"NY" wrote in message ...
!michael adams" wrote in message
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"Roland Perry" wrote in message ...

But people with the householders permission can ignore the "no parking across the
drive" restriction.

Anyone *can* can ignore the "no parking across the drive"
restriction, regardless of whether they have the householder's
permission or not. At least providing there's not already
a car parked there and there's sufficient room for
manouvere.

What surprises me is how powerless the police seem to be when a car is parked across a
drive, blocking access. Given how assiduously the tow-away trucks take cars that are
parked where they are not causing an obstruction (just outstaying their welcome, which
is a *much* less serious offence IMHO), it's surprising that cars which are causing an
obstruction across a drive cannot legally be towed away, as long as they have valid
tax, MOT and insurance.

My parents have a long layby outside their drive (and outside lots of neighbouring
houses). People park in their in order to walk the 1/4 mile to the railway station.
Fair enough, as long as their are nor blocking anyone's drive. But on several occasions
people have been blocked from getting their cars out, and the police do not want to
know, because the layby is deemed not to be part for the highway, even though it needs
to be crossed to access drives. (*) One of our neighbours very carefully (so as to
avoid causing damage) jacked up the rear wheels (**) in turn and put wheelskates
underneath, and pushed the car a couple of feet forwards. The police said that
providing no damage was done, this was not illegal.


(*) Interestingly, they weren't even interested in cars parked in the marked bus stop
part of the layby.

(**) The ones which would be locked by the handbrake. I presume he had already
established that the car was not in gear which would have locked the front wheels,
requiring them to be raised as well.

And yet its a potential source of revenue. Is there maybe an ongoing
dispute between the Police and the Local Authority ? Who at least here
in West London, actually cop all the revenue from parking and similar
fines. It might be a matter of who is going to pay for the tow truck
as well. As to which of them. the designated TT company have the
arrangement with. Maybe its argued it should be the responsibility of
Wardens employed by the Council, general buck-passing IOW.


michael adams

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