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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not use my drive to park on but to not want want people to park across the dropped kerb

15 replies

lecce · 02/06/2013 21:46

I think I probably am being UR about this. We moved here in February and the house has a drive and garage. We have one car. Off-road parking was not top of our list when we were house-hunting - we didn't have it in our last place but we do love having the garage for storage. The drive is very steep. I hate parking on it and feel like I have parked on a roller-coaster. Moreover, when you start the car it feels like you are breaking the engine and the first time I did it, I was sure I could smell burning rubber. I also find it is difficlt because of the angle needed to get on the drive. Dh is fine with it but I use the car for for work so he only drives on weekends, andd not only then. I park on the road.

Over the last couple of days, twice people have parked across the dropped kerb, meaning that we had to park on a nearby street. We are fairly sure that they were no residents but I think that the previous owners used their drive and that people are probably irratated with us. They are, aren't they? WBU, aren't we?

OP posts:

WMittens · 02/06/2013 21:54

It wouldn't have been burning rubber you smelled, it would be friction material from the clutch.

MulberryJane · 02/06/2013 21:56

Hmm, sort of, if you have the option of using your drive whilst these other cars are taking up the parking on the street and also if your 'on road' parking is causing an obstruction for others. However, if someone is parking on the dropped kerb and blocking your drive then I don't think you are. Even if they know you rarely use the drive it's rude of them and you could ask them to move. If its done for the reasons you think it is then expect a retaliation. I'd practice using the drive! Sounds like it would simplify things a bit.

pinkballetflats · 02/06/2013 21:57

Are you taking up a space that a neighbour normally uses when you park in front of your drive?

LordEmsworth · 02/06/2013 22:00

Why don't you park across the dropped kerb? Then you're not taking an extra space (which would irritate me, if parking is difficult near you) and also preventing others from doing it...

FryOneFatManic · 02/06/2013 22:02

I guess the answer here would be for you to park across the dropped kerb if you want to park on the road and not the drive.

Otherwise, people should not be parking across the dropped kerb if a car is on the drive (but if there's no car either on the drive or in a garage, the situation is not so clear cut).

LRDtheFeministDragon · 02/06/2013 22:02

YY, do park across the dropped kerb.

I would find you slightly odd not to use your drive, but if you don't want to, your neighbours will kinda have to get over it!

onepieceoflollipop · 02/06/2013 22:05

One of our neighbours does similar, his choice but it winds me up! he has space for 2 cars on drive, owns only one. parks on the already overcrowded street to prevent people parking outside his house. I think he is very petty tbh.

HollyBerryBush · 02/06/2013 22:05

I don't know what your bylaws are but here you cannot park across a dropped kerb.

I'm failing to see why you don't park on your own drive rather than cluttering up the road. It is quite simple to start a car on a hill with the handbreak on and a disengaged clutch

FryOneFatManic · 02/06/2013 22:07

Our drive is a little steep, and next door's more so. I can park okay on our drive (but there's only space for one car, so DP parks on the drive with the bigger car). Next door have 2 cars also, and they prefer not to use their steeper drive.

So, 2 small cars (my small car plus one of next doors) park on the roadside in the gap between the 2 drives, and next door's 2nd car parks across their dropped kerb. Room for all with what is actually an unspoken agreement about fair parking.

HibiscusIsland · 02/06/2013 22:12

If you think they aren't residents then how would they know that you are taking up space elsewhere and thus be irritated? If it is residents i could understand them being irritated that you are taking up space elsewhere when you have your own spaces. It sounds like the best option would be to park across your own drive yourself

SavoyCabbage · 02/06/2013 22:18

There is not a doubt in my mind that it will not be irritating someone. People get very upset about parking.

I once had an awkward shaped and steep drive but after a few weeks I stopped noticing it as I became more skilled at parking on it. If I was you, I would try and conquer your drive, then you don't have to think about where you park.

snooter · 02/06/2013 22:47

Could you reverse into the drive so you could drive out? You might find that easier. Agree with practise you're likely to stop finding it a problem.

Sallyingforth · 02/06/2013 22:56

As has been pointed out many times on here, there is no law against parking across a dropped kerb. There is however an offence of obstruction if by parking there you obstruct a vehicle from leaving (but not entering) the drive. So if your neighbours see your car parked in the road they can legitimately park across your entrance.
The answer is to park across the entrance yourself.

janey68 · 02/06/2013 22:57

I thought there was a bylaw about not parking across dropped kerbs?

janey68 · 02/06/2013 23:00

X post there.
Ok, so there may not be a law but its still not great parking across a dropped kerb, even when it's your own driveway, because it can cause a real obstruction to people with pushchairs or wheelchairs when they need to cross the road.
In the ops case I would simply learn to park in your driveway. It's not hard to do hill starts

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