pesky builders holding free parking spaces

kormak

Most mornings when I drive to work in the city, I use free public parking spaces in the immediate area and have done for quite some time.
The place I usually park is a free area along a row of houses, with no yellow lines, continuous white lines, etc....
This area is around 30/40 yards in length, so usually 4 maybe 5 cars happily fit in...
Lately though when I arrive in the mornings I've had to deal with cowboy builders who just decided to take an obnoxious approach by parking up to 1 jeep and placing a line of cones along the strip to hold spaces for their mates.
Fair enough, builders need to be near their vans for lugging in tools, etc... To worksites.
However these guys are so arrogant about the whole thing!
I’ve already got out and moved cones when there were ample free spots available, only to be accosted by them with some bull**** story about how they need to leave room for deliveries... I’ve told the guy, “look mate! You don’t own public street parking and you can’t just decide who parks where”.
I’ve left my car there a few times and although no dirty tricks have been done to it (yet), the more I return to the spot, the more intimidating the scenario gets...
Any ideas how to get around these obnoxious land grabbers?!
It REALLY gets my goat!! :mad::mad::mad:

kormak

PS. sorry Mods if this is in the wrong place....

kormak

kormak wrote: »

Any ideas how to get around these obnoxious land grabbers?!
It REALLY gets my goat!! :mad::mad::mad:

Get their before them :pac:
Seriously though, I'd take their reg (let them see you do so) incase any damage is done to your car.

listermint

Log onto boards to get some devious plots to pull one over on the builders, but dont forget the camcorder so we can view the aftermath, Let the hilarity insue...









but on a more serious note, you can really do anything. Its a public street, so short of getting there earlier or telling them to politely F off. Thats about it.

godwin

In relation to the original post , can people put trafic cones on public roads in front of their houses to prevent parking for no other reason other than they dont like people parking in front of their houses?

kormak

Yeah, I've jotted down a few reg plates already and I've also noted their building company names...
In fairness nothing has ever been done but they're certainly determined in muscleing out anyone else till their mates get there.
I see other regular users just drive on and "accept" there's a cone there now...
but that sh1t really annoys me, especially as these boys don't actually live in the area.
They must have a little rota on someone getting there well early to hold the spots as theres always at least one car parked and waiting.

listermint

kormak wrote: »

Yeah, I've jotted down a few reg plates already and I've also noted their building company names...
In fairness nothing has ever been done but they're certainly determined in muscleing out anyone else till their mates get there.
I see other regular users just drive on and "accept" there's a cone there now...
but that sh1t really annoys me, especially as these boys don't actually live in the area.
They must have a little rota on someone getting there well early to hold the spots as theres always at least one car parked and waiting.

At the same time, you dont live there either. I suppose if you where in their shoes you would do the same thing every morning. Sure if they are builders wont they be gone soon?

biko

Does it seem like they are going to do this from now on or is it a temp thing?
You can take some snaps of the cones, your car and theirs so they see that you're on guard.

Just putting comes out doesn't matter, unless it for a building site/road works/blah. Anyone can move them and park. I used to live on Mill Street and this old lady did it to save her space when she was out. I never took her space but could have if I wanted.

kormak

You make a stand and eventually get your car keyed or tyre air let out or worse...
You drive past and just let the smug f*ckers continue illegalyy holding public parking.
I think I need power in numbers to make a stand until they get the msg and leave their cones in their vans... :pac:

JustLen

Why dont you get hold of a few cones on loan.
Get down there one morning before them and go cone crazy?

Edit: i dont think the whole idea of taking snaps and so on infront of them will work. That might just cause them to do something as they know it will really annoy you. Taking pictures of them parked there in the morning isnt really going to prove who lets air out of your tyres for example

kormak

listermint wrote: »

At the same time, you dont live there either. I suppose if you where in their shoes you would do the same thing every morning. Sure if they are builders wont they be gone soon?

True. I don't live there either... but I'm a member of the public who's entitled to park a vehicle in that space...Just like they are!
But placing cones down is putting up an illegal barrier.

I think taking a few photos sounds like a good idea...
give'm a whif of rogue traders...

The best one was:
Builder "Listen there's a big skip lorry coming and we need that space, can you at least move back a bit"
Me "No problem, but I'm still parking on this free space"
Cue a big white builders van who just happens to drive into the spot in front of me, where he was taking about...

robtri

just grow a set and move the cones and park....

ffs...

kormak

robtri wrote: »

just grow a set and move the cones and park....

ffs...

Thanks robtri for that really intelligent piece of advice.
As you might have seen from my last posts, that's what I've been doing the most part!

robtri

kormak wrote: »

Thanks robtri for that really intelligent piece of advice.
As you might have seen from my last posts, that's what I've been doing the most part!

so whats the problem then... public road, they have as much right to be there as you....

kormak

robtri wrote: »

so whats the problem then... public road, they have as much right to be there as you....

again, you're clearly not reading my previous posts.
It's not them parking that's the problem, it's them putting up illegal parking barriers.

listermint

Come back during the day, and steal all their cones. Solved :cool:

robtri

kormak wrote: »

again, you're clearly not reading my previous posts.
It's not them parking that's the problem, it's them putting up illegal parking barriers.

i am assuming you have grounds to call them illegal?????

PCPhoto

continue to do as you are doing .... park there and let them know its a free space.

if they continue to make it awkward ...ask them if you want to get the gardai up to see if they are allowed to use cones to keep a parking space....if needs be contact the gardai and ask them to come up (but don't expect them to come immediately....this will be put to the bottom or their list and you might get a car in approx an hour ...maybe 2 depending on other calls to the station)

best of my knowledge it is illegal to put cones/objects to "save" a parking space...but its something that is not enforced.

if you wanted to teach them a lesson - after they leave some evening(or early the next monrning) - cover the parking spaces with your own cones and see if they move them..... whats good for the goose is good for the gander ...or some silly saying like that !!

kormak

robtri wrote: »

i am assuming you have grounds to call them illegal?????

I pay my road tax every year and this area is deemed public parking, so it appears pretty illegal to me. Prove me wrong!

Reloc8

godwin wrote: »

In relation to the original post , can people put trafic cones on public roads in front of their houses to prevent parking for no other reason other than they dont like people parking in front of their houses?

This really gets my back up - the area near my office (Dublin city) has resident disc display/pay and display during business hours and a number of residents will chuck cones outside their house to stop people using that space.

I understand that they may want to reserve their own space (although in respect of a couple of houses I have never seen a car parked outside), I have less sympathy for them not wanting any car parked outside their house (get over it) but tough, the spaces are designated as public on payment and they have no entitlement to try and prevent me from using them.

macnab

I have noticed a lot of construction workers are parking on the road side and changing into their work clothes while sitting in the car with the door open. I think a lot of contractors have given up paying rent on storage yards leaving them sort of homeless. Its something I think we will see happening more and more due to the big R.

OP: ask them do they have a permit then offer to phone the local police station to find out how they go about getting one.