A "petty" and "childish" note has sparked debate after being left on a car windscreen in a seaside town.
The hand-written letter informed the driver the street is a “residential road and not a car park” and asked the driver to park elsewhere.
The driver’s “highly disappointed” mum took to Facebook to vent her anger over the letter.
She said she has been parking in the Colwyn Bay road in North Wales to work twice a week for the past four months and was not causing any problems, Nor th Wales Live reports.
The mum added: “I would suggest that the person who wrote this note contacts the local council if they have a problem with the parking outside the property - instead of taking their frustration out on a young lad who just wants to work for a living and not cause mischief around the town like others his age.”
The letter read: "Hi there, it has been noted that you have been parking outside out home on an extremely regularly basis these past couple of weeks.
"Yet you aren't visiting the homes on this street.
"Please can you consider your parking, i.e. This is a residential street and not a car park.
"There is plenty of options for parking.
"Therefore there shouldn't be the need to park outside someone's home/opposite a driveway."
The road has no parking restrictions - though in the past some houses have had spots allocated for disabled parking.
His predicament received scores of messages of support.
“No one has a right to tell anyone where they can and cannot park, as long as the car is insured taxed and has an MOT,” said one person.
“If he’s not actually blocking the driveway then what’s the problem?”
Another motorist noted it wasn’t an isolated example. “I’ve had more letters than parking tickets in the Bay, it’s funny,” he said.
Other people labelled the letter-writer as “petty”, “childish” and “ignorant”.
One person added: “Don’t you just hate these people who write anonymous letters?”
According to the RAC, it is “perfectly legal” to park outside someone’s house, unless the vehicle is blocking a driveway or a wheel is over a dropped kerb.
Its website adds: “Where no parking controls exist, drivers do not have an “automatic spot” for parking outside their homes.”
If, however, a car is parked on a public highway and is blocking access from driveways, councils have the power to act.
“But if that car is on a drive, it’s technically on private property – and the council has no authority to remove it,” added the RAC.
The Hillside Road letter-writer believes there are “plenty of options” for parking in Colwyn Bay other than by their house.
One man took issue with this claim. “Yes, there are car parks but you have to pay to use them,” he said.
“I refuse to pay to park to go to work! So I drive around Colwyn Bay’s residential roads looking for a space most mornings.
"There really should be parking available for those who are working in the Bay.”
This was echoed by residential home staff by Crossley Road, Colwyn Bay.
They claimed they get bombarded by notes left on cars despite the lack of parking restrictions.
“It’s absolutely pathetic,” said one, who claimed parking conflicts on the road peaked during the Covid pandemic.
“This particular person would come out of their house and have a go at you if you parked outside his house.”
Some residents said that, while the law permits parking for all on many residential streets, there was a “moral” duty to be considerate, especially as elderly residents and their visitors can struggle to park in Hillside Road.
“Be nice, park elsewhere,” said one man. “99 per cent of you would be p****d at someone parking outside your house all the time.”
A former Hillside Road resident said she actually moved from the street because she couldn’t park outside the family home – and that was almost 20 years ago.
She suggested the residents still there should seek a residents-only parking order.
“At that time I had three sons living with me and carrying in shopping from some distance away was tedious,” she added.
Another resident agreed: “I’m not a note writer but I know how extremely annoying it is to get home with kids shopping etc and have to park miles from your own home due to other people parking.”
