Ask RiotACT: parking on the grass of the road side

aronde said :

Noticed today that log barriers are being installed along the edges of the park surrounding the upgraded Weetangera oval. Probably being installed because of the people who think driving up over the gutters and through the park so they can be 20 metres closer to the action on the oval is a good idea.

It’s a strange irony of so-called “sporting” people in Canberra – you’d think they’re fit and active people playing sports, but the irony is that they are actually so unfit that they don’t seem able to get to the field unless they can park within 2m, even if it means breaking the law.

Sandman said :

Kinda wish they’d run a blitz on the Limestone Ave apartments opposite the oval. Front strip of that place looks horrendous and I’ve seen the cars drive around the posts on the footpath to park. Pajero with qld plates is the major offender and there’s been a Saab with no number plates parked there for quite some time.

A quick email to parking.operations@act.gov.au will do the trick.

Kinda wish they’d run a blitz on the Limestone Ave apartments opposite the oval. Front strip of that place looks horrendous and I’ve seen the cars drive around the posts on the footpath to park. Pajero with qld plates is the major offender and there’s been a Saab with no number plates parked there for quite some time.

Yes and it is a problem in the suburbs of Canberra. Pity the rangers don’t drive around and fine more people and gather revenue. It’s a particular nuisance when people also park over the footpath and you have to walk on the road to get past. Sick of the rental next door who park on our front verge and put their garbage bins on our front instead of their own. When rubbish is emptied they leave it there and take bins in. Went out to mow last week but couldn’t because they had a car parked on the grass. Of course they were still in bed because they are up until early morning disturbing others. No consideration in Canberra — like living in wild west.

Noticed today that log barriers are being installed along the edges of the park surrounding the upgraded Weetangera oval. Probably being installed because of the people who think driving up over the gutters and through the park so they can be 20 metres closer to the action on the oval is a good idea.

farout said :

Sandman said :

I noticed several vehicles at the southern end of Brigalow St the other day sporting stylish yellow envelopes. They were parked out the front of private residences, on the nature strip but not blocking any footpaths, access or obstructing vision.

I noticed that too, and thought ‘Good on the ranger’.
Till I got to Dyson St up the road and had to squeeze through cars parked on both sides of the road (not on or partially on the nature strips), leaving just barely enough space for a car to navigate through. Fortunately there wasn’t another car heading towards me in the opposite direction at the same time.

Barely enough space, but enough space. Surely a small price to pay to have nice grass everywhere instead of dusty carparks?

Sandman said :

I noticed several vehicles at the southern end of Brigalow St the other day sporting stylish yellow envelopes. They were parked out the front of private residences, on the nature strip but not blocking any footpaths, access or obstructing vision.

I noticed that too, and thought ‘Good on the ranger’.
Till I got to Dyson St up the road and had to squeeze through cars parked on both sides of the road (not on or partially on the nature strips), leaving just barely enough space for a car to navigate through. Fortunately there wasn’t another car heading towards me in the opposite direction at the same time.

Wow, so there are all these rules about what we can’t do on our nature strips, but at the same time it is our responsibility to maintain the grass or rain garden put there. We can’t install paving, landscape or store things without written approval. Every second nature strip either has compacted gravel, paving, landscaping or building supplies (mulch, pavers, soil etc) stored there. Seriously, has anyone ever actually applied for approval to do this? What would happen if the government decided to start enforcing the requirement for written approval. I hope they have the resources…

Nilrem said :

Sandman said :

I noticed several vehicles at the southern end of Brigalow St the other day sporting stylish yellow envelopes. They were parked out the front of private residences, on the nature strip but not blocking any footpaths, access or obstructing vision.

But they were compacting the soil, and enabling cars to drive faster on suburban streets.

Turning lawns into dust bowls.

Sandman said :

I noticed several vehicles at the southern end of Brigalow St the other day sporting stylish yellow envelopes. They were parked out the front of private residences, on the nature strip but not blocking any footpaths, access or obstructing vision.

But they were compacting the soil, and enabling cars to drive faster on suburban streets.

I noticed several vehicles at the southern end of Brigalow St the other day sporting stylish yellow envelopes. They were parked out the front of private residences, on the nature strip but not blocking any footpaths, access or obstructing vision.

TuggLife said :

It gives me the pip when I’m out walking with the pram and have to dodge cars parked on the footpath – usually, I end up having to walk along the road. Then I get even more annoyed when I think about how much more difficult it must be for someone with limited mobility.

I can see the other side, though – particularly in newer suburbs, there often isn’t enough driveway space for the number of occupants, and the streets are so narrow that each street would become a chicane with cars parked correctly on either side of the road. I’m sure I’ve done it plenty of times myself in the past.

Perhaps print this out, stick it on their windshield and see what happens? http://www.rego.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/603483/Parking-on-the-roadside-fact-sheet.pdf

Nothing wrong with chicanes, that’s what steering wheels are for! Cars should be parked on the street.

there is, or was, the offence of ‘not stand close and parallel’, which means a vehicle must be parked on the carriageway, facing the correct way for that street [ie, left, unless a one-way thoroughfare]. this means vehicles parked on the verge are breaching the regulation and can be issued with a parking ticket. guess you check act road rules to see if that applies here.

if so, leave note on windscreen as a warning. then, if they still don’t comply, firebomb their car. [just joking] as paul says, a tricky one for poor, though understandable, resourcing shortages.

i suspect they park in the shade in summer (i know i look for this option when it’s legal), fact of life. good luck.

It gives me the pip when I’m out walking with the pram and have to dodge cars parked on the footpath – usually, I end up having to walk along the road. Then I get even more annoyed when I think about how much more difficult it must be for someone with limited mobility.

I can see the other side, though – particularly in newer suburbs, there often isn’t enough driveway space for the number of occupants, and the streets are so narrow that each street would become a chicane with cars parked correctly on either side of the road. I’m sure I’ve done it plenty of times myself in the past.

Perhaps print this out, stick it on their windshield and see what happens? http://www.rego.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/603483/Parking-on-the-roadside-fact-sheet.pdf

The alienation and destruction of public land for personal use is rampant.

I am having lunch at urban pantry, which has been “refurbished”. What was previously a lightly enclosed outside seating space to retain winter heating is now extended with wooden flooring and heavy steel structure cutting off most of the public right of way.

Same in Sydney where people with public foreshore build walls to steal public space.

Probably the same people who slag off on public welfare cheats.

Grrrrrrr, don’t get me started on the evils of nature strip parking. Not only does it kill grass, it compacts the soil, which harms the root systems of nearby trees. Having cars parking on nature strips instead of where they should be parked (on the side of the road) also seems to encourage people to drive faster because the roadway is clear. Get a photo and send it to parking.operations@act.gov.au noting that the car is there now. They may send someone around to book it. You could also put a note under the windscreen wiper pointing out that nature strip parking is illegal (as well as that is causes the problems above).

From http://www.tams.act.gov.au/city-services/public_land_use#car

“Please be aware that the following activities or items are prohibited:
*parking or storing any type of vehicle or trailer on your nature strip (registered or unregistered or parts thereof);
storing or placing any substance, material or objects on nature strips without written approval from PACS;
installing pavers or concrete or similar materials across nature strips without written approval from PACS;
erecting stone or brick walls or similar structures across nature strips without written approval from PACS;
pruning or removing any street trees; and
allowing foliage to obstruct pedestrian access to footpaths or nature strips within 1.2 metres from the back of the kerb.”

So yes, the law is on your side in this regard.

Cars parking on sidewalks/footpaths is a serious and complex issue for Canberra. Too much of it and the trees suffer.

I could name several locations where the trees are showing signs of damage that has been caused by cars parked there daily/every night.

We are not talking about the occasional parking here – but instances where it happens on a regular and daily basis.

There have been cases where inspectors have been called and they do deal with it – but if they were to attend every instance in every suburb, we would need a couple of battalions of new inspectors.

I am sure there are many and varied views on this. And I cannot see a simple solution – except I do remain concerned about the trees.

As for the lawns – I am convinced that we should not have so much lawn/mown grass anymore. But that’s another story.