the last 6 months it's gotten worse. They kick the ball harder which sometimes ends up bouncing of our cars or into the house opposite's garden. In fact that house has recently put up a fence to protect their garden but I once spotted one of the kids climbing their Corolla Verso to retrieve a ball from an elvated wall garden it was parked next to.
The next day, I'd come home from the shop and as soon as I'd parked the car in my drive way, a ball hit my rear window. I got out and confront the lad and told him he couldn't play here any more. I'd asked him to be careful in the past and if he couldn't he could go elsewhere and I suggest the park up the road. As I turned, he said that he lived here longer than I did and he'll do what he liked. Tempting as it was to beat him black and blue, I complained to his mother but not so much as an apology was forthcoming.
Apart from the number of scuff marks on the car, my garage door (recently repainted) has marks all over it and is quite a distance from the road (2 cars can fit in my driveway without actually being in the garage) and my front door has a mark or 2.
I've phoned Citizen advise and they said that there needs to be evidence of damage done to property to complain to police so why not speak to the council? I did and they were no help. I asked if they could put up a no ball games sign or some hedge on the grass verge and I may as well have been asking for the blood of their first born for all the good it did me. The police were equally as "helpful" and stated that unless some serious damage was done, they couldn't do a thing. Trouble is, as soon as once of them puts a dent in the car or a stone through the window, then what? You can't photograph them doing it unless you want a room mate like Gary Glitter.
Has anyone ever had a problem like this or what would you recommend? Sorry for the long post by the way.
I've been living in house at the end of the a cul-de-sac for over 2 years now. The end of the cul the sac is a grass verge and the road widen for cars turning and extra parking. Anyway, because of this extra space the kids from the street and the neighbouring streets come and kick a ball about there. When I first moved into the house, I asked them to be careful not to hit the cars and was civil to them. Any time I notice a ball bounce of my car or my girlfriend's car, I'd go out, explain to them that they had to be more careful and showed them the circle of scratches their ball had made would need to be buffed out.
For a while, they were and recently over the last 6 months it's gotten worse. They kick the ball harder which sometimes ends up bouncing of our cars or into the house opposite's garden. In fact that house has recently put up a fence to protect their garden but I once spotted one of the kids climbing their Corolla Verso to retrieve a ball from an elvated wall garden it was parked next to.
The next day, I'd come home from the shop and as soon as I'd parked the car in my drive way, a ball hit my rear window. I got out and confront the lad and told him he couldn't play here any more. I'd asked him to be careful in the past and if he couldn't he could go elsewhere and I suggest the park up the road. As I turned, he said that he lived here longer than I did and he'll do what he liked. Tempting as it was to beat him black and blue, I complained to his mother but not so much as an apology was forthcoming.
Apart from the number of scuff marks on the car, my garage door (recently repainted) has marks all over it and is quite a distance from the road (2 cars can fit in my driveway without actually being in the garage) and my front door has a mark or 2.
I've phoned Citizen advise and they said that there needs to be evidence of damage done to property to complain to police so why not speak to the council? I did and they were no help. I asked if they could put up a no ball games sign or some hedge on the grass verge and I may as well have been asking for the blood of their first born for all the good it did me. The police were equally as "helpful" and stated that unless some serious damage was done, they couldn't do a thing. Trouble is, as soon as once of them puts a dent in the car or a stone through the window, then what? You can't photograph them doing it unless you want a room mate like Gary Glitter.
Has anyone ever had a problem like this or what would you recommend? Sorry for the long post by the way.
The only thing I can suggest is to set up a discreet video camera of them playing football and record who hits the ball into your car. I'd call plod first to notify them of your intent to obtain evidence of criminal damage.... See what they say - my guess is to tell you that you'll be arrested and made to buy the scrotes a PS3....
Thought that might be way it goes. Normally when you put up a camera, you have to sign post it too which is sadly besides the point. I guess the only option is to move really which I had been toying around with lately.
And I don't feel so bad now for putting a knife through 2 balls they left in the street when I came home at 1am around 2 weeks ago.
And I don't feel so bad now for putting a knife through 2 balls they left in the street when I came home at 1am around 2 weeks ago.
Jasandjules said:
The only thing I can suggest is to set up a discreet video camera of them playing football and record who hits the ball into your car. I'd call plod first to notify them of your intent to obtain evidence of criminal damage.... See what they say - my guess is to tell you that you'll be arrested and made to buy the scrotes a PS3....
Oh yeah,good idea..set up a hidden video to film kids playing in the street...you can see what's coming next can't you....(not meant as a criticism J+J just pointing out the way things would most likely go with said kids' parents...) Kids play in the street,they always have and, I suppose, always will.To the OP,put your car in your garage? Unfortunately I doubt you'll get assistance from either BiB or the council...The garage was unfortunately built in the 70's and so is tiny. The boiler for the house, my washing machine and Dryer also have residence in there so even something as small as a polo won't fit in there.
I've no problems with the kids playing on the street, I've told them that many times, it's their reckless play and attitudes towards people's property I have a problem with.
Thanks to all, time to buy into a nicer neighbourhood then. Bang go any new car plans with that then.
I've no problems with the kids playing on the street, I've told them that many times, it's their reckless play and attitudes towards people's property I have a problem with.
Thanks to all, time to buy into a nicer neighbourhood then. Bang go any new car plans with that then.
esselte said:
Oh yeah,good idea..set up a hidden video to film kids playing in the street...you can see what's coming next can't you....(not meant as a criticism J+J just pointing out the way things would most likely go with said kids' parents...) Kids play in the street,they always have and, I suppose, always will.To the OP,put your car in your garage? Unfortunately I doubt you'll get assistance from either BiB or the council...
Indeed, hence the rest of my post with the BiB Arresting him and making him buy them a PS3 for their anguish.
.... I'd certainly be interested to hear from BiB on this matter though.. (and it's also why I said to phone them and tell them before doing anything... Just in case).As an aside of course, once the scrotes were convicted of criminal damage you could then sue the parents in the Civil court for the paint to be redone.........
Between 13 and 15/16 I would guess.
Like I said, I've been thinking about moving recently. I've been looking there at houses and saw a detatched house down in price by about £20,000 so maybe the car might be obtainable too.
As for the garage down, I gave it a wipe down with the sponge after washing the car at the weekend and got most of it off.
Like I said, I've been thinking about moving recently. I've been looking there at houses and saw a detatched house down in price by about £20,000 so maybe the car might be obtainable too.
As for the garage down, I gave it a wipe down with the sponge after washing the car at the weekend and got most of it off.
Had a similr problem many years ago, the Police came and said that because they were causing a nuisance they could ask them to move on.
The noise was the main complaint, balls demolishing the garden, ball prints on the car was actually secondary.
I ended up buying the land to solve the problem, there was also a low level of petty vandalism which went with the kids hanging around. When i mentioned it to the parents and suggested they use the park, i was met with we know where they are and there's a main road to cross, i suggested then that they play on their garden rather than mine and it fell on deaf ears.
You may have an angle in the deeds of the land that they are playing on, there are often covernants that are there to stop nuisances.
Bib may have an up to date view of these ramblings.....
The noise was the main complaint, balls demolishing the garden, ball prints on the car was actually secondary.
I ended up buying the land to solve the problem, there was also a low level of petty vandalism which went with the kids hanging around. When i mentioned it to the parents and suggested they use the park, i was met with we know where they are and there's a main road to cross, i suggested then that they play on their garden rather than mine and it fell on deaf ears.
You may have an angle in the deeds of the land that they are playing on, there are often covernants that are there to stop nuisances.
Bib may have an up to date view of these ramblings.....
I used to have the exact same problem, which I eventually resolved for good by sticking a screwdriver through their ball in front of them and handing it back.
Kids have no respect nowadays sadly. The pikey s
ts living next to us now were swinging a golf club around near our brand new 350Z, and ttting what looked like golf balls into the road (was actually a ping pong ball thankfully) and all we got in return for pointing out the stupidity of that was a mouthfull of abuse off thier pikey mother.
Kids have no respect nowadays sadly. The pikey s
ts living next to us now were swinging a golf club around near our brand new 350Z, and ttting what looked like golf balls into the road (was actually a ping pong ball thankfully) and all we got in return for pointing out the stupidity of that was a mouthfull of abuse off thier pikey mother.
Highways Act 1980
Section 161 (3)
If a person plays at football or any other game on a Highway to the annoyance of a user of the Highway he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
At least one council takes this nuisance seriously: see here.
Section 161 (3)
If a person plays at football or any other game on a Highway to the annoyance of a user of the Highway he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
At least one council takes this nuisance seriously: see here.
Cider Andy said:
Highways Act 1980
Section 161 (3)
If a person plays at football or any other game on a Highway to the annoyance of a user of the Highway he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
At least one council takes this nuisance seriously: see here.
But if the OP's car is on his drive, is he still a highway user at the time the ball hits it?Section 161 (3)
If a person plays at football or any other game on a Highway to the annoyance of a user of the Highway he is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
At least one council takes this nuisance seriously: see here.
Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff