Using bins to block a parking space
Discussion
TL:DR: Someone blocking car parking spaces with bins, gets upset when I move the bins and park there. What makes them think it's OK?
Tight residential street in SW London, near a parade of shops. Always short of parking. Roads have residents parking, but only in force 12:00-13:00 Mon-Fri - to stop day-users parking for the nearby station.
Today go down to the shops, and see a parking space blocked by a couple of bins. Not a disabled space, nor any other kid of marking.
This kind of thing really pisses me off - why does this particular person believe they have any more right to the space outside their house than anyone else along the street? Why does their need trump that of someone who wants to go to the shops? Why do they get to decide that it's OK for them to park there, but not anyone else?
So I get out, move the bins on the pavement, and park in the space.
As soon as I get out, a pleasant Middle-aged Gentleman approaches me. Conversation goes approximately:
ME-G: "Why did you move the bins?"
Brickwall: "Because I wanted to park here"
ME-G: "How long will you be staying?"
Brickwall: [looking at the parking restriction sign] "I don't know. Until I'm done shopping, I guess."
ME-G: "Did you have to park here? It's so difficult to find a space."
Brickwall: [looking up and down the row of parked cars in the street]: "You're right, it is difficult. Looks like I did. Will there be anything else? I should really go and do my shopping."
it was all very amicable, and he made no attempt to berate me, attack me, etc. The guy clearly knew he's got no right to 'bag' the space with his bins.
But it made me think - was I being unreasonable? Should I just have found another space on another street?
I know I know, cool story bro etc.
Tight residential street in SW London, near a parade of shops. Always short of parking. Roads have residents parking, but only in force 12:00-13:00 Mon-Fri - to stop day-users parking for the nearby station.
Today go down to the shops, and see a parking space blocked by a couple of bins. Not a disabled space, nor any other kid of marking.
This kind of thing really pisses me off - why does this particular person believe they have any more right to the space outside their house than anyone else along the street? Why does their need trump that of someone who wants to go to the shops? Why do they get to decide that it's OK for them to park there, but not anyone else?
So I get out, move the bins on the pavement, and park in the space.
As soon as I get out, a pleasant Middle-aged Gentleman approaches me. Conversation goes approximately:
ME-G: "Why did you move the bins?"
Brickwall: "Because I wanted to park here"
ME-G: "How long will you be staying?"
Brickwall: [looking at the parking restriction sign] "I don't know. Until I'm done shopping, I guess."
ME-G: "Did you have to park here? It's so difficult to find a space."
Brickwall: [looking up and down the row of parked cars in the street]: "You're right, it is difficult. Looks like I did. Will there be anything else? I should really go and do my shopping."
it was all very amicable, and he made no attempt to berate me, attack me, etc. The guy clearly knew he's got no right to 'bag' the space with his bins.
But it made me think - was I being unreasonable? Should I just have found another space on another street?
I know I know, cool story bro etc.
I'm not sure what the problem is exactly, he would like to have the space outside his house if possible but knows he has no right. No one got angry or upset so bit of a non event. Maybe he was 'holding' the space for a visitor? Maybe an elderly relative?
I used to live in terrace housing as a student and it was a pain having to walk 10 minutes in a rough area every time someone parked outside the house. Mostly I could get parked there, but when I couldn't it was a faf. Still, I knew I had no right so just got on with it.
No one owns the road outside their house, but in reality it is nice to be able to leave the car nearby. I get the argument from both sides.
I used to live in terrace housing as a student and it was a pain having to walk 10 minutes in a rough area every time someone parked outside the house. Mostly I could get parked there, but when I couldn't it was a faf. Still, I knew I had no right so just got on with it.
No one owns the road outside their house, but in reality it is nice to be able to leave the car nearby. I get the argument from both sides.
Seems reasonable to assume he had a friend coming over and had saved them a space - hence the curiosity about when you’d be leaving.
No harm no foul in my eyes. He’s been a bit cheeky, but you resolved it to your satisfaction, and if he hadn’t done what he did you’d have probably had to park somewhere else anyway. ;-)
No harm no foul in my eyes. He’s been a bit cheeky, but you resolved it to your satisfaction, and if he hadn’t done what he did you’d have probably had to park somewhere else anyway. ;-)
t DanL said:
Seems reasonable to assume he had a friend coming over and had saved them a space - hence the curiosity about when you’d be leaving.
No harm no foul in my eyes. He’s been a bit cheeky, but you resolved it to your satisfaction, and if he hadn’t done what he did you’d have probably had to park somewhere else anyway. ;-)
Yes quite.No harm no foul in my eyes. He’s been a bit cheeky, but you resolved it to your satisfaction, and if he hadn’t done what he did you’d have probably had to park somewhere else anyway. ;-)
Fairly anti climactic.
Mike335i said:
I'm not sure what the problem is exactly, he would like to have the space outside his house if possible but knows he has no right. No one got angry or upset so bit of a non event. Maybe he was 'holding' the space for a visitor? Maybe an elderly relative?
I used to live in terrace housing as a student and it was a pain having to walk 10 minutes in a rough area every time someone parked outside the house. Mostly I could get parked there, but when I couldn't it was a faf. Still, I knew I had no right so just got on with it.
No one owns the road outside their house, but in reality it is nice to be able to leave the car nearby. I get the argument from both sides.
When I sold my house and moved into the gf's house to wait until she sold hers I've gone from having my own double drive to living in a terraced street opposite a school. I hate finishing night shifts a couple of minutes late or hitting heavy traffic on the way home as I invariably end up having to park a good 100+ yards from my home. It's frustrating as hell but I've never put bins in the way of people dropping their kids off on the school run so I can park right outside, just couldn't be bothered with the hassle. I used to live in terrace housing as a student and it was a pain having to walk 10 minutes in a rough area every time someone parked outside the house. Mostly I could get parked there, but when I couldn't it was a faf. Still, I knew I had no right so just got on with it.
No one owns the road outside their house, but in reality it is nice to be able to leave the car nearby. I get the argument from both sides.
Can wait to sell her house though and get back to having my own drive and garage again, makes tinkering with the car and washing it so much easier.
DanL said:
Seems reasonable to assume he had a friend coming over and had saved them a space - hence the curiosity about when you’d be leaving.
No harm no foul in my eyes. He’s been a bit cheeky, but you resolved it to your satisfaction, and if he hadn’t done what he did you’d have probably had to park somewhere else anyway. ;-)
Agree - I can see the issue from his side.No harm no foul in my eyes. He’s been a bit cheeky, but you resolved it to your satisfaction, and if he hadn’t done what he did you’d have probably had to park somewhere else anyway. ;-)
Though he didn't say 'I have a delivery/elderly visitor', which in hindsight makes me suspicious that perhaps this was a pure convenience play.
Lots of people I know have the same issue on their street, and no-one does this bin thing. Those that are genuinely disabled have managed to get a disabled space painted.
HannsG said:
Earn more money or beg borrow and steal to buy a proper house?
Not rocket science is it..
I think along the same lines: if parking outside your house is going to be such a bother that you're going to be twitching your net curtains every time you hear a car outside, just look to buy another house, preferably one with a driveway.Not rocket science is it..
I lived on a street with terrace houses, no parking. Most of the time ok, sometimes I ended up at the end of the street.
One house had an elderly lady residing, if you tried to park in front of her house she'd shoot out and move you on. She was reserving the space for her visiting son, never saw him, space always empty, quite sad.
Too much hassle to argue the point, everyone seemed to respect her wishes.
One house had an elderly lady residing, if you tried to park in front of her house she'd shoot out and move you on. She was reserving the space for her visiting son, never saw him, space always empty, quite sad.
Too much hassle to argue the point, everyone seemed to respect her wishes.
This behaviour is becoming more frequent in London. It started with reserving a space for removal lorries, but within the last year two people on my street do it save a space near their house and I've started to notice it more regularly on other streets. I think it's disgusting but CBA with a confrontation about it - it's typical London.
HannsG said:
Earn more money or beg borrow and steal to buy a proper house?
Not rocket science is it..
Whilst I don't subscribe to that sentiment exactly - parking should factor as a key critera IMO.Not rocket science is it..
We had to buy a second property in order to work out of central London a few years back. We settled on a ground floor flat in Hertfordshire - but one of our criteria was that it had to have allocated (preferably off street) parking.
We ruled out loads of properties as a result of them not meeting this critera - eventually found one that had both off street parking and a garage.
If you buy a property without parking - then you have to accept that you'll be taking your chances just like everybody else.
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