A short video posted online, in which an elderly man does not take place on the sidewalk due to parked cars, has generated dozens of comments and hundreds of reactions on Reddit. Beyond the irony, users have transformed the filming into a serious debate on the law, the responsibility of the local police and the hostility of the Romanian cities towards pedestrians.
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Several participants in the discussion invoked the road legislation. For example, one of them quoted from the Road Code: “It is forbidden to occupy the sidewalks with fixed vehicles, and when it is allowed, according to the indicators or markings, the minimum width of the sidewalk left available to pedestrians must be at least one meter.”
Others have completed that, in reality, the rule is even stricter: parking on the sidewalk is forbidden “point”, and the signal that allows exceptions is extremely rare. “In filming, the whole sidewalk is a meter wide, so it has no way to have a parking sign allowed there”, explained another user.
Pedestrians, blocked by “one -way” cars on the sidewalk
Beyond the articles of law, people have reported personal experiences. A user told how, walking alongside his mother, who was in the wheelchair, was forced to wait while two cars were blossoming … on the sidewalk. “When he saw that I was filming the ridiculous scene, one of the drivers shouted that it is one meaning in his direction (on the sidewalk, yes?) And he has the right to pass.”
“Only if that grandfather had an emergency, those cars would have been there to take him to the hospital,” someone else joked.
The police, between bureaucratic responses and lack of reaction
However, the highest frustration of the users aimed at the lack of reaction of the authorities. One of them told how he complained an illegally parked car, and the official answer received was: “We are in the process of identifying the driver in order to sanction.” The next day, another car was parked in the same place.
“The worst law, to wait to identify the driver. Fines the owner of the car and ready,” concluded another participant in the discussion.
A bicyclist completed, from his own experience: “I made a complaint through the Esar application for a driver who exceeded me only a few centimeters. The status remained unchanged for a whole month, then appeared” resolved referral “, but without writing what measures were taken. I also sent an email, but I did not receive any answer. ”
When citizens do their own justice
The lack of efficiency of sanctions causes some people to act on their own. “If the police refuse to apply the law, the citizens are obliged to do so. From my point of view, it is fair game to take their mirrors.” someone wrote.
Another has reported an extreme solution: “After ignored notifications, I passed with the small stroller on the whole car. Anyway, who parks so it doesn’t care about his car.”
The problem is not an isolated one, I attract the attention of users. “(…) The cars are the hosts and the pedestrians are slipping next to them ”someone summarized.
Another comment has even ironized how police officers justify the situation: “An agent told me that the indicator represents the pedestrian area. I asked him hypothetically:” What is the car looking for in the pedestrian area? ” And he insisted that they are regularly parked. ”
From online petitions to concrete solutions
Some users have requested the installation of anti-parking pillars and repeated notifications to the mayors. “After 2-3 emails with registration number, I saw that their mind came to my area”, said another user.
Others remain skeptical: “I asked for the installation of the anti-parking systems every month. I was responding with passive-aggressive calls and attempted intimidation.
The debate shows an increasingly difficult to ignore reality: the legislation exists, but the application is fertile and incoherent. The online community conveys a clear message: the sidewalks are not parking, and the lack of reaction of the authorities makes the problem one of public safety and elementary respect for pedestrians.
