Who owns the snow that falls on my car????
Discussion
Had to spend some time in hospital recently and, as one does, got bored stupid just laying there with nothing to do.
Had a good view out of the window from my bed and lay there one night watching the snow fall onto the cars in the car park. About 7.00am a couple of car park 'goons' appeared and started scraping snow off windscreens to inspect parking tickets and fix tickets as they saw fit.
With not much else to do I started wondering who owned the snow on the windscreens and if it is the car owner, was it an act of criminal damage or theft when it was removed from the car without permission?
Funny what you'll end up thinking about when you've nothing else to do.
BB
Had a good view out of the window from my bed and lay there one night watching the snow fall onto the cars in the car park. About 7.00am a couple of car park 'goons' appeared and started scraping snow off windscreens to inspect parking tickets and fix tickets as they saw fit.
With not much else to do I started wondering who owned the snow on the windscreens and if it is the car owner, was it an act of criminal damage or theft when it was removed from the car without permission?
Funny what you'll end up thinking about when you've nothing else to do.
BB
In the good old days when there was an unofficial 14 day grace period for road tax.........I bought a new one on the fourteenth of the month and stuck it in the windscreen a few inches above the one that had run out. It snowed during the night.......
The following morning the local ****hole traffic warden came round, scraped the snow off revealing the out of date tax disc and gave the vehicle a ticket.
Pointing out a few facts at the local police station including that I objected to having legal vehicles interfered with got the ticket cancelled.
Another one I hear about was a car parked on the road with a cover over it. The owner refused to remove the cover for a traffic warden.......and the police were called. Cover removed and vehicle legal.
So I would like to think that only the police can remove snow etc and not the usual pond life that issues tickets.
The following morning the local ****hole traffic warden came round, scraped the snow off revealing the out of date tax disc and gave the vehicle a ticket.
Pointing out a few facts at the local police station including that I objected to having legal vehicles interfered with got the ticket cancelled.
Another one I hear about was a car parked on the road with a cover over it. The owner refused to remove the cover for a traffic warden.......and the police were called. Cover removed and vehicle legal.
So I would like to think that only the police can remove snow etc and not the usual pond life that issues tickets.
Fat Richie said:
These days it's most likely the water company that owns it, seeing as they seem to be able to charge you for disposal of rain water...
Ah, I am getting my MEP to investigate that, though my water company solicitor is now refusing to talk to me.........
As for the OP, no-one owns the snow. If the "goons" were to damage the car when they scrape off the snow though they may be liable for criminal damage charges.
Edited by jasandjules on Sunday 25th February 08:08
If you are on a metered supply, this includes a pro rata sewerage change. Some success has been had in forcing a reduction of this charge where the water has not left the premises. IIRC, one significant reduction was obtained by a gentleman who filled his swimming pool from a metered supply and was able to show that he still had the water. It has also been argued that watering your garden does not invoke the use of sewerage and that therefore the pro rata change should be reduced - Streaky
streaky said:
If you are on a metered supply, this includes a pro rata sewerage change. Some success has been had in forcing a reduction of this charge where the water has not left the premises. IIRC, one significant reduction was obtained by a gentleman who filled his swimming pool from a metered supply and was able to show that he still had the water. It has also been argued that watering your garden does not invoke the use of sewerage and that therefore the pro rata change should be reduced - Streaky
I have a metered supply and the bill is broken down into two parts. One part is the water supplied (metered) and one the water(sewage) taken away. The second part is not metered but assessed at 95% of the water supplied. HTH.
To the best of my knowledge, you are responsible for the snow on your car. If you scrape it off and some poor, misunderstood yoof in a hoody slips on it and grazes his knee, you will have to cough up a million quid in compensation.
On the other hand, an officer of the Law (BiB, Traffic Warden - NOT a Parking Attendant or PCSO) can clear the appropriate area of windscreen to examine your VED disc. If they cause any damage to your vehicle in so doing, THEY are responsible for the cost of repair.
Anyone else removing snow without your permission is committing an act of trespass upon your property.
On the other hand, an officer of the Law (BiB, Traffic Warden - NOT a Parking Attendant or PCSO) can clear the appropriate area of windscreen to examine your VED disc. If they cause any damage to your vehicle in so doing, THEY are responsible for the cost of repair.
Anyone else removing snow without your permission is committing an act of trespass upon your property.
puggit said:
There is a pub somewhere up in the lake district IIRC that has no piped water - everything they use is collected from the roof. The water company sent them a bill, they refused to pay - it went to court, and again IIRC the water company won.
They own the precipitation
They own the precipitation
Amazing. When the water companies were "boards" and part of the government I could understand that everyone had to pay "water tax". But private companies? That's outrageous!
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