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   Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 06:31:04 JST Mrs Cloudy

   From tomorrow, you might be fined if you park on a pavement in Scotland. Newspapers and social media are full of screeching from car drivers. "Where are we supposed to park if there's no space on the road outside our houses?"
   Why does this same logic not apply to anything else? I'd quite like to keep a few sheep, for example. Should I just put them in the nearest playpark? If there's no space, don't buy one. Sorted.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 07:05:26 JST Mrs Cloudy

     • Adrian

     @adrianfry, when people only consider using cars for transport though, they assume that their car is essential. You only start finding alternatives if you look for them.
     The absolute entitlement of the idea that pavements should be an option for cars to park on is something that should never have been allowed to become normal. I'm happy to see pedestrians prioritised at last.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 07:06:54 JST Mrs Cloudy

     in reply to

     • Adrian

     @adrianfry a lot more people think they "simply must have cars" than actually do need cars.

   • Embed this notice
     Adrian (adrianfry@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 07:06:55 JST Adrian

     @CloudyMrs As a musician who often came home very late from work, I usually drew the short straw with parking. I sometimes had to park 'cheekily' but I'd move my car as soon as possible the next day.

     Until the government offers a functioning public transport network 24/7 nationwide, a lot of people simply must have cars. Also, if they have EVs they'll probably need to be able to charge them at home.

     Fines should not be a substitute for policy.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 07:14:00 JST Mrs Cloudy

     • Dial M for Madeye 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

     @MadeyeTheCarnaptious there's a newish housing scheme near me that has space for two cars on every driveway and it's still lined with cars up both pavements as well. No amount of carparking will ever be enough.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 07:22:30 JST Mrs Cloudy

     • Dial M for Madeye 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

     @MadeyeTheCarnaptious it doesn't need to happen everywhere all at once as long as its enforced enough to make folk think there's a risk of them getting a fine. It will never stop everyone, but I'm old and remember the same things being said about seat belts.

   • Embed this notice
     Linda (lassielmr@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 07:31:49 JST Linda

     in reply to

     @CloudyMrs do councils actually have anyone to enforce this? I think that’s going to be the issue - almost every residential street in Glasgow has cars parked either side and both sides using the pavement to let vehicles through. Drives me nuts.

   • Embed this notice
     Linda (lassielmr@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 07:44:20 JST Linda

     in reply to

     • Adrian

     @CloudyMrs @adrianfry I agree. I am in that transition period of giving up. I realised I had only filled up once this year, in Jan. I drive a hybrid and have not used my car for nearly 12 weeks. I decided to see if I could do what I needed to do using public transport and it not only has been easy, but got me exercising more. The car is due a MOT at beginning of the year and after that I’m selling.

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     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 07:45:27 JST Mrs Cloudy

     in reply to

     • Linda

     @Lassielmr there doesn't need to be 100% enforcement. Just enough to make folk think they might be in the % that does.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 08:02:22 JST Mrs Cloudy

     in reply to

     • Linda
     • Adrian

     @Lassielmr @adrianfry I still have a car but probably do less than 1/4 of the mileage I did in 2019. I now cycle for short journeys and use the train for most longer journeys.
     If you're able-bodied, that turns out to be more convenient in lots of ways.
     Different folk have different situations, but the majority of folk don't need to rely on their car as much as they think they do.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 09:31:13 JST Mrs Cloudy

     in reply to

     • frog

     @frog or all the pedestrians who can't use the pavements because they're blocked by cars could take to the roads at the same time. I'd loan them my sheep for the photo opp.

   • Embed this notice
     frog (frog@frogdrool.net)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 09:31:15 JST frog

     in reply to

     @CloudyMrs I think you should get a flock and drive them down the street during midday traffic. After all, what's a humble shepard to do when they need to move their herd around?

   • Embed this notice
     Linda (lassielmr@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 13:32:19 JST Linda

     in reply to

     @CloudyMrs true

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 17:44:33 JST Mrs Cloudy

     • Adrian

     @adrianfry there can't be stats. Any survey would rely on people responding as they understand reality rather than in any meaningful way. The four car suburban family would answer that yes, they all do need their cars, when it's patently obvious that they do not.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 17:45:21 JST Mrs Cloudy

     in reply to

     • Adrian
     • Seth Bennett

     @adrianfry @sethb lots of people do, though. That's the issue being addressed.

   • Embed this notice
     Adrian (adrianfry@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 17:45:22 JST Adrian

     in reply to

     • Seth Bennett

     @sethb @CloudyMrs Agreed. As I mentioned in another reply, I wouldn't block a pavement.

   • Embed this notice
     Seth Bennett (sethb@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 17:45:27 JST Seth Bennett

     in reply to

     • Adrian

     @adrianfry @CloudyMrs I'm a musician, and I often come home very late and find there's nowhere to park outside my house. I don't then decide that my convenience trumps that of someone who is blind, or in a wheelchair, or that it is so important that I need to oblige a parent to wheel their kid into the road to get around my car. I just walk a little bit further.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Monday, 11-Dec-2023 17:48:49 JST Mrs Cloudy

     • Linda
     • Adrian

     @adrianfry @Lassielmr there are a million of these "factors to consider" that all conclude that 'yes people do need their cars'.

   • Embed this notice
     Geoff Winkless (geoff@mastodon.cloud)'s status on Tuesday, 12-Dec-2023 15:39:37 JST Geoff Winkless

     in reply to

     • Linda

     @CloudyMrs @Lassielmr a common fallacy. Pour décourager Les autres simply doesn't work, never has and never will. People simply think they won't be the one of the unlucky ones.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Tuesday, 12-Dec-2023 15:39:37 JST Mrs Cloudy

     in reply to

     • Geoff Winkless
     • Linda

     @Geoff @Lassielmr Most people will never be stopped by the police for anything. Most people wear seatbelts. Most people stick to speed limits. Most people comply with laws despite the fact that the risk of being caught breaking them is minimal.

   • Embed this notice
     Mrs Cloudy (cloudymrs@mastodon.scot)'s status on Wednesday, 13-Dec-2023 00:25:18 JST Mrs Cloudy

     in reply to

     • Geoff Winkless
     • Linda

     @Geoff @Lassielmr better not bother then?

   • Embed this notice
     Geoff Winkless (geoff@mastodon.cloud)'s status on Wednesday, 13-Dec-2023 00:25:20 JST Geoff Winkless

     in reply to

     • Linda

     @CloudyMrs @Lassielmr most people don't stick to speed limits. Most people wear seatbelts because it's a minimal effort and a huge marketing campaign went along with the legislation. Same for drink driving - legislation has been in place for decades but the heavy marketing in the 80s and 90s was what made the real change to behaviours.

     Making it illegal to park on pavements when a lot of people have literally no choice will not solve the problem. Certainly random enforcement will not work.