The problem with cars and other motorised vehicles

I reckon that the road system is a bit of a mess here in the UK – it has evolved haphazardly to cope with larger, faster and heavier vehicles. Although it doesn’t always cope that well. For some strange reason, perhaps the fact that car-owning has been marketed as an aspirational “one up on the Jones” thing to own many car drivers seem to feel that the roads were made for them.

For instance lorries are banned from overtaking on parts of the A14 to cut congestion for much of the day.  Why – so that cars don’t get held up, although arguably lorries are doing real work for the benefit of the economy. Look how residents without their own parking squeal when they can’t park on “their” road. They want resident parking – although not to have to pay too much for it. I bet that lots of people who live in residential streets think that they should have first call to be able to park outside their house. You only have to follow some bulletin boards to see how heated it can get (try a Google search on “park outside house”).

I think it might be to do with wanting to protect their territory and the car is an expensive extension of their territory. It is understandable wanting to be able to keep an eye on it I suppose. I reckon that is also why some Pavement Parkers park on the pavement. They want to protect their investment.

So I thought it was great that the Cambridge Cyclist has tackled the Police and Crime Commissioner over this issue and wrote to him.  Well done.  The trouble is this issue affects the elderly, the inform, the young and those with young. The people who probably find it difficult to drive – so this sort of behaviour creates an underclass of the road. The trouble is no-one quite seems to have the political will to deal with the problem. Even worse we seem to have some in government suggesting that parking for 15 minutes on yellow lines is fine.   What mixed messages eh. So if 4 cars an hour come along they can just continue to block the flippin double yellows – what planet are some people on.

I won’t hold my breath for a solution.

Pavement Parking Lode

Cars parked in a bus stop – kind of supports the idea that cars are the superior vehicle.

Bus Stop Parking Lode

Cars parked

The issue is we are just not consistent about these issues.

Various examples of cars parking on pavements in Cambridgeshire

The odd one out – well the last one – when there is not enough space for all the cars then the clear message is stuff the pedestrians (and the pavements). To make it clear I do not take pictures of every car/van parked on the pavement that I see – but a quick trawl through old posts on my Blog has thrown up these.

Let’s see how the PCC reacts.