Horsebox parking woes

GaryTheDonkey said:
I haven’t heard of anything like this, we are northern and pretty remote so I doubt anything like that exists nearby.

The thing is, if it did, it would certainly be more than a short walk away at which point it all becomes rather inconvenient. I take the box out up to 3 times a week for lessons, competitions etc. and I have young children that can’t be left at home alone while I drive off to fetch it. I don’t mind (too much) the idea of paying for off-road parking somewhere, but I think I would feel a bit resentful of putting myself out so much simply because a few villagers don’t like the look of the horsebox legally parked where it is. However if the consensus is that I’m being totally out of order then I’m prepared to rethink that.
Click to expand...
Sorry @GaryTheDonkey what I meant was perhaps you could find out how much a vehicle storage place charged for a similar sized vehicle, and then you'd have a better idea of what to offer a local farmer to park your horsebox on his farm.

Good luck, parking vehicles can become so contentious and stressful.
 
Northern Hare said:
Sorry @GaryTheDonkey what I meant was perhaps you could find out how much a vehicle storage place charged for a similar sized vehicle, and then you'd have a better idea of what to offer a local farmer to park your horsebox on his farm.

Good luck, parking vehicles can become so contentious and stressful.
Click to expand...
Oh I see sorry I misunderstood, that’s helpful to know! It is stressful isn’t it, I’m getting flashbacks to my 20s when I used to live in a terraced house in London and the on-street parking was a constant battle ground!
 
MissMay said:
Do you think people know you cant get it in your driveway? Also does this mean you are loading horses on the road perhaps increasing dirt etc?
Click to expand...
They all know who I am and where I live etc so I’m pretty sure they know why it’s parking there. No when I’m loading I drive it up very close alongside my entrance and let the side ramp down towards the driveway so I can walk them straight up. There’s enough space while it’s parked up here for cars to get by, but not bigger things like oil tankers or bin Lorrie’s, hence why it can’t stay like that permanently. There’s definitely no extra mess. In fact, I’m so conscientious that if my horse poos while I’m riding through the village, I’ll go back out afterwards and scoop it up! Which is more than I can say for the livery yard in the village!
 
nagblagger said:
Could you put something on the village facebook page explaining, apologising, asking for other suggestions, i too live in a tiny village so know what you mean about not upsetting the locals.
Click to expand...
I would do this too - to an extent it's just performative but it does mean you've made the facts of the issue public (cannot turn the corner, not parked at the end of your drive so as not to obstruct tankers etc, wall cannot be moved as listed, etc) AND you have publicly asked everyone to help you find a solution. The moaning may not stop but at least you've done what you can. And you never know, fingers crossed someone with a bit of yard space or hardstanding will offer a parking spot - best of luck.

Another option, which I realise is a pain, might be a smaller / slightly differently shaped box? Or would it then be too small to meet your needs?
 
Widgeon said:
I would do this too - to an extent it's just performative but it does mean you've made the facts of the issue public (cannot turn the corner, not parked at the end of your drive so as not to obstruct tankers etc, wall cannot be moved as listed, etc) AND you have publicly asked everyone to help you find a solution. The moaning may not stop but at least you've done what you can. And you never know, fingers crossed someone with a bit of yard space or hardstanding will offer a parking spot - best of luck.

Another option, which I realise is a pain, might be a smaller / slightly differently shaped box? Or would it then be too small to meet your needs?
Click to expand...
Thanks this is good advice re village Facebook.

I must admit I have wondered whether a smaller conversion box would have squeezed in - ours is a coach build and so boxy and wide. But I really couldn’t justify trading it in so soon after purchase, we’d lose a lot of money on it as we bought it new and spec’d it out to our requirements.
 
Nicnac said:
You mentioned a livery yard in the village. Do they have parking for boxes?
Click to expand...
No I thought someone would ask that but the livery yard has the exact same set up as us regarding access. The only person at the livery that seems to have a trailer pulls it up alongside the entrance for loading like we do then otherwise parks it elsewhere (at their home I guess). Even liveries arriving in cars park on the road and walk down. I’m surprised villagers don’t complain about that tbh because it can cause quite a bit of chaos at that end of the village when they all arrive at the same time - a trailer and loads of parked cars half blocking the road - but I’ve never heard any grumbles about it. I suppose that’s because the cars are only ever parked temporarily (albeit very regularly as it’s DIY). Who knows.
 
I think talking to the parish council is an excellent idea.

For what it's worth, I'd expect that in time the complaints would naturally die down anyway if there is no actual problem with the box being there and it's just people finding a new subject to talk about. If there is no actual issue, I find that in time people will tend to exhaust whatever the subject is and move on to something else to talk about. Talking about the same thing over and over when there is no actual issue in the first place and when the talking affects no change to whatever the subject is gets dull!
 
People can be very protective about little villages - without much being legally wrong.

Could you offer to make a donation to the village fete fund or whatever charity the village supports in return for the parking - then everyone will be able to chat about how you pay to park there so it's all fine.

Upsetting the neighbours in the long term isn't a great plan - if you ever need help from local farmer for something or pet sitting or planning permission - it's mad how these small niggles can really fester in a small community .
 
Yes we’d be happy to do this, they’re always fundraising for this and that and we do donate generously but could certainly make additional. We’re really close to some of our nearest neighbours and very friendly with most of them. While I don’t want to upset anyone at all I do think this issue is mainly localised to just 2 or 3 houses. Mind you the other less involved neighbours could still choose to take a side 😬

There are always endless gripes going on about something or other - building works, bonfires, nuisance pets, garden maintenance… we stay well out of it all as we find it all a bit tedious. Thankfully everyone manages to remain fairly courteous and civil with one another despite the disagreements so hopefully we won’t end up on a channel 5 documentary in the near future 😂
 
While it's likely legal I think using a public space for permanent parking is a bit selfish. It's not just about parking but aesthetics. I used to park my lorry at a house with land 5 minute's from the yard. I like horseboxes but wouldn't want one parked by our village green full time.

How often does it move? The vans etc probably move most days. Your box is probably not moving more than once or twice a week probably less. If this is the case it looks more like storage than parking to many people.
 
IrishMilo said:
Why do you need to turn it around in the drive? Surely just reverse it in?
Click to expand...
I’m not worried about turning it around in the drive (ironically I could do that easily if only I could get it there!)

It’s a narrow entry way off a narrow lane so it physically can’t be turned onto the drive either forwards or in reverse.
 
Is there any fields nearby your home that you could offer to buy a corner of to turn into parking?
You’d maybe need planning for that though?
 
If you have a village WhatsApp possibly post on it saying it’s been brought to your attention that some people may be be unhappy that you are parking there. That you genuinely thought it was the least disruptive place to park and that you thought looking at past and regular usage by others that it would be acceptable to park it there.

That your intent was never to offend and that you are looking into alternatives. That if anyone that does have an issue in the meantime or an idea of alternative local parking place then please come and have a chat
 
misst said:
While it's likely legal I think using a public space for permanent parking is a bit selfish. It's not just about parking but aesthetics. I used to park my lorry at a house with land 5 minute's from the yard. I like horseboxes but wouldn't want one parked by our village green full time.

How often does it move? The vans etc probably move most days. Your box is probably not moving more than once or twice a week probably less. If this is the case it looks more like storage than parking to many people.
Click to expand...
It gets taken out 1-3 times a week. Sometimes for a couple of hours, sometimes a whole day. The other vehicles probably do move more regularly but some of them certainly don’t move for several days at a time. I get that a horsebox parked by the village green isn’t ideal but even if it wasn’t there there the scruffy work vans still would be and the farm vehicle plus rusty trailer is a pretty permanent feature. I chose to park by the village green because I thought it was the least inconsiderate place to be being furthest from the houses. I’ve just thought could move it a bit further up the village beyond the houses and park it on to the grass verge. It would be a bit more ‘in your face’ as you drive into the village but at least not by the green. Would this be better? Or I could alternate?
 
GaryTheDonkey said:
I do think that scenario sounds a little different, as our village is tiny and although I’ve described it as a lay-by it’s technically just on the public highway. And it’s never full. Plus I am a villager, not an outsider. it’s only a few doors down from my house.

I’m happy to hear everyone’s thoughts though, I don’t mean to be one of those posters who wants everyone to agree with them. I’m just trying to give more details to explain the situation in full.
Click to expand...
Ah village life. For some reason they connect any sort of van with either travellers, or someone they think is undesirable. A chap in the next village to had a hi-top work van eventually had to post who he was and roughly where he lived in the village to stop the sniping on Facebook.
If its parked legally, taxed and insured it's not really a problem, is there a village shop or pub where you can spread the word?
 
  • Like
Reactions: tda
Peglo said:
Is there any fields nearby your home that you could offer to buy a corner of to turn into parking?
You’d maybe need planning for that though?
Click to expand...
I’m actually quite keen to buy a bit of land for extra grazing anyway so it’s a distinct possibility, but probably not a quick resolution to the problem as I haven’t found anything yet.
 
Clodagh said:
I wouldn’t want to look at a horse box (or trailer, or motorhome, or caravan, or any other oversize vehicle) every day. I presume it is some houses eyeline?
Click to expand...
It is, admittedly, although between some trees and across the green. They still have to look at the other (arguably scruffier!) vans, trailers etc that are parked though whether my van is there or not?
 
Clodagh said:
I wouldn’t want to look at a horse box (or trailer, or motorhome, or caravan, or any other oversize vehicle) every day. I presume it is some houses eyeline?
Click to expand...
Try living on an estate. Lots of people have work vans plus the family car. New estates have very little space for drives so work vans are often parked on the street, in fact in some areas they give up the front 'garden' for parking, and the parking on the road is jammed solid.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top