The driver insists they parked legally (stock) (Image: Getty)
A driver has been left furious after finding an aggressive message attached to their vehicle’s windscreen – despite maintaining they had parked lawfully before travelling to board a train.
They described how they parked their car alongside a public highway near a station, with no yellow lines present, no driveways obstructed, and no obvious prohibitions visible.
However, it appears one local resident held a different view. Returning later that day, the driver discovered a handwritten message awaiting them – and it pulled no punches.
The note read: “This is a parking area for residents only. Please do not park here again or you will find yourself being clamped. If you look on the trees, it tells you this is for residents only.”
Bewildered, the driver highlighted there were no official indicators or road markings suggesting parking was prohibited.
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“I don’t want to give away my specific location, but I can tell you it is a public road… no yellow lines,” they said.
Under UK regulations, parking on a residential thoroughfare is typically permitted unless explicit restrictions exist, including permits, double yellow lines, or obstructed access routes.
Guidance from the RAC confirms that homeowners do not automatically “own” the space beyond their property, meaning fellow motorists are ordinarily entitled to park there provided it’s lawful to do so.
The incident rapidly triggered discussion online, with numerous people backing the driver.
One user joked: “I’d consult with the trees, it sounds like they make the rules.” Another remarked: “Who’s going to do the clamping? If it’s a public road with no restrictions, no company is doing it.”
A third said: “If you are clamped, then your car will be stuck there. Jokes on them.”
While another questioned the legitimacy of the warning altogether, commenting: “Let me guess, the ‘official’ signs on the trees are in the same handwriting on the same paper?”
Someone else chimed in: “It’s ridiculous and obnoxious. We get this a lot on public roads around my work. If the roads were full of cars from work I’d get it. But they aren’t. Plenty of room to park. People also have driveways.
“One house has a double drive but parks on the road on a weekday just to claim ‘their’ bit of a public road.
“The residents will also come and shout at you. Including one chap with a long drive and garden who simply doesn’t want to see a car 15m from his window.
“One person I work with found a metal bar jammed in the wheel, luckily they noticed it before they drove away.”
The episode has left many firmly divided – but for the time being, it appears the mysterious “tree rules” may not hold much legal standing.
