Double parking - what would you do?

miniyazz

miniyazz

miniyazz

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Sheffield/Norwich
Supposing you were parked in a private (say University-owned - i.e. open to the public, non-council) car park. Parking places as below:
___________
\1\2\3\4\5\6\
.\1\2\3\4\5\6\

Each pair of backslashes (seperated by a line break) represents one parking place - that is to say, each space is quite long, you could fit a long-wheelbase van in without difficulty - there are six spaces in the above diagram.

So if you have a smallish car and park up to the kerb ("___" in the example), there's actually space for some **** to park directly behind you, blocking you in. You come back, want to leave, they're in your way, there's no way you can manoeuvre round them because they are literally three inches from your rear bumper and you're right up to the kerb at the front.

You're not in a burning hurry, but you've got a long journey ahead of you (several hours) and want to leave in time to avoid the rush hour at the other end, so you really need to leave in under 4 hours at the latest (as long as the traffic's OK.)

What would your next step be? More specific details on request, if you want to know something, ask.
 
Call the contact details which should be located on any signage.

They'll then contact the relevant people to move/remove said vehicle.

Or get 4 large friends to move the car yourselves.
 
Security can't help. They have no power/ability/inclination to move the vehicle, and have a phone number to contact the owner, but no name. The owner's phone is off.

Most everyone is at work or in lectures, and the two of us aren't going to be able to move it ourselves.

The car looks to be out of gear with the handbrake on (VW Golf '55 plate).
 
Crawl underneath, cut the handbrake cables going to each rear wheel, roll it out of the way.

Disclaimer: Don't do this.

Seriously though. I hate people who do this, used to have a garage that was part of a block of garages, most of them were either derilict or just used by people to store stuff in rather than cars, but mine was structurally sound and had a nice shiny new door fitted and I kept my car there since I lived around the corner and had already had the car stolen twice. Guess which one people used to park in front of. I wanted to borrow a small digger and keep that in said garage overnight, then next time someone parked there, just shovel them into the derilict doorless garage opposite.
 
Last edited:
Lum said:
Crawl underneath, cut the handbrake cables going to each rear wheel, roll it out of the way.

Disclaimer: Don't do this.

Seriously though. I hate people who do this, used to have a garage that was part of a block of garages, most of them were either derilict or just used by people to store stuff in rather than cars, but mine was structurally sound and had a nice shiny new door fitted and I kept my car there since I lived around the corner and had already had the car stolen twice. Guess which one people used to park in front of. I wanted to borrow a small digger and keep that in said garage overnight, then next time someone parked there, just shovel them into the derilict doorless garage opposite.
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:D

Now we're getting somewhere ;)

Someone I know suggested crawling underneath and 'loosening' the handbrake cables. In my relative mechanical ineptitude, I don't even know if this is possible.. how would one go about 'loosening' the cable? - with a massive pair of pliers and some leverage? :p


Incidentally, if it helps with anyone's suggestions, I have a car jack (the small, fairly unstable type, that fits inside a spare wheel - I can google a pic if anyone wants one) and a reasonably equipped tool kit.
 
Go back inside, collect 3 friends, bounce the car out of the way, or just lift the rear end if it's smaller.

I sometimes have a trolly jack in the car too, this would make it easy.
 
This is basically a guess. But if the handbrake ties to the rear wheels and you have a fairly unstable jack, how about jacking up the back of the car then shoving the front. Jack falls over, car falls down with a bounce, is now 6" to a foot further back. Laughter, repeat.
 
JonJ678 said:
This is basically a guess. But if the handbrake ties to the rear wheels and you have a fairly unstable jack, how about jacking up the back of the car then shoving the front. Jack falls over, car falls down with a bounce, is now 6" to a foot further back. Laughter, repeat.
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Likely to damage the car TBH, may as well just cut bowden cables (I almost always have a toolbox).
 
BigglesPiP said:
Go back inside, collect 3 friends, bounce the car out of the way, or just lift the rear end if it's smaller.

I sometimes have a trolly jack in the car too, this would make it easy.
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Unfortunately no trolley jack in the vicinity, a shame :(

JonJ678 said:
This is basically a guess. But if the handbrake ties to the rear wheels and you have a fairly unstable jack, how about jacking up the back of the car then shoving the front. Jack falls over, car falls down with a bounce, is now 6" to a foot further back. Laughter, repeat.
Click to expand...

Hmm, this would nearly work with the minor difficulty of there being no space between my car and their car to push at the front. Also, what's the chances of their alarm going off? (Presuming '55 Golfs come with alarm as standard :p) As I'm guessing it's pretty certain if you start doing that with the car!
 
Throwing something new out there, would any of you seriously consider gently reversing until touching their car, then giving it a bit more gas? The intention being, of course, to make the handbrake slip. And would this be likely to break something?
 
miniyazz said:
Throwing something new out there, would any of you seriously consider gently reversing until touching their car, then giving it a bit more gas? The intention being, of course, to make the handbrake slip. And would this be likely to break something?
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I like my car too much. Plus the rear bumper probably wouldn't take it.
 
In Sheffield a few years ago the 47 48 bus route out of town went down a main road and then round a very tight side road. One day somebody had parked on the inside of the corner (double yellow). Bus was stuck for ten minutes (also blocking the main road), until about five people got out and bounced it out of the way, worked surprisingly well although the alarm did go off:D

Is their a wall right in front of the pavement, could you drive onto and down the pavement while nobody is about? (Engine might not have enough torque if the wheels are small)
 
Cunningly take off the rear bumper first? :p
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Nothing behind it but 2 brackets (definitely won't take it and let the bumper back on), the boot (may take it and trap the spare wheel in the boot) and a fuel tank :eek:.
 
Serious reply:

Have you called the police yet. Pretty sure it's an offence to block someone's access to a public road, hence why it's illegal to park in front of someone's driveway if there is a car on the driveway at the time.
 
Engage low range, and select Reverse.

This works wonders with an HGV.... (and has done so in the past for me) I strongly advise you don't try this in a Car as they don't have steel girders for rear bumber bars. Ahem. ;) :D

Seriously, I hope the OP got sorted & he coated the offending car with brake fluid or similar.
 
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