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What can I do to the annoying person always parking his ugly car in front of my home?

Do you sometimes wish you can do something to the annoying person who uses the road in front of your home as a parking bay? Can you do something?

Since we have often referred to parked car collisions in our discussion of car insurance we would like to share this interesting request for assistance emailed to the Arrive Alive road safety website with our readers:

Question:

A non resident of our road parks his vehicle out side of my house each day,early morning and then walks to the nearby railway station only returning and removing the vehicle after 6 pm.Often over weekends the vehicle will be left abandoned from early Friday morning to the following Monday evening.The vehicle is in very poor condtion and hardly roadworthy and is very unsightly outside of my property. I have asked him not to park outside of my house but he has ignored my request.

Is there anything legally that I can do to stop him from parking outside my house even though he his not obstructing my access and there are not any “no parking” signs where he parks.

Answer:

A difficult issue as there are too little facts given in my view.

Abandonment of a vehicle is not an issue as I assume it is in an urban area and 7 days is the time frame applicable before action can be taken. However if the vehicle is clearly in a poor condition then a call to the local traffic department should help to check the roadworthiness. Perhaps it is leaking oil, which would be an offence or is the licence disk up to date and correctly displayed, or is he causing a commotion when he parks that is disturbing the peace, etc, etc.

The writer does not say where he lives, but it is clearly in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town and I could refer it to the City Deputy Traffic Chief who could assist in that regard. However in respect of the parking, if the person is parked legally then there is nothing to do and I would not easily move my car if it was me and I was conveniently and safely parked.

In essence we live in a democracy and we can park where we “legally” can and operate a road worthy vehicle.

Perhaps not the answer the writer is wanting but with more information he can perhaps be helped.

Additional info provided in response:

The said vehicle has been parked outside my house since early Thursday morning and has not moved.

The vehicle certainly looks unroadworthy (full of dents ,cracked windscreen, bald tyres,etc) and I have just placed a call through to the Metro Police reporting the matter and they have undertaken to come and inspect the vehicle.

I take your point regarding the fact that one can legally park anywhere however as I am sure you will appreciate it is a little frustrating having a wreck of a car parked outside of your house for days on end with no sign of the owner.

I really appreciate the assistance that everybody has given me in this matter and hopefully the Metro Police can sort this out.

Also view:

What does your insurance company deem to be secured parking?

For more on Car Insurance Claims and Parking view:

  1. Parking with caution can prevent vehicle theft
  2. What does the law say about ‘Storing’ vehicles by parking on a public road
  3. Car Insurer finds women fear parallel parking!

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