Mum pleads with drivers not to park on pavements by leaving 'polite' notes

21 April 2024 , 07:00

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Mum Louise Brown doesn't want to run the risk of taking Louie onto the road (Image: Louise Brown / SWNS)

A fed up mum has been leaving "polite" notes on cars pleaded with drivers not to park on the pavements - because she shouldn't have to walk in the road with her three-month-old baby

Louise Brown, 33, began keeping a notepad and pen with her as she pushes her pram around the village of Ingatestone, Essex two weeks ago. She said she shouldn't have to walk with little Louie while having to avoid cars just because other vehicles are blocking the pavement.

One of her notes read: "Please do not block footpath. You are forcing me into the road with a young baby. Thank you." The recruitment consultant said: "Every single day I am facing these problems - I think drivers have become lazy and want to park right outside their houses.

She has started leaving polite notes on cars obstructing their path (Louise Brown / SWNS)

She hopes the drivers have sympathy with her situation (Louise Brown / SWNS)

"There's only pavement on one side of the road outside my home while the other is a grass verge - if cars are on the pavement, I have to step out into the road. The majority of the cars are coming through in excess of 40mph and right beside a country rod bend. You've just got to have that one car coming round at excess speed, glancing at the radio or checking their mobile and something could happen to us."

The mum to Bonnie, 22 months, and new arrival Louie walks every day with the pram and also heads out along the village roads with her three dogs. She began leaving the messages on the cars blocking her way two weeks ago when she became frustrated with the situation.

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Louise said: "I said to myself 'I wish I had a notepad with me because there’s so many cars I could leave messages on'. The bad words come to my head but being polite is more likely to get something done. A smile gets you so far, manners cost you nothing. Sometimes it does make a difference - the taxi driver that used to park at the top of the road has shuffled over a bit, but they're still on the pavement."

Louise added that she believed pavement parking should be banned more widely as London is currently the only place in England where it is illegal. She said: "If people have to park on the pavement, just please be considerate and leave enough room. The people that are there for the whole day and weekends, it’s just really inconvenient. I don’t want to put my baby in road."

The mum-of-two said she one day hopes she won't have to leave any more notes. She said: "I'd like to be able to put a smiley face and say thank you for being considerate - and then the notepad will be locked away safely in the cupboard."

Faye Mayern