14 September - Persona non grata. That’s me!
After innumerable distractions I shall make an attempt to get Bonkers back on the political road tomorrow but meanwhile a more literal road story.
The
van which came close to blocking my drive was yesterday moved
for the first time since it arrived 13 days ago. My tiny car could just get through the gap but if I had had furniture
due for delivery, was moving house or as Councillor Craske suggests, my house
was on fire, I would have been well and truly stuffed.
The van arrived at 16:24 on Thursday 31st August at a time when my end of the
road was miraculously empty of parked cars. The van could have parked anywhere
but it was carefully shuffled into very nearly the worst possible position. Two
men got out, extracted large bags or cases and wandered off as if to go to the station or something.
The van was ticketed four days later for obstructing a dropped kerb, a neighbour’s not mine.
Yesterday evening it was moved further up the road.
Why
it is that Bexley Council allows end on parking in my road I have no idea. Every
flat and house has at least one reserved off street parking place and the cul-de-sac
was designated a turning circle on the plans approved by Bexley Council 30 something years ago.
Any gaps the residents leave are rapidly filled by commuters and as Councillor Craske points out, it could be a fire hazard.
This morning while on my daily jaunt to take photos of the Crossrail station
construction I was accosted and aggressively questioned about the van by someone who was a stranger to me.
The someone admitted to having been on holiday - he said for six weeks but that
doesn’t make sense to me - and insisted that I should have put a note on his
windscreen so he could move his van. As he had taken no notice of the PCN and was away I’m
not sure how that would have helped.
Fortunately the commotion - in Wilton Road, where else? - attracted the
attention of a shop keeper and I was rescued. Presumably he did not want to see
another mugging in the village.
I
had almost got home when I became aware of shouting and someone running after
me. I just managed to get safely inside and lock the door but as I raised my camera the man dodged
behind a fence, all I managed is this poor photo from far too far away.
He was repeatedly shouting “who is going to pay for my ticket?” The answer to
that must be fairly obvious. With half of Bexley apparently aware of
Bexley-is-Bonkers I can hardly deny it was me who sent for the CEO.
The man then got in his van and drove away.
Does anyone out there know if any law, by-law or traffic regulation restricts
end on parking? If there is none let’s all do it everywhere until Councils take notice.