SUMNER STREET CONVENES KERBSIDE TRIBUNAL AFTER TRADIE'S HILUX BLOCKS THREE DRIVEWAYS
Eight residents, two folding chairs, one ute. The ute won, briefly.
A white Hilux belonging to a tradesman nobody on Heberden Ave could name spent four hours on Tuesday blocking three driveways, prompting what one resident called "a meeting" and what I'd call a sad huddle by the recycling bins.
The ute sat across the driveways of numbers 14, 16 and 18 from 11am. By 1pm a folding chair had appeared. By 2pm there were two chairs and a thermos. My late husband Gerald would have had the thing shifted before smoko.
Dianne Pleasance, 71, of number 16, said she'd knocked on the ute window. "I could see his hi-vis and a pie wrapper. No tradesman. I left a note. Then I left a second note. The second one wasn't polite."
Hamish Corbett from number 20 said he'd photographed the rego and was "prepared to escalate", though he didn't say to whom. A woman across the road suggested the council. Another suggested a tow truck. Dianne suggested "a brick, frankly", at which point the tribunal adjourned for tea.
A Christchurch City Council spokesperson said parking enforcement in Sumner was "complaint-driven". Asked which number to call, they said they'd get back to us. They have not.
The tradesman returned at 3.15pm with a length of skirting board and a Powerade, moved the ute without a word, and drove off. Both notes were still under the wiper. Dianne has kept them.
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Reader Letters
BarryBishopdale
Back in my day, this nonsense wouldn't happen. Tradesmen acknowledged other people's property. Now it’s all ute this, Powerade that.
Margaret_F
Dianne should've used Gerald's approach. We always kept a pair of scissors handy to cut offending tyres. That'd teach 'em!
SumnerKev
@Margaret_F Blimey, Dianne got a valid idea there, but maybe not the scissors! Maybe just a wheel lock next time. It's legal and less drastic.
tired_in_riccarton
Imagine dealing with three driveways blocked. Try getting a cat to stop using your garden as a loo every morning.
hamish_c_north
That's not how you deal with parking. You need to report it through the council's online portal not some makeshift tribunal. Common knowledge.
Garry (Halswell)
Mate, what’s wrong with this tradie? Anyone remember when you could leave your door unlocked and a tradie wouldn’t abuse it?
couchgremlin
Lol chairs and thermos! Make it a party next time.