# Car-parking issue with neighbours



## Eddie Peters

I'm a one-car house owner living in an estate for 20+ years. It's a typical estate i.e. driveway space + another car space at front of property. A few lads rent next door but have a '99 reg in their driveway and a '00 reg in front of their property for the past few years (none taxed or NCT'd but I expect it doesn't matter as the cars never move). Another car will always park in front of my property but I work late and can't control this. Up to now I had no problem with this - until the neighbours across the road began to park on their road side and now I have problems just trying to park in my driveway. 
Any suggestions appreciated


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## mathepac

Report any untaxed / unNCTed / uninsured cars to the LA who will address the issues with the owner.

Contrary to popular belief, no-one has a divine right to park outside their own home. If they're not parking outside your gate I'm not sure what you can do other than ask nicely for a bit of extra "wriggle room".


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## twofor1

I would try the asking nicely first.


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## Eddie Peters

Thanks for the replies and it's pointless trying to reason with them. I did realise that the space outside my house is part of a public road. Sorry for the rant but it's often difficult to park after working late - another disadvantage of being employed


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## Purple

Eddie Peters said:


> Thanks for the replies and it's pointless trying to reason with them. I did realise that the space outside my house is part of a public road. Sorry for the rant but it's often difficult to park after working late - another disadvantage of being employed


If cars are restricting access to your driveway they are breaking the law. Pop down to your local Garda Station and ask advice from the community liaison Garda. They are well used to dealing with this sort of thing.


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## newtothis

Eddie Peters said:


> A few lads rent next door but have a '99 reg in their driveway and a '00 reg in front of their property for the past few years (none taxed or NCT'd but I expect it doesn't matter as the cars never move).



Whatever about the one in the driveway, the fact that a car never moves doesn't allow it to have no tax or NCT if it's on the road (assuming it is a public road?). You can get on to the local council and report it as an abandoned vehicle. Once it's removed, that will free up a space, no?


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## Leper

If trying to reason with your neighbours is out of the question you have no alternative only to take some action.  The gardaí have little or no interest in situations such as this.  Neither does  the local council unless the registration plates are removed from the offending car(s). Before the vehicles can be defined as "abandoned" the registration plates must be removed. Then there is a chance that the council will tow the vehicles away. 

With an electric drill, it takes only a few seconds to remove a plate. Getting permission to remove the plates may be a problem.


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## MrEarl

Hello,

We have a somewhat similar problem.

We live in a small cul de sac with 20% of the houses rented out.  Each rented house has 2-3 cars associated with it.  None of the tenants are using their driveways (which could accomodate 1-2 cars per house).  To add to the problem, some other neighbours are now parking on the road rather than in their driveways, in an attempt to ensure they can manoeuvre in and out of the (now very busy) cul de sac.  The net result is that those drivers last in or first out are struggling to get their cars into their own driveways - given too many cars are parked on the narrow road, restricting the remaining cars from being able to get a proper turn into their own driveways.

Some yellow lines would certianly be of assistance, but how do you go about getting them in a cul de sac and on what grounds ?

Going to war with some of the neighbours is not the preferred option, needless to say.


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## Leper

Yes MrEarl, I can empathise with what you are going through.  We live in a cul-de-sac too which is a free parking area and motorists use the area for a cheaper park-n-ride as there is a bus-stop near. They are not doing anything illegal and are entitled to use the road for the no cost parking.  So the residents now park on the road keeping public parking to a minimum leaving room in their driveway for relations, visitors etc.

You don't have to go to war with your neighbours but a Give Respect, Get Respect attitude will go a long way both ways. Ensure you get your deserved respect so get your retaliation in first.


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## twofor1

Leper said:


> You don't have to go to war with your neighbours but a Give Respect, Get Respect attitude will go a long way both way.
> 
> Ensure you get your deserved respect so get your retaliation in first.



I agree 100% with your first sentence. 

 But your second sentence appears to be somewhat contradictory.


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## Leper

You're sending out a hurling team to play against a team that's known to play tougher than the rules allow so you instruct your team to play within the rules and be as tough as you can possibly be from the start. If the opposition continue as expected, you continue likewise. In Cork, it's called Getting Your Retaliation In First.

In the car parking situation here my advice would be to park cars available legally on the road, leave the cars there for as long as possible (for days if necessary), cause others to feel what you have been feeling. Then I guarantee respect will be given to you and you can then continue to give respect to them.  No further action should be required.  (Cutting Cork Accent coming up . . .)So get your retaliation in first, boy !!!!


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## MrEarl

Leper,

While I understand where you are coming from, the thought of leaving my car on the street overnight does not appeal given the higher risk of damage or theft etc.

I think I need to find a way to get yellow lines put down and then enforced, thats the real solution.  The road is quite narrow and while it accomodates two way traffic, there is a bend on it where it might be argued that it's a danger to park for example.  Unfortunitely, I don't even know how to start going about getting DCC (or whoever is responsible) to take a look at this - if it is the DCC I'm probably doomed before I start, they only seem to care about bike lanes these days anyway


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## Leper

MrEarl, you will probably be belting your head against a stone wall by merely contacting the local council and asking for double yellow lines.  Phone your local TD; this is the sort of thing they enjoy and keeps them in the local public eye (parish pump politics). I know a local council employee whose job is to paint yellow lines.  A visit to your area (provided there are no cars there) will have yellow lines placed neatly within half an hour.  Of course, it all has to be done through correct procedure.


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## Vanessa

If untaxed cars or cars without NCT are on the public road then the owners are liable for prosecution. I would suggest writing to the local Garda Superintendent outlining the issue. That should result in some action.


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## Leper

Ah! Vanessa, the innocence of you.  I can imagine the guffaws in the local garda station on receipt of such a letter.  Let's say the gardaí act on the letter (which of course they won't) and place tickets on each of the offending cars (or even towing them away).  

Mr Earl's neighbours will have a good idea of who wrote the note to the gardaí.  Then it gets interesting.  Worse again the well behaved neighbours will be on Mr Earl's case as a result of bringing the neighbourhood to the attention of the gardaí. I know you are probably rolling your eyes upwards in disgust, but dear ol' Ireland has a tricky way of looking at people who are in the right.


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## mathepac

@Vanessa, I got excellent results emailing the local authority with pictures of cars, reg nos, discs on windscreens which were dragging the entire tone of our little estate down. Some were being sold off piece-meal for parts, some were being advertised for sale, and some seemed to be abandoned. 3 cars in the first two categories were moved to private property from the public road and two others in the last category vanished. Whether the council or the owner(s) vanished the last two I neither know nor care, but the place looks better.

My next campaign is against the footpath parkers, forcing kids, dog walkers, people with crutches, prams and pushchairs onto the road.


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## Brendan Burgess

Leper said:


> We live in a cul-de-sac too which is a free parking area and motorists use the area for a cheaper park-n-ride as there is a bus-stop near. They are not doing anything illegal and are entitled to use the road for the no cost parking. So the residents now park on the road keeping public parking to a minimum leaving room in their driveway for relations, visitors etc.



Hi Leper

Talk to your neighbours and suggest that you get disk parking in the area. If a majority agree, the local authority will probably implement it for you. The commuter parking will disappear overnight.

In Dublin, the Resident's Parking Permit is €80 for two years.  So you can park outside your house and visitors can use your drive. Or you can park in your drive, and visitors or a second car can park in front of the house.

It's very important that you make sure that the residents ask for it. If one individual asks the  local authority for it, and they propose it, some will object on the grounds that the council is trying to make money from the scheme.

Brendan


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## Leper

Thanks for that Brendan, but the last thing my neighbours and I need is a pay parking zone outside our houses. Most of us are happy enough to get along with the park-n-riders provided our driveway entrances are not blocked.


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## Firefly

Hi Leper,

How about sticking a "Do Not Park Here" sticker on the offending car?

Firefly


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## twofor1

I don’t think that’s the way to go Firefly.

If Leper put a sticker on my car I would be straight down to the local Garda to report him for interfering with and damaging my car.


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## Firefly

twofor1 said:


> I don’t think that’s the way to go Firefly.
> 
> If Leper put a sticker on my car I would be straight down to the local Garda to report him for interfering with and damaging my car.



That's interesting..is it legal or not to put a sticker on a car? And, having had a sticker placed on your car would you park there again?


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## twofor1

No legal expertise whatsoever but would be surprised if it was legal for a resident to put a sticker on my car while parked on a public road, that might or might not be different while parked on private property.

Leper has said;

‘_’They are not doing anything illegal and are entitled to use the road for the no cost parking’’_

In these circumstances, I think putting stickers on cars would not deter parking, for many it would make them more determined to park there.


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## Palerider

Isn't the question concerning respect, for me a polite sticker causes no harm and suggesting bothering the already stretched Garda service with this is ridiculous, a sticker will cause no damage if placed with Pritt on the side window.

I would not park my car in an area where I should not be parking, whether I can legally or otherwise and in the event I was dim and say was parking in a residential estate for hours whilst I ran some errands with designated parking nearby then a polite notice would point me the right way.


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## Firefly

I see your point but if someone was continually parking outside my house I would start putting stickers on the window. Maybe on one of them I might ask them if they would like someone parking outside their house. I realise it might be legal to park there, but doesn't mean it's right. The "Golden Rule" and all that..


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## Firefly

Palerider said:


> Isn't the question concerning respect, for me a polite sticker causes no harm and suggesting bothering the already stretched Garda service with this is ridiculous, _a sticker will cause no damage if placed with Pritt on the side window._



For the first one maaaybe, but a repeat offender...I'd be getting that really sticky stuff!


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## twofor1

But one is not an offender if legally parked.

It would be wrong of you to interfere with that car.


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## twofor1

For the record, I live on a side road very near a church, school and bus corridor, so constantly have people parking outside my house.

I would prefer if they parked elsewhere, but they are entitled to park outside my house.


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## Firefly

twofor1 said:


> For the record, I live on a side road very near a church, school and bus corridor, so constantly have people parking outside my house.
> 
> I would prefer if they parked elsewhere, but they are entitled to park outside my house.



Fair play to you. If it were I doubt if I could restrain myself! As I work from home sometimes it could be a "fag break" !


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## twofor1

Firefly said:


> Fair play to you. If it were I doubt if I could restrain myself! As I work from home sometimes it could be a "fag break" !


Sorry Firefly, I understand the fair play bit, but after that I'm lost.


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## Palerider

Repeat Parkers outside your house after a polite sticky notice on the window are Dicks, gimme the really sticky messy goo for sticker number two.


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## Leper

twofor1 said:


> I don’t think that’s the way to go Firefly.
> 
> If Leper put a sticker on my car I would be straight down to the local Garda to report him for interfering with and damaging my car.



While I wouldn't put a sticker on anybody's car . . . . I can only imagine Twofor1 arriving at a Garda Station and the duty officer just after hearing his complaint, rolling his eyes heavenwards and informing him that the Garda Armed Response Unit is on it's way to the scene of the dreadful crime. Gunfight at the Leper Coral!!!!!!! and of course wasting the taxpayers money.


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## Firefly

twofor1 said:


> Sorry Firefly, I understand the fair play bit, but after that I'm lost.



Sorry, having re-read my post it wasn't very clear. If someone continually parked outside my house I doubt if I could refrain from attaching a sticker. Probably a Prit the first time but then something a lot stickier. As I work from home sometimes I would do it on a "fag" break to get me out of the house.


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## twofor1

Palerider said:


> gimme the really sticky messy goo for sticker number two.





Leper said:


> I can only imagine Twofor1 arriving at a Garda Station and the duty officer just after hearing his complaint, rolling his eyes heavenwards and informing him that the Garda Armed Response Unit is on it's way to the scene of the dreadful crime.





Firefly said:


> Probably a Prit the first time but then something a lot stickier.



Palerider & Firefly, to me this would be intimidation, and probably vandalism or some similar offence.

Leper, I would not expect the ERU be sent out but would be surprised if the local Garda did not investigate such a complaint.

Bear in mind, we are talking about legally parked cars on a public road. No resident has a right to interfere with a car by placing messy and hard to remove stickers on it.


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## David_Dublin

I can't get my head around someone having a problem with people parking outside their house in principle. It's none of their business, it's a public road. And to actually go beyond it bothering you, and thinking you have a right to put a sticker asking someone not to park there, on a public road....the mind boggles with some people.


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## newtothis

David_Dublin said:


> I can't get my head around someone having a problem with people parking outside their house in principle. It's none of their business, it's a public road. And to actually go beyond it bothering you, and thinking you have a right to put a sticker asking someone not to park there, on a public road....the mind boggles with some people.



I'd agree, but to be fair to the OP, they were talking about cars which had been effectively abandoned, thus removing the space for parking by anyone.


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## David_Dublin

Yes, true and that to me is fair & reasonable. Its subsequent contributions I am referring to, i.e. having issues with people parking in front of their house in principle.


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## Firefly

David_Dublin said:


> Yes, true and that to me is fair & reasonable. Its subsequent contributions I am referring to, i.e. having issues with people parking in front of their house in principle.



I would have an issue with someone repeatedly parking in front of my house (even if it was a public road). Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's right. I would bet that the person parking their car wouldn't like someone to park outside their house either. Anyways, it doesn't affect me so that's all I'll say on it.


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## Leper

twofor1 said:


> Leper, . . . . but would be surprised if the local Garda did not investigate such a complaint.
> 
> Bear in mind, we are talking about legally parked cars on a public road. No resident has a right to interfere with a car by placing messy and hard to remove stickers on it.



The gardaí don't breathalyse enough people and when they do they lie and you think they will go after somebody who put a sticker on a car. I don't think so . . .


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## David_Dublin

Firefly said:


> I would have an issue with someone repeatedly parking in front of my house (even if it was a public road). Just because it's legal *doesn't mean it's right*. *I would bet that the person parking their car wouldn't like someone to park outside their house either*. Anyways, it doesn't affect me so that's all I'll say on it.



I just don't understand that. I can't understand what you mean my it not being "right". I don't believe that the vast majority of right thinking people would think like that, I certainly hope that they don't as I think it would reflect very poorly on them.

Where I live can be tricky to find a spot, terraced houses with parking on only one side of road mostly. We're one of the few people with a short driveway, so we park one car in the drive, one across it. Only the smaller car fits in driveway. This can be a pain, it means if small car is leaving first you have to move big car, then move it back. If small car is home second, we have to move big car to let small car into driveway. We also have to move little car out of driveway, hence big car first, to get bikes out of shed, bikes are used every day. Its a bit of a pain but we do this to make sure that there are as many spaces for everyone as possible. The net effect is that someone is always parked in front of our house, about three metres from my front window. I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet, the point is this - for us, this seems like the "right" thing to do.


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## Palerider

I lived in a town home for many years and never had an issue with street parking about three metres from our sitting room, a residential estate is in my opinion different than a town setting where people are jammed together and parking like you describe is actually a fact of life in a very built up area, in leafy land where neighbours have two spaces you can get the rogue Parkers avoiding pay parking even when that pay parking is within sight of where they leave their vehicle.


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## Purple

We don't own the public road outside our homes. We have no entitlement to park there.

I was picking my daughter up from her friends house recently and pulled in outside a neighbouring house in a wide, quite residential road. A man walked briskly out of the house to inform me that that was where his wife parked. I smiled and said that was nice but I was parking there for a few minutes. He said it better only be a few minutes. I told him that it was the public road and neither he or his wife had any more right to park there than me and that if he didn't back off I'd get a taxi home and leave my car there overnight. 
There was more than enough room in his driveway for two cars.


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## David_Dublin

Purple said:


> We don't own the public road outside our homes. We have no entitlement to park there.
> 
> I was picking my daughter up from her friends house recently and pulled in outside a neighbouring house in a wide, quite residential road. A man walked briskly out of the house to inform me that that was where his wife parked. I smiled and said that was nice but I was parking there for a few minutes. He said it better only be a few minutes. I told him that it was the public road and neither he or his wife had any more right to park there than me and that if he didn't back off I'd get a taxi home and leave my car there overnight.
> There was more than enough room in his driveway for two cars.



This is exactly the attitude I cannot understand. He thinks it's his "right" to effectively reserve/withold for personal use the space. I cannot stand this type of nonsense, reflects very poorly on people who think this way.


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## Purple

David_Dublin said:


> This is exactly the attitude I cannot understand. He thinks it's his "right" to effectively reserve/withhold for personal use the space. I cannot stand this type of nonsense, reflects very poorly on people who think this way.


I agree. I suspect they are the same people who queue jump & drive in Bus Lanes.


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## mathepac

... park in Disabled parking bays, occupy two regular parking spots, park across others driveways or on footpaths, on double yellow lines, on clearways - unthinking, selfish idiots.


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## dereko1969

Totally agree regarding the not owning the public road outside our house, but, we live in a cul-de-sac and don't have off-street parking. We're also a 2 minute walk from an Aircoach stop and we have had occasionally people parking their car outside our house and leaving it there for a fortnight, really annoying.
It's got to the stage where we will have to put in car-parking in our front garden (which gets the sun and is nicer to sit in than the back) at significant expense that will reduce the parking available as others won't (hopefully) park in front of our driveway.


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## Learner2015

Even more annoying are the people that put cones outside there houses...

If it annoys you either build a driveway or if you can't move house to one that has one or to one where you can build one.

The hassel of living near dart / park and ride / city centre location is surely mitigated by having easy access yourself to these services and again if it bugs you, move or build a driveway.

Not directed at anyone in particular here btw!!!


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## David_Dublin

dereko1969 said:


> Totally agree regarding the not owning the public road outside our house, but, we live in a cul-de-sac and don't have off-street parking. We're also a 2 minute walk from an Aircoach stop and we have had occasionally people parking their car outside our house and leaving it there for a fortnight, really annoying.
> It's got to the stage where we will have to put in car-parking in our front garden (which gets the sun and is nicer to sit in than the back) at significant expense that will reduce the parking available as others won't (hopefully) park in front of our driveway.



The seems like a very good circumstance to look for pay & display.


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## David_Dublin

mathepac said:


> ... park in Disabled parking bays, occupy two regular parking spots, park across others driveways or on footpaths, on double yellow lines, on clearways - unthinking, selfish idiots.



.....pull up into yellow boxes; drive up behind the car in front in heavy traffic rather than let someone in from a side road; keep in the "fast lane" and hold up lots of people because they are doing the speed limit.


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## Firefly

David_Dublin said:


> .....pull up into yellow boxes; drive up behind the car in front in heavy traffic rather than let someone in from a side road; keep in the "fast lane" and hold up lots of people because they are doing the speed limit.



Ever notice if you are in the normal lane and approaching a slower car ahead, the driver coming up in the over-taking lane (who could be well back) speeds up "boxing" you in, rather than letting you out? Really annoys me!


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## noproblem

dereko1969 said:


> Totally agree regarding the not owning the public road outside our house, but, we live in a cul-de-sac and don't have off-street parking. We're also a 2 minute walk from an Aircoach stop and we have had occasionally people parking their car outside our house and leaving it there for a fortnight, really annoying.
> It's got to the stage where we will have to put in car-parking in our front garden (which gets the sun and is nicer to sit in than the back) at significant expense that will reduce the parking available as others won't (hopefully) park in front of our driveway.




Gosh, i'd be terrified to leave my car somewhere open like that even for a day, never mind a fortnight. Never know what you might come back to/or not.


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## dereko1969

David_Dublin said:


> The seems like a very good circumstance to look for pay & display.


Looked into it, Council more or less said we'd have to have a referendum on it! We have one car, a good few of our neighbours have 2 or 3 so unlikely to vote for it.
The rest of the village is pay parking so we have that pressure too and the GAA club next door, it's usually not too bad but it's the Aircoach customers that really wreck my head.


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## newtothis

dereko1969 said:


> Looked into it, Council more or less said we'd have to have a referendum on it! We have one car, a good few of our neighbours have 2 or 3 so unlikely to vote for it.



Why? They'd be no worse off than they currently are; in fact almost certainly better as non-residents would be less willing to park, and couldn't for days at a time without the risk of being clamped. We have residents/pay and display parking where we are and have almost no problem along the lines you're talking about.


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## AlbacoreA

Well done the planners for making roads so narrow everywhere that its a nightmare to park. Same all over.


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## Purple

AlbacoreA said:


> Well done the planners for making roads so narrow everywhere that its a nightmare to park. Same all over.


That was because we were all going to be using public transport by now... when they weren't on strike.


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## AlbacoreA

Wait till they privatise it then you'll probably have no bus service at all, as half the routes will disappear. 

Any way it's more about maximising profit and density. I reckon squeezing more housing into the same space. Parking is bad in almost every estate I see.


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## dereko1969

newtothis said:


> Why? They'd be no worse off than they currently are; in fact almost certainly better as non-residents would be less willing to park, and couldn't for days at a time without the risk of being clamped. We have residents/pay and display parking where we are and have almost no problem along the lines you're talking about.



Well my understanding is that Council will only provide residence parking permits for 2 cars per house. A decent proportion of houses here have 3.



AlbacoreA said:


> Well done the planners for making roads so narrow everywhere that its a nightmare to park. Same all over.



The massive increase in width of cars is probably more to blame. In fairness our estate was built in the 1940's, not many would have had cars then at all, let alone 3 SUVs.


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## MrEarl

dereko1969 said:


> Well my understanding is that Council will only provide residence parking permits for 2 cars per house. A decent proportion of houses here have 3......



Three cars is excessive for one household.

I appreciate that in many cases it's because they have adult children living with parents, but it is still excessive imho.  Ultimately, if a household wants to have three cars, I think the obligation is on them to figure out how to store the cars off the road (let them turn their entire front garden into car parking, or do a deal with one of the neighbours who may not be using their front of house car parking etc.)


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## dereko1969

Yeah, I'd agree that 3 is excessive and it is due to adult/ish children living at home.
I'd rather they also parked across their own driveway with the third car rather than taking a spare space, that's what i'd do myself, but then I'm wonderful.


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## AlbacoreA

dereko1969 said:


> ...The massive increase in width of cars is probably more to blame. In fairness our estate was built in the 1940's, not many would have had cars then at all, let alone 3 SUVs.



That would make roads narrower. I mean they plan with very few car spaces and non for visitors. 

A rented house can often have more then 2 cars also.


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## David_Dublin

dereko1969 said:


> The massive increase in width of cars is probably more to blame. In fairness our estate was built in the 1940's, not many would have had cars then at all, let alone 3 SUVs.



Has there been a massive increase in the width of cars? I'm dubious, if they have got wider than a few CMs I'd say that's about it, certainly not by anything like what would be needed to make the roads seem so much narrower than before.


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## AlbacoreA

Have to admit I park on the road a lot even though I have space in the drive for a number of reason. 

Its slows cars down on the road. Big problem. Our road is a small road, lots of kids out. Many people speed down it. 
Often if as I'm reversing into my drive people have had to mount the kerb to get around me as they are going too fast. 
My house is a few house down from the start of the road. So people turn off the main road into ours without slowing down. 

If you are near public transport, people will leave their cars there for weeks, often badly parked, making it very difficult to get in and out of your own drive way with another car. 
It leaves space for visitors cars in your driveway. 
People will park commercial vehicles and trailers outside someone else house away from their own. So as not inconvenience themselves. 

That said most of our neighbours will move their cars if someone else needs the space. Indeed will offer their own drives ways if someone has a lot of visitors for a reason.


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## AlbacoreA

I hear people having parking issues all over. So its not a case of some people being awkward, or its only old roads or new roads. Or just new cars. Its a lack of planning over many years.


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## AlbacoreA

David_Dublin said:


> Has there been a massive increase in the width of cars? I'm dubious, if they have got wider than a few CMs I'd say that's about it, certainly not by anything like what would be needed to make the roads seem so much narrower than before.



In fairness there's a lot of SUV and large cars which are a lot wider then they used to be.


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## Leo

AlbacoreA said:


> Its a lack of planning over many years.



The opposite really, the development plans for most urban areas deliberately limit the amount of parking available to encourage more use of public transport.


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## AlbacoreA

I meant that. perhaps I should have said....Its a lack of common sense planning over many years.

You can't use public transport if it doesn't exist.


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## newtothis

David_Dublin said:


> Has there been a massive increase in the width of cars? I'm dubious, if they have got wider than a few CMs I'd say that's about it



Morris Minor from 1960s (typical family car for the time) was 1550mm wide; current Ford Focus (hardly a large car by current standards) is 1886mm wide, an increase of about 18%. Have the roads grown by that amount in that time?


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## Palerider

MrEarl said:


> Three cars is excessive for one household.
> 
> I appreciate that in many cases it's because they have adult children living with parents, but it is still excessive imho.  Ultimately, if a household wants to have three cars, I think the obligation is on them to figure out how to store the cars off the road (let them turn their entire front garden into car parking, or do a deal with one of the neighbours who may not be using their front of house car parking etc.)



Is it excessive in your humble opinion, really ?.. What a post, there are five cars in my house including a vintage and yes cars have got wider and longer over the years, I widened the driveway to accomodate extra parking, we park off road almost always as I also extended the drive up along the side of my house, I'm glad we don't have a big family but they are growing, eldest just finished college, youngest just started, they have to drive to college so Bank Of  Dad ensured the cars are road legal and properly insured, I still do not park outside my neighbours house or my own really and resent yes resent those that park outside my gaff whilst they go off to do whatever, bear in mind in my case there is cheap on street pay parking and a pay car park within sight of my gaff, these are generally miserable penny pinching people, park in designated places not in front of peoples houses.


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## twofor1

Palerider said:


> and resent yes resent those that park outside my gaff whilst they go off to do whatever,
> 
> park in designated places not in front of peoples houses.



Gobsmacked is all I can say to that, it’s a public road, end of.

Outside your house is a designated parking place as long as  it is a public road with no parking restrictions.


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## AlbacoreA

In front of a house = on a public road.


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## Palerider

To each their own, I will not argue the legality of those who park up, I accept that.  Parking where I speak of is within sight of cheap meter road parking and a car park, I will say they are misers who choose to avoid paying a nominal fee to park in a designated parking area, I choose like my neighbours not to pay a mortgage to live in a car park, leafy burbs here folks, not a urban City dweller.


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## AlbacoreA

Yet you turned your own garden into a car park to avoid those same charges, and live in the car park.


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## AlbacoreA

If theres a problem with parking. Then people should get resident parking only zones agreed. 

Otherwise it's public parking and whoever  gets there first can use it. A stranger or a resident are equally entitled to park there. Hi


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## twofor1

Palerider said:


> To each their own, I will not argue the legality of those who park up, I accept that.  .



Strange how can you accept others have a right to legally park there, yet you would be prepared to intimidate those that do and damage their cars.

You have already said you would start with a polite  prit sticker, then it would be the sticky really messy goo for number two,

What would you do with an equally adamant person who chose to legally park outside your house repeatedly ?

What punishment could one expect for say a fourth of fifth ‘’offence’’ ?

Just curious at this stage.


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## Palerider

AlbacoreA said:


> Yet you turned your own garden into a car park to avoid those same charges




Ah read my post, I said I widened my driveway to accomodate extra parking, I'll elaborate for you, I got one extra space alongside my existing driveway, I still have maybe 75% of my front garden, I didn't think parking on the road was a clever idea when I could do something about it.


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## Palerider

twofor1 said:


> yet you would be prepared to intimidate those that do and damage their cars.



Never said I would damage a car or intimidate anybody, I would not, please do not attribute comments to me that are just plain wrong.

If a polite notice didn't work after the 2nd slightly stickier polite notice I would surrender, people who park in a residential area when there is pay parking and a car park within sight ( as in my area ) do so to save a euro, my polite notice if they choose to ignore it will not change them, I don't get exercised over it, just my point of view, far as I know I can still have one of these.

I have nothing more to add to this thread.


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## twofor1

Palerider said:


> Never said I would damage a car or intimidate anybody, I would not, please do not attribute comments to me that are just plain wrong.



Putting a polite sticker on a car is not intimidation, doing it again as you have suggested is intimidation.

Putting a sticker on a car with sticky really messy goo as you have suggested is damaging.


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## AlbacoreA

This is the problem with parking, people make up their own imaginary rules then try to enforce them while not staying within the actual law themselves. 

Calling people misers because they won't pay for parking, when they avoid paying for parking themselves. 

People need to chill out and live and let live. 

Just get the area zoned as controlled parking and there will be no need to lose the plot.


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## Leper

HI All, the thread started out with Eddie Peters unable to manoeuvre his car because of untaxed cars and cars devoid of NCT approval being parked on the public road outside is house. Then it plummeted into that's-my-patch-of-public-road-outside-my-house. We have people wanting to place stickers and then more stickier stickers on cars that are legally taxed, NCT'd etc. Have we all gone stark raving mad? The public road is for public use.

And more stark raving mad stuff . . . . . . . there's a match in Páirc Uí Rinn.  Many of the residents there park their usually driveway-parked cars out on the public road just to make sure nobody going to the match gets a parking space.  Coupled with my first paragraph here and the second one, what kind of whinging mentality do such people have? The public road is the public road, not somebody's private piece of road.

Irish people ain't what they used to be . . . .


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## AlbacoreA

Leper said:


> ...And more stark raving mad stuff . . . . . . . there's a match in Páirc Uí Rinn.  Many of the residents there park their usually driveway-parked cars out on the public road just to make sure nobody going to the match gets a parking space.  ..



It might be because they trapped in their driveways for a few hours when there is a match on. Because people park so badly. Maybe...


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## MrEarl

AlbacoreA said:


> Have to admit I park on the road a lot even though I have space in the drive for a number of reason.
> 
> Its slows cars down on the road. Big problem. Our road is a small road, lots of kids out. Many people speed down it.
> Often if as I'm reversing into my drive people have had to mount the kerb to get around me as they are going too fast.
> My house is a few house down from the start of the road. So people turn off the main road into ours without slowing down.
> 
> If you are near public transport, people will leave their cars there for weeks, often badly parked, making it very difficult to get in and out of your own drive way with another car.
> It leaves space for visitors cars in your driveway.
> People will park commercial vehicles and trailers outside someone else house away from their own. So as not inconvenience themselves.
> 
> That said most of our neighbours will move their cars if someone else needs the space. Indeed will offer their own drives ways if someone has a lot of visitors for a reason.




Are there not better ways to deal with the problems you may incur, than by creating further problems ?

If there's an issue with speeding cars, surely getting a few speed ramps installed is the solution, or maybe asking the Gardai to set up occasional speed traps there to catch and penalise the offenders ?

People parking commercial vehicles, or cars "for weeks" is something you need to deal with, just like I've got to find a way to solve my issue with houses that are rented out having multiple cars parked on the road and creating problems.... but you blocking the road with your car only causes problems for others (not to mention increases the risk of your car being damaged (by kids or other road users) or worse still.. stolen).

As for visitors, surely they can park on the road if your not parked there already and as they are only occasional, rather than permanent residents like yourself, they are causing a lesser obstruction to others who have to use the same road ?




Palerider said:


> Is it excessive in your humble opinion, really ?.. What a post, there are five cars in my house including a vintage and yes cars have got wider and longer over the years, I widened the driveway to accomodate extra parking, we park off road almost always as I also extended the drive up along the side of my house, I'm glad we don't have a big family but they are growing, eldest just finished college, youngest just started, they have to drive to college so Bank Of  Dad ensured the cars are road legal and properly insured, I still do not park outside my neighbours house or my own really and resent yes resent those that park outside my gaff whilst they go off to do whatever, bear in mind in my case there is cheap on street pay parking and a pay car park within sight of my gaff, these are generally miserable penny pinching people, park in designated places not in front of peoples houses.



If you have made provision to park your cars off the main road, then I'm absolutely delighted with you as it shows you've not been selfish about blocking the public road. That was the point I was originally making


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## Leper

AlbacoreA said:


> It might be because they trapped in their driveways for a few hours when there is a match on. Because people park so badly. Maybe...



I don't think so.  If somebody's driveway is blocked there is a tow away service available through the Gardaí and generally the amount of parking is nothing like Croke Park, Aviva etc.

I reckon it is just a case of "Why should I make life easier for somebody going to the match . . ." Coincidentally, that's the way we drive too, bursting red lights, occupying yellow boxes etc.

It's just the way the Irish Nation has become. Ireland of the 100,000 welcomes my rear-end.


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## AlbacoreA

Leper said:


> I don't think so.  If somebody's driveway is blocked there is a tow away service available through the Gardaí and generally the amount of parking is nothing like Croke Park, Aviva etc.
> 
> I reckon it is just a case of "Why should I make life easier for somebody going to the match . . ." Coincidentally, that's the way we drive too, bursting red lights, occupying yellow boxes etc.
> 
> ...



I like the way you escalated parking on the road which is not against any rules. To actual traffic offenses. 

You can make things awkward without actual blocking a drive completely. Getting the Gardai to turn up to anything isn't that easy.


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## AlbacoreA

MrEarl said:


> Are there not better ways to deal with the problems you may incur, than by creating further problems ?
> 
> If there's an issue with speeding cars, surely getting a few speed ramps installed is the solution, or maybe asking the Gardai to set up occasional speed traps there to catch and penalise the offenders ?



Yes certainly. We've already got ramps, narrowing and Speed Measuring Signs on the main distributor road. But perhaps we need to increase the density of the Ramps at the entrance to smaller roads and perhaps on the smaller roads themselves. The place is ruined with ramps. But as there is no enforcement. Seems people will continue not to slow down where appropriate. Gardai response to issues is poor. There is an ongoing contact with Gardai about local issues though various committees.



MrEarl said:


> People parking commercial vehicles, or cars "for weeks" is something you need to deal with, just like I've got to find a way to solve my issue with houses that are rented out having multiple cars parked on the road and creating problems....



There is no way of dealing with this, with cars anyway. Other than have a resident parking only scheme. Since its public road and parking is allowed.



MrEarl said:


> but you blocking the road with your car only causes problems for others (not to mention increases the risk of your car being damaged (by kids or other road users) or worse still.. stolen).
> 
> As for visitors, surely they can park on the road if your not parked there already and as they are only occasional, rather than permanent residents like yourself, they are causing a lesser obstruction to others who have to
> use the same road ?



It doesn't cause an obstruction or block anything. Otherwise it would be illegally parked. As would anyone else parking there. But the perception of a narrower road, slows people down.

The risk is negligible and acceptable to me.


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## MrEarl

AlbacoreA said:


> Yes certainly. We've already got ramps, narrowing and Speed Measuring Signs on the main distributor road. But perhaps we need to increase the density of the Ramps at the entrance to smaller roads and perhaps on the smaller roads themselves. The place is ruined with ramps. But as there is no enforcement. Seems people will continue not to slow down where appropriate. Gardai response to issues is poor. There is an ongoing contact with Gardai about local issues though various committees....



Sorry to hear about this trouble, I'm sure it's very frustrating and needless to say dangerous.

That said, I'm sure there are other solutions to dealing with people speeding, particularly if they are regular offenders and you know who they are


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## Purple

While it is not illegal to park outside someone else's house it is bad manners to do so on an ongoing basis. 
Irish people are not what they used to be; they are better in most respects, but in some they are worse.

In some cities you are not allowed to own a car until you can prove you have an off-street parking space for it. Should we have a similar law? After all none of us have an automatic right to park on any road. What we do have is the right to enter, pass along and exit a public road.


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## Leper

Purple, you're losing it again . . . . we pay road tax and we are entitled to park your car park in public places where parking is allowed. And then you want us not buying a car until we can prove we have some place to park it.

You're right on one matter though "Irish people are not what they used to be." Some of us have descended into a nation of whingers just for whinging sake.


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## MrEarl

Leper said:


> . . . . we pay road tax and we are entitled to park your car park in public places.....



Can we apply the same reasoning to insist that cyclists have to pay an annual road tax ? 

... obviously there's also plenty of other logical supports, such as their use of the road (getting customised cycle lanes painted or constructed), use of road signals etc.


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## Leper

MrEarl said:


> Can we apply the same reasoning to insist that cyclists have to pay an annual road tax ?
> 
> ... obviously there's also plenty of other logical supports, such as their use of the road (getting customised cycle lanes painted or constructed), use of road signals etc.



Thanks Mr Earl, I'm not getting involved in cycling issues . . . .(Insert winking smilie here).


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## Leo

MrEarl said:


> Can we apply the same reasoning to insist that cyclists have to pay an annual road tax ?
> 
> ... obviously there's also plenty of other logical supports, such as their use of the road (getting customised cycle lanes painted or constructed), use of road signals etc.



There's no such thing as road tax. There is of course an emissions based motor tax, and revenue from this goes directly to the local government fund where it is directed to local authorities to fund their day to day costs. Only a fraction of that revenue ends up being spent on road infrastructure.


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## Purple

Leper said:


> Purple, you're losing it again . . . . we pay road tax and we are entitled to park your car park in public places where parking is allowed. And then you want us not buying a car until we can prove we have some place to park it.
> 
> You're right on one matter though "Irish people are not what they used to be." Some of us have descended into a nation of whingers just for whinging sake.


Lots of things that are legal are also unmannerly.
I do agree that parking outside your neighbours house is entirely legal. I am of the opinion that doing so on an ongoing basis, especially if they would like to park a car there themselves, is bad manners.


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## Leper

Purple, you're softening . . . how can doing something within our laws be bad manners?


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## Purple

Leper said:


> Purple, you're softening . . . how can doing something within our laws be bad manners?


It's the insidious influence of bloody Cork socialists...


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## Firefly

Purple said:


> It's the insidious influence of bloody Cork socialists...



I've been called many things in my time, but a socialist?? There's no call for that


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## Marion

If the local council doesn't/won't  accept responsibility for a road in an estate can it be deemed "public"?

Marion


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## Purple

Firefly said:


> I've been called many things in my time, but a socialist?? There's no call for that


My apologies Firefly, I was referring to Leper.


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## Firefly

Purple said:


> My apologies Firefly, I was referring to Leper.



I'll cancel my appointment with the head coach so!


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## Marsha

Did this ever get resolved.  I have a similar issue.  My neighbour has his friend from God knows where park his car outside in my spot.  It has not moved and it's tax is expired since Dec 2018.  Any help appreciated.


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## Leo

Marsha said:


> Did this ever get resolved.  I have a similar issue.  My neighbour has his friend from God knows where park his car outside in my spot.  It has not moved and it's tax is expired since Dec 2018.  Any help appreciated.



When you say 'your spot', do you mean a marked parking space that you own in a managed development? Is there a agent or company who manage common areas and parking enforcement?


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## Marsha

Just an update i emailed council, the garda and the motor tax office, within an hour car picked up by owner.


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## elcato

Given the speed of  the response I would rule out council and motor tax office so it was the Garda that done it. They probably checked the reg and rang the owner to state that they cannot park a car on the public road without tax ans they will get a ticket if they do.


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## Leo

Marsha said:


> Just an update i emailed council, the garda and the motor tax office, within an hour car picked up by owner.



So it sounds like this was on the public road, and not your spot.


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## Purple

Leo said:


> So it sounds like this was on the public road, and not your spot.


Yea, the "my spot" thing gets to me. 
I once parked outside a house when I was collecting my daughter from her friends house a few doors down. I was just out of the car when a kid (he could have been 12) ran out and told me I couldn't park there as it was his mother's spot and she would be home soon. I told him it was a public road and so his mother was mistaken. I hasn't intended to stay long when I was collecting my daughter but after that I had to hang on until the mother got home and had to park somewhere else.


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## Folsom

Why would you do that? What did the mother do to you that you deliberately set out of your way to inconvenience her? 

I remember my 7yr old giving out to another child for picking up and removing a snail from our garden. My son shouted "thats our snail!" 

There is too much intolerance in the world these days.


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## Purple

I parked on a public road. She had plenty of room in her driveway. Why do people think they own the public road outside their house?


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## Folsom

Why do you think that the grown woman thought she owned the road? It was a 12yr old child that told you you couldn't park there. 
It wouldn't be unusual for a child to assume that his mother owned the road if she parked there frequently, anymore than my 7yr old thinking the snails in our garden belong to us.


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## SparkRite

Purple said:


> Yea, the "my spot" thing gets to me.
> I once parked outside a house when I was collecting my daughter from her friends house a few doors down. I was just out of the car when a kid (he could have been 12) ran out and told me I couldn't park there as it was his mother's spot and she would be home soon. I told him it was a public road and so his mother was mistaken. I hasn't intended to stay long when I was collecting my daughter but after that I had to hang on until the mother got home and had to park somewhere else.



Pathetic !!
Your behaviour is similar to what I could expect from a 12 year old child (as mentioned) but it is definitely not becoming of a supposed adult.


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## Purple

Folsom said:


> Why do you think that the grown woman thought she owned the road? It was a 12yr old child that told you you couldn't park there.


You had to be there. If the mother didn't think it was her spot then no harm done. If she did then no harm done either.


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## Purple

SparkRite said:


> Pathetic !!
> Your behaviour is similar to what I could expect from a 12 year old child (as mentioned) but it is definitely not becoming of a supposed adult.


I don't think a 12 year old should be parking a car. I certainly don't think you should expect them to be parking one.


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## SparkRite

Purple said:


> I don't think a 12 year old should be parking a car. I certainly don't think you should expect them to be parking one.


 
Not going to even bother to give a reply to that puerile comment.
You have helped me rest my case.


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## Purple

SparkRite said:


> Not going to even bother to give a reply to that puerile comment.


You started.


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## Firefly

Purple said:


> I don't think a 12 year old should be parking a car. I certainly don't think you should expect them to be parking one.


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