Perhaps it would be informative to know where the “Hotspots” are, where enforcement is pretty darned strong?
I live in kent, drive in kent every day I’m at work as well - and yet see artics parked up all over the place, and I’ve never seen one being even talked to by the “Authorities”, let alone one in the process of being clamped at a roadside somewhere…
Service Roads, Sticking out of Laybys, and brazenly parked on double yellows - commonly seen amoung Foreign artics…
But go beyond the home counties - and I’m now seeing previously choc-a-bloc laybys now totally empty, at least when I’m driving past them… Sussex, Hampshire, Wiltshire so far…
I’m out-of-date with regards to my old stomping grounds of East Anglia though, so perhaps someone else might like to post an “update” on the state of laybys in the region?
Essex and Kent though - Choc-a-bloc as much as they ever were.
There’s even artic drivers parked over those silly plastic peg posts they’ve attempted to erect on long stretches of road such as Cobham Services on the A2, or backed upto the re-entry slip road of otherwise closed laybys, such as on that old dogging place down the A249 towards Stockbury Roundabout Northbound…
Winseer:
Perhaps it would be informative to know where the “Hotspots” are, where enforcement is pretty darned strong?
I live in kent, drive in kent every day I’m at work as well - and yet see artics parked up all over the place, and I’ve never seen one being even talked to by the “Authorities”, let alone one in the process of being clamped at a roadside somewhere…
Service Roads, Sticking out of Laybys, and brazenly parked on double yellows - commonly seen amoung Foreign artics…
But go beyond the home counties - and I’m now seeing previously choc-a-bloc laybys now totally empty, at least when I’m driving past them… Sussex, Hampshire, Wiltshire so far…
I’m out-of-date with regards to my old stomping grounds of East Anglia though, so perhaps someone else might like to post an “update” on the state of laybys in the region?
Essex and Kent though - Choc-a-bloc as much as they ever were.
There’s even artic drivers parked over those silly plastic peg posts they’ve attempted to erect on long stretches of road such as Cobham Services on the A2, or backed upto the re-entry slip road of otherwise closed laybys, such as on that old dogging place down the A249 towards Stockbury Roundabout Northbound…
Just because these ■■■■ s decide they don’t want trucks, these lads still have to park somewhere.when their times are up.
They maybe choose to pick the lesser of 2 evils, take their chances rather than drive over their time.and take all the crap that falls around their lugs if they find themselves involved in some severe ■■■■ up situation or another.
Anyhow, part of this crap is to raise revenue so they won’t be too fussed will they?
'Kerching '…as they say.
I just hope that some badass driver is woken up by them being clamped,.abd he gets out and gives them a ■■■■ good kicking.
Winseer:
Perhaps it would be informative to know where the “Hotspots” are, where enforcement is pretty darned strong?
I live in kent, drive in kent every day I’m at work as well - and yet see artics parked up all over the place, and I’ve never seen one being even talked to by the “Authorities”, let alone one in the process of being clamped at a roadside somewhere…
Service Roads, Sticking out of Laybys, and brazenly parked on double yellows - commonly seen amoung Foreign artics…
But go beyond the home counties - and I’m now seeing previously choc-a-bloc laybys now totally empty, at least when I’m driving past them… Sussex, Hampshire, Wiltshire so far…
I’m out-of-date with regards to my old stomping grounds of East Anglia though, so perhaps someone else might like to post an “update” on the state of laybys in the region?
Essex and Kent though - Choc-a-bloc as much as they ever were.
There’s even artic drivers parked over those silly plastic peg posts they’ve attempted to erect on long stretches of road such as Cobham Services on the A2, or backed upto the re-entry slip road of otherwise closed laybys, such as on that old dogging place down the A249 towards Stockbury Roundabout Northbound…
IIRC you work mainly out of Medway which is a separate authority. Mainly affected are Swale, Maidstone, Ashford, Thanet and Shepway.
Drivers have, and are being clamped, on industrial estates and in laybys because thy have been parked for longer than 45 minutes while waiting for access to premises because there is a queue, the yard is choc a bloc, there isn’t a bay, the yard is three hours behind, the driver has had to turn up early, the booking time for the next delivery does not fit, the lorry has broken down, had a puncture etc.
Not feeling at all well and need to pull over? not in Kent you can’t.
30+ years ago I had a regular run from Bradford down to south London and Kent - anything up to 40 drops, which obviously necessitated a couple of nights out somewhere. I used to have one night out in Kent, maybe Canterbury on the Longport car /coach park, Folkestone down on the sea front past the harbour, maybe Herne Bay on the big car park.
Are all these places out of bounds now? I can’t help thinking my old run would now be nigh - on impossible!
The shut down hover port was perfect for having a 24 or 45 hour break in Folkestone, right in the town centre for all you can eat international food buffet and a cafe in the harbour.
I used to park on a very quiet residential street away from town and never had any complaints and did bike rides to Dungeness , there’s a miniature steam railway there and the power station.
Even trailer swaps on this upmarket street as well .
As I posted ages ago.
I parked in paddock wood I think. Anyway was an industrial estate
Parked there few times ages ago never had any trouble.
Last time about 6 weeks ago woke up find I’d been clamped.
And there very sneaky in how the operate.
I don’t tend to sleep much was awake to around midnight curtains open.
Woke up 6ish was clamped ticket was issued at 2 30 am
Can’t speak to anybody to have it removed is an automated phone number…have to enter your details and credit card number .
Then you get a automated reply saying someone will be there within in the hour.
I was sat waiting and by chance looked out my mirror say 2 blokes wallking to van with a wheel clamp on hand.so.i ran over spoke to them.
They were very stealthy didn’t knock on must tooke them 30 seconds to remove it .
I questioned them polity
And every question I asked they just chuckled well that’s kent council for you.
All they said well that’s kent council for you take it up with them.
Which is almost impossible with no contact details for any human just automated numbers or emails.
I found after researching there very stealthy don’t in early hours to avoid confrontation.
And get it of asap to avoid it even more.
And at £185 a time
Is money for nothing.
And as I explained to the fellas I’m from Manchester very rare come.this way and there standard response was to laugh well that’s kent council for you.
The area is a joke.
Fella said no parking except authorised truckstops / services. Of which there are many I was informed. I asked him where they are they just chuckled said use Google.
miketdt:
Take the French Aires, many are 1st class even if not all most have toilets, wash basin, drinking water taps and many have chemical dump points.
They must have changed in the last four years then. Last time I was there many were still basically a hole in the ground and the stench when you entered them was so bad you really only would use them if you couldn’t face doing a pee up a bush or a dump in a bag because either of those was preferable especially the case on the Calais, Rouen, Orleans, Bourges route I used to do. Like the MSAs going from Yorkshire to London the nearer you got to Paris the worse they were.
With the French rest areas , you don’t have physical contact with the toilet as you have to hover over the hole or spread or spit your axle and hope you got your aim correct to avoid a toxic splash back of someone else’s deposit!
I concur with the smell and being closer to large conurbations, the worse it gets .
Some areas have a dog walking route that goes in to a forest to get the blood pumping after long drives .
The UK Government planned similar rest areas but shelved the idea as profit from their greedy MSA’s .
In France they have a deep hole in the ground, on top of that is a large rubbish bin with a wide opening so when you drive past it , you can throw your rubbish out the window in to the bin then a Hiab lorry comes along and lifts out the storage area of the bin and replaces it with a clean one .
If you over night in Lincoln Farm drivers also adopt the throw out window policy in to a hedge on the exit slip road with truckers detritus of empty cooking gas bottles or canisters and the the famous Truckers Tizer of bottles of wee .
With the UK Government unprepared for an increase in global warming of four degrees or more they have not updated their infrastructure to be able to cope which will mean increases of electricity supply for household and businesses using fans or air conditioning, melting of roads and train tracks .
New houses and flats are not designed for increased heat forecasted by scientists as accommodation won’t have enough shade or air conditioning and the dilemma of which way your property faces the sun or shade .
It’s 47 degrees in Canada today .
At least the French have the intelligence to keep their long distance motorists cool by installing walk through cooling mist areas .
If the UK wanted to copy their idea it would be there is a hose pipe behind the garage, fill your boots .
Last month when i checked the Kent consultation.There were only 249 objections.With the number of drivers who moan but do nothing about something that affects them
WheelsofCardiff:
Last month when i checked the Kent consultation.There were only 249 objections.With the number of drivers who moan but do nothing about something that affects them
About 19 oif them were from Me my friends and family …ages ago I posted a link for others to. Object to it. God knows how many did.
On the the news this morning the Kent lorry parking ban ends at midnight tonight, some government common sense has ruled against the wishes of Kent County Council.
Martin:
On the the news this morning the Kent lorry parking ban ends at midnight tonight, some government common sense has ruled against the wishes of Kent County Council.
