To park in front of this person's drive

[SophiePendragon]

I had to go to school for an open day this afternoon and the usual car park was full plus a long way up the road, so I parked eventually on a space (well, what I thought was a space) behind another car, on the road.

I often see cars parked along there so I'm sure it's allowed, it's a large village, no signs or meters anywhere near there.

I noticed as I drove up though that there was a recently block paved driveway, which was the width of the property (bungalow) but it only had a small section of dropped kerb, to the left, and the rest was normal kerb, uninterrupted, which continued along the road.

Anyway this looked odd but I assumed it was fine to park my car on the normal bit, leaving the dropped kerb free obviously.

There were two cars parked on the drive but I figured that it was probably fine to get off using the dropped kerb as there was plenty of space behind them to steer to that bit, (at least another car's length) and they were little cars. I'm a fairly experienced driver and I could definitely have done it.

Anyway I got back after about 40 minutes with the children and found a note under my wiper - please do not park in front of our drive, access is needed at all times, thank you.

It was polite but a bit stroppy. I saw there was someone in, so I went and rang the bell (leaving children in the car)

The woman who answered looked quite old but not elderly, and also looked a bit of a stroppy type who might feel the world is against her. So I smiled and said I just wanted to apologise but I genuinely didn't realise I couldn't park on a normal kerb.
She said that it's hard to get off the drive anyway due to being near a junction and I said, did the council know about her kerb as I thought other people might get confused as well.

She just started saying 'don't worry about it' and was pleasant enough but truly I don't think she has a leg to stand on - does she?

I mean I won't go and park there again as I'd like to avoid confrontation with her but seriously - you have to get planning for a dropped kerb don't you, and pay for it? You can't just extend your drive and then demand no one parks on the undropped section in front of your house?

[Icimoi]

In law you can't park across someone's driveway if it blocks them in. However, I must say I wouldn't park somewhere where it was obvious I was obstructing access to a driveway, with or without a dropped kerb, and even if I thought they could get out with a bit of wiggling. There's a road near us with white lines painted across people's driveways, much wider than the driveways themselves, and I avoid them even whilst inwardly grumbling: I reckon it's just not worth the hassle.

[SophiePendragon]

Hmm. I honestly don't think I was blocking anyone in. It didn't look difficult to get off and in any case had they used the normal kerb to back off the drive, it'd have been a heck of a bump down onto the road.

I just don't think it is fair to claim a bit of road to yourself, without even a note pinned up anywhere and then get cross with people who use it in all innocence. I think it's a bit passive aggressive.

[ErrolTheDragon]

TBH I don't think you were parking across her driveway - you were parking in front of what used to be a garden but they've decided to concrete over to put cars on.

Polite not to park there, but I wouldn't have thought there was any legal reason not to do so.

[Floralnomad]

I have a blocked drive with only half serviced by a dropped kerb ( as you describe in your OP) , we go in and off the dropped but to access all the drive and if someone parked across the non dropped bit it wouldn't bother me ( we often do it ourselves) .

[InexperiencedDisneyMum]

Unless you were parked over the dropped kerb section you have done nothing wrong. She has no rights to any more than that. If it was near a corner though you should not have parked there as you should not park close to a corner.

[HeyDuggee]

You're right. She has to pay to drop her curb and until it does, it is not a driveway.

Tons of people their their front yard, park on it and demand everyone treat it like a drive, despite no dropped curb. Also, I think you need to get permission if you pave over a certain percentage of the front lawn to assure proper drainage is in place (but google that part as I'm not sure if that's everywhere or certain councils only)

[LikeABadSethRogenMovie]

I want to know how you can tell someone is the stripy type who feels like the world is against them in the 3 seconds it takes to open the door!

[LikeABadSethRogenMovie]

Stripy?! Stroppy!

[fizzychuck89]

I agree with Icimoi. I know legally you shouldn't park across someone's kerb lowered drive...but I'm sure I might have definitely have done it myself.
My gran has a drive with gates and a dropped kerb but she doesn't own a car.
She, (and I on her behalf) gets very shouty and annoyed when people park there. Says she doesn't want to look put of her room window at an old banger, if she did she would put top gear on.

The people across and next door had visitors at the weekend and parked in such a way that even DH had to do a 50 point turn to get off our drive.
I was annoyed.

So perhaps you were being a tad unreasonable in assuming the note leaver might have the same driving skills as you?

[fizzychuck89]

** out.
Ffs.

Just re read the part about the dropped kerb. So no you aren't being completely unreasonable.

[Sparklingbrook]

It could have been her grumpy husband or partner that did the note and she was probably stroppy because they did it.

I don't think you did anything wrong. they have access at all times it's just a bit narrower than they would like. They need to get the kerb dropped.

[WorraLiberty]

You were fine to park there

If she wants a wider dropped kerb, she'll have to pay the council more money to put it in. That's if they say she's allowed to have one.

But parking against a normal kerb is not wrong.

[SophiePendragon]

Thanks for the replies. Some good points.

First of all I'd never park across a dropped kerb or block someone in, that's not the sort of person I am - but I really thought this would be Ok, and not even in a 'let's see if they make a fuss' kind of way, I promise!

Secondly it's a fair way from the corner so I'm not sure why that bothers her...I mean probably around 15-20 metres. So I was Ok in that respect.

Thirdly - I've googled the place to have another look, also looked at the interactive planning map and I think she's been done over.

What they have done is converted the house into two different properties and stuck a fence down the middle, but ALSO they have sectioned off half of what used to be their driveway and stuck another massive house up an access road to the left of it.

This takes up most of the dropped kerb and she is left with a tiny bit of it that is, honestly, inadequate - I mean it's definitely doable as I looked carefully at the time, but it's not something that looks right or feels right.

I think as part of the planning they just decided to squeeze both into one as they knew they wouldn't get it granted if they wanted to alter the vehicluhar (trips over own fingers) access.

It's a rubbish set up but I feel for her. I jsut think she needs to sort it out rather than get annoyed with normal people who don't mean any harm.

[Golfhotelromeofoxtrot]

She's wrong and probably knows it, hence her reluctance to defend her position when confronted.

[hedgehogsdontbite]

They might have tried to get a dropped kerb and been refused permission. This happened to a friend of mine. The council said it was too near a school, on road parking was already in short supply and the limit for percentage of kerb which can be dropped had already been reached. Bit cheeky if the same has happened her but she's trying to get the access by stealth instead

[SophiePendragon]

See if I can put a picture. I didn't park right up to the dropped bit - I left the first normal height piece of kerb too so they really did have loads of room.

You can see where they have divvied up the driveway. Stupid idea.

[image removed by MNHQ]

[hedgehogsdontbite]

Sorry but now I've seen it I wouldn't have parked there.

[SophiePendragon]

No, I know what you mean. It looks far smaller on the picture though. It was a lot wider IRL!

I won't do it again anyway but it does seem like they have decided the whole stretch belongs to them, without bothering to get proper access sorted, and I don't think that is reasonable either.

[LurkingHusband]

I wonder if that is an "official" dropped kerb ? Given that almost every aspect of UK roads are covered (in triplicate) with various design standards and criteria, there's something distinctly "iffy" about that picture.

a dropped kerb should have a corresponding file somewhere with the local authority. If it hasn't, the dropped kerb can be removed and the original kerb reinstated - at the householders expense.

Unless any other MNetter has seen a similar official dropped kerb ?

[ErrolTheDragon]

If they had any sense they'd get rid of that bit of wall and some of the fence, just put in a line of different coloured brick as demarcation between the two properties.

[NataliaBaker]

You are seriously overthinking this. I would have seen the note, binned it and carried on with my life. Wouldn't even have been arsed to knock on the door. Instead you are whacking pics of her house on a forum and looking at the planning and all sorts. It's a bit OTT.

[ErrolTheDragon]

This is the sort of thread which mainly shows who's a bit bored or needing a displacement activity today, isn't it?

[SophiePendragon]

You see the bit to the left LH? With the gravel? That's the new drive to the new build at the rear of the property (not a bungalow as I said before, sorry).

You can see how they have taken the original dropped kerb and just put a wall down in the middle so the older property has a few feet of it and the new one takes up most of it.

I've seen the planning documents, it was all done about 5 years ago and the vehicle access was 'existing'.

Sorry toddler on lap, snipping skills limited!

[image removed by MNHQ]

[WhetherOrNot]

No, I would not have parked there. You were rude.

[SexNamesRFab]

no dropped curb = fine to park there. yANBu.