A Royal Mail delivery worker has expressed his bewilderment after spotting markings on a road that “simply don’t add up”. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Comments
During his mail round, a postman was left perplexed after coming across a series of road markings that just don’t “make sense”. Sim Lewis, employed by Royal Mail, stumbled upon the peculiar road while on duty in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire.
He playfully dubbed it “Penny Farthing Lane” in reference to the old-fashioned, slender bicycle famous for its large front wheel. This wasn’t the postie’s first time encountering the puzzling road, which has been designed in such a way that it has left many folks baffled. In a TikTok video, the postman filmed himself at the location, remarking: “Guys, what’s going on; I had to revisit today because you all were going crazy in the comments yesterday.”
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He continued, stating: “This just [doesn’t] make sense.” He then panned the camera to reveal the long road, showcasing white parking space markings painted down both sides. In theory, this setup would permit cars to park on both sides of the street, making the center section excessively narrow for any vehicles to get through.
If the road becomes filled with parked vehicles, which appear to be legally permitted on both sides, only pedestrians or cyclists would be able to pass through.
Sim remarked: “So I’m back at Penny Farthing Lane,” while displaying a parking sign highlighting specific time limits specifying when parking is permitted. The sign indicates parking is for “permit holders only” and designates Monday to Friday, 10am to 11am, and 4pm to 5pm as the allotted times.
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Sim confirmed this was “the only information” he could find, before revealing a similar looking sign across the road. Both displayed arrows indicating the one-way direction along the street.
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The delivery worker then pointed out another puzzling issue. He elaborated: “I don’t know why it’s got arrows… so it’s only one-way, but I saw a few comments about something that didn’t compute at all.
“That’s the fact that everywhere there’s a lowered kerb, the space is just the same, it continues. There’s no break, so someone could just park in front of your driveway and justify it as it’s a parking space.”
The parking markings painted on the road surface show no breaks, suggesting Sim’s observation appears to be correct – driveways could possibly be obstructed by parked vehicles without technically breaking any rules. He commented: “This is the worst bit of authorization, or whatever you want to call it, I’ve ever seen in my life.”
@simlewis_ Had to circle back and give you guys a part 2 on this nonsense #fy #fyp #random #funny #banter ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
In the comments section, TikTok users were quick to share their thoughts. One viewer joked: “I think someone from the council was having a difficult day that day.”
Someone else commented: “Can you tag that area’s local council to ask what the heck is going on cause this can’t be right surely.” A third remarked: “I need you to revisit when people have parked on each side!”
While another quipped: “This was certainly done on a Friday at 1pm when they were finishing up at 2.”
One person referenced their own neighborhood, explaining: “They have some roads where you park on one side in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The empty side is where most commuter traffic is, so it adds up. Are the hours different in the signs?”
Another suggested: “We should be knocking on doors and seeing what the residents think.”
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A spokesperson for North Herts Council explained: “Souberie Avenue’s design is similar to other streets in the vicinity. Parking over a dropped kerb is an infringement and our Civil Enforcement Officers can issue Penalty Charge Notices.
“If cars obstruct the road by parking across from one another, that’s regarded as an obstruction enforced by the police. Continuous bay markings help prevent confusion regarding dropped kerbs, and the arrow on signage simply indicates where restrictions alter. We urge motorists to park considerately to maintain access and keep roads clear for everyone.”