Bristol is a centre of excellence when it comes to innovative solutions to maximising the use of cars in a crowded urban environment. I have previously documented some of the ways in which drivers have found parking spaces where once there were none. Bristol Traffic is an indefatigable campaigner for the freedom of car drivers in Bristol, threatened as they are by the muddled thinking of the pro-bike lobby. I humbly follow in their wake.
This is an interesting bit of blue sky thinking, when it comes to parking for the man-on-the-go. The driver of this Mitsubishi Colt, R643KAV, has found a way to avoid those wasted moments usually spent lining up the car parallel to the pavement. Unfortunately, I missed the arrival of the car, so I couldn't see if the driver jumped out and crouched behind the wall, covering the house door with a handgun and shouting "Come on out with your hands up! Get out an APB and get on down to the DA's office! Carter, you slaaaag! Right, you're nicked!" or any of the vocabulary of television crime shows of the 70s.
But I did see him saunter out and drive away a while later.
And it's a red car - couldn't wait to get to his mistress perhaps? Parking 'à cheval' is allowed in our village (how else would the traffic continue to flow smoothly?), problem is, some people's idea of a horse is bigger than others. We always make a big thing of squeezing past - "oh dear the mirror got moved"
ReplyDeleteYour car roof looks lovely and shiny - no doubt a skill learnt at sea.
Astonishing.
ReplyDeleteI drive a ten-year-old dark blue Honda CR-V, which is a medium-sized 4x4, and it's sometimes a handful to park, particularly as I never have been a dab hand at anything skilful. Nevertheless I do try to be VERY VERY considerate and legal when parking. In Brighton you jolly well have to be, and I've some similar experience of parking in Southville and Bedhampton in Bristol as well. There is NO excuse for stupid parking. If you do that and are in the way of an ambulance or fire engine, then that should mean a criminal offence.
Incidentally, I know I'm not green, and can't convincingly defend my choice of personal transport, but I do 'need' a large car for caravanning (power and weight are essential for that), general carrying of personal goods and people (I live out of town, with limited public transport options), and also the 'personal security' angle of large-car ownership is highly important to me (being a timid pre-transition wimp, and now a feeble and pathetic girly person and potential city crime victim).
did he "roll over" the bonnet before getting in to the car... through the window ??
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Really Dru aren't you being a little harsh on this driver, who is obviously an amateur in the parking game. While he has managed to block the driveway, he has failed to position his vehicle to achieve the more essential task of blocking the pavement. After all, any respectable citizen will be at work all day and won't be inconvenienced by a blocked driveway; but pedestrians (many with shopping trollies, baby buggies and untethered children) must be taught that pavements are there solely to ease the lot of the hard-pressed motorist; and should be seen as a wise provision on the part of our far-sighted and benevolent council.
ReplyDeleteI used to take pride in the way my car was always the dirtiest on the street, Anji; and it was impressive the way that other cars would get out of my way becuse it was obvious that I didn't mind it getting dented... times change and I now polish. And am expected to give way to everything on the road, apparently...
ReplyDeleteI doubt it, Nicky; it might have scuffed the paintwork. Actually, on the subject of boy racers and their cars (were we on the subject? -let's pretend so) a neighbour with a Subaru with spoilers-n-stuff once washed the car three times in a day, because it got rained on and I guess rain is dirty...
I am quite annoyed at the lack of enforcement in Bristol, Lucy; cars parked dangerously on corners can expect, at worst, a pro-forma note from the police asking them not to do it again. On one car parked diagonally at a nearby corner, the car and the note remained in position for a week...
Mea culpa, John, mea maxima culpa
Hello Dru, I'm Graham.
ReplyDeleteIan warned his readers about me.
I'm sure that with just a tad more motivation and commitment to his craft, this driver could have parked vertically between the tree and post. Which is where life often finds some of us.
Very pleased to read you,
Graham
Hi Graham! Thanks for saying hello. I'm enjoying your blog too
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