Pavement Blocked By Car

[BigRooster]

First thing merry Christmas
On Christmas Eve we were walking home it was dark and wet and to cut a long story short this lady parked her car on the road but at the end of the pavement so blocking anyone wanting to cross to the other side.
We confronted her over her parking but she claimed it was wasn’t illegal because the kerb of the path wasn’t dropped so we ended up walking over the sudden ground boots and shoes covered in mud any no what is the law please .

[bednobs]

i dont really get it. she parked on the road (as everyone usually does?) and if thats where you wanted to cross, why couldnt you just have crossed ehind or in front of her car? When i park outside my house, people are unable to cross right there (because my car is there) so they just cross somewhere else if they want to

[gingejbee]

^ I took it that she had parked way too close to/across the corner...like everyone does in Paris, but not (usually) over here?

[bednobs]

i cant picture it.

[Teapots1]

If she is not on the pavement then no law broken. There was a rule at one time that you should not park within 30 yards or so of a road junction, this sounds very much like this?? But on or off the pavement / road junctions, police just don't pay to much attention to either now if they are busy with other things.

[bednobs]

perhaps you can find something relevant to your situation here BR? https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/legal/parking-guide/

[pat2604]

I sort of get it, I think. If the road joins another road at the end (a T junction) then you shouldn't park at the end. If you wanted to cross to the other side of the road you have walked down at that point you wouldnt be able to cross. You would have to find a clear place further back down the road.

[bednobs]

numer 5 in my link says you cant park "Opposite or within 32 feet of a junction, except in an authorised parking bay" perhaps thats what you mean?

[pat2604]

And Teapot made it much clearer thank did!! Actually the OP iscright. Technically the car was obstructing pedestrians and the road for anyone turning into it. Now my brain hurts!

[pat2604]

Than I did..

[Electrochem]

I take it you mean she had parked close to a junction, which is illegal and several people where I live have been warned about this and told that it will result in enforcement if they do it again.

See Rule 243 in the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252

[barry1010]

It is not illegal to park within 32 feet of a junction; that is a rule in the Highway Code, not a law.
An offence is committed if parking there causes a hazard, an obstruction or other offence.

[davebro]

Damn savage - take a hammer to her car!

[BigRooster]

The pavement runs up to the road each side of the pavement is grass verge no not tarmac or concrete slabs so if there’s a car parked in front of the pavement you have to go onto the grass verge which is muddy and slippery

[jackthehat]

Unless it was a verrryyy long car on a verrryyy short road, I would hazard a guess that there were other places for you to cross...

Perhaps using one of those would have ensured that your feet stayed clean and you would have had a less bothersome Christmas?

[BigRooster]

I think the confusion is some of you think I’m talking about a pavement than runs along side a road it doesn’t it runs to it and each side there’s grass verge yes it is very close to a junction but that didn’t bother me but I think she did it so she didn’t have step out onto the grass verge herself which is very selfish

[barry1010]

So the road is against a grass verge, presumably with the footpath running between the grass verge and the buildings. The grass verge has paving to the road at intervals for pedestrians to cross, usually less than a car length - is that right?

If so, she is selfish but not breaking the law unless there are 'no parking' restrictions in place. She has not blocked your right of way, just made it very awkward for you.

[jackthehat]

She was blocking a path rather than the pavement.
Inconsiderate but not illegal, I'm afraid.

[davebro]

So if she's the driver & stepped out onto the part of the pavement that joins the road she must have parked on the "wrong" side of the road?
//do not park facing against the traffic flow//
//opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space//

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/parking.html

It's a hammer job!

[Buenchico]

The footpath alongside of the road counts as part of the highway and, as such, must not be obstructed. It is a criminal offence to do so. [s.137, Highways Act 1980].