The BR always knows how to make a mountain of a molehill :-)
Ring the cops, if they aren't interested then ring a scrap company to come and tow it away, they may not pay you for it but I bet it won't cost much/anything.
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Oh Blue, fancy spoiling their fun :-) That's exactly what I'd do. I wouldn't risk antagonising any low life by hemming them in or letting the tyres down, not when it'd be pretty obvious who it was and where you live.
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Just out of interest, what are the tyres like? Much tread left?
Edited by RichieW on 21/02/2009 at 23:39
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If this is now showing insurance then I'd move it somewhere else (illegal but not blocking anything). Last October on a Greek island our bus was blocked by a car.... bus driver moved it into the road on the other side (totally blocking it) and drove on. They had left the keys though.
Still think I'd check with police or council first... but not giving address or the reg if they cannot help. Then do plan B.
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Oh Blue fancy spoiling their fun :-)
I know, I'm a right spoilsport aren't I? I just can't see the point in doing anything else!
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Would a scrap company be prepared to tow away a locked car on the say-so of someone who doesn't have the keys or any documentation?
It might happen in an episode of Minder, but in real life? I doubt it.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of where it's parked, the car is not the OP's to dispose of - yet.
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Could be construed as theft - so be very careful about following advice like that.
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After asking neighbours my first call would be to the police. A friend's car was stolen and found a few days later parked up on a driveway.
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sadly this is one of the many areas where the police and the other powers that be let down the ordinary decent folk
its should be a simple matter of ringing the police and getting it moved and/or ticketed, sadly they will not routinely do this in the UK
funnily enough I used to share a house with a copper and when someone did this to us the car was given a nice big ticket to pay, which just goes to show the police CAN do something if they really want to
shame the police spend most of their time persecuting the honest decent folk and running scared of the real scum on the streets
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shame the police spend most of their time persecuting the honest decent folk and running scared of the real scum on the streets
Sorry retgwte, but the ones I deal with daily don't do that... they deal with drunks, fare dodgers, football hooligans... unless those are the honest decent folk you are talking about, just caught on an off day, perhaps?
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Give it a break retgwte. I doubt I'm alone in finding it's getting really tedious that every time anything to do with policing arises in a thread, there are some who will drag it off in the all-too-predictable direction. As a moderator, I try to read each and every post but I do like some variation in what I have to read.
Edited by smokie on 22/02/2009 at 18:16
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You ever stopped to consider smokie, that the predictable direction is a result of Joe Publics ever growing restlessness with the way Policing is carried out in this country and specifically in relation to motoring . Perhaps when law breaking , be it by a man in a car or a yob in a hoodie, is dealt with across the board in the same manner with the same level of punishment, detection and enforcement, your life will become easier.?
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Then pester your MP MrX rather than moan at the Police... they can only bring them before the beak, the punishments they recieve are goverened by Parliament... and I agree that they are not strong enough... I suspect that most Police think that as well... btw surely it should be "appropriate" level of punishment rather than "same"??
Edited by b308 on 22/02/2009 at 18:28
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Mr X, the job I am doing is moderating a forum and trying to keep it an entertaining and welcoming, yet fairly balanced. place. Much of the time I am not I expressing my owns views, as someone has already said it anyway.
Out of all of the moderators I have been extraordinarily patient and argued behind the scenes for allowing continuation of threads which are really too tedious for most people to read, or not really fit for the Backroom. I wouldn't be too far wrong if I said that a number of the more vocal members, you included, should be a bit grateful to my efforts that you still have an account here. But hey, that's the job.
I am obviously completely aware that there are lots of things with which people are not happy. This has always been the case, but this is primarily a motoring forum and this continual whinging and sniping about policing in general doesn't need to be continually repeated here, even though it may have an impact on motoring. Even our resident coppers can't post a reply without someone pulling it apart, analysing their every word.
All I am would like is for us to have discussions without resorting to the usual soft targets, and re-treading the same old ground that we've seen a hundred times before here. When there's something new and pertinent, by all means bring it up.
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snip
This thread is asking for advice on what to do about a car on a driveway blocking access to a garage. This thread is now heading into politics.
I am not pro police or anti police. My suggestion to those wanting to change things would be to see your MP. Or better still stand for election and have a chance of changing this for the better (or worse).
Edited by rtj70 on 22/02/2009 at 18:38
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This is becoming an issue in the backroom. It strikes me that for some time, and increasingly the last, say, 3 months, there have been individuals who post on here primarily to make political points and use any and every opportunity to expound their views on the, often tenuous, pretence of there being a motoring connection. Whether they are right or whether they are wrong it is now tiresome to have their, by now, well known, views aired continuosly. This latest anti Police post is offensive???shame the police spend most of their time persecuting the honest decent folk and running scared of the real scum on the streets? and I wish to register my objection to it. The BR is not the place it was . If the purpose and definition of this site of this forum is to change from? ?A place to discuss things with some connection to motoring?.?to?..?A place to discuss things with some connection to motoring at the same time as slating the Police, Government (either past, present or future), Local Authorities, Establishment in general at every opportunity?..then so be it, just let us know and we will know what to expect. Some here will have their own views and may adhere strongly to them but come here for what has, in the past, been an informative, often humorous and pleasant place to spend some time and do not become engaged in the political debate. That is their choice. If folk are going to face a barrage of unpleasant attacks ? coz that?s what they often are ? then the BR will lose some valuable contributors?.some have gone and that?s a shame. I?d appreciate it if I were not enticed in to becoming embroiled in escalating the arguments because my views are my own ? I?m just saying the BR isn?t the place it was and I?m sad about that.
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the way this is being moderated stinks
not only are posts edited to make it look like some folk are talking foolishly
the balanced honest legal decent opinions are manipulated by selective editing
and even words put in folks mouths that they did not themselves state
really the modetators need to take a long hard look at themselves
in the round the unedited views i have posted are pretty in line with what the majority of coal face coppers think
its almost as if we have a senior police officer amongst the moderators not prepared to listen to how the public really think?
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Well if you don't like the moderating style - you know what to do. Plenty of forums out there with different styles of moderating.
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"its almost as if we have a senior police officer amongst the moderators not prepared to listen to how the public really think?"
To my knowledge that not so but there are some amongst the ranks. I think the moderation has been more than accommodating of posters who go 'off on one' at every opportunity. Its getting so predictable.
In one of your posts above you feel that the Police should remove a car from a private driveway. They are not empowered to do so. You state a Policeman friend dished out a ticket in the self and same circumstances. Private place - not empowered to do so.
This forum is anonymous, the Police who contribute have put their heads above the parapet. There are also one or two others who have also revealed their occupations. Other than that who knows what anyone else does. The general feeling is that once the Police are involved in a post its 'game on' either deliberately trying to wind people up or always looking for
the most controversial slant on an argument to provoke a reaction. I have plenty to say about Planners and shoddy workmanship by almost every so called 'specialist' I've come across but I don't.
IF there is something constructive to say 'bring it on' but please less of the inane rhetoric.
Edited by Fullchat on 22/02/2009 at 20:08
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I tend not to get embroiled too much in the anti threads myself, others do it so well, BUT as in life, if you dont like it, dont listen, dont read and move on. I manage just fine.
Politics is intertwined in almost every area of motoring, maybe we should have a thread dedicated to it?
The Police serve the general public who pay their wages, so people feel they have the right to complain - there are a fair few posts that praise the Police too, so it would appear you wish to ignore that to serve your own agenda and have a moan - which puts you on their level.
If you find something offensive, report it and the mods will have a look at it - I have reported a fair few messages when I think it may risk being offensive and they are quick and fair.
This is a public forum and it suffers both the pitfalls and the richness that comes with such a place.
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Oh and whilst we're at it can we get back on the original topic please :-)
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You have set out clearly what I have been thinking for a time KB. I do think the moderators and HJ are good at sorting out the more extreme views and contretemps. Perhaps there has been an influx of contributors of a less moderate stance? Its often difficult to tackle the "sky is falling" line, without the risk of provoking an unresolvable argument on political lines.
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I was going to second KB's post without reservation, and I do agree that some postings/posters seem to have an anti-police attitude and possibly some sort of covert political agenda.
However, it's the sheer brainlessness of some of the comments and the attacks on the views of others others that gets me, as well as the lack of goodwill. Some of it seems to get close to being personal.
I'm not sure whether tougher moderating is the answer. There's a part of me that finds some of the "borderline offensive" material so ludicrous - and so predictable - it actually makes me smile. You know, I read a post and I think, "Oh, so-and-so will be along in a minute and what he'll say is..." and sure enough, up it comes.
Probably I'll get bored with it eventually. It can't be a good thing. I suppose I would accept any decisions made by the mods designed to make the BR a little more relaxed and friendly. Come to think of it, things have gone downhill recently.
P.S. Sorry, PU - yours and other posts have arrived while I was slowly assembling mine. I realise I'm perpetuating the off-topic drift.
Edited by ChrisPeugeot on 22/02/2009 at 19:52
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There is a thread marked credit crunch Vol 14 .Yes- VOL 14. If the credit crunch. it's causes and affects is non political than I am a Mark 11 Cortina !
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well i for one am hacked off having comments atributed to me that i did not make, in the real world it would be slander or otherwise liable
and the rest of you would probably benefit from being able to see what was said before the editing by the mods
i think the moderation is overly political in its own way, supporting a cushy complacent view of the world
the site should have some kind of upgrade for adults to see the full text without moderation
and i know hj has posted similar views which makes it all so silly
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re "In one of your posts above you feel that the Police should remove a car from a private driveway. They are not empowered to do so. You state a Policeman friend dished out a ticket in the self and same circumstances. Private place - not empowered to do so."
no our garage was blocked by a car on a public road, the car was done for obstruction or some such i forget, but it was done, please dont accuse me of being a liar it really doesnt help your argument
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Original Post:
"An unknown person parked a car on my driveway some time yesterday afternoon when I was out. It is parked hard up against my garage so I cannot open the garage door. What can I do about it. "
retgwte states:
".....funnily enough I used to share a house with a copper and when someone did this to us the car was given a nice big ticket to pay, which just goes to show the police CAN do something if they really want to....."
Slightly different version of events between a driveway and a public road but you fail to make that clear.
I'm not suggesting you are a liar just twisting the events to suit your purpose to then seemingly justify an inane rant - and that REALLY helps my argument.
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Meanwhile somewhere in England there is a stranger's car parked on someone else's drive; back on topic please guys.
Rob
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Is it still there ?
Is it time to simply put in a window, release the hand brake and return it to the public highway ?
Thats what I would do after this length of time.
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Police. If it's been stolen the owner can come for it.
Failing that, the council which presumably has trucks for lifting illegally parked cars.
I think under the circumstances I would break into it and move it myself. On the other hand if it isn't essential to use the garage for yr car, the gentler methods named above might be tolerated.
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They have had over 24 hours to ring the Old Bill who would have probably told them over the phone if the vehicle was of interest or not.
If not Plan B!
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If the legal owner has abandoned it, he'll have to be pretty thick skinned to come knocking on the bounce if you have heaved it off your property. If it has been dumped by any one else ( stolen, prank, act of revenge ) then the blame for it's removal via my means lies with the person who left it there.
next please !
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I would (if not already done) phone the non-emergency police number and ask them what to do.
We've not seen much of the original poster since lunchtime yesterday. Maybe we scared him away with the postings in his thread?
There could be a simple explanation for this still. I wonder if he he asked the neighbours. Not saying this is what happened but what if:
- Chroma lives near an airport
- Friend of the car owner told them to leave it on their drive when they go on holiday
- Owner got the wrong drive
or it could be anything. I'm not sure windows should be broken to get this off the drive. It might be private property but isn't that criminal damage?
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'It might be private property but isn't that criminal damage?
No probs, you do me for criminal damage and I'll do you for obstruction, fly tipping, trespass and anything else I can drag you through the courts for.
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re "I'm not suggesting you are a liar just twisting the events to suit your purpose to then seemingly justify an inane rant - and that REALLY helps my argument." i dont think i twist events any more than anyone else on either side of the argument
the reality remains for a garage blocked the police will currently not get involved
yet if its a coppers own garage and the blocking car is on the road they magically take an interest and find an appropriate power
and im sure if a car parked on a coppers drive they wouldnt take too long to trace the owner and have a friendly word, just like they could and should if it happens to someone else
i think your side of the argument has twisted events significantly more than mine!
anyways the public satisfaction ratings for the police are there for all to see and its not pretty for folk wanting to support the status quo
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yet if its a coppers own garage and the blocking car is on the road they magically
If the car doing the blocking is on the road the police can get involved. If on private land they cannot.
Please calm down. I think we've scared of the person asking the question so we'll never know the outcome.
I also think even if a drive is blocked, the police can get involved if it stops you getting off but not on the drive. Irrelevant here.
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If retgwte had not used some quotes, one exclamation mark and the capitals in "REALLY"... I was about to launch an appeal for his missing shift key to allow him to type sentences with capitals....
... an attempt at humour in a thread full of ranting :-)
Can we chill and see if the original poster comes back to answer questions or say how he's got on etc. Ta
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It doesn't need anything so drastic as window breaking.
Stout rope or strap around either a towing eye or other strong point and drag it out with a 4x4 in low range.
It will come out no bother and apart from a bit of light scrubbing to a tyre or two no damage.
Lot of fuss over a simple problem.
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I didn't twist anything. I took into account ALL the relevant information before I made a comment. You see its not necessarily what people say, its what they don't say that often counts.
Anyway to move on; if you want to talk about 'Satisfaction' statistics I'm your man! My force had a 75% Satisfaction rating and we were near the bottom. The highest was around 84%(Dorset) That's a survey across people who have actually had a service - victim, witness, partner agency even suspect. I don't think that's too bad considering the volume and type of work undertaken. That not a survey of people who have a friend of a friend who's 2nd cousin got a ticket for 31 MPH in a 30.
Always room for improvement though!
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...a friend of a friend who's 2nd cousin got a ticket for 31 MPH in a 30...
Hope plod took him round the back of the nick and worked him over as well - he deserved it. :)
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great
ive had "service" from the police numerous times in my life
never been asked for feedback, although this missus did once get a form which she binned
plenty of sites will list the poor treatment and support for victims, many victims are forced to move address and no doubt will not receive the form the force sends out to the address they had when the incident happened, its victims like this they really need to listen to!
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Highly irritating, yes, Police matter, no, unless you think the car has been stolen, or used in a crime perhaps.
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... and this thread was asking for help on a blocked garage. So stop discussing the police!
Or this will be locked. I've already emailed the original poster to tell them there is advice from some here. He's not been back since a few hours after he posted.
Thanks... apart from new suggestions and until the original poster responds... what more to discuss in a thread titled "Garage blocked by parked car" ??
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We could side track to discussing people who ask for help or advice but then don't bother coming back to see what has been offered and keep the rest of us up to date as to the outcome.
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No you won't Mr X. Thread is about a blocked garage isn't it.
It seems there is a need for an HonestJohn chatroom...thinking about that I am not sure a good idea.
Edited by rtj70 on 22/02/2009 at 21:32
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Ah but! If the original poster gets a questionnaire ....................... maybe not.
I'll get my coat.
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Monday morning and the car is still up against my garage. I did disappear, as it was put, but it was to go to work. The neighbours who were away returned last night but are now at work so I shall see them later. I was hoping that they had visitors and had all gone away together with the car being accidently left in the wrong place. I doubt it though.
I called in at the police station. As the car is on private property, they say they can do nothing and nor can the council. I was told that if I moved it and caused any damage, I could be held liable. It was suggested I pay a professional firm to move it. One policeman suggested that as it was an N reg car, I should be able to use a metal coat hanger to open it without damage, then push it down the road. I will let you know what happens next.
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Do you have any ' mates " you could assemble ready to hold discussions with the driver when they re appear. ?
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I have successfully opened a friend's car once using a wire coathanger. You need a loop on the end like a shepherd's crook, and feed it down past the door rubber to hook the pull-up button on the window cill.
Alternatives are a trolley jack to lift the handbraked wheels off the ground, then push it, if the drive is smooth enough. Or several people to bounce it on its suspension.
You will still need the jack or to bounce it to be able to steer it.
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