What do I have to do?

[Triple-S]

My regular-use car now is my Volvo 164, which I park on my drive and cover (as the sunroof seal leaks). Right now is the third time in a couple of weeks some belligerant tosser doesn't care that he has parked right across my drive so I can't get out. I am a reserve carer for when the local agency need a quick stand-in, so need to get my car out even though I cover it when not in use.

When I returned from one visit last week another carer had parked right across my drive even though my gates were open, so knowing how short their visits are I waited - and an apologetic woman turned up. However, two weeks ago I got another phone call - and some idiot had parked right across my drive, blocking me completely from getting my car out. My neighbour didn't know whose it was so as she has some sort of direct phone link to the traffic Police (!) she asked on my behalf and they advised blocking-in is an offence but blocking out upon ones return isn't. They found visitors several houses along had assumed (wrongly) that as my car was covered it wasn't in use......

Now there is a Jag there: has been since lunchtime. So if I get a call what do I do? Get my local farmer-friend with a tractor to tow it along a bit or bother the police yet again? The thing is - he could have parked anywhere my side of this residential road as no other cars are about, but no - across my drive - he deserves all he gets in my opinion.

Any other suggestions short of getting a modern heap and abandoning it across my access space?

P

[Prufrock]

Fit a towbar Paul, reverse out because you're not expecting anyone to have parked there...I assume you have a dropped kerb so they shouldn't park there - and arguably you wouldn't expect anyone to ?

Don't know, it might be a stupid suggestion.

J.

[green van man]

Think I've told the story before but here goes.

Mate owns a bit of land to the side of his house which he and his family park on, has notices erected saying it's private parking but still gets people parking there.

Came home from work in his landrover to find someone had parked so badly he could not get in.
Now mate is not a patient type.
Towrope around axil of car, Landover into low range and car towed off his land. Blocking main A487T road. He parkes landrover and goes for bath.
While soaking hears a lot of car horns and someone knocking his door, nope I'm in the bath they can bugger off.
His wife arrives home 2 hours late because she has been stuck in traffic due to some idiot abandoning a car across the road.

Its a certain fact that that driver never repeated his inappropriate parking and everyone in the area found out the penalty for taking the ****.

Get your farmer mate to drag it clear of your drive, word will get out and you will not be bothered again. Let them get away with it and nothing will change ever.

Paul.

[Brendan W]

I would advise against dragging anything. Probably the best you can do is to get a sign, entrance in 24hr use medical, sort of thing and talk to you neighbours. The more of them know the more likely they will ask visitors if they haven't made assumptions about your entrance. It's the long and patient approach but maybe best in the end.
A traffic cone is another idea, builders use them quite a bit.

[ITSv40]

Get the sunroof fixed, as the cover cannot be doing the rest of the paintwork any good. The car would not look 'out of use' then.

[Dirty Rooster]

Originally Posted by Triple-S

... Get my local farmer-friend with a tractor to tow it along a bit ...

Drag it into the nearest swamp.

[Dippydog]

Apply to your local council for a white "H" marking.Outline your case for needing one [needing 24hr access for callouts etc]O.K. this may not stop some morons from parking on it but you would then have legal redress to do something about it.

[Peter Bellingham]

Originally Posted by Triple-S

My regular-use car now is my Volvo 164, which I park on my drive and cover (as the sunroof seal leaks). Right now is the third time in a couple of weeks some belligerant tosser doesn't care that he has parked right across my drive so I can't get out. I am a reserve carer for when the local agency need a quick stand-in, so need to get my car out even though I cover it when not in use.

When I returned from one visit last week another carer had parked right across my drive even though my gates were open, so knowing how short their visits are I waited - and an apologetic woman turned up. However, two weeks ago I got another phone call - and some idiot had parked right across my drive, blocking me completely from getting my car out. My neighbour didn't know whose it was so as she has some sort of direct phone link to the traffic Police (!) she asked on my behalf and they advised blocking-in is an offence but blocking out upon ones return isn't. They found visitors several houses along had assumed (wrongly) that as my car was covered it wasn't in use......

Now there is a Jag there: has been since lunchtime. So if I get a call what do I do? Get my local farmer-friend with a tractor to tow it along a bit or bother the police yet again? The thing is - he could have parked anywhere my side of this residential road as no other cars are about, but no - across my drive - he deserves all he gets in my opinion.

Any other suggestions short of getting a modern heap and abandoning it across my access space?

P

I had the very same thing where I used to live in the end on returning home from work I couldn't get on my drive or even park outside my own house so what I did put my vehicle behind the offending car and simply managed to push it out of the way and on occasions blocked the vehicle totally in.
The driver then had to knock my door and asked me to move after a heated exchange of words they did not park there anymore it seemed to sort it until another arse parked there.

[Austin160]

Surely the first and simple progressive move is to put a sign on your driveway entrance which clearly explains that the drive is in regular use for emergency purposes - as Brendan says.
Thimple! -isn't it?
Now OK, someone might still decide to park across it, but they would do so in full knowledge they are blocking you in.
Might be worth adding to the notice that the car is in regular use dispite being covered.
Covering because the sunroof leaks? How about an hour with some silicone or similar? - better than covering/uncovering on your drive, and we assume also at work.
Good luck in sorting things out.

[Triple-S]

Austin - why didn't I think of putting a notice up? Doh! However, it doesn't mean much if the offending driver can't read! Will get one asap though.

Jon - I have a tow-bar, but also unblemished insurance so wouldn't even consider that. Now if I still had my tatty 240 estate I could reserve access across my drive with it like I used to. Years ago some near-neighbours bought Council services to have a white line painted across their drives to supposedly prevent such casual parking, but according to them isn't actually legally enforceable. I don't use my car much now retired but have to do standby carer work at short notice sometimes, so access imperative. The 96 year old I do can't get to the doctors without a car's services, and he wouldn't understand such delaying factors.

re my leak, I'm still not sure its the sun-roof or the windscreen corner: all I know is I have a wet drivers-side footwell. Both areas were supposedly dealt with during last years partial respray, so a search is in order. If/when I get my 740 back from my son that will be my access-guarantee again! That all depends on him getting his zero-hours work van back - winter is naturally very quiet on the pest-control front.

P