Flowers of romance

In the UK a couple who planted flowers in a roadside verge recently faced a charge of criminal damage from the local authorities. The elderly couple started planting the flowers 15 years ago in a bid to dissuade motorists from parking their vehicles illegally on the verge, explaining that this churned up the grass and left it looking unsightly.
September 29, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

In the UK a couple who planted flowers in a roadside verge recently faced a charge of criminal damage from the local authorities. The elderly couple started planting the flowers 15 years ago in a bid to dissuade motorists from parking their vehicles illegally on the verge, explaining that this churned up the grass and left it looking unsightly. A local council official visited the area after being called to inspect the remains of a fallen tree nearby. The officious official spotted the fuchsias and after making enquiries as to who had planted them in the verge, warned the retired couple that this was a dangerously illegal activity in breach of regulations. The couple then received a letter from the authorities requiring them to remove the flowers and replace the turf on the verge in question, threatening a fine and court action if they refused to comply. A representative for the council later explained that in the event of an accident occurring on the verge resulting in injuries, it would not be clear who to sue for damages due to the presence of the flowers. European road safety standards do not so far include vehicle impact tests on fuchsias.

Related Content

  • Portugal's road safety initiative
    February 14, 2012
    The Portuguese experience with road safety has proved that planning, development, introduction, and hard work do pay off in the end. Paulo Marques Augusto, president of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), explained that in the last 10 years a decrease of over 50% has been achieved in the number of fatalities on the road network despite a continuing growth in traffic demand (there are five million vehicles in Portugal), and a similar reduction in travel time on most of the connections between Lisbon a
    Read More
  • Skidmarks
    December 15, 2017
    Our Skidmarks page is highly rated by readers. Your input could help make this page even more entertaining. If you come across any amusing road-related stories or pictures email me at [email protected]
    Read More
  • Grand achievement for Intermountain
    July 18, 2012
    A versatile solution has helped with a tricky project at the Grand Canyon in the US – Pierre Peltier When Intermountain Slurry Seal, a division of Granite Construction, submitted its bid in 2009 to repair roads and parking lots along the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, the company knew the job would come with challenges. The remote roads leading from Jacob’s Lake, Arizona, to the North Rim Lodge had deteriorated to a point that the Federal Highway Association’s (FHWA) Central Federal Lands (CFL) Highway Division
    Read More
  • Improving safety for vulnerable road users
    January 2, 2013
    Dutch-style cycle safety for other European nations – Mike Woof writes A recent event held in London during October was aimed at improving safety for vulnerable road users. Called Love London go Dutch, the event was intended to highlight some of the experience from Holland in reducing risk rates for vulnerable road users such as cyclists. Similar events were held in other UK cities, while other major European cities such as Paris that are seeing an increase in cycling also have a lot to learn from Dutch exp
    Read More

Highlighted Content