Why SUV?

I have for the same reason you stated (they don't want their car damaged and cba to park where it's less congested).

When I was a field support tech, we had two allocated spaces under the building (between two concrete support posts) for the 4 support dept cars. Because were weren't stupid or inconsiderate and used to driving and parking in difficult spaces ... we made 4 spaces from the two.

First car pulled in wide behind one post, second car behind the other, third car between the two and 4th across the front of all 3. We all left our keys somewhere we could all get to so we could have a shunt around if required.

And then we could come in and find (typically) one of the sales boys parked in the middle of a std 'Reserved to FS' space, effectively (if we weren't to block him in), taking up 3 spaces. Then when we asked them to move (as in 'now') they would often give us the 'I'm going out in an hour' which was even more reason for them to park it elsewhere as we could be in the workshop all day (but could be called out at any time).

If we didn't get them to move it (or let us move it for them) then 1) they would likely try it on again and 2) it would impact the few spaces we had in the carpark in general.

If they failed to move it then they would 'accidentally get boxed in ... sorry, he's walked op the town and taken his keys with him ....

Now, if they at least try to park as we did (making 2 spaces into 4) and / of had lots of kit to take out then we would often give them a bit more grace.

It still frustrates me round here as more and more people are owning more than one car that they (kerbside) park not_quite_a_parked_cars_length away from another car, again, taking up two parking spaces (and because it could be their second car, leave it there for a week or more).

And then you have all the massive vans that people are driving home from work and parking in the street outside other peoples front windows ... ;-(

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m
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Yep, we get both of those last two things. It's like driving down a slalom these days, and yes, there seems to be this new phenomenon of works vans parked at home. There also seem to be a few double-parking vendettas with people trying to claim opposite sides of what is a narrow cul-de-sac.

Reply to
Dan S. MacAbre

Or worse, some places are becoming 'tidal flow' for a good few hundred yards which is fine if you are a local and know how to play it ... or not a lost foreign Artic ... ;-(

Thank I understand there is a 7 tonne limit in such instances?

Years ago it seemed to be of interest to the authorities that the road was kept to be clear to 'at least two car widths' (to prevent congestion) but I'm pretty sure that can't be the case these days, judging by the number of bits of road that are effectively single file, 24/7.

In fact Mum got a ticket on her Morris Minor when a friend borrowed it and parked it again on the 'wrong' side of what had become a 'we all only park on the left' side road. An ambulance needed to get though and all the cars creating the issue received tickets (Mums friend paid hers).

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

That, and the car park is obviously not managed very well. In pay/display type car parks I've known people fined for crossing the bay line.

Reply to
RJH

I think it's down to changes in the tax rules about company vehicle usage a while ago. Instead of only being able to drive from a depot to a job, they can start from employees' homes instead, hence they take the vans home. (Or something like that.)

Funnily enough, I was reminded about this thread the other day when it occurred to me that vans are probably more "popular" than toy SUVs!

Reply to
Scott M

Make sense.

The popularity seems to be growing, round here anywhere.

I think what you see is migration out of the city centres and it goes in waves. People living in say Stratford get fed up with all the parking issues and so move out to Romford. People in Romford (then), getting fed up with a lower standard or social responsibility (seen in parking etc) and then up sticks and move out to Brentwood. People in Brentford then move out to Billeriacy (the places were just examples of the moves, not referenced specifically).

So, where I have lived for around 40 years we have gone from one car for every other house to two (or more cars (+ vans etc)) for every house and fewer people putting cars in their garages etc.

A while back the Council offered to put diagonal 'bays' outside the front of our row of houses (the road is wide enough) but I don't think enough people where interested. Knowing how vulnerable the sides of cars can be compared with the front and back (and from the comments here so far) I'm not really surprised there was no interest.

Cheers, T i m

p.s. I had my first ride in a Smart car yesterday and today saw one with the front off (something I understand you need to do to change a head or sidelight lamp?) and I wonder if they could have reserved parking spaces for any such car that can park sideways on? ;-)

Reply to
T i m

It's a works car park, so not managed at all.

Reply to
Dan S. MacAbre

Park like that in any of our works car parks and you'll get told to move it.

Reply to
Clive George

It's probably someone so important that no-one dare, then.

Reply to
Dan S. MacAbre

I don't think a 7 tonne goods vehicle would normally be called a van. If it is on the road at night and over 1525kg it needs parking lights.

Reply to
Nick Finnigan

Even the chairman will be told to move his car if he's parked like that at our place :-)

Reply to
Clive George

"Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 2500 kg unladen weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less if they are: at least 10 metres (32 feet) away from any junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of the traffic flow in a recognised parking place or lay-by. Other vehicles and trailers, and all vehicles with projecting loads, must not be left on a road at night without lights."

at 1525kg limit you would need parking lights on a vast array of vehicles

Reply to
MrCheerful

Mmmm - there's a small caravan unhitched regularly left in my street. And a car with a seemingly permanently attached-to-the-car mobile coffee 'wagon'.

Do they need lights? All puts pressure on a terraced street, where most households seem to have at least 2 cars.

Reply to
RJH

Dad had a Bedford CF based Luton van. Never brought it home, parked IN the warehouse. He went to great lengths to get the weight under the limit for "plating". Including taking passenger seats out and borrowing the battery from the car for the trip to the weighbridge.

My bother used to live on a x-roads in Borehamwood, residential area, one leg of the x-road was a cul-de-sac. There was an open bed truck full of gas cylinders (black so I assume CO2), parked on opposite corner to his house, within 5m of junct on the pavement every night. Never got ticketed.

Nah, they just parked facing whatever direction they approached from.

No marked spaces on the residential roads in Borehamwood. So every one including cars should have had parking lights.

This thing with commercial vans and trucks being brought home is because a lot of business have sold their yards or moved to new "light industrial units" that don't have on site parking.

Or the business is running on a shoestring and doesn't actually have premises.

There should be a law to prevent unattended commercial vehicles being parked in residential areas at night.

Reply to
Peter Hill
[...]

Many people use Transit van sized vehicles for private use - I have done so myself in the past. How would you consider they should be parked?

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

I think the whole 'parking within 5m of a junction' went out of the window years ago as if they were to start to 'do' such parkers they would have to do millions in and around the big cities today.

And that's another thing ... when anywhere other than a really small / quiet dead-end type street I'll *always* park facing the right way round and especially at night. Our neighbour has never parked the right way round (even on a fairly busy though road) simply because I think he finds it 'easier' to get out onto the pavement as it's 4 steps nearer his house? ;-)

I think that was an 'if' variable Peter. ;-)

That shouldn't then become a problem in residential areas though should it?

As above. The point is I bet *they* wouldn't want a lwb / high top van parked outside their house front windows all weekend, completely obscuring *any* view and probably a lot of light. We had a mini Taxi coach type 'van' with privacy glass right outside ours for a weekend and it was like living behind a wall. Would I do that if I had to bring such a vehicle home? No, I'd park it somewhere where It wasn't obscuring anyone's front aspect, even if I had to walk a few hundred yards home to do so (and there are such placed round here).

Quite ... possibly anything over the size of a std Transit,

*especially* if doing so affects anyone (else).

Where we have lived for nearly 40 years now there was always an unwritten / 'gentlemens agreement' that we respected the space in front of each house [1]. One house, one car and any extra vehicles had to be parked elsewhere. Now we have several houses with at least two cars and so if 'our space' (and I know it isn't 'our space' etc) if left empty for a second, one of the others will park in it. We have 4 cars between us and only one is ever out the front and the others are not in anyone else's spaces (ie, not outside anyone else's home or drive).

Now, to be fair I've not 'explained' how it has worked for many many years but I don't see the sort of people we are talking about 'these days' being at all interested. 'Dog-eat-dog' over 'community' etc.

I could prove the point by parking all 4 of our cars along the front with just less than a cars length in-between but I'm pretty sure that wouldn't help or change anything for the better.

Cheers, T i m

[1] This would even extend in getting visitors to park elsewhere (and there usually was some space elsewhere) and not take anyone else's space.
Reply to
T i m

I think there could be a size threshold around a std Transit as they are indeed often used privately, but I think most people would appreciate a LWB / High Top Sprinter outside their front window all weekend, in just the same way they wouldn't like the constant smoke from a bonfire / BBQ or noise of a party. A few hours might be ok, but not for prolonged periods for anyone (well, anyone who hasn't lived like that anyway for some years who then considers it normal and perfectly acceptable').

Not saying any of it would need to be illegal, just not what most would consider reasonable and therefore acceptable.

Cheers, T i m

Reply to
T i m

Yes, and that was the case when most of us too our tests:

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The 2010 amendment was to 2500kg GVW, which still catches Range Rovers etc.
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(reg 9)

Reply to
Nick Finnigan

What's a residential area? Even if it is at the back of a house ?

Reply to
Nick Finnigan

We are now off topic and talking about on street parking. If it's on YOUR property it's OK - unless someone has "light rights" and you park so as block that right but that isn't a crime and would need a civil case to enforce deeded rights.

Most of the cars in this photo have been there since the night before. Many on the main thoroughfare are facing the wrong way. One is completely on the pavement, occupying the space commonly taken by a truck full of gas cylinders. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6634001,-0.2820868,3a,60y,163.41h,76.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svD2qazHhrXyjVBeJXtKs3g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en These properties are set well back so the issue of a high van blocking light doesn't arise. I live in a terraced row (conservation area, picture postcard location) with 2 steps up to the front door from a raised brick foot path, 3 bricks high. A van with extended height will completely block daylight to my living room.

So is the 5m with lights / 10m without lights from a junction the point where the kerb straightens out or some other point?

Reply to
Peter Hill

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