For able-bodied people, it’s inconvenient having to go around a parked vehicle.
For less able-bodied people it can prevent them from independently reaching where they wanted to go.
A ute parked on a shared bike and walking path on Bennett Rd, Hastings. Photo / Living Streets Aotearoa
Sometimes, the only way to get around the vehicle is to go onto the roadway which is dangerous for children, visually impaired people and those who have difficulty crossing the kerb.
And people walking along the roadway is not something drivers want to encounter.
Some drivers seem to try to be considerate by parking with just two wheels on the footpath.
But even that can block people pushing prams or using wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
Many of these are too heavy or have wheels unsuited to going on the adjacent grass, especially when the ground is wet which can be at any time of year.
Parking on footpaths can block people on mobility scooters from getting where they need to go. Photo / Living Streets Aotearoa
And it makes it more difficult for blind people too as it’s an obstacle that may be there one day but not the next so they can’t predict the timing or location of it.
Other people seem to think their driveway goes all the way to the kerb, but it doesn’t.
Driveways stop at the boundary of private property. The space between there and the kerb is public property intended for the placement of utilities and street trees and for pedestrians to use – not for parking vehicles.
Some people park over the footpath when picking somebody up, thinking they’ll “just be a minute”.
But they may have to wait longer than expected and a pedestrian may come around the corner and be blocked by the vehicle.
If the driver isn’t in the car the pedestrian will be inconvenienced or endangered or prevented from proceeding.
That’s pretty inconsiderate. So even if you think you’re just going to be a minute, please don’t park on the footpath.
The sooner the illegal parking is reported the sooner it can be dealt with. Photo / Living Streets Aotearoa
Park on the roadway or go right onto the private property instead.
Besides being inconsiderate, parking on footpaths is actually illegal.
This applies even to parking “just a little bit” or for “just a minute” on the footpath.
It also applies even when parking is not available or allowed on the roadway. And it applies all the time. There’s no excuse.
The fine for breaking this rule is $70.
Most councils have parking wardens who can issue fines for parking over footpaths. So if you encounter vehicles parked on the footpath you should phone your council immediately, giving it the property number and street name, the colour of the car and its registration number.
The sooner the illegal parking is reported the sooner it can be dealt with.
Phoning is the quickest way to get action, but you could also take photos showing the vehicle parked over the footpath and its number plate and send those to your council afterwards.
Most have ways to report a problem on their website or you can use the phone apps SnapSendSolve or Antenno, but these all take longer to get action than phoning.
Living Streets also has yellow feet stickers which can be put on windshields of vehicles parked on footpaths as gentle reminders to drivers.
People can request small numbers of these yellow feet by emailing accounts@livingstreets.org.nz.
Dr Chris Teo-Sherrell is the treasurer of Living Streets Aotearoa, a charity working to improve NZ’s streets for pedestrians.
