r/mildlyinfuriating Nov 07 '19

Selfish Parking

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49.2k Upvotes

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343

u/roop26roop Nov 08 '19

It doesn’t work like that in England, unless it’s done by the police or local authority, removing a car by private tow truck would be considered theft. Sticking strongly worded notes anonymously to vehicles is how we deal with issues like this

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u/zooberwask Nov 08 '19

I think he's asking why doesn't the government call for a tow truck

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Why would they?

Royal Mail is privately owned. Makes fuck all difference to the government if their letters get delivered on time or not.

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u/dumbartist Nov 08 '19

Huh. I didn’t realize the mail service was private in the UK

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19 edited Apr 08 '23

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

And we will soon be thanking them for doing the same to the NHS!

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u/captainAwesomePants Nov 08 '19

So why isn't it just called Mail?

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u/collinsl02 Nov 08 '19

Because it still carries the Monarch's correspondence.

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u/ThePenultimateOne Nov 08 '19

Republicans would do the same in the US if they could. Thank goodness it is literally in our constitution that they cant.

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u/bubblesaurus Nov 08 '19

Now serving - REPUBLIC MAIL

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Lol what? Get a grip on reality dude the evil white people aren’t trying to privatize your useless mail

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u/ThePenultimateOne Nov 08 '19

From Wikipedia:

On June 21, 2018, President Trump proposed a sweeping government reorganization that would sharpen the focus on workforce training, consolidate government-assistance programs and shrink federal agencies. As part of this proposal, he recommended restructuring the postal service with an eye toward privatization. According to his proposal, privatization would cut costs and give the financially burdened agency greater flexibility in adjusting to the digital age.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

And yet it runs just as well now, if not better, than it always used to. That's a very simplistic way of looking at it.

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u/ProcrastibationKing Nov 08 '19

Lol I’ve never seen it run so poorly in my area.

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u/[deleted] Nov 09 '19

really? I've had far fewer issue with them now that they aren't striking constantly

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

[deleted]

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u/serious_sarcasm Nov 08 '19

IDK, conservatives love bankrupting public institutions to privatize them.

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u/Sproded Nov 08 '19

But the cars parked illegally either way.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Is it? Where in the country is this that it's illegal?

It's not uniformly illegal to park on the pavement throughout the country, you'd need to know the exact location and check the local laws.

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u/tanvscullen Nov 08 '19

You're right, I live opposite a primary school. Had a knock on the door one day and a police officer asked me if I could drive my car up onto the pavement a bit, to widen the road more for passing vehicles (I'd just moved in and didn't realise how busy it could get). I told him I thought it was illegal to partially park on the pavement and he informed me so long as there's enough space for a double pram it's absolutely fine. If you park entirely on the pavement and block access then I think you can get a fine, otherwise its okay.

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u/Chemoralora Nov 08 '19

I don't know why people are down voting you, this is correct

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u/18002255288 Nov 08 '19

London

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

I can't see anything in the picture indicating it's in London, do you know which street it is?

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Not even all of London is it illegal. Plenty of roads allow it still.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

[deleted]

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u/FunkadelicRock Nov 08 '19

But, but.. the movies

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u/Sproded Nov 08 '19

I’d hate to live in a place where the only criteria for parking is to not endanger someone. There’s a reason most people and cities have laws that make it so there’s designated areas where you can’t park because it is an inconvenience to the greater population.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Sproded Nov 08 '19

Which has nothing to do with parking laws. Cities can tow cars themselves you know.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Sproded Nov 08 '19

You can’t just tow anyone in the US. Do you think it’s the Wild West? You still need to be parked illegally and hindering the public. You just don’t have to be creating an eminent danger to society.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Even then it's not uniformly illegal to park on the pavement, the person in the picture may just be a dick, but parked perfectly legally.

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u/devourer09 Nov 08 '19

Americans crave punishment!!

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u/captain_pandabear Nov 08 '19

I got a $250 tow for parking in a friends apartment complex overnight one space away from “guest parking” when there was 50+ open spaces around the complex. Came at 6 am to tow me.

Y’all literally can’t have mail for a day cause of some assholes parking? Hell yeah we think that deserves a tow.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19 edited Nov 08 '19

You'll potentially get fined, etc, but you won't get towed.

Why would you illegally tow someone's car just because they've parked somewhere that's a bit inconvenient to you?

Edit: Downvoting this doesn't change that towing is incredibly rare in the UK, and won't happen unless you're parked in a way that's dangerous to others.

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u/Sproded Nov 08 '19

I don’t think anyone is saying that towing is common in the UK. I’m saying maybe there should be other criteria for towing besides dangerous behavior.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Why? There's no need for it other than to line the pockets of towing companies.

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u/Sproded Nov 08 '19

There’s no need to have stop lights. We could just have everyone take forever trying to navigate a busy intersection with a stop sign, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have stop lights. We don’t need to take care of the elderly. Doesn’t mean we should just ignore them.

Stop looking at everything like we should only do what we need. That’s a terrible mindset.

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u/Blibbobletto Nov 08 '19

It would be really inconvenient to have someone parked across the entrance to your store right? Would you just leave it there until it left?

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19 edited Nov 08 '19

I don't own a shop, and if I did I wouldn't give a fuck.

If it's not parked illegally in a manner that's dangerous to others, there's not much that can be done. You may get a fine, but you won't be towed unless it's private land and the landowner decides to have it towed themselves.

Also why do you keep following me around this comment section?

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u/sivvus Nov 08 '19

Why is this guy downvoting every one of your posts?

I mean, on the subject of prats...

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u/Blibbobletto Nov 08 '19

You wouldn't give a fuck a someone prevented people from getting into your business for a full day? Probably a good thing you don't own one

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

That’s awesome, fuck towing companies. In the USA they’re Rampant

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u/Chemoralora Nov 08 '19

Outside of certain local authorities its not illegal go park on pavement in the UK

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u/forrestwalker2018 Nov 08 '19 edited Mar 29 '26

bake hat resolute sand scary apparatus political encouraging ask toy

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u/nrith Nov 08 '19

removing a car by private tow truck would be considered theft

Holy shit, really? This happens all the time in the US. We have predatory towing, where spotters from tow companies are posted in parking lots and call a truck over if they see someone step one foot outside the designated lot or one of its stores. Been the victim myself a few times.

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u/5-s Nov 08 '19

Yeah I've been towed for staying until 6:10 a.m. for a zone that was legal until 6:00 in Philly.

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u/VenflonBandit Nov 08 '19

Yep. It's not really theft, but it's a specific criminal offence per the protection of freedoms act 2012 to tow or clamp a car if you aren't basically the government or working for them

But the DVLA will share your details so private companies can give what effectively amount to tickets

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

That's actually outrageous

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19 edited Nov 17 '19

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Prat only has one t.

Also, if not the postman, who do you propose would be ordering the towing of the vehicle?

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u/Blibbobletto Nov 08 '19

The constabulary you daft pillock

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Right, so in the half day the police take to come and look at it, assuming it's still there and the police's time hasn't been wasted, they book and pay for a tow truck, which might not turn up for several hours.

Now some dickhead has their car impounded, the police have lost time and money, and the letters still haven't gotten anywhere any quicker. Lose lose situation really.

It's also worth noting that typically post boxes are angled away from the road for this exact reason, so for someone in a rush that is not local it's an easy mistake to make.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Unless the car is parked illegally in a manner that's endangering others, that's not happening.

Also, you phoning the police for a car parked in front of a postbox? They'd laugh at you, and rightfully so.

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u/Blibbobletto Nov 08 '19

So it's not illegally parked? Then why is it selfish parking? If it's not illegal to block the mailbox with your car that's a pretty shitty design.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

It's a dick move, but not necessarily illegal, depending on where in the country they're located.

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u/Blibbobletto Nov 08 '19

I guess your police are too busy confiscating cooking implements to have time to enforce parking restrictions

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u/zCourge_iDX Apple Nov 08 '19

There are more important things in society than badly parked cars, mate.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Shite patter.

There are no visible parking restrictions in the picture.

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u/Blibbobletto Nov 08 '19

In the picture with most of the box and some of the car cropped out? I'm sure there can't be a no parking sign anywhere else.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

So the mail system there would just shut down indefinitely if enough prats parked their cars selfishly?

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19 edited Nov 17 '19

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

Firstly, being illegal doesn't always mean it endangers people.

That's why I said parked illegally in a manner that's endangering people.

Secondly, usually when you get something towed the police don't have to come. It's a council matter.

The person I replied to said the police would be the ones doing it, you daft twat. Read the entire thread in future before butting in with your shite.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19 edited Nov 17 '19

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19 edited Nov 08 '19

They said constabulary, which is police you illiterate nonce.

Look at the comment I replied to that mentions constabulary, not OP's comment.

Again, actually read the thread and engage your brain before hitting out with your pish.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19 edited Nov 17 '19

[deleted]

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u/SangitinFrance Nov 08 '19

Stop pretending to be British you nonce

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u/IAmNotMyName Nov 08 '19

Isn’t the mailman a government authority though?

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u/DezzaJay Nov 08 '19

Not any more since Royal Mail was privatised.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

[deleted]

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u/GuessImNotLurking Nov 08 '19

Federal Express

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u/shtpst Nov 08 '19

Parliament Express

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u/nrith Nov 08 '19

That's only in Chocolate City.

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u/shtpst Nov 08 '19

I see you, CC.

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u/gruffogre Nov 08 '19

S Express

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u/DezzaJay Nov 08 '19

They did try and change the name to Consignia years back and most people didn’t know it changed and caused a lot of confusion so if IIRC they just changed it to Royal Mail. It was just the post office before that.

I couldn’t tell you all the facts on that as I’m not sure. However we still use stamps as we always have which have the queens head on, to deface one would technically be illegal so that’s where the royal bit comes from I guess.

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u/collinsl02 Nov 08 '19

The Post Office still exist as a government-owned entity separate from the Royal Mail.

The Post Office handle things like old age pensions, government forms, sending parcels, selling stamps etc and are separate from the Royal mail.

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u/tonyrocks922 Nov 08 '19

Why do the Royal Mail deliver Post but the US Postal Service deliver Mail?

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u/serious_sarcasm Nov 08 '19

Things get a bit wibbly wobbly over the pond.

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u/beholdkrakatow Nov 08 '19

Our side of the pond or theirs?

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u/bakershalfdozen Nov 08 '19

Ah I see. I thought passive aggression was something I learned from my parents but really it's just an ingrained part of my British lineage.

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u/wonderfvl Nov 08 '19

Six or seven of you could have moved that little car yourselves.

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u/SlowLoudEasy Nov 08 '19

While I have you. How long do I steep a tea bag for. Black tea.

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u/ximeleta Nov 08 '19

I usually stick a note that says: "sorry about the scratch". I have seen people walking around the car 4-5 times looking for it.

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u/PiratesBootyCall Nov 08 '19

Ah, the British: Brutally polite with one another, brutal with the conquered

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

[deleted]

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u/Blibbobletto Nov 08 '19

They tow cars that are parked illegally. How is that unaccountable?

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '19

[deleted]

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u/Blibbobletto Nov 08 '19

Lol where do live that that's true? I should open up a tow company and just tow every car I see. I'll still come out ahead