Parking wars

Does your driveway have a dropped curb? Must do, if your DH parks on it. Why don't you park your car over the dropped curb?

If I was the driver, and you approached me with a friendly smile and, in two sentences, explained that it would really make your life easier if I parked somewhere else, I’d apologize and never parked there again. Why not do someone a favour that would cost me nothing? 🤷‍♀️ I’m a coward to ask face to face, so I’d probably leave a very polite note with a smiley face and wishes of a great day behind her wiper. 😁

Posted too soon!

She may be unaware that she’s inconveniencing you - she might be thinking that you’re off out to work and dropping kids off at school / nursery on the way, or that you can park on the drive (you’ve explained here why you can’t, but it may not be obvious to her).

So there’s no harm in asking, especially if there’s other on street parking spaces available.

Although if she refuses, it’d be unreasonable to keep on at her about it.

As other people have said, you need to break the habit so she doesn't automatically think of the spot as 'her daily spot'.

That's either getting DH to do the school run for a couple of days in his car with you leaving yours outside your house. Or get a neighbour or friend to park there for a couple of days.

Or, of course, you can ask her. She might say no of course so then you'd have to do the above.

There’s no harm in asking.

She may be thinking that

I'd find this very annoying to be honest. I know you dont own the street but still, it's really odd that she does this when other spaces are available. I'd ask her to park elsewhere or leave a note on her car.

Can you but cones up to keep the space?

why? I'm suggesting ways OP can make her hectic life a bit easier 🤷‍♀️

Ridiculous response.

You can ask and if she a decent person she may comply … but I wouldn’t hold your breath.

Not you dont have the right but you can always explain the situation to them and ask them not to park there. They probably dont realise.

Speak to the school, they are usually pretty hot on maintaining good relationships within the community 🙂

Only thing can do to stop unwanted parking imo is ask the council to put a short time limit where only permit holders can park, say 10-2pm. It stops the 'all dayer's' from parking where space is limited.

Sadly it’s just tough.

I honestly do see your point of view but it sounds like you're expecting a stranger to see you load all of your kids into your car at 8 ish and they also are meant to notice you are in casual attire rather than work clothes?? this other woman is looking for a parking space, she's not Sherlock Holmes 🤭

You can ask but they are completely within their rights to decline.

Why can't you get your shopping delivered instead? then you don't need to take your baby on a food shop.

I don't actually get the relevance of the drive. If you have a drive that one of your cars doesn't fit on, it's the equivalent of simply not having a drive in the first place - albeit you're luckier than many in that you do separately have a drive for your other, smaller car.

The fact that you have a too-small drive doesn't somehow earn you any right to preference for a public space on the road on front of it - any more than it would for somebody who had no drive whatsoever in the first place.

Put a cone out.

Dropped kerbs aren't just installed/approved for the use of rhe householders to whose drive they lead - even if the householders had to pay to apply/for the work.

So many able-bodied people just don't pay a moment's thought to the needs of people who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters when it comes to needing to cross roads.

If DH car is there, I’d leave his car in the space, or have him move into it first and beat her to it. This is really infuriating. Are the other spaces awkward for her to get into?

Is it not a bit strange that she is ignoring other available spaces and instead waiting for you to vacate yours? I would find this odd.

Of course, as you acknowledge, there is no right to park outside your house. But given that you do see her I might ask her ‘I know I have no right to park outside my house but I have 5 small children including a baby and it’s a real bother to park elsewhere. I wondered if you could vary your parking spots, as it would be very helpful. Thank you’ At worst you get a ‘no’ but you’ve tried.

Maybe sometimes your DH can park in your spot and you elsewhere, back to ‘breaking the habit’ that the other poster mentioned

You can buy all means ask politely, but based on the fact she is stalking you for the space I would not be confident it would improve things. It is possible she might be assuming you are out all day like she is and not realise how much this is inconveniencing you. I guess even if she takes it badly and it makes her more determined to "claim" that bit of road, what is she actually going to to do to inconvenience you more than she currently does? Arguably, short of her keying your car you don't have that much to lose by asking.

Apologies if I've missed it but is your husband around while this is happening? If so would be be able to move his car out to nab the space before she gets to it? You'd have to do some rearranging later in the day, and maybe leave a little early for a few days, but you might find that temporarily breaking the habit is enough for her to find another favourite spot.

Of course you can ask her, it's a reasonable request and if someone asked me I'd oblige them. Not everyone is that reasonable though so she may not.

Nope sorry. Without being rude you have a choice to have that many children which is terribly difficult to manage and have a choice where you live. No one else is responsible for that so you can’t use that as a greater reason than the other person’s needs. Roads are free for everyone to use unless there are parking restrictions so you just have to lump it. I’d honestly just look at you like you were bonkers if you told me not to park there!

There is no harm in leaving a polite message on the car, asking if she could park somewhere else. Briefly explain why, and that you understand she is entitled to park there if she choose to.

Personally, if there was plenty of other options I would park somewhere else if I could. But I guess I'm going to be told that kindness is overrated again 😂