A Community RPZ? In Montpelier? As if.

In Montpelier today, Jon "ex-cllr" rogers is having some meetings proposing some community RPZ as opposed to an official one.

What does that mean ? Self enforced? Warning notes? Or something relying on guilt like the blinking 20 mph lights near schools?

It's not going to work -and if you want proof, take a trip round Montpelier

This is Richmond Road, one of the tightest streets in the area to drive along. Everybody walks in the pavement, because the pavement is the only way to fit two lanes worth of cars in.

Here we can see whether or not community-note-in-windscreen RPZs wil work.

Take this car, S589JDG. Purple note in its windscreen.

Anone thinking this note is complaining about a car on the pavement isn't from Montpelier.
 
It says

THIS IS A BAD PLACE TO PARK - SOME CARS CAN'T GET BY - & YOUR CAR RISKS BEING PRANGED

 While one of our reporters was taking the photo, a van had to get by, something that took about 5 minutes of some of the most careful driving you can do in a van, windows down, driver looking out, the Bristol Traffic consultant assisting.

It only worked because van mirrors are a different height to car ones -they managed to clear each other with 3-5 cm of gap, going through at crawling speed. The driver of this van deserves a lot of credit for how carefully they did this -though it did take about five minutes

If there had been contact, this wouldn't have been a wingmirror taxation -this would have been a bodywork tax. Which would have raised some interesting issues on responsibility.
 
If that had happened, the owner of S589JDG would have not seen any photographs from Bristol Traffic on the event -they'd have been destroyed.

Someone will no doubt comment and say "this is a one off", but our dataset says not: car parking in Montpelier makes it impossible to get any vehicle bigger than a van through without severe damage happening. We've also seen near fights developing in St Andrews Road -the wider road parallel to this one- over who reverses so as to let the oncoming traffic past a road narrowed by both-side parking.

We've stated before that it is business traffic where the cost of being held up can have a real cost attached to the time wasted. Commuting, school runs, shopping trips -fixable by setting off earlier. They aren't working hours and the cost is purely subjective.

Working in the city? Different. Delays increase journey times, reduce the number of journeys you can do a day, and place a limit on revenue.

This is why the Kingsdown RPZ has made driving through it easier. There's no need for anyone to write warning notes in purple ink to anyone inconsiderate enough to park so far out on the pavement that they block passing cars, there will be someone full time putting yellow stickers on the cars that hold up vehicles. These are a lot harder to ignore than purple notes, they stand out "pour encourager les autres".

Anyone who thinks a "community RPZ" is going to work is living in a world of unrealistic idealism -and missing the point that an RPZ would not only help residents get about their lives, it would help the business of the city work.

A roll out of RPZs around the inner city would make it a better city for business driving. No commuter-caused congestion; delivery options -and less roads blocked by overparking.

Richmond road is going to be the front line for a Montpelier RPZ -as it is clear that you can't paint parking bays on both sides of the road -and even if the council opens up the paveparking to make it official, there's still not enough room to get vehicles through.

The only viable outcome would be for one side to become no parking. Which would be controversial -and explain why some people are claiming that purple notepaper put in windscreens would work. A community with some wheel clamps and a tow truck might have more effect.

Again, Persecution

Up at the top of St Michael's Hill, the BRI Physio department now has a stock plastic covered warning note to put in car windscreens -here AP03AVB.
-

This is a polite notice to make you aware that you are parking on the pavement. You are obstructing the pavement. A member of the public has complained as there is not enough access for pedestrians and especially wheelchair users. Where you are a member of staff at Hampton House or a member of the public, it is in your interest to move the car as soon as possible and not to park here again, otherwise you will be fined either by a Traffic Warden or Security.

 
All this, because "a member of the public has complained"? One person? Why should the wants and needs of one person outweigh the needs of the many who need somewhere by their hospital or place of work? And look, there's plenty enough room for someone on foot to squeeze by.

 
we're also going to pick up on the "fined by Security". It's a public pavement. BRI security have no right to fine anyone for parking on public pavement. Private pavement, maybe. But not the public highway -or the designated parking areas alongside

Persecution

Someone has put a letter on the car TOB773Y saying "Please Park less Selfishly"
 
Does anyone denounce the dustbin for taking up its bit of the pavement? Or that bicycle at the bottom? So what's wrong with that car's actions?

Support the Mall Residents by Double Parking Only

With the Goldfish "I don't remember what Murdoch said" Party council candidate saying more imagination is needed to solve Clifton's problems, well, let's see what can be imagined on the Mall.

Here we see a small car (a smartcar variant WR06EDP) double parked in front of a disabled car. It's not blocking that car, once they've managed to get in 10-15 minutes of zig-zagging will get them out.

Nearby, a little Nissan is echelon parked. There's a note in its windscreen.

On the other side, a Ford Focus CA60BHD double parked, a smaller car echeloned up to the pavement. The latter has the note in the windscreen.

Let's take a look at the note

Mall Gardens Residents Association

(MGRA)

Neighbourhood Watch

IMPORTANT NOTICE

CHEVRON/ECHELON PARKING

IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OR REGULARLY

PARK IN THE MALL GARDENS YOU WILL BE

AWARE THAT THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS OPPOSE CHEVRON

PARKING NOT LEAST FROM HEALTH AND

SAFETY CONCERNS AND DAMAGE. YOU WILL

ALSO NOTICE THAT THE NUMBER OF CARS

CHEVRON PARKED IS DOWN TO A HANDFUL

INCLUDING YOURS. THE AVON FIRE SERVICES

ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESS TO

EMERGENCIES IN THE AREA DUE TO THE

POOR PARKING

PLEASE HAVE CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS

HAVE PATIENCE AND FIND A PLACE TO 

PARALLEL PARK

PLEASE SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

There you have it. Echelon Parking is a health and safety hazard, which is why some of the residents are so concerned about it that they have put together a lovely A4 note printed in colour which they carefully place in the windscreen of every echelon parked car, so as to encourage people to double parallel park instead.

Now, some cynics may note that echelon parking works well for small cars, whereas double parking works well for big cars too, so perhaps it's not a concern about health and safety so much as the owners of the big cars wanting to be able to park, and if everyone in a small car echelon parked they wouldn't be able to. We don't believe this. If the fire services are concerned about poor parking in the area then clearly it is echelon parking to which they are referring, and it is critical for these people to invest their own time and money into discouraging these selfish echelon parkers from endangering everyone.

Fake police warning notes?

We know it's illegal to pretend to be police, but is it illegal to put out fake police warning signs?

Look at this sign here in Cliftonwood, telling off a car for parking on the pavement.

Now look at the car. One wheel up. Over in Monty the fact this car was sticking so far out would merit attention -that it was stopping through traffic, not supposedly interfering with pedestrians. It has to be fake.

We aren't naming names, but we do note that John Grimshaw of Sustrans lives nearby...

Secret Cliftonwood Parking

Everybody knows that there are no parking problems in Cliftonwood, and that is why its citizens recently rejected the imposition of a CPZ. However, what fewer people know is where the "secret" parking slots are - the ones that are normally free and you actually have to seek out. Here we see two cars demonstrating two of these slots - DY52OLC at the end of Randall Road, and NY54EWP at the bottom of Ambrose Road.

What these camera angles don't show is that both of these cars have bits of paper stuck under their windscreen wipers. They were probably from admiring local residents congratulating the drivers on locating these hidden parking spots, but we'll never know - sadly, the rain has rendered them illegible!

Concerned of Cliftonwood

PS: In the case of DY52OLC it could be to apologise for the fresh dent in the back right hand corner. Whilst admiring the honesty of the perpetrator, we say: next time, use indelible ink! Unfortunately, the wronged car owner will never know who you are.

Trouble at Hampton House

We like Hampton House. A physiotherapy hospital where even the staff drive to work and park on the pavement. Those are people who know most about the dangers of physical exercise, who know walking is dangerous. That is not only why they don't walk much themselves, they try to discourage others. Presumably inside there are posters encouraging people to take up watching TV instead of playing football or walking.

Today, T508BGD has a note in its window.

Not a ticket, not some printed junk, something handwritten.

Please Mate!

This car is

parked illegally your

car is on the

(obscured) not on

Hampton (obscured)

you are liable

to be fined by the

police or Traffic Wardens

Mary,

1st Floor reception

P.S. We have had complaints about

this

This is interesting.To be honest, we are surprised by this. We would have thought if the local troublemakers were to be whining, it would be about an NHS van driving down a bikes only contraflow then stopping half on the pavement, half blocking the path. That one even we in B.T. think is just pushing the envelope of defensibility. But why was the van forced to do what it did? Because of the commuters parked on the pavement. If the Hampton House staff didn't block the pavement, there would be a way for vans to legally drive and park that wouldn't even upset the tax-dodgers who pootle round here.

We hope they avoid monty

Here in Cliftonwood, someone pins up notes telling off drivers for parking on the pavement. Someone who lives here must have an issue with it. We just hope they never go to Montpelier, as they'd explode in anger and resentment.

The first car looks like it's been here a couple of days, and sports a penalty ticket, presumably for the expired tax disk.

28-01-10 P286SFB

Please remove your car from the pavement and consider mothers with pushchairs

Facing this car is KN52WNT, which also has a couple of bits of paper. One listing the "traced" address of the vehicle, the other telling it off

Just because one moron blocks the footpath. Do you have to follow suit. What about mums with pushchairs wheelchair users and people with poor eyesight please think of someone else rather than just yourself. you selfish person

This is fascinating. What it tells us is that a bit of paveparking is so unusual in Cliftonwood that people are surprised by it -that they go to the effort of writing notes, of complaining. Wow.

Warning Note

Lovely note from the bit of Cotham/Kingsdown which may become a Residents Parking Zone. Clearly the motorcyclists who live here have some problem with vehicles blocking access, and have resorted to signage.

This one does not make any direct threats, merely threatens the superstitious.

DO NOT

PARK HERE

The wrath of the ancients will fall upon
your head, your shoelaces will not stay tied.
Rabid squirrels will invade your home.
Food in your refrigerator will mysteriously
spoil. Your vehicle will start making
that expensive knocking sound again and
No-one will talk to you at parties.

Subtle, yet containing enough threats to discourage most people. Except, wait a minute -Bristol doesn't have a rabies problem. A quick search reveals that the original came from abroad.

Polite Note

A car in Upper Cheltenham Place, Montpelier, has a note on its windscreen.

What does it say?

When you park here please pull right
up to the telegraph pole. In order that I
can get in and out my home with my
bike, buggies or Kayak.

Its probably honest, pragmatic, and may produce enough guilt for the driver to consider following the request. But what it does not produce is fear, not for the driver of P583HAN. Kayaks? Bicycles? Baby Buggies? Nothing to fear from those.

No, better to say something like "It is very hard to get my chainsaws and hunting rifles in and out of the house without damaging your car. This upsets my son, who, being on remand for attempted murder, does not need to get upset. Please park in a way which does not cause more problems ofr my household?

Hedge Funs Update

Following on from a previous post examining the important role nature can play in a childs upbringing and the opportunities for first hand experience provided by the cars parked on Bright Street we are pleased to bring you an update with the current state of progress regarding the car vs hedge vs pushchair situation. It appears someone has come up with a perfect solution... and removed the hedge.Meaning that silver van M991LHB and blue Golf P601LKP have plenty of room to park on the pavement and still allow enough room for pedestrians and for wheelchair access as requested in the leaflets that the Police have been leaving on car windscreens in the area.
The covers of the leaflets placed on windscreens in the Redfield / Barton Hill are a bit cryptic not giving much of a clue to the advice they contain, unlike the ones placed on vehicles in St Werburghs which have the advice clear to see.

" There have been considerable parking problems in this area recently including:
* Parking on the pavement.
* Parking on both sides of the road which restricts access to emergency vehicles.
* Parking on a cycle lane.

Police will be carrying out regular patrols in this area and will be issuing tickets and considering removal of vehicles if they are causing an obstruction. Please park with consideration and leave a wheelchair width space on the pavement and enough room for an emergency vehicle to get through. If this is not possible please park elsewhere. "

So in conclusion, pavement parking is Police approved as long as you leave enough space for a wheelchair. And if there's not enough width on the pavement it's a good idea to remove whatever is causing the obstruction on the other side of the pavement before considering removing the car.

In the case of Y499NLC seen here on Picton Street...
a simple removal of the wall along with the fire exit that is currently cramping the space on the pavement would be a perfect solution. Not only would it open up the width of remaining pavement to allow a wheelchair through, it would also allow anyone who became trapped in a fire inside the adjacent building to escape without having to risk the horrendous possibility of scratching the car when attempting to use the fire exit.

Going over the edge in Kingsdown

Always interesting to see what notes get stuck on car windscreens. This car is parked legally, not blocking any junction or driveway, isn't even within 50' of a junction, that being a parking law that doesn't exist in Bristol or any other UK city. Ever.

What does the note say?

"IF YOU DON'T LIVE
HERE, DON'T PARK
HERE - YOU MAKE
IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR
THE RESIDENT FAMILIES"

Perfect punctuation, capital lettered. Someone spent time on this.

The problem is, parking on a road where it is legal to do so, not blocking driveways etc is in fact technically legal. So there isn't much you can do about it. There's also the question of what the resident families were planning on doing with their cars -they weren't trying to go to another part of town themselves, park in front of someone else's house, do a school dropoff or similar -where they?

It would seem equally legitimate for this commuter to go round putting notes on everyone's doors complaining that the resident families make it impossible for commuters to park. And for both the resident families and the commuters to put notes under the windscreen of every car owned by a resident that doesn't get used for commuting or school runs, but instead sits there while the parent -selfishly- doesn't drive to school or work. It is those people, the so-called environmentally friendly cyclists, who are the worst. Not only do they slow cars down on the road, by leaving their cars in the street, they are the ones denying the rest of the city parking spaces!

More road politeness

On the very same spring day we saw a previous polite note, this car, parked just round the corner in Cotham Road South, also sports one

It says you have parked across a disabled space so we couldn't get our wheelchair in the car all day.

and yes, it does seem to have managed to back up against the disabled car to the extent that it is impossible to move that car or get the wheelchair in or out the back

Again, it's a really polite note. Points out the specific failing of the person parking, makes it clear that it is considered socially unacceptable, and leaves it at that. Any other time of year, it would be a call to the police and parking and shortly later, a towing. Yet on this sunny spring day, nothing but a polite note. Heartwarming.

Road Politeness

Road rage stories make the press, so its nice to see people being polite.

Here is a car HN06ZGG that has moved two dustbins and some bags of scaffolding so they'd have somewhere to park in Kingsdown.

Clearly the builder trying to work there is inconvenienced. But do they get upset? Do they get abusive. No, they leave a nice polite note on the windscreen

Many thanks for parking over driveway and moving bags, but we need access to driveway for parking as working in No3, Any problems knock on door. Thanks.

That is the politest such note yet encountered. Spring must be making everyone feel goodwill towards others.

The next evening, they are defending the driveway with a collection of potted plants.

One of the big arguments about making this street in Kingsdown residents only is that it would be expensive to have builders round. Compared to having to mark out a space in potted plants and still run the risk of someone taking it, that cost may be acceptable to residents. And it will stop that Carol Voerderman coming round to use the Laundrette just round the corner.

Green ink

While cycling along the pavement last week, one of our correspondents almost fell off their bike after riding over this slippery piece of plastic found in the middle of the path. It appears to be a threatening note to a car in Redland, Britain's Greenest Suburb, as the car was blocking another car in a driveway. Which is ironic in so many ways.

The note says "THIS TYPE OF PARKING DOES NOT ALLOW ENOUGH SPACE FOR US TO GET ON AND OFF THE DRIVE. NEXT TIME........!"

All in capital letters, all in green ink. According to wikipedia, letters written in green ink with excessive capitalisation are often the sign of impending insanity, and feared by all letter readers of newspapers. Presumably the recipient of this letter was so scared by the ink, the text and the capital letters that they drove off in a hurry, discarding this note in the middle of the pavement in their terror, never to darken the gates of another driveway again.

For anyone wishing to emulate this letter writer, the font Felt Tip Roman can be used when mass-printing such threatening letters while still retaining the hand-scrawled-by-someone-hearing-voices appearance. It's what we do. When the voices tell us to.

Speak softly and carry a big stick

Two weeks ago: the parents outside a school in Cotham debating the best way to key-tattoo a car blocking pedestrian access by the school.

Last week: someone in Clifton gets their tyres let down for parking badly.

This week, opposite Clifton High, the Peugeot Y877TDL gets a polite telling off.

See that black car that looks like it is about to do a U-turn without indicating? It's actually parked in what appears to be the middle of a junction. It also appears to have been there long enough to get a cease-and-desist note

It says "Please refrain from obstructing the junction to worcester terrace. Kind regards. "

The actual question of whether this car is obstructing the junction is one of debate. It is almost close enough to the corner to block the lowered pavement, so it can consider itself acceptably parked. Yet the letter write felt differently, and felt strongly enough to drop them a note.

Not an abuse rant, not even public web site commentary. No, a pleasant little handwritten letter. But such a well written letter. The only people who write such polite and elegant notes are lawyers. There's so much implicit menace in the sentences that only a lawyer would know to put the please and kind in to take the edge of and to introduce ambiguity in the court case. Take refrain -legal speak for stop doing this and never do it again. Then there's "obstructing the junction". An unambiguous statement of what the author feels the car is up to. B accepting the letter the driver of Y877TDL it probably implicitly accepting that they have done exactly that. Then there's the closing "Kind Regards". Friendly, but with the threat that they are being watched. Yes, a lawyer of some sort wrote this. And have billed the driver a minimum of 1 hours labour and the serving fee for placing it on the windscreen. Subtle.