[rant] I know I will cause controversy with this one, but I have a problem with kids and adults playing football and other games on the road outside our house. It has been reported numerous times, but no-one seems interested, aside from the fact it is dangerous to play on a public highway, it is also illegal according to the highways act 1980 section 161. I tried to point this out to some of the neighbours concerned, and basically got told the housing association, local housing manager has given them permission to play games on the highway, so long as they don't play ball games. i'm pretty certain she has no legal right to tell people they can play on a public highway, and could in fact be prosecuted if someone were injured as a result. part of the reason we complain is the repetitive bounce noise, even with the windows closed is so annoying, that, and the kicking it against the garage door, accidental or not. today's example, I was driving down our street, when I had to stop, because a large group were playing football on the road, and the ball went across in front of me. I stopped to allow for the fact that kids do run into the road without thinking, although they were already on the road. [/rant] the law in question is on the legislation.gov.uk website here
Last time I looked a ball was involved in football (to quote Al Murry) the clues in the name innit. If they're not using a ball then what are they using? A house brick.
tell me about it, they will be the first ones complaining if one of their kids gets run over, as I explained to the copper that came by the other day, even if they are playing in the road, and I run one over, it's me in the ****, and I did apologise for my language, lol
We have a group of teenagers that like to stand outside the flats where I live for weeks they have been trying to pull down a rail that was bolted to the side of the steps...it's now on the ground. A-holes if I can find out where they live their parents could be fined or even kicked out if they are living in a property owned by the housing association. I have utter contempt for weak parents and these stupid pathetic women that can't bring their kids up properly, it's society that ends up paying in crime, youth detention, prison. Then there is my neighbour who shouts at what I think is his cat at 3:30 in the morning and then at 4am the couple go to bed and start shagging.
If you want good neighbours, live in a cemetery ... of course, you'll still have vandals to contend with. The rant makes you sound very intolerant and grumpy old man-ish, but if you've been living with "... thud ... thud ... thwack, thud, nice one Jimmy on me 'ed", for a while that's not too surprising. Have you tried contacting the housing association or council yourself , that may be a god first step, if nothing else, it'll create a record of when you started to complain about this. I believe you should also think about keeping a diary of when it happens (especially useful if they're playing well into the night, giving it a more anti-social setting).
we started complaining over 2 years ago, but were told you cant stop kids playing, they have been told and there are signs up saying no ball games, but they are ignored. basically we were told put up with it or move, at the time we decided we weren't going to be beaten and we weren't going to move either. our estate manager isn't very helpful when it comes to dealing with kids. i'm presuming she doesn't have to put up with something like it, otherwise she would have dealt with it properly. recently, in the last 6-8 months we have tried moving, but each time it has fallen through for one reason or another. the signs are not enforceable, the highways act is, but you rarely get a conviction. My wife has a mental health issue called dysthymia, so is in a permanent low mood, with a hair trigger for double depression, Nexxo would probably know about this condition from his work.
if it's in a housing association, is it actually a public highway or is it a private driveway? (possibly a stupid question)
Same here, although it's children and adults alike. Thankfully it's not too often, but there are more than a handful of signs reading, "No Ball Games, by Order of [the local council]". There is a large patch of grass at the end of the row of houses to play games on, on which there are hardly any games played on. I suppose it doesn't help me being grumpy when my adjoining neighbour has fists of ham and feet of lead, and my other neighbour has a crackpipe shed whose mates use my driveway a shortcut to pile into their back garden.
Haha we had this on the little close that I live in. One of the neighbours' kids put the ball into the back of my car, mangling part of the boot lid. The OH was livid (as was I) and we went and had a word. They had to pay a fair whack for repairs and the football has stopped since...
it is a public highway, not a driveway i'll write some more info, when I get back, as had a phone call, but have to go out.
Playing on the highway is not illegal; it has to be to the annoyance of a user of the highway, or dangerous. Playing on a quiet road when there's noone using the highway is not illegal. So you'd have to prove a person (identfiable, and over the age of criminal responsibility) was playing on the highway, to your annoyance, while you were using the highway. In your example where you say you had to stop, I don't think many Judges would be interested in a single example, they'd need to be some repeat offences I suspect. Seeing as the maximum penalty is only a £200 fine, you're going to have a tough job convincing anyone it's worth the justice system's time. Where this offence is more likely to be used is when some actual incident occurs i.e. some damage occurs or someone gets injured. This offence would then get tacked on to some greater offence. Get a record of you reporting it to authorities (council and police), referencing the individuals you're concerned about. That way, if an 'incident' does ever happen at least you've got something to show that you tried to intervene at an earlier date, which could only work in your favour. And loosen up. What do you think residential roads are made for? Luvs a game of street football, me.
Ok, so the neighbours complained to the estate officer, who phoned us for our side of the story. she is going to again write a letter to all tenants about the ball games, and state it is policy on all estates to ban ball games. we have also had a visit from the local pcso, who has reiterated that it is against the law to play ball games on a public highway, and has told them they cannot play ball games on the highway, and any other games should be played as far off the road as is possible. the pcso had seen the other residents, before coming to see us, as the other residents complained I hassled them. I explained what had actually transpired, and the pcso left happy, but told us to report directly to them, don't respond to the residents, and they, have been told the same. the pcso is going to monitor the ball games over the next few weeks, and will deal with them if needs be. @porkins, cctv is a useful tool to have, had the residents in question denied playing football, the pcso would have had a nice video to take away with her.
if I thought I would get away with it I might have, lol, but it is illegal, and i'm the bugger that gets caught
so the neighbour decided to have a party on Saturday, they kindly informed the local police, who came and monitored it, and the pcso was not impressed by the volume of the music or the language they were using, and the bonfire they had outside their garage door
