Safe Speed Forums

Student faces a £60 fine every time he tries to park on his own driveway

With a busy road packed with commuter traffic and a pedestrian crossing just yards away, simply driving to and from his house can be a major headache for Maxwell Cannon.

Whether he goes in forwards or backwards, a breach of the Highway Code is almost inevitable - and so yesterday the chemistry student achieved the unwelcome distinction of being fined £60 for reversing into his own driveway.

The 25-year-old, who lives with his mother, a Labour Parliamentary candidate, was spotted by police waiting for a break in heavy traffic so he could back up the drive of the family's terraced home in Harrington, Cumbria.
Maxwell Cannon

Ridiculous': Maxwell Cannon was fined £60 after stopping on zig zag lines as he tried to reverse into his driveway in Harrington, Cumbria

They told him he was committing an offence because he was stationary on the zigzag markings of the crossing and told him to move on.

But when they returned after driving a mile up the road he was still there, waiting for his chance to reverse into the house, a court was told.

He was fined £60 but lodged an appeal, and yesterday a judge was told it 'offended common sense' that someone was not allowed to reverse into his own driveway.

However the argument was rejected, and afterwards the Manchester University student said he and his family had now been placed in an impossible situation.

'It's ridiculous, but I've taken it as far as I can,' he said. 'It leaves us with the threat of being prosecuted every time we try and get into our own driveway.

'I understand the policeman has a job to do, but he could have showed some discretion.

'I think he was just throwing his weight around, and as motorists we're easy targets for them to get their crime figures up.'
Maxwell Cannon

Regulations: Motorists are allowed to stop on zig zag lines if they are turning left or right, but only if they are driving forwards

Mr Cannon said he had been driving for eight years and had performed the manoeuvre many times without difficulty.

'I said to him I wasn't parked and I was waiting for a gap in the traffic. If he was so worried about me causing an obstruction why didn't he just stop the traffic for a moment so I could safely reverse into my driveway?'

The hearing at Carlisle Crown Court was told the police officers had spotted him waiting on the zigzag markings on the busy A596 just after 5pm on August 10 last year.

When they discovered he had ignored their warning to move he was told he was committing a traffic offence and issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Regulations allow drivers to stop on zigzag markings if they are about to turn left or right, but that only applied if they were planning to drive forwards, not backwards, the court heard.

Mr Cannon told the hearing the only alternative when traffic was nose-to-tail was to drive in forwards.

But as there was nowhere to turn around that would mean contravening the Highway Code by reversing out into the main road and putting himself and others in danger.

His barrister, Alison Whalley, said it 'offended common sense' that someone was not allowed to reverse into his own drive.

In evidence to the court, Cumbria Police said that would have been a better option because reversing on to a main road was 'a lesser sin' than stopping on the pedestrian crossing.

The officer suggested parking elsewhere until the traffic eased or going in forwards and getting someone to keep a look-out when he wanted to reverse out again.

Upholding the £60 fixed penalty notice, the judge, Recorder Ahmed Nadim, said: 'We accept that he has intended to conduct his driving in a manner designed to mitigate the inconvenience to other traffic, but that does not afford him an exemption under the regulations.'

Mr Cannon's mother Barbara is fighting to overturn a Conservative majority in the Penrith and the Borders constituency.

Is this a case of drive in reverse out? I thought that was frowned upon,

Seem strange to me - I think that the problem lies with drivers who are not prepared to give way for a few seconds while a fellow motorist completes his manouvre onto his driveway!

The officers should have politely held up traffic for him, rather than be so officious!

That would be the thin end of a very thick wedge. Once the trafpol start being helpful to their enemies who knows where it might end.

I also couldn't help noticing that the kerb had been dropped between his drive and the road, so maybe the Council could be complicit in this heinous crime too! Looks like he's just going to have to build a railway-style turntable in his drive, so he can always go in and out forwards!

Some good points already made.
I wonder though if this is a 'confidence' issue ?
If I were intending to reverse in here, I would not go and park on the zig-zags, I'd retain my position in the traffic adjusting it and indicating all appropriately so that the car behind was clearly aware of my intentions, and then simply reverse back in even in heavy traffic.

I totally agree drive in forwards and sort yourself out later when it is much quieter.

Whatever reason for reversing in, it doesn't take five minutes to do. The guy was blatantly taking the piss, he must have been waiting to pick up a passenger when the police told him to move on so he gave some line about waiting for a gap to reverse in so the police left him. Then he continued to wait on the zig-zags for another five minutes but the police came back and found him still there.

If I were intending to reverse in here, I would not go and park on the zig-zags, I'd retain my position in the traffic adjusting it and indicating all appropriately so that the car behind was clearly aware of my intentions, and then simply reverse back in even in heavy traffic.