hideyspidey Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Thanks for your help with the Truma C heater query. I now have another problem. The police visited us last night as they had had complaints about our motorhome parked outside our house where we live. The complaints have come from a gentleman caravan owner at the bottom of the cul de sac who caused us a lot of trouble last year with our smaller Ducato Murvi and also a woman further down the street ( who does not drive). She came flying out the house on Sunday swearing and shouting at us that her boyfriend ( who doesn’t live in the street) couldn’t park his commercial van later when he came as we were there. I understand that its annoying but we are taxed tested and insured, We only parked outside her house on the opposite side of the road as someone was parked outside our house. ( there are no official parking spots and its first come first served. ) and it would only be until someone moved. The van was there an hour max, and we both went out in the pouring rain to move it. We have an understanding with our neighbours either side, on our left we always leave a space for our neighbour as he has a commercial vehicle and is on call and we always leave a space for our neighbour on the right. Our motorhome is 6.95 m long and fits perfectly between these two and has no effect on any one else further down the street. But now its all kicked off. The police said last night that the complainant had said that my car, my partners car and our motorhome had impeded a blue light ambulance on Monday day time. This is clearly a lie as we were both at work in our cars. I feel this is harassment now. You can get a bin lorry past, a fire engine and an ambulance. Our Peugeot Boxer Galaxy A class MX88 is only about 12 inches wider than a standard car from the wheel so doesn’t stick out too much. Anyway, my question is, I understand we need to provide parking lights 24 hours a day on it if it is parked residentially. Both front and rear and near and offside. How on earth can we do that without flattening a battery etc. Ive googled all night and not got anywhere. Were absolutely stumped, this has really upset us as we saved for 18 months to trade up on our old Murvi to this. I understand its only a 12k motorhome but we were so excited about it. We decided to trade up as my father in law has parkisons that has progressed rapidly and cannot fly for holidays nor drive for more than a few miles and we plan to tour after me and my OH had our first and a very successful 3 weeks driving our Murvi around Scotlands west coast. Unfortunaley were now feeling stressed and worried and even discussed this morning selling her ( we only bought her last week). The option to store throughout the summer is not really viable as the whole point was that when we got back on a Friday from work we just hop in her and go somewhere. We’re very spontaneous. Any advice would be brilliant thanks :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Joe90 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Sounds like at times you have three vehicles parked in the road, if that prevents other people parking, or visitors parking it's not difficult to see why your neighbours are less than impressed, even though you say you have an understanding with your neighbours either side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I regret that I have sympathy with your neighbours. Ask yourself what your street would be like if others close to you also bought a large motorhome and decided that they wanted to park it on the road. It would be chaotic. When I bring my 'van home it just fits on my drive, but I would not dream of leaving it there and my neighbours all know that it will only be there a few days whilst I fill or empty it and clean it. The question you should be asking is: "Should me wishing to be spontaneous" override what are clearly reasonable objections from your neighbours? I have no idea of the legality of your situation and don't really care about it. What is important here is how you treat your neighbours and respect their feelings. If you were to store your 'van and explain to your neighbours that when you bring it home it will only be for a short time, I'm sure that they'd appreciate your gesture and be happy to allow you to park it there for a day or so. Finally, if you did decide to go away for a few days, is it really a great hardship to nip to a storage site and collect the motorhome? I'm sure the storage site owner would allow you to leave your car in the place of the 'van so that you can drive straight out without needing someone else to drive your car there and back. You need to nip this in the bud now as feuds with neighbours can escalate beyond the original trivial reason that may have started them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Hi.. Sorry to hear about this turn of events (Parking is probably the main cause of disagreements with neighbours).. :-S I know it's not what you want but personally, as you say it's "kicked off" and as it's not your "daily drive" (as you already have/use two other vehicles anyway), rather than risk further upset ( and possible damage to your vehicle(s)?),I would be looking long and hard at parking/storing it elsewhere. But in the mean time, keep a log and take photos, just in case? but...if I'm honest, I'm not entirely sure that I'd be overly impressed if our neighbour routinely parked-up a 7mtr A class MH, and their two other cars on the street... A Murvi van conversion, is/was really no different to your neighbour's works vans..whereas your "new" MH is a different thing altogether.. :-S Parking it elsewhere would be my chosen route.. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Find our what the local by-laws are. Understand the word Residentially regards stopping and parking, how many days this covers as a parked vehicle and so on. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antony1969 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 The drive and having the ability to be able to park the motorhome on it has always been first consideration for us when buying a property . The last house parking the motorhome didn't quite work out as we thought it would before buying the place , we didn't want to park on the road out of fairness to the neighbours so said sod it and moved A friend of ours in Blackpool parks his on the road and it causes friction with the neighbours and to be fair to the neighbours they have a point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hideyspidey Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Thank you I appreciate what you are all saying and we are going to move it around the back to our private parking spaces ( where we park our cars) and stuff the covenant. It is a cicil matter and we own thsoe spaces in the car park. Our neighbours are ok with the motorhome its people at the bottom of the street 5 to 15 doors away that are kicking off. A caravan owner and a woman who doesnt drive. Many houses that young people can afford to buy these days dont have drives and we are not retired or rich so moving is not a solution. We live in a 2 up 2 down townhouse with a road outside that everyone parks on. We own 2 parking spaces round the back of the properties in a residential car park for 5 vehicles. We are the only people who use these spaces for parking. One person has dumped a car there to go rusty 4 years ago in their space, and the rest of the area is trashed. I am the only person who cleans, sweeps and maintains the area. We would be able to park much easier around the back ( ignoring the covenants) had this person not dumped a car half way across our land. We respect our direct neighbours but will not be bullied by people who dont live in the direct vicinity as it has no bearing or impact on them what we do. I really only wanted advice on how to get lights on it that wont drain a battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 hideyspidey - 2015-03-11 11:32 AM I really only wanted advice on how to get lights on it that wont drain a battery. Just get a battery charger and run a cable out to it. Some people need to understand they don't own the road outside their houses. PS: My drive takes all the vehicles I ever get, but I know where you are coming from because people in the village with no parking space park down the road where I live. A neighbour complained, saying they shouldn't buy houses without parking spaces!!! I pointed out the road didn't belong to him and told him not to be so selfish. I don't think he liked it but we are still on friendly terms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank McAuley Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Peaceful co-existence is needed at your home so I would take advice and have the motorhome stored. I don't think you need parking lights if certain criteria are met, eg street lighting ! The motorhome is legal in all respects but there's more to being part of a community . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Hi again. So is it feasible to park/"store" the MH behind in these spaces then? (..and then park the cars on the front?). How visible would it be?...will it be overlooked by folk who are likely to complain?... (As for this dumped car, if it's blocking access to your spaces, get 'em to shift it.. ;-) ) As for needing lights whilst parked up?..well as long as you're parked facing the correct way around, I didn't think you needed light? :-S (when our street lights go out late at night, those parked on the street, don't run outside in their pyjamas to switch their lights on (lol) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Frank McAuley - 2015-03-11 11:50 AM Peaceful co-existence is needed at your home.... ...The motorhome is legal in all respects but there's more to being part of a community . This ^^^^ ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hideyspidey Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Thanks, we are moving it this weekend. Ive asked the police to ask the lady who has dumped the car to get it towed away. The car doesnt work , is rusty, mouldy etc and attracts vermin and crime. It will be a tight squeeze to get our van around the back but i am happy to do so, i am mindful that trees that overhang from people on a different road will cause trouble, as when i park my car it gets covered in rbird muck, tree sap and large branches!!! Its the best solution for now, we dont want to cause trouble but its ok for other people to park their large commercial vehicles on the street. The house that the lady lives at who really kicked off has 2 other spaces around the back near ours but she refuses to use them. ( She doesnt drive or own a car, but her boyfriend has a large commercial transit van). Im guessing that once we move it she'll say she cant access her spaces in the car park. Im checking deeds as we speak and local bye laws. Again, i dont want trouble but as weve only had her a week i think the harassment is a tad too much. If they'd have asked how long she'd be there or ab out moving her then its a different matter but to come out swearing and then getting the police is not the way to go. The police told us we had to have lights as it is over 1.525 tonnes. It is parked the right way for traffic flow and not within 10m of a junction. It is not much bigger than my next door neighbours commercial vehicle. But thanks anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 hideyspidey - 2015-03-11 12:04 PM The police told us we had to have lights as it is over 1.525 tonnes. Well, I've never heard that before! :$ I would've thought that a good many housing estates/residential streets will have a varied selection of "works" vans parked up on the road overnight, none of 'em with light on. But I suppose, when it comes down to it, although your neighbour has a "commercial vehicle" of a similar size, presumably that disappears off to work during to day?, whereas your motorhome will be sat there, winding up "Mrs Too-Much-Time-on-Her-Hands"? ..and judging by her reaction, which I don't condone, one can only assume that she/they were already wound up about the parking and you buying a "new" larger MH pushed them over the edge. (lol) Hope parking 'round the back sorts it out. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 1525 kg unladen weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less if they are: - at least 10 metres (32 feet) away from any junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of the traffic flow - in a recognised parking place or lay-by. Other vehicles and trailers, and all vehicles with projecting loads, MUST NOT be left on a road at night without lights. Laws RVLR reg 24 & CUR reg 82(7) That was a new one on me too.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 If you say you own 2 parking spaces at the back of your property ? I would park your van on those, acrossways if necessary. And park your cars at the front. Things can get out of hand when folk get angry, and you wouldn't want your van damaged would you?. As others park cars etc., at the front they cannot complain about yours can they ? Suprised that the Police got involved, they are not usually interested in this type of dispute. But as they are, I would move the van around the back, if the rusty wreck is still on your property I would move it until it is not. To give space for your van. Provided you are within your Boundries of your parking spaces I can not see how anyone can complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Well, you learn something new everyday on this forum. I googled parking lights and the yougov site came up with exactly that- over 1.525T you have to have lights on if parked on the road. I can only say that this is a law widely disregarded, there's a huge Globebus near us that is parked on the main road most of the year, and local vans and lorries don't bother either. Interestingly, most 4x4 cars are over that weight nowadays. Disputes with neighbours are the main source of civil cases, I try and keep on good terms with ours, even when he knocked our telephone post down with a lorry. Edit: seems like other folk have found it as well before I pressed the button. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I have sympathy for the neighbours. I would be appalled if my neighbours parked their motorhomes on the road as they are not the most attractive things to look at and they do obstruct views. If everyone did it the street scene would look appalling. Parking your van in the existing car parking spaces is by far the best solution. Don't bother about the covenants as they are extremely difficult - some say impossible - to enforce as I have been down that road on a non motorhome related issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Get a site to park the MH on. When you want to use it, just take food/clothes to it, and leave your car there. We have to store our van at a CASSOA site, even though we can get it and two cars on our drive.There is a covenant to say no parking of commercial/caravans/trailers I guess living in a terrace house is a problem. i think maybe you are going to have problems, and maybe even damage to van??? In your situation, I would definitely pay to store elsewhere, or move house (expensive) or sell the van (shame) I suspect some jealousy, at your show of wealth!! Let us know how it goes. Good Luck PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Steve928 - 2015-03-11 12:31 PM Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 1525 kg unladen weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less if they are: - at least 10 metres (32 feet) away from any junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of the traffic flow - in a recognised parking place or lay-by. Other vehicles and trailers, and all vehicles with projecting loads, MUST NOT be left on a road at night without lights. Laws RVLR reg 24 & CUR reg 82(7) That was a new one on me too.. The "vehicles not exceeding 1525 kg unladen weight" part ONLY applies to GOODS vehicles and NOT cars! I believe you will find if your MH is correctly registered as a 'Motor Caravan' that it then falls into the 'Cars' category and hence does not need to display lights as long as your road has a 30 mph speed limit and you comply with the distance from any junction. BUT your neighbours Transit (etc) vans ARE 'Goods' vehicles and if they over 1525 kg unladen they MUST display lights at night! Throw that one back at plod if they question you again. But at the end of the day you have to live there so probably worth moving your MH round the back and avoiding the grief. Keith. Edit to add: 1,525 kg is 1.5 Imperial Tons if anyone is wondering why such an unusual weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nowtelse2do Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I'm also surprised at the 1,525kg unladen bit, they must have sneaked that one in a while ago. I know it use to be 3.5t gross. That would also mean that those commercial vehicles will be over the 1,525 mark then. Perhaps the police should be notified about this infringement of the lighting law. There will be a record of a blue light incident in your street, would the police be happy about lies being told. Get it loged down in case any of your vehicles are damaged. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I don't know how they would know the unladen weight. In the old days (hence the figure is in old tons not new metric tonnes) it used to be recorded and had to be painted on the vehicle - you still see it on vintage commercial vehicles. But for many years only the gross vehicle weight is recorded on all the official documents I have seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Peter James - 2015-03-11 2:24 PM I don't know how they would know the unladen weight.. When even comparatively small vans, like some of the Transit Connects break that 1.525kg barrier, even if they haven't got the exact info' to hand, they'd have enough of an idea to be able to shift or cause problems for someone in "full" sized Transits, X250s etc.... :-S Although, presumably it's something that they let ride? unless they have an issue?.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hideyspidey Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Thank you everyone. Firstly there is no view, all i see out of my window is cars, and commercial vehicles, except now i see our Nelly van. We will move her round the back, weirdly the plans are that we own 1 space in the middle of three and then opposite side left so not opposite each other or next to each other. That makes it difficult. I am now going to complain about the commercial vehicles to see what happens. Our van is weirdly classed as a caravanette. What is the difference between gross and unlaiden. Our van is just under 3 tons, the policeman told me!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 hideyspidey - 2015-03-11 3:02 PM What is the difference between gross and unlaiden. Our van is just under 3 tons, the policeman told me!!! Hi again... The "Gross" is the absolute maximum it can weight with everything loaded.. I'm unsure what is included in "un-laden" but I think (but fully expect to be corrected (lol) )it is pretty much empty, "ex-works" ?... As your parking spots aren't ideally situated, are any of the unused ones owned by the neighbours that you're pally with?...would they let you use them?(on the understanding that they could use yours if needs be). Personally, unless they're causing an obstruction for you, I don't think I'd "complain" about the commercial vehicles in the street. It may come back and bite you....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbanracer Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Companies that run commercial vehicles(over 3500kgs and the weight above) need an operators license for each vehicle and that will state where that vehicle must be parked when it is not working. This can be the owners yard/compound or other designated place. When companies apply for a Op or submit a variation it used to be the case that this was publicised in trade papers and the local evening paper. Its easy to check, so if you have commercial vehicles parking on a regular basis overnight or at weekends they are not conforming with their operators license. Yours is a private vehicle not being used for carrying goods or reward and might even be classed as car/PLG. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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