To park over my neighbours drive

[asianbabe]

Just really wanted some opinions really. Today I parked over my neighbour's drive. There was a reason for me doing this I wasn't being a total arse.

Basically I have two very young children and live on a road where every other house has a drive as we live by a station many people tend to park their cars on my road all day and go off to work. Unfortunately, I don't have a drive.

I've been getting increasingly annoyed with my neighbour who lives across the road for the past year she has only parked her car in her drive a few times instead she chooses to park outside her house on the road. i think she does this so that her visitors are guaranteed a parking spot on her drive.

Anyway I came home from shopping today and was unable to find parking on my road. With Two young kids under the age of 2 and 20 shopping bags i Saw her car not on her drive and just got so annoyed that I parked over her drive. She came out we exchanged words I told her how selfish she was being and she told me to move my car. I informed her that I would not move the car until a spot became available to park in and if she was so concerned to park her car in her drive and I would park my car where her car was.

To cut a long story short she refused and said she was expecting visitors so they could use her drive.

I left my car there over an hour until a parking spot became available then I moved my car.

Just to add she has no kids and leaves her car on the road for weeks at a time so taking up a parking spot.

I told a friend about what I did and she said i was being unreasonable. Just wondered if this is normal behaviour got those that have drives or am I a total bitch

[asianbabe]

No it's not a reverse Aibu I actually did this today. It just wound me up so much so I guess the majority feel I was in the wrong I can accept that. for the record she doesn't have a carer nor any disability.

[AlpacaPicnic]

Did you park on her driveway or just in front of it?

[WhoNickedMyName]

YABU.

If you want a guaranteed parking space then flag your front garden so you can park on it, or move house, and next time pick somewhere that has a drive.

[MalenkyRusskyDrakonchik]

Could you have put your hazards on, unloaded the shopping, then reparked?

She is being a bit selfish but I suspect what you did just made her less likely to help you out.

I've also heard what alpaca says, though - that it's not illegal to park across a driveway unless you're blocking someone in. I think whether or not there's a dropped kerb makes a difference too?

[MaureenMLove]

OK, so you parked over her drive. Do you mean you parked on a public highway, crossing her dropped kerb? If so, if her car was not on the drive, you weren't actually breaking any laws.

However, I do think you could have handled it a bit better. You could have knocked and asked her if it was OK to just park your car there whilst you unload the shopping, then parked it somewhere else.

It is frustrating, but she has no legal obligation to park on her drive. Yes, it would be nice and considerate to neighbours, but she doesn't have to.

[merrymouse]

I think if I'd be looking for anew house. Must be a nightmare.

[crashdoll]

YABU and entitled.

[asianbabe]

I parked over her drive I did not block her in I would never do that. I am planning on moving in the next year or so and will definitely be buying a property with a drive!!!

[IsabelleRinging]

YABU, we could be your neighbour as we do exactly the same. We payed for a house with a drive and use it as we choose for our own convenience.

[microserf]

Technically you were being unreasonable yes. I have some sympathy for you though.

[LastOrdersAtTheBra]

YABU if she parked on her drive then another person using the station would park on the road and you still wouldn't have a space. Presumably she paid to have a drive put in, or paid more for her house because it had a drive and you didn't. Our neighbours have no kids and 5 cars, we have no drive and they do, I would never even consider parking over their drive, even if it was empty, as I'm not an inconsiderate arse.

[katydid02]

YABU, isn't it against the highway code to park blocking a dropped kerb? Aside from that it is plain rude

[MrGeresHamster]

YABU, your parking issues are no concern to your neighbour.

[katydid02]

Yes, it's an offence - here

[jacks365]

It is an offence to park over a dropped kerb and you can be ticketed for it depending on local laws but you can't however be towed unless you are blocking a car in.

Ywbu

[Itsaboatjack]

If the neighbour wanted to keep her drive for her visitors she could have parked across it herself then moved onto it when friends arrived and they could then have parked where she was. YANBU.

[MyShoofly]

YABU sorry. I can understand why your frustrated but its hardly this one woman parking on the street that is the problem. If she didn't park on the road her visitors would have anyway. Besides, as mentioned above it is a public street free for whomever to park wherever they like.

There is a hospice in our residential neighbourhood and the staff park forever directly right in front of my house ongoing. I don't like it, but that is really my issue alone as its a public street.

Still, sorry you have such a difficult parking situation with 2 young kids to deal with OP.

[SkinnybitchWannabe]

This is ehy I would never buy a house without its own drive!

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Er. The neighbour was being an arse, imo, as she had deliberately left her drive free for a visitor, rather than letting them take pot luck on the road. Still doesn't make what the op did right.

[morganster]

YABU. Get a house with a drive if it's that important to you. But the roads will always be first come, first served. It's not for you to control where people park.

[Dahlialover]

My dad lives on a road like this with the only drive. If he has a visitor who cannot park in the road, they park over his drive. After all, if you are visiting him, he isn't going anywhere. Simples.

Neighbour is arse.

[OwlinaTree]

YABU. what do your children have to do with it? ffs

[Justfornowitwilldo]

It's her property and her right. Your main problem is commuters parking because you're near the station? You need to ask the council to make it permit holders only.

[MaybeBentley]

But it is only the OP's opinion that she is not parking on her own drive to keep it free for visitors " I think she does this so that her visitors are guaranteed a parking spot on her drive." So why is everyone getting so judgemental about her choosing to park on the road (where she has just as much right to park as everyone else) and have legal access to the drive she paid for?