What can we do if blocked in or out?

[Grassman]

Following on from the thread about the farmer who "moved" a car out of his drive with a telehandler just what can we do if blocked in or out of our land or on a road blocked by poor parking?
In an ideal world police would come out and sort the situation very quickly but in the real world they just havn't the manpower.
So what can we legally do?

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Lots of 'mays'

JFDI. Don't be seen.



Edited to say that I'm sure on most occasions there really isn't any need for things to escalate as I'm sure most would be horrified to think they had caused any inconvenience.
These comments are for the evidently ignorant.

 

[76masseyman]

We’ve had vehicles left by ramblers / dog walkers etc. If the vehicle obstructs us from going about our duties at that specific time, then we prevent the owner from going about theirs upon return to it.
Just a couple of strategically placed, large bales, or a trailer parked tight up to the car / van does the trick, and no damage done.
Never had the same one twice !

 

[bobk]

Since lockdown we've had a few parking in gateways etc , my action was to post a printed note informing them they were parked on private land ,
Word gets round on whattsapp and facebook .

 

[Clive]

If you park for even a nano second on private land with an enforcement contractor you get a civil penalty charge or something similar. Could one "prove" a cost to a business for delays and charge the registered owner of the vehicle with adequate proof ?

if you can demonstrate clear consequential loss then if you want to pay a lawyer you probably have a case

 

[Grassman]

• Under no circumstances would we advocate you merely pushing the vehicle onto a road and leaving it there, as you may commit an offence.
• Don't damage/clamp the vehicle or have it removed by a third party without first seeking legal advice. If you do this, you may commit a criminal offence or the owner may pursue a civil action against you.
• You may be able to obtain the cost of having the vehicle removed from the vehicle owner but you will need to speak to your legal advisor about this.

Hmm not a lot of use when you have work to do there and then.
I wonder what police would do if we parked in the gateway to the local police station and blocked them all in.
Can't have one rule for them and a different one for the peasants!

 

[Wurzeetoo]

If you park for even a nano second on private land with an enforcement contractor you get a civil penalty charge or something similar. Could one "prove" a cost to a business for delays and charge the registered owner of the vehicle with adequate proof ?

There’s many hoops to be jumped through before you can issue a penalty charge notice. That sign with small print at the entrance is actually a contract and by entering the carpark you are agreeing to the stipulations. From experience it really is hard work to get an abandoned vehicle removed from private land

 

[PSQ]

I have a set of fork extensions which fit our forklift and/or telehandler, which I use together with some soft rubber blocks to lift up various vehicles in order to work on/clean the undersides. I can move any car without doing any damage - and have done, admittedly only on a couple of occasions.

And if the extension forks are long enough you can lift from the end instead of the side.
As they say on Blue Peter, here’s one we made earlier:

It wasn’t us getting ‘lairy’, it was caused by a gearbox seizing solid on a single track road, and it was either this or drag it and destroy the tyres…

 

[Jackov Altraids]

Hmm not a lot of use when you have work to do there and then.
I wonder what police would do if we parked in the gateway to the local police station and blocked them all in.
Can't have one rule for them and a different one for the peasants!

It's all ass covering. If you start making calls and asking for advice, you are in trouble.
Best sort things and let someone else take on legal costs for something they will find difficult to prove.

 

[Turnip]

Which bit?

I meant it calls moving a vehicle without authorization out as a criminal act. This thread seems to call it a civil matter

 

[Al R]

Since lockdown we've had a few parking in gateways etc , my action was to post a printed note informing them they were parked on private land ,
Word gets round on whattsapp and facebook .

We had people driving 100 mile each way during lockdown in the winter to come fishing here, a few swift words with some of the ones that got their vehicles stuck and no more vehicles arrived for months, a friend who’s on 1 of the angling groups said that it was put on the Welsh angling group not to come here or vehicles wouldn’t be where they left them, this isn’t “just inside” private property but a few miles inside with countless no access signs.

Locally I know a few times where police have been called because people have gone on a 12hr hike and abandoned cars on the roads so fire vehicles and lorries can’t get through let alone anything else, the response I’ve always had is “open them up like a tin can”

 

[MRT]

Criminal to remove a trespassers car from your property? But ok to use reasonable force to evict the trespasser on foot? Seems unlikely. So they have no responsibility at all then once the vehicle is there it is your responsibility to look after it and should any damage occur due to removal/cattle/poor judgement of space with the tractor you are liable?

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Have a block of land that is handy for folk to park in to go walking, plus drop offs for car sharing.

Used to leave notes on the windscreens basically saying you only get one warning and this is it.
Took a year or 3 but zero issues nowadays.

 

[puppet]

Criminal to remove a trespassers car from your property? But ok to use reasonable force to evict the trespasser on foot? Seems unlikely. So they have no responsibility at all then once the vehicle is there it is your responsibility to look after it and should any damage occur due to removal/cattle/poor judgement of space with the tractor you are liable?

I'm afraid that the law is very much against you just like landlord/tenant evictions.
It is a civil matter if someone parks on your drive. You may be liable for damage. But as stated above I don't think parking another vehicle to block them is criminal as it is also a civil matter

 

[betweenthelines]

Lots of 'mays'

JFDI. Don't be seen.

As above. Have a look round, shout, toot your horn and if no one appears move it.

If they return later to find their car has been damaged, how will they prove you did it? If they say they saw you, why didn't they make themselves known to you?

 

[pgk]

Asked barrister to make sure he was not blocking one of our rarely used entrances as we had lorry coming following morning at 6am and we would be backing lorry up to load pigs. Ten to 6 and car blocking our entrance, no reply despite hammering on his second home door. Dragged car 50 yards onto grass verge. Lorry was just leaving when he appeared bleary eyed. "Wtf is my wife's new car", "well you parked it down on grass verge did you not, thank you" without so much as a smirk as I walked back over the very black lines of rubber

 

[ajcc]

Pallet forks and two fence posts across the tines gives damage free lift and resite somewhere memorable!

 

[Exfarmer]

Pallet forks and two fence posts across the tines gives damage free lift and resite somewhere memorable!

Dont you believe it. Many cars today have vulnerable points anywhere below the chassis. Speak to avtyre company about the perils of jacking without getting the right points!

 

[harrow]

Pallet forks and two fence posts across the tines gives damage free lift and resite somewhere memorable!

Its the way car auction companies move non running cars

 

[SteveHants]

I'll probably be laughed at for this, but I've had far, far more success in life at getting people to do what I want by asking nicely/being charming about it.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

If you do drag it out of the way, make sure you drag it IN TO your field and then lock the gate.

You’ll be able to have a little word or two then a bit later.