Forum Topic

Road blocking neighbour

What word would you use to describe a neighbour who, prior to the CPZ, regularly bagged 'their' bit of the road i.e. that directly outside of their house by leaving various bits of detritus in the road? Now, quite a long time past the introduction of the CPZ, the same neighbour is at it again. There are more often than not (as today) spaces in the road but, apart from this being beside the point, heaven forbid that somebody should have to walk a few yards.  As far as I know, this behaviour is illegal.

Anne England ● 251d17 Comments

Raymond you miss the point that the photos of the gates were taken on Private land and you need the Landowners Permission to do so!

David Cook ● 234d

It is only people that applies to not land or objects which are publicly viewable.You can take a picture of any private house from the street. But not of the occupants or and finer details ie names on doorbells unless in the public interest.You cannot photograph someone in their front garden no mater how small without permission - again unless in the public interest and there has to be good reason for that.

Raymond Havelock ● 234d

No not those Jim, Im referring to the photos of Brentford Docks well known Gates. You know the ones we had all the arguments about several months ago.All the photos of those were without permission and there are several on here that break the law.

David Cook ● 235d

Are you referring to Lamb's Passage David?If so ... the pictures I took and posted on the REAL BRENTFORD facebook pagewere with permission!

Jim Lawes ● 235d

You are correct Peter. No law to stop you photographing people in public places.on private land you need the landowners permission to take photos.This website has broke the law several times with photos taken on private land without permission.

David Cook ● 235d

I thought it was OK to take pictures of people in public places where there’s no expectation of privacy, but not on private property, where there is.

Peter Evans ● 245d

Videoing people without permission or photographing them and publishing with accusaion when they are not breaking the law or By-Law is an offence and perpetrators can be sues or referred to the public prosecutor. You have to be very careful with video doorbells and external cameras. If you can see other properties doorways and windows then you are pushing your luck.Placing stickers on private vehicle - even a bicycle, is also vandalism and is also an offence. If glass gets scratched in the process of removal then the perpetrator is liable and again can be prosecuted or sued.Parking tickets use a special adhesive but there are even examples of damage being done and successful prosecutions.However if it is not actually breaking a law and not verifiable then placing or filming with intent to publish is an offence and in the case of images defamatory.It is OK to place a paper or card note as long as it cannot cause risk of damage removed.

Raymond Havelock ● 245d

I think this is a much wider issue than someone trying to bag a bit of the public highway for themselves. It reminds me of the one time we went to Tenerife, with our daughter. The sunbeds round our hotel pool were stacked and chained ech evening and unlocked at 6am. By the time we woke up they'd all been bagged, with towels and books left on them over breakfast, against the (unenforced) hotel rules. One day 4 sunbeds had remained bagged from 6am but devoid of human occupancy by midday! So everyone round that area co-operated in chucking their towels into muddy puddles, laying their books in dry places and moving the bedchairs for real use. When the selfish miscreants (English, I'm afraid) finally came back to take possession they were quite discombobulated and annoyed. But they didn't say a word, and just slunk off. Leaving a newly friendly multi-national group behind. When we lived in Kew I used to put "Pavements are for people" stickers on the windscreens of cars illegally parked on the pavement. No damage at all but it meant the drivers had to spend a few minutes getting the sticky label off when they returned. It worked a treat, changed behaviour. Why not try a "Selfish parker" sticker on the car that has to be outside the driver's house? Especially when it's parked out of range of the spy camera? Incidentally, what is the legal position on taking covert videos of people without consent? I don't know and we don't have a dashcam, cctv or spy doorbell. But I think a doorblee with video was crucial in identifying Wayne Couzens, so they can be good.

Eric Baker ● 246d

“ …just enjoy it chaps, and have a giggle”

Sarah Felstead ● 249d

Are there not two things being discussed, her?  First one is using some sort of blockade or obstacles on the road to prevent a space being used and secondly moving their car over once the space is empty.  Any form of obstacle which could be hit is against the law which has firm stipulations about things on the highway having the correct reflective strips and lighting.  If you have a word with the parking people they might agree to pop out when this next happens to inform you neighbour that they can’t do this.  Highways people would probably remove the obstacle?  As far as moving their car over, just enjoy it chaos and have a giggle.  There is nothing wrong in doing so, whatever their reasons.

Sarah Felstead ● 249d

Yes, we too have certain people who have to be in a certain spot, and will dash out to move their vehicle back to it should someone who has parked there while they've been out moves, really sad and pathetic.The official definition of wilful obstruction is:The offence is committed if a person without a lawful excuse or authority wilfully obstructs the free passage of the highway. The 'highway' is not just limited to roads but also includes pavements, grass verges and private property used as a public thoroughfare.

Vanessa Smith ● 249d

So you think it's okay to bag a part of the road thus preventing other people from parking. And yes, the neighbour uses their car every day and I can't see what difference it would make if they didn't. We are in a CPZ area and this behaviour started a good ten years ago regardless of CPZ. Nobody else in the road sees fit to behave in the same way (well one did but not since CPZ). We are not talking disability but rather a sense of entitlement. They would no doubt find it totally unacceptable if I were to photograph them putting out the blockage and yet fine that they capture one on the door camera removing it.

Anne England ● 249d

Or is it that said neighbour ( who has presumably paid for a permit) does not use the vehicle often for whatever reason and prefers to not leave it unused parked outside someone else's home for days or weeks on end, inconveniencing whoever's home that it's outside. Or as happens in our street a neighbour with mobility issues parks outside her home whenever possible but often comes home to find nowhere even with a permit. She could have a specially marked bay but does not want to make it even harder for neighbours to park but also does not consider herself disabled enough.There's always two side to the coin.

Raymond Havelock ● 249d

Said person is that sad that should they have to park on a different part of the road will nip out once the car in front of their house has gone and move their car a few hundred feet so that it's in its 'rightful' place.I'm interested to know what a 'wilful obstruction' is. This may not be a wilful obstruction of traffic moving down the road but an obstruction, and a wilful one at that, it still is. I think anybody thinking of parking in the space i.e. daring to get out of their car and moving the obstruction are probably too scared to do so so the obstructor 'wins'. Surely, anywhere and perhaps particularly in a CPZ zone, the person has no right to do that. Spaces are limited at some times. Going the full gamut, they are even preventing a non-CPZ registered vehicle parking there during controlled hours, thus preventing potential revenue being made by the Council. If one cares in passing to move the obstruction oneself then one is caught on the spy camera. Lovely neighbour, not.

Anne England ● 250d

Yes, public highway is just that - public highway. Unless someone causes 'wilful obstruction' there's not a lot can be done. It never ceases to amaze me how childish some people are over parking in 'their' spot, or even some poor soul daring to do so!

Vanessa Smith ● 250d

There is more than a sense of entitlement!I did actually email a Councillor about this behaviour what feels like ten or so years ago and just got a 'some people do it' kind of reply which was of no help whatsoever.P.S. I don't have a car although I did up to and including some of the CPZ.

Anne England ● 250d

Indeed, the public highway is just that, available for anyone with the right to use it. I think obstructing the highway is indeed an offence under the Highways Act. Stop it, whoever you are!

Eric Baker ● 251d