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Parking on a residential road

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Cinnabon | 23:58 Sat 19th Jul 2008 | Motoring
16 Answers
The other day I parked my car (near my workplace) on a street which was not a private road and there were no yellow lines. I was not blocking anyones drive either.
I then got a letter from a "residents association" asking me not to park there. I felt really bad as I did not want to bother anyone but it got me thinking.
Was I wrong in parking there?
Was there letter telling me not to park there legal?
What are your thoughts in the matter?
Many thanks in advance.
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I'm sure that if you're taxed, you can park on any road like that, so long as it's blocking no one's drive, or access for ambulances, etc. Some folk just don't like others to park outside their house, particularly if they "reserve" that space for themselves, but there's nothing they can do, unless, perhaps, they're disabled.
Complain to the RA that they cracked your windscreen when they put the note on your car and insist they compensate you. The road belongs to the Highways (if they maintain it) and since there were no signs forbidding parking you were in ur rights.

That should shut them up!
That happened to me once -out of respect i didnt park there again -however on reflection they were coming it as so long as you have a taxed vehicle you can park wherever you want -obviously outwith obvious places.

I live in a quiet residential street -main primary school is there along with the main churches -cant get parked for love nor money -thankfully I use a neighbours drive -its annoying but so long as they have a tax disc they can park.We even have an inconsiderate fool who lives a mile or so away and he brings out his camper van every summer and parks it up -outside the window for a week until they decide to go on a jolly.Why he can just park it in his own drive we'll never know.

I suspect they were coming it !
I'm no expert but I'd have thought the residents own their homes, not the roads and by paying road tax you are entitled to park there if there's no restrictions. But my daughter parked in an estate near her office and had oil put on her windscreen wipers and she almost crashed on the motorway when she switched them on and lost all visibility. That's only one nasty trick I've heard of so be careful!
It could well be a private road and not adopted by the local authority.
Best to check these details and the highways dept of the council will be able to tell you.
the same thing happens at my work, except they dont give you polite letters, they come out of their houses and give you a mouthful!. They are only asking you not to park there - they are not tellign you not to so legal dosent come into it. Their letter is perfectly legal asking if you will comply. If it is a normal road, they cannot demand you do not park there.
However, depending on what type of people they are and how ****** off they are, you may come back to find your tyres let down or slashed
Just to clear up a common misconception...

Legally nobody has a "right" or "entitlement" to park on the public highway unless it is an area specifically set aside for that purpose; outside of these areas all parked vehicles technically constitute an 'obstruction' under Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980.

However it is very unlikely that a local authority will enforce this parking restriction on public roads where vehicles have traditionally been parked, so everyone has the same "non-right" to park on a public road provided no specific parking restriction is in force.
Another point, you say you got a letter from the residents association. How did they get your address? They won't have got it from Swansea, unless somebody has been misrepresenting themselves as a copper or something. Might be an idea to write back and tell them you're going to report the matter to the police.

Good luck with them, they sound like a right charming bunch
SeaJayPea - anyone can get those details for a very small fee if they can show good cause.

It can all be done online via DVLA
Yes Ethel, you're right, of course. The point is 'good cause' and some residents association deciding that nobody else can park in their street is not 'good cause'. If it's a private road that's a different matter.

I get a little (only a little) irritated with some of the self-appointed people who think they own their streets and start telling everybody else what to do.
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It was 100% not a private road and the letter was placed on my windscreen underneath my wipers.
Thanks for everyones comments.
I think I am legally allowed to park there however I dont like being confronted but I dont think what they are doing is right either.
I'm kinda scared to park there now!
if there are no signs prohibiting parking and you park safely you are not breaking the law. my neighbour has had huge fights with people who park outside her house perfectly legally, some people just need to bit a kinder and more understanding in life. sounds like you are a considerate person and really should not feel bad about it, they need something proper to worry about!
What Kempie said was right...

Legally nobody has a "right" or "entitlement" to park on the public highway unless it is an area specifically set aside for that purpose; outside of these areas all parked vehicles technically constitute an 'obstruction' under Section 137 of the Highways Act 1980.
However, if the police tried to enforce that one ---- oh my god!

This sounds to me very much like the little Hitlers on residents associations wanting to bully people and make themselves seem important.
As Kempie has said noone actually has the right to park on a public road - this includes the residents (unless there are specific resident parking spaces allocated by the relevant authority). Again,as Kempie has said it is unlikely that you would be asked to move unless you are causing an obstruction.

Oh, how I hate residents associations that think they can impose there so called rules on others.
So, give us the address and we'll all park there!

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