Frustrated Chineham resident buys her own traffic cones to stop inconsiderate parking (From Andover Advertiser)
When news happens, text AND and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Frustrated Chineham resident buys her own traffic cones to stop inconsiderate parking
6:30pm Monday 25th February 2013 in Basingstoke By Adam Richards
The cones in Maybrook, Chineham
A FRUSTRATED Chineham resident has shelled out nearly £100 to stop people clogging up her street during the school run.
Melanie Jansen, of Maybrook, in Chineham, spent £90 to buy 10 yellow traffic cones to line the street.
She uses them to stop parents parking in Maybrook when they drop off children at nearby Four Lanes Community Junior School.
Ms Jansen, who works as a revenue protection officer with South West Trains, and a care worker at Basingfield Court, said drivers routinely ignore signs that restrict parking at the road’s entrance between 8.30am and 9.30am, and 2.45pm and 3.45pm.
She added that she struggles to enter Maybrook, or park near her home, when returning from work.
“This issue has been going on for a long time,” said Ms Jansen, who has lived in Maybrook for two-and-a-half years.
“It’s not just dangerous and nuisance parking – people have been abusive when we have told them not to park.
“People do not seem to understand that we can’t get in and out.
“I am not happy about the cones being outside my house but it has to be done.”
However, the cones have attracted criticism from one Maybrook resident. In a letter sent to The Gazette, the resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said parking on Maybrook is not restricted to residents.
“Some residents have decided, without any authority from the council or police, to place no parking bollards in front of their properties,” the letter read.
“As far as I am aware, and as a council tax-paying driver, Maybrook is a public road and drivers can park there if they so desire.”
However, Ms Jansen stressed that she has the permission of Chineham beat officers to put the bollards out.
She added that since she started using the cones in September last year, the parking problem has stopped. “It seems to be working,” she said.
Comments(22)
Sensory
says...
8:57am Tue 26 Feb 13
Personally, when I spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on a house near a school (or indeed near anything), I like to see what the traffic is like during the school run/evenings/weekend
s etc. An avoidable error there Ms J.
It will certainly save on buying post-its and the time it takes to write "Do not park here" on them 200 times anyhow.
laurence86
says...
9:16am Tue 26 Feb 13
RgPostcode
says...
9:39am Tue 26 Feb 13
Why would parents park in a road to then take their kids to cross Chinehams busiest road?
Cynical Reader
says...
2:36pm Tue 26 Feb 13
Why did the chicken cross the road?
RgPostcode
says...
6:31pm Tue 26 Feb 13
Cynical Reader wrote:You're probably oblivious to how stupid that sarcastic comment really is.
"Why would parents park in a road to then take their kids to cross Chinehams busiest road?"
Why did the chicken cross the road?
alan partridge
says...
1:48pm Wed 27 Feb 13
I may go and park my car there and leave it for the day. Just for the crack....
The safety of children come 1st. Stop your twisting.
Alfie The Dog
says...
1:46pm Thu 28 Feb 13
So why not put the cones there? These cones are placed where there is no parking restrictions at all.
Also I am annoyed that the article doesn't mentions that some of these cones have 'Hants Const' boldly written on them, seemingly to give the impression they belong to the Hampshire Constabulary.
laurence86
says...
2:03pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Alfie The Dog wrote:Is that legal? Seriously this woman should be fined!
"Ms Jansen, said drivers routinely ignore signs that restrict parking at the road’s entrance between 8.30am and 9.30am, and 2.45pm and 3.45pm." So why not put the cones there? These cones are placed where there is no parking restrictions at all. Also I am annoyed that the article doesn't mentions that some of these cones have 'Hants Const' boldly written on them, seemingly to give the impression they belong to the Hampshire Constabulary.
Feel sorry for her neighbours, those cones aren’t exactly aesthetically pleasing. Plus they are going to have to explain to people “no they are not our cones, they belong to the crazy lady over there”. Mind you if the council go round and confiscate them they would have saved themselves £100
robertspet8
says...
4:42pm Thu 28 Feb 13
RgPostcode wrote:I don't know why and I don't know why so many parents drive their children to school. They seem to have a distorted view of the real risks involved in getting their children to and from school.
This road is across a main road from the school btw... Why would parents park in a road to then take their kids to cross Chinehams busiest road?
I cannot claim to have any insight into the mind of Cynical Reader, but his question is no less answerable than your's. I cannot answer either or even my own.
robertspet8
says...
4:46pm Thu 28 Feb 13
Upontheroof
says...
11:18am Fri 1 Mar 13
On a serious note, I have witnessed first hand how parents parking near schools, have either blocked off driveways and even parked in them!
Although, why move near to a school and them moan about it? There is no value in having your life consumed by something like this. I would suggest a move will be on the cards but how will they deal with the wonderful world of estate agents? - they won't be able to cone them off!
Whose to blame? Ignorant lazy parents or someone who thinks they own the road?
BugBear
says...
3:37pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Upontheroof
says...
4:00pm Sat 2 Mar 13
BugBear
says...
7:20pm Sat 2 Mar 13
Upontheroof wrote:Many thanks, I could do with a job but to be honest I doubt if they would have me, probably think I'm a nutter :-)
Ha ha, at bugbear, I love the reply and you are so spot on. You should be a journalist for the gazette!
Folkestone Saint
says...
10:52pm Sun 3 Mar 13
BugBear wrote:Thankfuly my world is a lot nicer place to live in than your's, dammed if you do dammed if you don't on your planet
Another consequence of our child-centric society where parents out of guilt, molly coddle and spoil their children because they are guilt ridden with divorce, are never at home because they are working all hours to pay mortgages they can't afford or are just braindead consumers who replace any spiritual meaning in their lives with material greed. Kids use to walk to school and take risks, now they are little pods that get dropped off, programmed, picked up and returned to their pointless existence to grow up and repeat the whole process over again. There is no hope, we are doomed.
BugBear
says...
1:36am Mon 4 Mar 13
Folkestone Saint wrote:I'm happy for you.
BugBear wrote:Thankfuly my world is a lot nicer place to live in than your's, dammed if you do dammed if you don't on your planet
Another consequence of our child-centric society where parents out of guilt, molly coddle and spoil their children because they are guilt ridden with divorce, are never at home because they are working all hours to pay mortgages they can't afford or are just braindead consumers who replace any spiritual meaning in their lives with material greed. Kids use to walk to school and take risks, now they are little pods that get dropped off, programmed, picked up and returned to their pointless existence to grow up and repeat the whole process over again. There is no hope, we are doomed.
Folkestone Saint
says...
9:34am Mon 4 Mar 13
BugBear wrote:Why thankyou BB
Folkestone Saint wrote:I'm happy for you.
BugBear wrote:Thankfuly my world is a lot nicer place to live in than your's, dammed if you do dammed if you don't on your planet
Another consequence of our child-centric society where parents out of guilt, molly coddle and spoil their children because they are guilt ridden with divorce, are never at home because they are working all hours to pay mortgages they can't afford or are just braindead consumers who replace any spiritual meaning in their lives with material greed. Kids use to walk to school and take risks, now they are little pods that get dropped off, programmed, picked up and returned to their pointless existence to grow up and repeat the whole process over again. There is no hope, we are doomed.
The Mad Mike 1
says...
4:10pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Alfie The Dog
says...
5:10pm Sat 23 Mar 13
theKman
says...
6:35pm Mon 25 Mar 13
The opinion of many is "she knew there was a school there". Yes, and she saw that parking is NOT allowed there for school drop off.
Take care when backing out Melanie :)
http://money.msn.com
/auto-insurance/when
-a-parked-car-is-at-
fault-carinsurance.a
spx
Alfie The Dog
says...
7:12pm Mon 25 Mar 13
theKman wrote:Parking 'IS' allowed outside her house, there is no restrictions whatsoever where she lives.
It happens at so many schools. Street parking is banned between those times, but its never enforced. Lazy parents ignore the rules and get away with it.
The opinion of many is "she knew there was a school there". Yes, and she saw that parking is NOT allowed there for school drop off.
Take care when backing out Melanie :)
http://money.msn.com
/auto-insurance/when
-a-parked-car-is-at-
fault-carinsurance.a
spx
The other end of the street however HAS got restrictions with signs & lines on the road. But the signs apply to the area indicated by the lines on the road & NOT to anywhere near her house.
JJ38JJ says...
8:16am Tue 26 Feb 13
I wonder where she parks her car?