Recently I got our city council to re-do the parking lines in my street. People were constantly parking over into the no parking area in front of my drive. When the culprits were big 4 WD's or vans it was impossible to see whether it was safe to exit into the road. The combination of drivers doing the same on the area opposite my driveway meant that I was effectively boxed in. The markings were faded, but frankly it was simply carelessness & complete indifference to the annoyance caused. Or maybe they are just bad drivers.
When I walk to my local shopping area I can guarantee that there will be cars & vans parked overlapping the kerb & pavement. That combined with trees & shrubs overhanging the pavement from the gardens leaves little space for pedestrians. Even less for mums with pushchairs or people on mobility scooters or walkers. In the UK we have a crazy situation where whether this is illegal or not depends entirely on where you live. In London & Scotland it is completely illegal. In England & Wales it can be unlawful if local restrictions or obstruction rules apply.
I may be a grumpy old woman, but I have a simple mind. Law shouldn't be random, piecemeal & confusing. If this is wrong in London & Scotland why on earth is it acceptable in England & Wales? What are the factors that make a difference? Is it simply that vehicles matter more & pedestrians matter less in England & Wales?
I am normally a peaceful person. But I am increasingly incensed by how little pedestrians are prioritised in our society today. Especially as demographically we are an ageing population. I often struggle to walk to the shops, but I don't want to lose my capability completely, so I do make an effort. Coping with the above as well as playing "chicken" with cyclists & scooterists on the pavement means that I feel more vulnerable than I should.
So I have to admit I am tempted by pavement rage. I have obviously never "keyed" a vehicle or pushed a cyclist or scooterist over. But lurking in the depths of my "granny" persona there is a rebel who is seriously tempted.
The real issue is that all of this is happening on a daily basis everywhere & it is being completely ignored. We are all habituated to it & have learned the skills of avoidance. There is no enforcement even if there is legislation. People get away with it all the time.
I think we pedestrians should rise up & fight back with our mobile phones. We should flood local councils with photos of offenders showing vehicle reg plates & gardens overhanging pavements. We should complain & they should be forced to do something about it. I've even been tempted to go out with secateurs & throw the cuttings into the front gardens.
It’s a problem everywhere. I tend to think large SUVs should be restricted to people living in rural areas. They do cause parking problems.
ReplyDeleteI cannot understand the mindset of people living in Oxford who have these huge 4WD's that I crossed the Empty Quarter in Yemen in. So completely inappropriate for city driving & parking - too big for any parking space. It's all about self image. They have the need to bolster their ego. Pathetic!
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