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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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?

484 replies

SumoFarah · 30/11/2025 20:39

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
  2. their weekend visitors can never get a space
  3. 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.

OP posts:
booksunderthebed · 30/11/2025 23:05

I am not sure what you think will happen to you or your offspring if you walk half a mile in the dark. People without cars have to walk that distance all the time to catch a bus or go to the shops. In fact people with cars walk that distance all the time as well, because walking in the fresh air is good for you. (and enjoyable!)

If your work or school was half a mile away would you really drive there?

I bet you use your three cars to take you to the gym where you can use a treadmill.

I don't think three cars is that extraordinary but it does sound like its causing challanges for your neighbours. I am sure they would be more understanding if you or your family members had mobility issues.

Oopsadaisydoodah · 30/11/2025 23:05

Giraffemug30 · 30/11/2025 20:47

Yeah you've got a ridiculous amount of cars between the two of you, and no it's not really fair your neighbours cant park on the road because of all your cars

They cant force you obviously, it's a public street, but I feel you should have some social responsibility in this situation and park one of youe cars in the free carpark

I wonder if they can ask council to make it a permit parking road?

LovePoppy · 30/11/2025 23:04

ShesTheAlbatross · 30/11/2025 20:44

I can see why they’d be annoyed at so many cars but they are being totally insane. I would never agree to something like this.

This is where I fall too. I’d be very (quietly) annoyed, but I’d accept that you can do as you please.

BackToLurk · 30/11/2025 23:02

PuppyMonkey · 30/11/2025 22:40

It doesn’t matter how many people come on this thread and try to explain it properly to the numpties who’ve misread it, OP will go down in MN history as the owner of seven cars. Grin

And with a drive she refuses to use.

ThreeWordUsername · 30/11/2025 23:01

I know that grammar policing is frowned upon, but must say this "myself (and NDN)" crap irritates the shit out of me.

NDN and you both park your cars inconsiderately OP. You may, at times, park yourself inconsiderately too, but that is different.

singmoon · 30/11/2025 22:59

I haven't read the full thread. I live on a first come first served parking street. So in theory, you have the same right as everyone in the street to park no matter how many cars you have. That's just the way it goes. I would never ask you to park anywhere else. But oh my god would I hate you and your family!

Politicians247UnderwearExtinguishingService · 30/11/2025 22:59

ShesTheAlbatross · 30/11/2025 20:51

You’d have to sort the housing issues out to do that. I imagine a lot of the homes with lots of cars are either house shares of young adults, or a family with adult children who still live at home and need to drive to work. I’m sure they’d all love to live in their own flat or house with parking.

This is a very good point. Why is it OK to say that one house being shared by multiple adults, each with one car, is selfish; but one or two adults taking up a whole property on a busy street just for themselves is not?!

It's also racially biased, as Asian families are much more likely to live multi-generationally - thus more adults per house equals more cars per house.

It does seem very odd 'higher moral ground' to take, complaining about one (larger) household using three spaces on the public street when you have no drive yourself and thus are also dependent on (and expecting to occupy) one or two street spaces. How would they like it if the people with drives (on which they can park all of their vehicles) accused them of being selfish by impeding the free flow of traffic on the road when there's a free car park nearby?

SpinningaCompass · 30/11/2025 22:55

CombatBarbie · 30/11/2025 20:43

7 cars between 2 houses? Yeah thats a bit of a piss take.

A lot of 'children' now live at home into their 20s because they can't afford to move out/makes no sense to move out, and they will likely have cars that get them to school/jobs. Not unusual in a lot of family situations.

ArtfulTaupeGoose · 30/11/2025 22:54

We have 3 vehicles and park 2 on our street. The 3rd goes in a nearby car park. In an ideal world we'd have them outside our house but it would be unfair to our neighbours. So, yes you're being unreasonable!

SumoFarah · 30/11/2025 22:51

PuppyMonkey · 30/11/2025 22:40

It doesn’t matter how many people come on this thread and try to explain it properly to the numpties who’ve misread it, OP will go down in MN history as the owner of seven cars. Grin

Haha! Insurance for the 3 we have is already over £5k a year, so I’d faint if I had to pay twice that with 7 cars!

I’d surely just move to somewhere with a drive, as probably be cheaper!

OP posts:
Mrsmch123 · 30/11/2025 22:49

Think I'm in the minority here but I wouldn't make my kids park further away. It's just tuff for your neighbours that they don't get home quick enough 🤷🏻‍♀️

lifeonmars100 · 30/11/2025 22:47

7 cars, are you all Uber drivers?

YowieeF · 30/11/2025 22:47

Tell them to F off, I have 3 cars in my house, all used daily, we park where there are spaces - there are no ‘owned’ spaces and no drives.
Park wherever, I do have to stop and drop shopping - but really, it’s a 10 minute job.

Waitingforthistopass · 30/11/2025 22:43

If I were your neighbour I’d totally seethe privately over this, I’d quite possibly talk about you to the other neighbours and I’d definitely cold shoulder you in the street. You’d never get a Christmas card and god help you if you ever asked for a favour….however if the parking was unrestricted I’d never ever ask you to park your army of cars elsewhere! 🤣

PuppyMonkey · 30/11/2025 22:40

It doesn’t matter how many people come on this thread and try to explain it properly to the numpties who’ve misread it, OP will go down in MN history as the owner of seven cars. Grin

NoSoupForU · 30/11/2025 22:38

Whilst of course the laws of the land allow anyone to park as many cars as they desire on a public road, to actually do that is enormously selfish.

Catcatcat111 · 30/11/2025 22:36

3 cars is not unreasonable, but I’d probably do what you suggested and try and park one further away. Could you definitely not get a drive put in?

Speckly · 30/11/2025 22:34

FrodoBiggins · 30/11/2025 20:44

Is it 6 or 7 cars, you've said both.
How many are yours versus NDN? I'm confused why you're counting them together, are you related to NDN?

Legally you can do what you want.
But I am on team neighbourhood I think. You have too many cars for someone with no distinct parking space for them, and if I were your neighbours it would piss me off.

Hmmmmm odd

Doesitgoto11 · 30/11/2025 22:31

We live on a road that was most def not designed for cars. We usually pull slightly in (it’s a cul de sac) and take a view as to whether we can get in to get parked but if we can’t (which is the norm given we keep unusual hours) then we reverse back out and park as close as we can - usually 3 or 4 roads over. It just is what it is.

its first come first served on the road tbh. End of. My car is actually outside my house tonight but only because the space was free when I got home earlier - it’ll be there till 6am Tuesday when I take it out for work 2 hours away 😈

MissAmbrosia · 30/11/2025 22:31

We have to pay for parking permits where I live. 25 for first car, 125 for 2nd, 250 for 3rd. I never looked beyond that.

Tangerinenets · 30/11/2025 22:30

3 cars in your household? That’s hardly excessive! I think every house on our street with older children has at least 3 cars. Honestly I’d ignore it.

GumFossil · 30/11/2025 22:27

My next door neighbours (a couple and their 7 year old son) have at least 5 cars. Their drive is big enough for 3.

I might sometimes think they’d be better off living somewhere with a big driveway, but it’s not really anyone’s business. If they park on the road in insured and taxed vehicles, it might be moderately annoying (as it causes traffic to back up and pass in single lanes), but they’re within their rights so 🤷‍♀️

Mwnci123 · 30/11/2025 22:26

Mwnci123 · 30/11/2025 22:16

You are so very unreasonable. I would hate it if you were my neighbour.

I just read your updates where you say you have 3 cars (I assumed you were the worst offender, but it sounds like your NDN is worse). In that case, you are actually no worse than my annoying neighbours with 3 cars. They also seem to think it would do their young son an injury to walk or get the bus. As a measure of whether YABU, I think it's generally worth considering what the situation would be like if everyone behaved like you, and in these type of cases that would mean the road being impassable. So yes, obviously, YABU, and your neighbour's solution is very reasonable.

MoFadaCromulent · 30/11/2025 22:25

Namechangerage · 30/11/2025 22:00

But why can’t they move to a bigger house if they want 4 cars and know that the street wouldn’t be able to accommodate?

Same reason the people with no driveway who want to try and police public spaces can't just move to a house with a driveway if they want to guarantee parking because their house can't I'd imagine

themerchentofvenus · 30/11/2025 22:24

whatcanthematterbe81 · 30/11/2025 21:49

I agree with them. My neighbour has 3 and that’s annoying

It's annoying but then this is why my top priority when I bought a house was off road parking.

If you choose to live in a house without parking then you cannot expect to always be able to park.

Unless the government limits households to one car if you don't have a drive way (ohhhh parking tax for additional cars!!) then the neighbours just need to get on with life and accept it's annoying.