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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what you'd do? Warning - PARKING thread!!

148 replies

spg1983 · 14/01/2013 07:40

Some new neighbours moved in next door about 2 months ago. We both share a carport and have two parking spaces each which are one in front of the other, i.e. for both of us to get 2 cars in we have to drive through the carport and the 2nd one parks behind it. Both houses have 2 cars. So far so good.

We live on a new estate and apart from our drive, there is literally NOwhere else to park apart from doing something silly like parking on a roundabout!

The problem is that when the neighbours moved in they had some stuff which they put under the carport, leaning against their house, which severely reduced the space available for both cars. They started off by parking their car somewhere else and walking a few streets (i guess?) to get back home but recently they've started parking under the carport and not leaving us enough room to get through. DH and I both work full-time and our hours mean we always arrive home after the neighbours. I'm also 33w pregnant so there's no way I can squeeze in/out of a tight space at the moment - literally the only way to get out of our car if we can get it onto the drive is to jump in/out of the boot.

We asked the neighbour if they could try and stay on their side and explained why, they apologised and they said that they were just waiting to sell the furniture and then it'd get moved and in the meantime they'd try and park more fully under their "half" of the carport. However this was a month ago and nothing has changed. I'm having to leave my car at a friend's house and walk 3 streets back home each day and DH can park there but is having to get in/out via the boot of his car as both their cars go over our driveway. We've told them this but this time they got grumpy with us and asked us what to do with the furniture - we said store it somewhere else/get a shed but they didn't like those ideas...

WWYD? There's no way of us getting home first to "claim" the space as our work hours are totally inflexible. Are they even legally doing anything wrong?! Help! I want to be able to park on my driveway and if this carries on when baby's here I think I'll go mad :(

OP posts:
IneedAsockamnesty · 14/01/2013 14:22

Tbh I would accidently drive into there car on an occasion where they had parked across the middle so in my bit.

And then knock there door all innocently and say I don't understand my car normally fits in the space fine.

But then I'm evil when it comes to parking

Lueji · 14/01/2013 14:29

I'd park on the drive and then have fun explaining to other neighbours why my car was there. :o

And let them have N number of neighbours complaining.

TinyDancingHoofer · 14/01/2013 14:31

Could you get a planks of wood and glue it onto the floor as a barrier thing? Would be really cheap and you are not technically building anything i guess.

Lueji · 14/01/2013 14:32

Really don't want him to do this and damage the neighbour's car instead.

This sounds good too.

Or paint a line on the ground.

tiggytape · 14/01/2013 14:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wannabedreams · 14/01/2013 14:46

Have you got a friend that can lend you a caravan for a few weeks? Wink

TraineeBabyCatcher · 14/01/2013 16:18

Love all the suggestions- but if you wanted something non permanent but to make a point could you chalk up a line onto the drive?

with arrows saying, 'your side' 'my side'

Original poster
spg1983 · 14/01/2013 17:42

Ok, mini update. Got home, had shared cars with DH today so when we got back I got out of the car first as there's no way I'd have got out when the car was in the drive. DH then drove into the drive - it was so tight he had to manoevre to get into a position to drive straight forwards onto it as there was no way he could've turned into it without taking the front of his car off.

I then knocked on their door and asked them very politely to move, they said oh yes, err we'll just be a minute, so I said "actually can you come now, cos DH is stuck in his car." They looked kind of shocked but came out with me and moved it - I think they hadn't believed us earlier and had also convinced themselves that I was being grumpy cos I'm fat(!). This definitely showed them that we are not making this up so hopefully things will change... No mention of moving the table and chairs though...

I've got a few midwife appointments over the next few weeks and therefore a bit of time off work during the day. If things don't change then I'm going to maybe pop home after the appointment and move my car to my drive but do as someone further up thread suggested and stay on my side but only just... So they'll be blocked but could only unblock themselves by moving the table and chairs. Next appointment is Weds - watch this space - literally!!

Any better ideas in the meantime would be much appreciated - thanks all for your suggestions so far! :)

OP posts:
tiggytape · 14/01/2013 18:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ZenNudist · 14/01/2013 21:13

Ah in 7 weeks you'll be home all day & able to park over the halfway point. Hopefully they will sell the furniture by then. Are they renting? Perhaps you need to write to their landlord who is your real neighbour.

WhateverTrevor · 14/01/2013 21:27

Keep knocking but more importantly keep updating !
I love a good parking thread. Grin

Lollybrolly · 14/01/2013 22:40

That sounds like a good plan. When they get inconvenienced themselves they will probably move it.

You will be parked there a lot in future - why take the car when you can push the pram and get some fresh air instead???? Wink

milf90 · 16/01/2013 10:34

Let us know how it goes today lol! Glad they moved their car for you last time!

How About putting a potted plant in the middle at the front, so you can get passed, but they will struggle with the furniture? Not sure how feesable that is, but my parents did that when their neighbours kept driving over the lawn!

lovelyladuree · 16/01/2013 10:45

The furniture is in the way. Arrange to have it stolen relocated. Job done.

fryingpantoface · 16/01/2013 11:24

How'd it go?

Original poster
spg1983 · 16/01/2013 19:05

Pretty well! Decided something needed to be done as the furniture is still there and their parking is still ridiculous despite us knocking. We've had tons of snow today so I didn't want to risk driving to midwife, walked it instead (5 miles, woo hoo!). But because the school we work in was closed today, DH spent the day at home and moved the car when they left for work. He's put it right up to where the centre point is but not over, so not doing anything wrong. The only way they'll get their car back in is to move the table and chairs.

Only one of their cars is home at the moment and they've parked it right in front of their house, all over their front garden (they'll have wrecked their grass!) but there's no way they'd get 2 there. Waiting to see what they do when the other car gets back!

OP posts:
ZenNudist · 16/01/2013 19:12

Hee hee hope they sort it. What's to betting they 'make do' tonight and then when both your cars have gone tomorrow reclaim the space again?!

milf90 · 16/01/2013 19:14

Oooh yay glad You have made your point, what happened with the other car?

SauvignonBlanche · 16/01/2013 19:14

Good luck!

Original poster
spg1983 · 16/01/2013 19:22

Hmmm Zen that's a good point. Think we'll carshare tomorrow and I'll pull my car back when we leave so that it takes the space DH's car is in. That means they'd still have to move the furniture to use the drive!

OP posts:
SauvignonBlanche · 16/01/2013 19:24

It's the only way!

LifeofPo · 16/01/2013 19:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ledkr · 16/01/2013 19:27

Ooo tell is what happens when they come home.

Yfronts · 16/01/2013 19:43

Agree with giving them a taste of their own medicine. Park on the boundary line!

CaptainVonTrapp · 16/01/2013 19:44

ha ha taste of their own medicine... wonder how that will go.

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