Morris Minor Owners Club

There is a crossroads near me that has become a bit like Russian roulette to navigate. There is a through road with two two give-way T junctions up against it.
There are no yellow lines on the junctions, but there is a broken white line hatched area in the middle of one of the T junctions. (wish I could add a picture here, but lack the skills).
Am I right in thinking that if a vehicle parked close to the give way line forces other drivers to stray into the hatched area, then that vehicle is illegally parked?

I have asked a local parking enforcement officer, who said he did not know and told me to ask the police. I asked a police officer, who did not know either.

Thanks. John.

Its an offence under the highways act to cause unnecessary obstruction to other road users ,and extends to wilful obstruction ...https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/19 ... f4b7739fb3 Sure it was a proper police officer you asked,If so just shows how poor the training is these days,it used to be the bread and butter in mine,

Thanks kennatt.

I am sure that the driver who parks alongside the hatched area does not think they are wilfully obstructing the traffic. That rule seems to be open to interpretation and not specific enough. One enforcement officer might think forcing other road users to go into the hatched area is ok, another might not.

I believe there is a specific offence of driving over a mini roundabout, and yet other situations seem open to interpretation.

My understanding is that if the hatched lines are broken then it is ok for a vehicle to enter/cross the hatching. The hatching being advisory. If the hatched lines are solid then a vehicle is not entitled to enter/cross the hatching.
On the face of what is being said the parked vehicle is within its rights to park as it is even if it forces other drivers to enter the hatching..

You should not park within 10 metres of a junction unless in a designated parking place (though people do) you can enter a hatched area with a broken line boundary if you need to, but not a hatched area with a solid line boundary.

Mind you, there are lots of highway code rules that are ignored these days as we all know!

The 10m rule is near impossible especially in villages where you have a multitude of junctions and local people require to park.
Whilst rules are rules a bit of common sense has to be considered when applying the rules.

I thought it was 25 yards/ metres from a junction, to give vehicles a chance to see what’s coming before pulling out. Oh well, perhaps I’ve got that wrong!

This junction has become a nightmare. The parked car means that sometimes you are waiting at the give way line ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD.
If a car on the through road wants to turn down 'your' road, you are blocking them, and chaos ensues due to other parked cars all round the crossroad.

Would like to turn the clock back to when 'Crossroads' was just a terrible soap opera set in the midlands somewhere!

I think the replies to my question show how confusing and open to interpretation the rules are in the UK.
A long time ago when Jack Straw was Home Secretary, I wrote to him suggesting that the UK adopt the Australian rule that not showing your indicator within 30 metres of a junction where you intend to change direction is an offence. I got a letter back asking 'Who would police it?'.

This Country...

Who would police it?'

Thats the problem. He's clearly causing an unnecessary obstruction to other road users make a formal complaint to local police station. If like many other areas you connect to a call centre ask for an incident number ,that usually makes then do something because otherwise your complaint will end up in the bin.

Thanks kennatt.
I might summon up the strength to try....

Had a sort of 'similar' situation near us, car parked on the bend at T junction for 3/4 weeks. Did some research and found it not mot'd or taxed. Police weren't interested and suggested I contact DVSA and gave me a phone number.
Rang it a few times, hung on each time - no-one ever answered.
Car moved in the end.

Alan

I am sympathetic to The Police.
I am also reluctant to contact them about something that is annoying me.

A few years ago I applied for a certain license (won't go into more detail).
A police officer came round to my house to 'vet' me for the license.
He had a folder, and brought up EVERYTHING I had ever contacted the police about, going back years. (and I hardly ever contact the police).
This included putting forward a recommendation that our milkman at the time should get a reward for catching so many burglars in the wee small hours.

How many times can you contact the police before they consider you a nuisance?
Not many it would seem.