Courtesy notes taped to car windscreens in Bristol as fed-up locals take issue with out-of-town drivers
A parking queue has broken out in south Bristol, where fed-up locals are politely sticking notes on the windscreens of out-of-town drivers’ cars in an attempt to keep them from obstructing their path.
Frustration over car spaces in Bedminster has been simmering for a few years, with locals growing increasingly frustrated with people “leaving” their cars on the road.
The notes, requesting that non-residents park ‘respectfully’ elsewhere, were left on various car windscreens on behalf of ‘British Road residents’.
A note left in a car read: ‘Dear Vehicle Owner/Driver: Residents of British Road have noted that you park on this street regularly, but you do not live on this street.
‘Be aware of residents wishing to park close to their own properties. We respectfully ask that you park your vehicle on the street you live on, in future.’
A very polite parking queue erupted in Bedminster, Bristol, after notes were left on cars unwanted parked in the area on behalf of ‘British Road residents’
More vehicles have appeared on the British Road (pictured) since the pandemic as a result of people working from home more often
A British Road homeowner has dismissed himself as a Bedminster car park guard by insisting he is not responsible for notes left on car windscreens.
But in a hilarious response to rising ratings, one homeowner wrote himself off as Bedminster’s parking attendant. A note on the window of his house read: ‘FYI: We’re not the ones who left the notes in the cars!’
The recent British blizzard has left a trail of destruction, shredding some of the notes that frustrated locals had carefully left behind.
The dispute threatens to boil over as many more vehicles have used the area since the pandemic, a result of people working from home more often.
While there is mutual agreement that the number of cars on the road is a problem, our reporters who spoke with residents found that some were “embarrassed” by the stories, sparking a kind of civil war in the neighborhood.
One resident said: ‘The street has been a car dump during Covid, it’s still bad now.
I also have to park in another street because the situation is very bad. Although I can’t park here, I don’t think the note is representative of the street at all or representative of proportion and the person who made it is a bit ad***.
‘I’m embarrassed about the grades to be honest, it’s a bit ridiculous. Yes, parking here is difficult, but that’s what happens when you live near the city. If you live near a city, of course it will happen.
“Lots of people dump their cars here to catch the airport bus and I suppose it can be frustrating, but the notes are a bit embarrassing, frankly.”
One van had the same note but someone added: ‘YOU DO NOT WORK FOR BT!!!’
Another note accused a van of being unattended for months at a time. Underlined ‘Help yourself’ at the end
Another note was left in an unmarked van which had a “BT Engineer on Duty” sign on the dashboard. The irate resident added ‘YOU DO NOT WORK FOR BT!!!’ To the same note as seen on the other cars.
Meanwhile, another note, this time handwritten, claimed that a van had been unattended ‘for months at a time’ and added in underlined capital letters: ‘Help yourself’.
Joe, a forty-seven-year-old civil servant, a long-time Bedminster resident, added: “I saw the notes on the road. I lived here for 18 years and the situation has definitely gotten worse over the years.
‘When I first moved here I could park outside my house, but it’s getting worse, I’ve had to park quite far away on other streets before.
“Parking permits are in effect on the other side of North Street, so I’m assuming people come and park here.”
Joe revealed that he has written to the council before in response to a survey, but “nothing was done.” However, he also admitted that he has been guilty of doing the same thing in the past.
“Equally, though, if I was working in the city, I’d probably come and park here as well,” he added. I actually did that before moving to the area and working in the city, so I get it.
“I can understand from the notes that it’s frustrating if you’re driving around and around and can’t find a place to park your car, but you just have to get used to it and deal with it.
‘I think permits would help, but that’s another waste of money for the council. I’d say we all pay taxes on cars and there’s no reason people can’t park their cars where they want to.
“I would say this area of Bedminster is particularly bad because we are so close to restricted areas, so naturally people come and park here, but parking is getting worse.
When our reporters went down to the scene, the remnants of notes left on the windshields had been somewhat destroyed by the recent blizzard.
British Road residents agree that parking has become increasingly difficult, but many took issue with the notes.
“More and more people are parking here over time and it’s definitely harder to get a space. I think I’m in terms of the note, it depends on how long the cars have been there. If a huge van has been outside your house for three months, that’s fine, but like I said, we all pay car taxes and can park where we want.
Holly Knight, 31, who works in customer service, added: “It’s really hard to park your car here, there aren’t many spaces on the street and it’s quite small, but at the end of the day it’s a public road and people can park”. her car wherever they want.
‘My friend just started driving and she said it’s really hard to get a space, but she can usually find one.
‘I would understand the notes if someone was parking in your actual space like your driveway, but not just on the road. Like I said, it’s a public space and the grades are really ridiculous.
Bristol City Council was contacted for comment on Tuesday but has not yet responded.