Page 10 | Neighbours have decided that myself and NDN park some of our cars in another street to make it fairer for everyone. AIBU to ignore the request?

SumoFarah · 2025-11-30T20:39:51+00:00

I live on a street with unrestricted parking and few driveways. I know it might sound excessive but my family and NDN family have 7 cars between us. I can’t get a drive out in as the street is really narrow so I would need the space opposite to be empty in order to exit. A neighbour on the street knocked on my and NDN to explain that our six cars take up too much space and means that: 1. neighbours who finish work late can never get a space so have to park on another street and walk 1. their weekend visitors can never get a space 1. on weekends they sometimes have to park in the middle of the road to unload their shopping and then go and find somewhere else to park We we’re told that ‘they all’ think everyone should agree to use a maximum of 2 spaces to use as they wish and any further space needed should be used in the free car park about 1/2 mile away. Also that the two teenagers (one mine, one NDN) don’t need cars as they are still in school so should have no need for cars anyway. I get that parking spaces are at a premium, and can be frustrating when all the spaces are taken, but I don’t want myself or my dc to walk 1/2 mile in the dark (or the light, for that matter) just to placate the neighbours when there’s a space available. All our cars are pretty much used on a daily basis. NDN told the messenger neighbour that it’s first-come-first-served. I do understand the annoyance but don’t agree with the suggestion because some houses only have one car and some houses don’t have a car, so should balance out in theory, but obviously doesn’t in practice. Would I be unreasonable to ignore the ‘request’? Suggestions welcomed.

Bungle2168 · 01/12/2025 00:28

Not that it is relevant to the OP’s predicament, but on-street parking should be illegal.

Balloonhearts · 01/12/2025 00:27

You're taking the absolute piss imo.

WafflePlusWord · 01/12/2025 00:12

Anonymousemouses · 01/12/2025 00:10

I live on a weird sort of close, that's almost a cul-de-sac, but not.

We live down a little path with houses each side, but at the top of the pat h there is a bay for us to park, max of four cars (there are houses on the little path).

The rest of the close is on the road, so they have parking, plus most have back entrances with parking.

Two houses have driveways.

One of the houses with a driveway is owned by a taxi company owner. They extended their driveway, then decided that the dropped kerb for pedestrians (the driveway had uts own dropped kerb the other end), should also be used, so they have two entrances, even though one is illegal

They now park cars down the bit of road between both dropped kerbs, minimising the parking available. They have 12 cars on their drive two in the bay that haven't moved and three elsewhere on the road. They also used up any other spaces with big minivans. A lot have no tax.

The council couldn't give a shit about the untaxed vehicles.

The other driveway owner fixes cars and parks his, along with his transport carriers in any space ge can find. He's got untaxed cars on the road, again reported, but now just takes the licence plate off so he avoids any penalty.

I can't say how much I hate living here.

This is a complete piss take. A road being used for a business is wrong. But adults living in the house and using their own cars is completely different.

Original poster

SumoFarah · 01/12/2025 00:12

MrsOverthinker25 · 01/12/2025 00:03

When will your neighbours use the free car park then? I don’t see why it should only be your household that has to be inconvenienced!

Show quote history

Good question, and one I’d not thought of 😊.

I think a lot of people on my road have lived here for quite a long time, as there seems to be an informal kind of committee. Not that long ago we had food caddies delivered and after 2 weeks we all received a note to say we shouldn’t use the caddy because they look untidy, fly (not park, haha!) in the road and the foxes open and spill out the contents. I wasn’t bothered by that intrusion, as I never used the caddy because I gave it to my nephew to keep his Lego in! 😁

OP posts:

WafflePlusWord · 01/12/2025 00:11

thishouseisashittip · 01/12/2025 00:09

We have 5 cars in our household, have a garage and driveway that can accommodate them though which makes all the difference. I think myself it would be a piss take if I just parked them all in the street. YBVU! You need to park a couple in nearby car park really, give others a chance.

Obviously it would be a pisstake to park them all in the street, because you have a driveway! The OP does not have a driveway!!

Anonymousemouses · 01/12/2025 00:10

I live on a weird sort of close, that's almost a cul-de-sac, but not.

We live down a little path with houses each side, but at the top of the pat h there is a bay for us to park, max of four cars (there are houses on the little path).

The rest of the close is on the road, so they have parking, plus most have back entrances with parking.

Two houses have driveways.

One of the houses with a driveway is owned by a taxi company owner. They extended their driveway, then decided that the dropped kerb for pedestrians (the driveway had uts own dropped kerb the other end), should also be used, so they have two entrances, even though one is illegal

They now park cars down the bit of road between both dropped kerbs, minimising the parking available. They have 12 cars on their drive two in the bay that haven't moved and three elsewhere on the road. They also used up any other spaces with big minivans. A lot have no tax.

The council couldn't give a shit about the untaxed vehicles.

The other driveway owner fixes cars and parks his, along with his transport carriers in any space ge can find. He's got untaxed cars on the road, again reported, but now just takes the licence plate off so he avoids any penalty.

I can't say how much I hate living here.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 01/12/2025 00:10

Why is it excessive to have 7 cars between two separate households?

If adult children are still living with mum and dad and all in the household need cars to get to work then that's easily 4 cars per household for an average family.

We have three cars and our neighbours have 4.

The retired couple Nextdoor have a car plus their camper van.

Across the road have four cars - again due to both sons still living at home.

WafflePlusWord · 01/12/2025 00:10

x12 · 01/12/2025 00:08

quite a few of my neighbours have 3 or 4 cars per household. A large part of that is because their adult dc are still living at home.

Exactly, housing is not affordable for a lot of young adults. They need to live at home but also drive to work.

thishouseisashittip · 01/12/2025 00:09

We have 5 cars in our household, have a garage and driveway that can accommodate them though which makes all the difference. I think myself it would be a piss take if I just parked them all in the street. YBVU! You need to park a couple in nearby car park really, give others a chance.

WafflePlusWord · 01/12/2025 00:09

nomas · 30/11/2025 23:23

YABU. Very selfish behaviour. If I was your neighbour I’d be petitioning the council to make it permit parking only with only 2 cars allowed per home.

That’s what we did on our street, made it permit parking only to stop the selfish people who were parking loads of cars on our street.

Where I used to live there was permit parking. You were not allowed a permit if you had enough spaces on your drive to accommodate the vehicles in your household. But if there were 4 people with cars living in your house with a car each in their name then you would be allowed 2 permits. So as long as they were registered as living there they would be allowed a permit. It might only be a 3 bed house with 6 adults and no driveway but if all 6 adults had a car, then each would get a parking permit issued. Though just because you had a permit didn’t mean you would get a space. The council was perfectly happy to sell more permits than street parking availability!

x12 · 01/12/2025 00:08

quite a few of my neighbours have 3 or 4 cars per household. A large part of that is because their adult dc are still living at home.

Cursula · 01/12/2025 00:07

My NDN and I have 7 vehicles between us.
one is mine…..
thankfully they are moving. It’s awful.
Anyway, OP you have found a good compromise, and now the other NDN has to do the same for the sake of peace and goodwill

MrsOverthinker25 · 01/12/2025 00:03

SumoFarah · 01/12/2025 00:01

It’s honestly ok, as I’ve agreed with DC to have set days to use the free car park, which will be easier for us to make work.

Three days each for DC. I’ll use the car park on Saturdays (I vary rarely go out of a night) so DCs will park on street and not have to walk in dark if/when they go out and come home late on Saturday nights.

I do appreciate the helpful suggestions and I’m happy with this solution.

When will your neighbours use the free car park then? I don’t see why it should only be your household that has to be inconvenienced!

Vaxtable · 01/12/2025 00:03

As someone who has a similar issue, we have 1car, neighbours have two/three and one person parks the car on the road when there is plenty of room on their drive I have every sympathy with your neighbours and none with you

i have had to park on the next street and walk home in the dark, so why shouldnt you/your family?

There is such a thing as being neighbourly, and 7cars between two families for street parking is a lot, neighbours are being inconvenienced , so why shouldn't you be?

Original poster

SumoFarah · 01/12/2025 00:01

It’s honestly ok, as I’ve agreed with DC to have set days to use the free car park, which will be easier for us to make work.

Three days each for DC. I’ll use the car park on Saturdays (I vary rarely go out of a night) so DCs will park on street and not have to walk in dark if/when they go out and come home late on Saturday nights.

I do appreciate the helpful suggestions and I’m happy with this solution.

OP posts:

WafflePlusWord · 01/12/2025 00:01

I don’t think you’re being unreasonable.

If you were running a car business and parking cars or a delivery business and parking delivery vans then yes, you would be unreasonable. But if all the cars are being used then it’s first come first served. Just thinking along my road there are 2 HMOs, they are both 5 bedroom houses, 1 has about 6 spaces on the drive and the other has 2. But if each room is occupied by 2 working adults then they both might (reasonably) need cars and they won’t all fit, so some will have to park on the road. As long as they are legally parked and are taxed and have MOTs then it’s just first come first serve surely?

Also, I have a 5 bed house and a good sized drive but if all my children need to live here with their partners (house prices are extortionate here) then all our cars are not going to fit on the drive. So they will have to park on the road. If there’s no space then they would have to park 1 or 2 streets away and suck it up. But ultimately it would be first come first served! Luckily we are not quite there yet, so the drive is usually sufficient for now.

OffTheHookNow · 30/11/2025 23:59

YANBU I think you should carry on parking where you want.

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 30/11/2025 23:53

SumoFarah · 30/11/2025 23:44

Quite! And was I question I asked. Apparently the miffed neighbours have done the necessary logistics and accounted for such circumstances. The verdict being that parking harmony on our road will reign as long as no one ever takes up more than two spaces.

Show quote history

Hmmmm. I bet they'll want it both ways too: they 'need' a space leaving empty at all times for their occasional visitors, as though they were residents; but if ever they have a party, get-together or other event whereby they have multiple visitors' cars, that will also be magically OK for them to take lots of spaces as "they're only here for a short time".

LemaxObsessive · 30/11/2025 23:52

Zov · 30/11/2025 21:21

This is almost funny. You have a driveway that you CBA to use 'coz it's a it hard getting in and out' and you and your NDN have SEVEN cars between you, and other neighbours have (understandably) complained, and you are shocked by this?!

You are the most unreasonable person on MN this MONTH, and there is stiff competition!!!

I LOATHE with a flaming passion, people who park on the road WHEN THEY HAVE A DRIVEWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😠

OP has stated several times that she does NOT have a driveway

LemaxObsessive · 30/11/2025 23:51

HildegardP · 30/11/2025 21:20

YABU.
Seven cars for one household on a street like that is utterly unreasonable.

OP does not have 7 cars 🤦🏼‍♀️😆 Try again

MrsOverthinker25 · 30/11/2025 23:51

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 30/11/2025 23:42

We’re in a public debate forum that’s sort of the point.

Show quote history

What the OP spends on car insurance is none of your business. None at all.

crazeekat · 30/11/2025 23:50

cant stand the selfishness of people like u. 7 cars between 2 houses is absolutely ridiculous.

whynotwhatknot · 30/11/2025 23:50

2 families have 6 cars beteen them on our road we dont say anything thery pay tax there isnt a free car park near and if they park on another road it will just effect them instead

Original poster

SumoFarah · 30/11/2025 23:49

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 30/11/2025 23:48

Does it also surprise you that households with lots of adults spend much more on food than households with one single adult living there alone?

Car insurance for young drivers is enormously expensive regardless of how fancy or expensive the car is.

I really feel sorry for young adults nowadays: not only can they not afford to move out and pay the huge costs to rent or buy their own homes, but they're also criticised for wanting/needing to start driving and owning their own cars as well.

Do we want our children to grow up and become independent adults or not?

Show quote history

👏

OP posts:

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 30/11/2025 23:48

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 30/11/2025 23:41

I am absolutely staggered you’d spend that much money. Clearly the young adults are too young to have such expensive cars. A bus pass would have been better for everyone. And your neighbours. But especially the kids.

Show quote history

Does it also surprise you that households with lots of adults spend much more on food than households with one single adult living there alone?

Car insurance for young drivers is enormously expensive regardless of how fancy or expensive the car is.

I really feel sorry for young adults nowadays: not only can they not afford to move out and pay the huge costs to rent or buy their own homes, but they're also criticised for wanting/needing to start driving and owning their own cars as well.

Do we want our children to grow up and become independent adults or not?