Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

When someone parks on someone else’s driveway blocking their car in what goes through their head?

37 replies

Seaitoverthere · 22/05/2024 09:09

We live by a nursery. Other morning a car was parked on our driveway blocking ours in. We naively assumed it was someone visiting someone else and had got the wrong drive. It moved off before we needed it leave so no harm done.

Then yesterday they parked over our dropped kerb, again blocking us in and we realised that they were dropping off at nursery down the road. According to our neighbours that car does it a lot and one of my neighbours has taken to parking over her drive at night so she can get to work.

I’m quite fascinated about what goes through the mind of someone when they do it ?! Like most here I’m sure, it never even occurred to me for a second whilst dropping my DC off. Anyone going to own up to ever doing this and if so why did you think it was OK to do?

OP posts:
redskydarknight · 22/05/2024 09:12

I wouldn't do it, but I suspect it's an element of "I'll only be 5 minutes; it won't be a problem". And then once they've done it without being challenged they "know" that that the person never takes their car out at that time so it's perfectly fine for them to keep doing it, so don't give it another thought.

Or maybe they don't think at all, because their need to park there is much greater than any thing else.

Princessfluffy · 22/05/2024 09:17

They are just living their Cheeky Fucker life.

LadyEloise1 · 22/05/2024 09:19

They don't give a sh*te about the other person.
It's all about them.
They don't think about the homeowner trying to get in or out of their blocked driveway.

PuttingDownRoots · 22/05/2024 09:20

You need to be in your car, engine running, next time. Or standing next to your car on the phone.

It might also be worth sending a photo to the nursery, explaining their customers ate causing a nuisance.

ErrolTheDragon · 22/05/2024 09:21

I assume they simply don't give a shit about anyone else - their time and convenience is more important than that of anyone else.

BobnLen · 22/05/2024 09:22

I doubt they think anything just me me me

Hadalifeonce · 22/05/2024 09:23

Because they don't give a second's thought to anyone but themself.
They and theirs are the centre of their universe and they don't give a toss about anyone else.

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 22/05/2024 09:24

They don't think that's the problem. I'd never dream of parking across someone's drive.

Original poster
Seaitoverthere · 22/05/2024 09:27

NeedthatFridayfeeling · 22/05/2024 09:24

They don't think that's the problem. I'd never dream of parking across someone's drive.

I don’t think most people would and I guess that is how society functions as most people are pretty considerate and law abiding.

If anyone would like to have a vent about a CF on here, please do feel free !

OP posts:
OpusGiemuJavlo · 22/05/2024 09:31

If they are thinking at all, they would be balancing the 20 minute delay to their day that they would definitely experience if they drove around looking for a proper parking spot and then had to walk further, vs the (in their guess) low probability that you would need to move your car in the (in their guess) 5 mins they are dropping off so 100% chance of 20 min delay for person A vs 10% chance of 5 min delay for person B makes the second option seem more rational.

In reality they are massively underestimating both the probability that they are a nuisance and the duration of their parking.

But it's more likely they are not thinking at all.

MaggieFS · 22/05/2024 09:32

Because their time is more important than anyone else's, of course. I see it daily at DD's nursery. I wait for one of the four spaces to become free. And whilst waiting, observe other parents park in all manner of incorrect places, including across driveways. It's poor behaviour.

OldTinHat · 22/05/2024 09:32

Because they are entitled twats and think the universe revolves around their arse.

Said by someone who isn't able to park in their allocated disabled bay because of the same entitled twats.

drawnfrommemory · 22/05/2024 09:33

I think it's definitely the - I'll only be 5 minutes, no harm done - attitude. Forgetting that they are probably not the only person who thinks that.

I used to live on a road with only about 2 drives and the rest was on street parking and it got pretty busy. One of my neighbours clearly used to go out at lunchtime, come back for an hour, park across my drive as there was nowhere else to park , and then leave again an hour or so later (I think she had multiple nursery/ preschool pickups). I didn't actually realise who it was at first so left a fairly snotty note on the car (as this was happening every day) and she did stop doing it and it was never mentioned!

Teddleshon · 22/05/2024 09:35

Literally nothing goes through their head. We live at the end of a small lane with 3 properties sharing a gated entrance (all highly visible). I’ve lost count of the number of times people park in the gateway so nobody can enter or leave.

People always perpetually park blocking the dropped curb entrance to our fields despite both areas to the side of the entrance being completely free.

Original poster
Seaitoverthere · 22/05/2024 09:35

PuttingDownRoots · 22/05/2024 09:20

You need to be in your car, engine running, next time. Or standing next to your car on the phone.

It might also be worth sending a photo to the nursery, explaining their customers ate causing a nuisance.

I have emailed the nursery with photos and strangely they haven’t replied . Also reported it in the council website yesterday. People who have lived here longer have said that the nursery staff are pretty useless. Someone did get a local councillor to go round as they are in breach of the original planning conditions with their opening hours and have grassed over one of the staff parking spaces around the back that were also part of original change of use planning to relieve pressure on the road parking.

Current nursery is renting from the owners who previously ran a nursery from there. I think next step is a letter from all the residents to the property owner. Shame really, everyone I saw this morning did park sensibly but there are always a few everywhere who do things like that.

OP posts:
Chipsahoy · 22/05/2024 09:38

I did it once when dropping off at childminder. I parked by one of her neighbours houses Childminder made me move. I had no idea I was blocking a driveway because it wasn’t a dropped curb and there wasn’t a car there. I moved and didn’t park there again.

BroughttoyoubyBerocca · 22/05/2024 09:38

They think “I won’t be long so it doesn’t matter”.

drspouse · 22/05/2024 09:40

They are thinking "I don't need to leave the house earlier to get the bus or find a proper parking place because there is this handy space really close by and who cares about the house owner".

Original poster
Seaitoverthere · 22/05/2024 09:42

OldTinHat · 22/05/2024 09:32

Because they are entitled twats and think the universe revolves around their arse.

Said by someone who isn't able to park in their allocated disabled bay because of the same entitled twats.

I’m so sorry, that’s another level 🌷

OP posts:
CantStandMeow · 22/05/2024 09:45

There's similar behaviour from parents dropping off at DD's dance class. One parent blocked the entire road, "But I have a child" The fact that literally everyone else does too did not cross her mind. It's the main character syndrome, no one else matters as long as they're OK.

GerbilsForever24 · 22/05/2024 09:47

It absolutely is the "I am in a rush and I'll just be five minutes so it's fine" thinking. As I was walking back to my (legally parked) car this morning, I passed a woman who had screeched to the side parking over the driveway closest to our school. In front of my car, which was no more than 10m further on, was a free parking space then a driveway and then a row of spaces. But no, she was running late so she was going to park over someone's driveway instead of walking those extra 10-15 metres.

My mind was completely blown.

What annoyed me the most is that the school has those zig zag yellow lines but LOTS of parents STILL park on those so at the moment we have a traffic warden who loiters to stop that. Brilliant. I did think it was so brazen of her to nonetheless park illegally while he was standing there and equally annoying that he didn't tell her to move.

Original poster
Seaitoverthere · 22/05/2024 09:51

I think what pisses me off is that the DC in the car sees what parent does and some will grow up thinking it is fine. Others will realise as they get older it is out of order and won’t do it but some will just crack on and so a whole new generation of CF is born.

OP posts:
StarsHideYourFir3s · 22/05/2024 11:53

They would be thinking "Oh fuck I need new windscreen wipers" if they parked on my drive. Can't prove it was me!

teatimeplease · 22/05/2024 12:06

It's the same type of person who parks in the closest disabled spot to the door but has no blue badge and no disability.

The same person who parks in the last parent and child space without a child because they've got a normal fancy car.

ImNotThereAmI · 22/05/2024 12:12

I live next door a to a childminder and often a parent would block my car in at pick up time for about 20 mins. She would never ever block in the childminders car which I could never understand. Such a cheeky woman. I got really pissed off about it and to cut a long story short she stopped doing it