AIBU to park half on the pavement?

[elinorbellowed]

Outside my house, only blocking my own drive, room on the pavement for a pushchair/wheelchair to get past, room on the road for two cars to pass comfortably and safely.
I just CAN'T face trying to get it in the drive, which is approximately 10 cm wider than the car. I only passed my test last week and I've already scraped the bloody thing twice. It took me five minutes and A LOT of swearing to reverse it out this morning for the school run. Toddler DD has tonsillitis and was sobbing in pain in the back. Please tell me I can leave it there until 2.45? Am picking up new smaller car for me on Saturday, so I don't have to persevere with this beast for much longer.

(Although, how I will handle the shame if my driving instructor goes past I do not know...)

YABU you should never park on the pavement

Why not just park on the road? You don't HAVE to leave room for two cars to pass. Better to inconvenience car drivers than pavement users, IMHO.

Yep, park it on the road.

In some places you can get towed for parking like that. Most places it's a fine.
You will probably get it scraped parking like that from passing pushchair/wheelchair anyway. YABU.

how long are you driving? have you passed your test?

YADBU parking on pavement its illegal.

YANBU, sometimes it's just not sensible to leave the car stuck out into the road, and you've left enough for pedestrians and wheelchairs and prams etc.

Cars that park down my road, a road next to a school, all park up on the kerb as otherwise no one would be able to get through. Especially at school times.

YABU. Illegal and inconvenient. Rule 244 of the highway code:

You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.

Park it on the road. Pavements aren't car parks.

YABU. I used to really struggle getting a double pushchair past cars parked half on the pavement on my way to the toddler group. One time it was impossible to pass without going on the road so I'm afraid the car got scraped.

(posters are correct though, it is illegal)

YABU - I've started taking photos of people obstructing the pavement, that usually brings the owner rushing out and they move it. Eventually I will just send them to the police, or if it is van, to the owner of the company. I'm fed up of trying to get DS's pushchair around such badly parked vehicles. Sometimes I have to walk in the mud to get past? Why should I do that? What about the disabled? Why are you only thinking of yourself?

If there are no double yellows on the road, then park on the road if you are too lazy to use your own driveway.

only blocking my own drive, room on the pavement for a pushchair/wheelchair to get past

Has anyone actually read the OP?

I'd go with parking on the road, too. People who park on the pavement drive me mad - in fact I have written to our council about it as we have endless building sites round here and they seem to think it's the right thing to do. As someone who has a disability I find it difficult sometimes to negotiate round parked cars and vans. I do sympathise with your plight, though - but just park on the road. You'll find in any case that in a few months' time you will be coping easily with parking your car.

Could a double buggy get past though? We have read the op but I don't think the law states an exception for her situation.

you need to bite the bullet and learn to drive/reverse (reverse would be easier) into your driveway for everyone's safety.

Oh, and without wanting to be a cow about it - if you have scraped your car twice in a week and can't drive into your own drive, it might pay to take a further course of instruction in tight manoeuvring, even though you have recently passed your test.

Sorry, but I've got a real THING about giving the critics of 'women drivers' any more ammunition!

YABU not just for parking on the pavement but for nor persevering. Try reversing into the drive it seems scary bur honestly it's much easier.
My mum passed her test 6 years ago and avoided doing things she was nervous of and tbh now het driving is atrocious. She is still nervous because she would only drive in her comfort zone and panics if she has to drive somewhere she deems difficult.
I passed my test 4 years ago and was determined not to be like my mum and made myself do things I hated including reversing into a very tight drive like yours. The result is I'm a far more confident driver now and will drive anywhere. My mum is still driving around her comfort zone.
It is scary but doing it now while you are a new driver is honestly the best way to do it otherwise it becomes an issue and you will always be convinced you can't do it.

OP mentioned driving instructor though? so are you a learner?

It's still illegal
And agree double pushchairs are horrible to get through narrow gaps. Pushchairs with walking toddlers need the whole pavement width too.
Blind people will not be expecting a car parked on the pavement, whether partially or not.
OP is BU

Yes, read it. Illegal, and the folk who designed the pavements decided how much space pedestrians need. Has she left enough room for my double buggy with a toddler holding on to each side?

YABU.

Well, there are people who park on the pavement inconsiderately, and don't allow for pedesdtrians et al to pass. It doesn't sound like the OP hasn't left room - although she hasn't said about space for a double buggy, you are right.

But there are also situations where parking on the pavement is necessary, like down my road (I don't btw, I have a drive).

I'm not going out there and wrestling with all the mothers when I tell them they shouldn't be humped on the kerb at school time! Seriously though, no one would be able to get through in that situation, if all the mothers parked in the road.

I did think it was illegal, but next door's gardeners been doing it for weeks without being towed. Very little of that sort of law enforcement around here.
Well I admit I didn't expect much support in AIBU, and mostly fair enough. However, zebedeethezebra, I think you are really unfair to call me lazy. I have worked fucking hard to pass my driving test and today, with an ill child I am trying to make life a tiny bit easier for myself. Read the OP.
Oh shit, I shouldn't have posted. Now I feel worse. I'll move the fucking thing if DD ever goes to sleep.
Thanks YonWHaleFish.

You should only park a car in the road if you are not causing an obstruction to other traffic YWF
That is not an excuse to break the law in another way and park on the pavement.
It means that you have to find an acceptable place to park your car that might mean having to walk a bit further