When Access is Blocked

If you can’t access a delivery point because of badly parked cars which are not breaking any parking laws (double yellows etc) what are you meant to do?
In the past I’ve had builders complain to police about someone parking almost opposite a site, and plod said there was nothing they could do (this was a PCSO). Surely it’s still obstruction?
Had another yesterday, no parking restrictions just badly parked, thankfully I used another lane which was narrower but the only victims were a few trees overhanging peoples’ boundaries.

We deal with this everyday, nothing you can do except knock on doors or find another way in. Failing that, come back another day.

Muckaway:
If you can’t access a delivery point because of badly parked cars which are not breaking any parking laws (double yellows etc) what are you meant to do?
In the past I’ve had builders complain to police about someone parking almost opposite a site, and plod said there was nothing they could do (this was a PCSO). Surely it’s still obstruction?
Had another yesterday, no parking restrictions just badly parked, thankfully I used another lane which was narrower but the only victims were a few trees overhanging peoples’ boundaries.

I guess the police take the view that parking is a “reasonable use” of the highway, and it is incumbent on businesses to use appropriately sized vehicles to access premises or locate those premises appropriately.

Isn’t the test in such circumstances- can the fire service get through? If not surely it’s an obstruction and a danger.

I used to collect milk from a farm with a very tight and awkwardly located entrance to the access lane. A small layby opposite was provided to allow any large vehicle (tanker, tractor etc) to make the larger swing required. On many occasions there used to be a car parked, usually a local, who then begrudgingly would move after having been told to do so, either by the driver, or the farmer. On one such occasion the car owner refused to move. No problem for the farmer. He dragged the car away with his tractor and a chain.

Blue Day:
Isn’t the test in such circumstances- can the fire service get through? If not surely it’s an obstruction and a danger.

It depends whether it’s a through road. The fire service are expected to wheel out hoses for a reasonable distance and park where they can, not necessarily expect to park on the front lawn of every enflamed premises.

I imagine reasonable use of the highway would also take into account that the owner is in nearby premises and is capable of moving if called upon to do so.

We aren’t far from Man Us ground and were forever getting cars parked across the gates when we needed access, despite 24 hour access signs.

Actually went round to the local police station and spoke to our solicitors and there was nothing we could do.

I used to use a trolley jack. Fortunately some parking cowboys started charging for parking on our ind est and I’m helpful to them and they make sure my gate is kept clear.

Just drive through and take a few mirrors off and maybe a few bits of damage…seriously, i would go to the firm i`m delivering to, as it could be their employees cars…but at least you have pre warned them of a possible late delivery or a non delivery.

Rjan:

Muckaway:
If you can’t access a delivery point because of badly parked cars which are not breaking any parking laws (double yellows etc) what are you meant to do?
In the past I’ve had builders complain to police about someone parking almost opposite a site, and plod said there was nothing they could do (this was a PCSO). Surely it’s still obstruction?
Had another yesterday, no parking restrictions just badly parked, thankfully I used another lane which was narrower but the only victims were a few trees overhanging peoples’ boundaries.

I guess the police take the view that parking is a “reasonable use” of the highway, and it is incumbent on businesses to use appropriately sized vehicles to access premises or locate those premises appropriately.

Agree 100%.

It is hardly suprising that there is such hostiity towards HGVs when companies insist on sending full size artics to premises particularly farms, to collect or deliver one or two pallets. One frequently mentioned national temp controlled haulage company always used to use six wheelers or puddle jumpers to access some of the local farms; nowadays it is only ever 15m artics. It is getting to the point when the “for access” concession part of weight restrictions needs to be removed from some roads to force companies to use appropriately sized vehicles.

What about when it is an appropriate sized vehicle, but the entrance is blocked by bad parking?

Very few people are fully aware of the laws surrounding ‘the highway’.

Any Police officer worth their salt would have a vehicle causing an obstruction to a highway user removed if the owner of said vehicle could not be reasonably identified & given the opportunity to remove the obstacle.

Any vehicle parked on the highway is a possible obstruction of the highway. A constable has both the right, the authority & indeed ‘the duty’ to request the removal of any object that hinders the highway.

[album]5436[/album]

I remember doing a delivery to a bakery in Swansea that was in a housing estate. I found it all right and they unloaded my four wheeler in the road. I could (and should) have used a side road to turn round, but my A to Z showed a route through the estate to my next drop. After a couple of tight turns, I came to an impossible one.

There were ornamental bollards and parked cars all over the place - I thought of going back, but as it turned out, the folks there were obviously used to idiot truck drivers like me. One woman came out and looked; she knocked on another door and within two minutes all the cars were moved out of the way.

Dork Lard:
Very few people are fully aware of the laws surrounding ‘the highway’.

Indeed. The basic principle is the right to pass and repass on the public highway, but that rule and every other is smeared in “reasonableness” and the need to balance competing uses of the highway. The courts recognise that people have to park somewhere, and that the ability to do so is in the common interest.

If that means truck drivers occasionally have to knock on doors and have cars moved to get access to premises, then so be it - most people would not park in such a way that they were getting disturbed unduly frequently, so it is either a parking mistake by a person unfamiliar to the area, or the vehicle is too large to access the premises (by the normal standard of vehicles which visit).

Had this today at borough market, couldn’t even get round to our drop so had to park up and drag 3 pallets of kegs 200 yards, just as well we did though when we got there it was blocked up as a fullers lorry was blocked in by 3 builders vans. We had to handball the rest to the drop. Felt sorry for the fullers lads though they were stuck there for over 2 hours and when they finally got out of there they couldn’t really go any where as the blockage that had caused us problems prevented them from leaving the market. :unamused:

Borough Market was a dump when it was open and I was driving. It was never made for the vehicles that were going in there. The biggest we were sent in there with were 28 foot tandem trailers and then it was tight with crap laying about all over the place.

Do a lot of house moves and usually smiling, being polite works wonders. I.e.

“I’m really sorry about this but is there any chance of moving your car a little, it’s my first day and I’m hopeless”.

Did one in Brighton once, cars everywhere and the only way to get down the street was to reverse up the opposite street to get a better angle, everyone around helped out. Lovely people.

This was a great day as the customers moving where a couple of uphill gardener’s, absolute scream it was, they gave me a real run for my money with double entendres and innuendo.

For some reason I’ve always gone down really well in gay circles.

The road network in this country was not designed for the number of cars and the size of cars that there are now. Factor in selfish and thoughtless car drivers who think that they park anywhere they like and the problems will only get worse.

A few broken wing mirrors and dents from trailer corners is the only thing that gets the message across.

There’s a village in Dorset where car drivers thought it was a good idea to park however they wanted until one night when the fire brigade came through and wrote off 5 cars and badly damaged several others…Putting out fires trumps asking owners politely to move their car…

most forkies are very obliging chaps who can be available on request to help delivery drivers.
youtube.com/watch?v=KRXnIRF6d9I

or…
work for a plant operator with a hands on attitude…
youtube.com/watch?v=474EiksWxXU- job done. :smiley:

Dipper_Dave:
For some reason I’ve always gone down really well in gay circles.

You don’t say :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

Heisenberrg:
There’s a village in Dorset where car drivers thought it was a good idea to park however they wanted until one night when the fire brigade came through and wrote off 5 cars and badly damaged several others…Putting out fires trumps asking owners politely to move their car…

Do you reckon the firefighters now have to tell their car insurers they’ve been involved in a collision? :laughing: