Just a word of Advice for Drivers wanting to Park on the A1 layby’s at Markham Moor.
It Appears that drivers parking overnight in the layby’s on both sides of the A1 where the 24 hr cafes are, are recieving parking tickets for overnight stays as they are not displaying lights during the hours of darkness.
£60 fines are being dished out by Nottinghamshire Police, but according to one officer, it’s not because of the vehicles being parked dangerously, its because of the inconsideration being shown to other night shift drivers who are being denied access to facilities which are few and far between on the A1, this was brought to their attention after a driver was found to be driving over the 4.5 hr period and claimed he was going to Blyth Services because he could not purchase food and beverages elswhere on the A1 at 1am.
Whether its an excuse to justify the ticketing or a valid reason I dont know, but as a regular user of the cafe on the North Bound Side, I know they are often losing out on trade because drivers cannot get parked up because of the over nighters in the layby (Many of which dont even use the cafe) As the owner has said, the overnighters are now becoming their own worst enemy because they complain there are not enough roadside cafes and yet they are prepared to deprive the same ones from an income thereby forcing them out of business.
One such example is where Mario’s use to be just off the Worksop Roundabout, at one time you could never get parked there overnight because of the overnighters, now that Mario’s is long gone, you can park up without any problems.
One driver issued with a ticket was demanding that the cafe owner paid the fine because it is her layby
As she says, its not her layby she pays rates to the council, the drivers are responsible for parking legally, but insist on parking outside the cafe obscuring it’s presence from approaching traffic and yet expect the cafe staff to act as unpaid security guards watching their trucks overnight as they cannot serve customers because they cannot get parked.
Surely a little more fore thought by drivers is required, day shift drivers always park up and never give a thought to night shift drivers, and of course vice versa.
They have no right to issue tickets for parking overnight and the cafe operators have no right to complain - it’s not as if it is an unforseen circumstance.
If there’s no bylaw stating no overnight parking, then people can park overnight. Also as it’s not on the main carriageway and in a signed parking area, I’m not entirely convinced they can ticket a vehicle for not displaying lights.
sorry connor they can issue a ticket for parking in layby with out lighs derbyshire police had a spell early last year if the layby has no reservation between the road and the layby you have leave the sidelights on
As we discussed on a previous thread if there is no fixed reservation (not white lines) between the lay by and road it is part of the highway and vehicle must display front and rear lights if the road has a speed limit above 30mph.
If the speed limit is 30mph or below then any vehicle above 1500kgs must display lights.
I don’t know if it is just my observations but since the ‘Highways’ have had their plastic ‘Highway patrols’ out there on the roads I’m seeing more expensive ‘Motorway bobbies’ pulling the likes of ‘Me’
I wonder how much of the complaints have been driven by those two disgusting grothole cafes in the laybys north of Markham Moor. Quite happy to take our money off us for the slop they serve but whinge when we’re legally parking.
Next time you hear them whinge, mention that they should campaign for more truckstops to alleviate the parking. Watch them go silent and shuffle their feet - they won’t want more truckstops because it means less custom for them.
I’d boycott those two catering cesspits but I’ve not been in them for a few years now anyway as they don’t inspire confidence. All I can say is people eating there must have strong stomachs.
And I wonder what environmental laws they’re breaking with those gennies that make the most godawful din and chuck out tons of black smoke?
disgo:
If the speed limit is 30mph or below then any vehicle above 1500kgs must display lights.
This could be a real problem for all the overnighters parked on industrial estates if plod decides to have a go at truck drivers. I can forsee lots of flat batteries coming up soon!
get yourself one of those clip on marker lights white to the front red to the back and hang it on your trailer half way down,sorted…or nick a light of a skip and hang it on your trailer…
Conor:
I wonder how much of the complaints have been driven by those two disgusting grothole cafes in the laybys north of Markham Moor. Quite happy to take our money off us for the slop they serve but whinge when we’re legally parking.
Actually you’ll find none of the complaints have been driven by the owner, as for Slop they serve
I enjoy my meals in there and aint had any complaint to make yet about the food served.
As for legally parking? Drivers aint legally parking are they? there is no divider between the layby and the main carriageway, perhaps its time to check out your highway code Conor
Conor:
Next time you hear them whinge, mention that they should campaign for more truckstops to alleviate the parking. Watch them go silent and shuffle their feet - they won’t want more truckstops because it means less custom for them.
Since I started calling in there back in July last year, I’ve yet to hear them Whinge about the trucks using the layby for overnight parking, they do however complain about the inconsiderate parking by some of the drivers who despite having a full layby to choose from, decide to park outside the cafe doors, perhaps thinking that they can have free security
Conor:
I’d boycott those two catering cesspits but I’ve not been in them for a few years now anyway as they don’t inspire confidence. All I can say is people eating there must have strong stomachs.
Ahhh Yes, Conor your tarring all places with the same brush yet you openly admit you aint been in for a few years, I know for a fact that in the last 3 years there have been 3 owners and the portacabin has been replaced at least once in the last 2 years,
Conor:
And I wonder what environmental laws they’re breaking with those gennies that make the most godawful din and chuck out tons of black smoke?
Obviously the Din is not enough to stop drivers wanting to park up overnight next to them As for the smoke, errrmmmm they dont emit black smoke whilst I’m there, summit to do with them being fairly new industrial Generators I think
Must admit i used the portacabin just past markham Moor truckstop only once…the food was ok…but dished up terribly…i now look forward to my food at markham moor…but i do find it a little expensive…but like the saying goes…you only get what you pay for
And the truckstop has showers,and washing facilities…
And last week i parked at the robin hood layby…where the old portacabin burnt down…but …the only problem was the gays parading up and down…thinking cos a driver has his curtains open …and is having a beer…they have the right to park alongside hoping there is another shirt lifter in his sights…mind you…a quick flash of my …knife…sent them on their way…
The guy who runs the EXTREMELY greasy sp0oon in those laybys seems to think he owns the laybys and hes p0robably been telling the cop0p0ers to ticket drivers , the only course of action is to boycott the cafe or call the environmental health and tell them how filthy the cafe is.
I work nights and when i parked in there before in the early evening the guy quizzed me about parking for the night and pointed out he was trying to run a cafe.
jammymutt:
I work nights and when i parked in there before in the early evening the guy quizzed me about parking for the night and pointed out he was trying to run a cafe.
You must be on about the one Southbound Alex
He dont seem too happy when I park in there and cross over the road to the North Bound (BTW he dont own both, both Cafes are rented out to different people by the owner Gary Newbury from Worksop)
What put me off the S\B was the miserable git in there Wed & Thurs Nights, not so much as a smile, everythings a chore and if you only buy a cuppa the lecture he gives about taking up a parking space when a driver may want to stop for a meal
I too need breaks to stay legal so only use the N/Bound side now, then of course as they also sell the new timer I also have to show my support as well
So yes I’m as guilty as most others for parking in the layby but at least I’m spending money in one of them
Heres a co-incidence.Article in todays Times (flash git) driving section.
Lay - by danger
Sixty % of fatal accidents involving vehicles stoppedon dual carriageways happens in lay bys (not surprising as that’s where most stationary vehicles would be),with more than half of those collisions involving h(?)gv’s,according to the AA Motoring Trust.
The trust wants all lay bys to have kerbed islands to seperate parked vehicles from moving traffic.
“The problem usually occurs after dark when drivers speed into a lay - by mistaking it for the main carriageway and plough into parked vehicles,” said a spokesman.
A1 Southbound is serious for that between Gosforth and Scotswood, just before you come to the Airport Split there is a layby and the number of times I’ve seen cars travelling behind an HGV with their N/S indicators flashing (The cars) for that exit and as soon as they see the kerb line going away from the carrieageway they assume its the exit and start to cross the line just to swerve out again.
I wouldn’t put it down to the drivers fault because there are signs stating the road number (I just can think of it off hand,) and the likes of Airport, newcastle north etc, they then come to the layby without realising its actually a layby.
It seems to me its a very bad planning mistake that has never been addressed.
jammymutt:
I work nights and when i parked in there before in the early evening the guy quizzed me about parking for the night and pointed out he was trying to run a cafe.
You must be on about the one Southbound Alex
He dont seem too happy when I park in there and cross over the road to the North Bound (BTW he dont own both, both Cafes are rented out to different people by the owner Gary Newbury from Worksop)
What put me off the S\B was the miserable git in there Wed & Thurs Nights, not so much as a smile, everythings a chore and if you only buy a cuppa the lecture he gives about taking up a parking space when a driver may want to stop for a meal
I too need breaks to stay legal so only use the N/Bound side now, then of course as they also sell the new timer I also have to show my support as well
So yes I’m as guilty as most others for parking in the layby but at least I’m spending money in one of them
after following this thread of ,slop,cesspit,greasyspoon,i just knew worksop would be invovled somehow.
Conor:
they do however complain about the inconsiderate parking by some of the drivers who despite having a full layby to choose from, decide to park outside the cafe doors,
That’s because the drivers are perfectly entitled to. I think I’ll make a deliberate point to as I hate people who tell me where I can’t park when there’s no restrictions. Are there parking restrictions outside the portacabin? No.
Couldn’t care less whether it MIGHT meen they lose one customer who might not realise they’re there despite all the signage and probably passing it 1000 times because I’m parked in front of it.
Conor:
That’s because the drivers are perfectly entitled to…
Of course they are Conor, providing they do it legally by displaying their lights during the hours of darkness
Conor:
I think I’ll make a deliberate point to as I hate people who tell me where I can’t park when there’s no restrictions. .
Feel Free, as long as you remember to leave your lights on when its dark but please point out who exactly is telling you where you cant park?
Conor:
Are there parking restrictions outside the portacabin? No. .
Actually yes there is, its restricted to parking during the hours of darkness with your lights on
Conor:
Couldn’t care less whether it MIGHT meen they lose one customer who might not realise they’re there despite all the signage and probably passing it 1000 times because I’m parked in front of it.
And if I were to be of the same attitude as you, I would’nt care less about the noise I made standing talking outside your cab probably resulting in waking you up, then again,
Conor:
And I wonder what environmental laws they’re breaking with those gennies that make the most godawful din and chuck out tons of black smoke?.
I think you would already be awake with the noise from the smokey, smelly generator mentioned earlier
Aint it surprising how some drivers just like to spout off with their I will do this and nobody tells me that when all along they know they are Bull [zb]ing
And then you would no doubt have the brass neck to ask those same owners if they had a pair of Jump Leads because of your flat batteries
Davey Driver:
Aint it surprising how some drivers just like to spout off with their I will do this and nobody tells me that when all along they know they are Bull [zb]ing
And then you would no doubt have the brass neck to ask those same owners if they had a pair of Jump Leads because of your flat batteries
You must be a O/D or work for a small company with no breakdown assistance. On the handful of times it’s happened the procedure is pick phone up, ring DAFAid/Scania Lifeline/Volvo Assist etc, climb back on bunk and earn a couple of hours overtime whilst I have a kip waiting for the breakdown wagon.
What good is a set of jump leads going to do me in a layby on a dual carriageway without a set of batteries on a trolley anyway?
As for the “I’ll do this”, “nobody tells me that” routine, I do do that because quite frankly I haven’t given a toss about the job for years so getting sacked or not asked back to a company wouldn’t worry me in the slightest. I have no problem in turning round at a place and taking their delivery back to the yard if I get grief at a tip. It’s quite amusing when they rant about phoning the boss up and getting me sacked then watching their face drop when I explain that I don’t work for the company, I merely do work for them and they can’t sack someone who doesn’t work for them.
