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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to deliberately annoy my sister's neighbour?

55 replies

dolldaggabuzzbuzz · 10/04/2011 00:22

When I visit my sister I park on her street, often outside the house of the woman who lives directly across the road (when the woman's own car is not there of course!) Every time the woman returns home and sees my car there, she parks right up my backside as close as possible so she doesn't have to walk too far to her house.

Everytime I leave my sister's house the woman is watching me through her front window and as I pull out of 'her parking spot', she comes out of her house to move her car the couple of metres back into her spot.

When I visited my sister today, I parked in the same spot as it was free. After I had finished my visit, I got into my car and started to indicate to pull out. I looked in my rear view mirror and I saw that woman's car approaching about to pull in to the side of the road behind me. I could see that she was effing and blinding cos I was in her spot again (but just about to leave!) Her 2 DCs were in the back of the car.

At this point I switched off the engine, got DS out of car and went back into my sister's for an extended brew and chinwag and a good laugh. AIBU?

OP posts:
confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 18:40

Argh just lost a long post!

I don't think you are. I can't stand people who think they own the area outside their house up to the centre line on the road. I can remember as a child someone who used to complain about us playing on the pavement outside her house, not on her property, we weren't loud or a nuisance but it was her bit of pavement. Usually the same people who sweep the pavement and clear the leaves onto "someone else's" pavement! We used to live opposite a school and the amount of people who actually parked ON our drive - not across it, not on the ramp leading up to it, ON our property - was ridiculous!

I think as a one off I might have taken the opportunity that so neatly came up too Wink

I think the exception is things like my parents are having at the moment. Their next door neighbour has a visitor who parks opposite their drive on a very narrow road making it difficult for them to get off their drive without hitting this car. They've managed to do it so far but it's always been a close call.

houseworkwhore · 10/04/2011 19:06

yabu

and an arse

ihatecbeebies · 10/04/2011 19:26

Yes YABU and incredibly childish, and as other posters have also said you are causing aggravation in your sisters street then leaving so she would have to deal with any mess that may occur. Can you not park in front of one of the other neighbors houses for a change rather than always in front of this woman's house every time especially as you are fully aware that it irritates her, it seems to me that you are just causing unnecessary stress for the pair of you.

MillsAndDoom · 10/04/2011 19:37

She sounds like our neighbour - he is ridiculously possessive of the space in front of their house (despite having a drive and garage) and will get out and move his car to that particular spot no matter what time of day or night.

Him doing so actually makes it really difficult for us to get off our drive - so much so that my friend actually nudged his car when trying to get out. She tapped it very lightly on the door and made no damage (I saw it happen), but he claimed that the existing damage to his front wing and headlight was done by her and stung her for a fortune.

DH who is very childish takes great pleasure in parking there to piss him off.

HerHissyness · 10/04/2011 19:47

I'd be livid if someone parked outside my house. Regardless of whether I had a right to be really or not. You know you piss her off by parking there, she's done nothing to you, Your extended cuppa was just horrendous.

Please respect other people's space? It makes life so much better for everyone all round.

Journey · 10/04/2011 19:53

You don't even know the women and you're playing a silly game with her at your sister's expense. Definately childish.

gordyslovesheep · 10/04/2011 19:54

I am with Harriet - I also have 3 kids and numerous bags and crap to get out and in the house - I also have parking out side my house - opposite are trees and some block pathing - the people across the street (who have 2 other spaces) always park opposite - the road is narrow - ergo at some point my car is going to be dinged - I can see it comming

also next door took to letting their mate park further down on my property - they had a oil leak on my block pathing - which I wasn't happy about and I couldn;t pull up in the morning (I park behind the house at night) to get the baby in the car - it just irritates and I think it's very rude

Ormirian · 10/04/2011 19:56

"If I were to park somewhere else that is free I would still be outside someone's house! "

Exactly! You are doing the silly woman a favour by teaching her the simple fact that she doesn't own that little rectangle of tarmac outside her house. Now if there were no other spaces in the street I could understand her frustration although it still wouldn't be your fault. People do not own their parking spaces unless they have paid residential parking permits and even then they only have permission to park there, not the right to find a space.

ValiumBandwitch · 10/04/2011 19:57

yabu cos it's her manor not yours.

alistron1 · 10/04/2011 20:00

We have a similar parking situation here and it does get on my wick when 'outsiders' nick our spot and we have to park miles away and lug shopping etc down the road.

I wouldn't have twitched my curtains though, I'd have come out and 'had a word' ... but that would have spawned a whole other 'AIBU' thread Grin

I am a bit of a fishwife I'm afraid.

Ormirian · 10/04/2011 20:05

Sorry about the excessive bolding there.

What I mean to say is that unless she has absolutely nowhere else to park in the street and has to park 3 streets away because you have nicked the only available space in the street then she really is being ridiculous. I lived in a terraced street until last summer and that really was dreadful - I frequently had no space to park at all and I thought it was red letter day if I found a space within 100 yrs of my house let alone right outside.

confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 20:27

I used to live in a block of over 300 flats on a private estate of over 500 front doors with about 40 spaces. It was also in the centre of town with multistories and pay and displays surrounding it. So people would park on our estate blocking off residents rather than pay to park so we had to instead. I think some of you who get possesive about "your" spot on a public road have it too easy! I now share a public road the width of about 5 houses with over 20 other properties.

TapDancingPimp · 10/04/2011 20:34

Firstly I just wanna say your post made me laugh coz things like that annoy me too...howeverrrr...my next door neighbour has TWO cars and likes to take up both the space outside her house and most of mine so I can see why the neighbour is possesive of her spot.

Just silly games on everyone's part really.

stillbroody · 10/04/2011 20:36

I can't stand it when people park outside my house and block the drive.

How old were here DC? If she had to lug out a toddler and baby in a car seat to walk further to her house with shopping you would be very U

confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 20:40

She's hardly having to walk extra miles if she can park up the OPs bumper.

buttonmooncup · 10/04/2011 20:42

I don't think you are being that unreasonable tbh. If she's parking up your arse then she's a few extra steps from her house - no excuse to be effing and jeffing at you esp in front of kids. She could have just asked if you could park elsewhere.

RevoltingPeasant · 10/04/2011 20:42

YABU, totally.

Look, we all get a bit possessive of 'our' parking spaces, even though we shouldn't. If she had said something to you, or been rude to you, you'd have more of a case.

But, 'curtain-twitching'? You mean she looks out of her own window?? How very dare she? Hmm And as for moving her car back into that spot, well, she only does that when you're done with it, so why do you care?

Some otherwise lovely people are just OCD about random things. Deal with it. It's not like she's inconveniencing you in any way, so I don't see why you had to deliberately inconvenience her.

RevoltingPeasant · 10/04/2011 20:43

but button, she didn't swear the OP, did she? She was probably just having a bit of a silent 'oh, ffs' moment in her own car. We all do that!

or at least I do Blush

buttonmooncup · 10/04/2011 20:45

I'd say effing and blinding is a bit more than an eyeroll and a silent ffs but I suppose only the OP can clarify that. If it was mad arm waving swearing then I don't think the OP ibu.

HecateQueenOfTheNight · 10/04/2011 20:50

Isn't it funny how when people post on here about being cross when people park outside their house, they are told they are totally unreasonable, and stupid, and petty and need to get a grip because they don't own the road, etc etc

Yet when someone posts that someone is huffing and mouthing obscenities and making a big show out of Their parking spot on a public road, the OP is unreasonable and should park somewhere else.

I don't get you lot at all Grin seems to me that nobody can ever win.

confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 20:54

Hecate it's always the way! I was saying the same last week about resident parents, new partners and MILs! It's always the OP in the wrong even if both parties post they'd both be wrong!

RevoltingPeasant · 10/04/2011 20:58

Hecate, I think the OP IBU but don't think she should park somewhere else - just refrain from deliberately taking much, much longer just to annoy the woman.

If she'd asked AIBU to be parking here in the first place, of course the answer would be YANBU.....

two2many · 10/04/2011 20:59

You sound petty & childish tbh. What did your sister think of you
winding her neighbour up like that?

PelvicFloorsOfSteel · 10/04/2011 21:01

YABU people who think they own the road outside their house are undeniably irritating but your behaviour was even more petty and pointless than hers. Before I had children I didn't care where I parked, with one child it generally didn't matter much but now I have 2 children it is a pain to have to park anywhere but directly outside.

I'd never act out any irritation because I realise it's anyone's right to park there but I did nearly kiss my neighbour when she told her teenager to move his car so I didn't have as far to herd toddler/carry baby.

A little kindness gives everyone involved a better day. If you'd moved the car with a smile you would have the warm glow of being the bigger person, as it is you look small-minded and petty.

confuddledDOTcom · 10/04/2011 22:15

So you'd find it a pain to park bumper to bumper with the person in "your" spot?

I seriously think some people have it too easy! I have to carry a weeks shopping 100 yards to get to my own front door (used to be to the block, then I'd have to get it to the lift and to my house) if I'm parked right outside the entrance, which isn't always possible when there is about 1 space to 4 houses. I'm disabled and have two children, one of which isn't fully mobile and when she does walk tends to walk in her own direction. I don't usually have another adult to help me even if I go after office hours. I do all that and people complain about parking an extra cars length from their house???

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