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

[MyShoofly]

She needs to show a bit more consideration for her neighbours

Actually she doesn't NEED to - its a public street. I'd have OP towed for parking in my drive...that is not really good advice.

[MidniteScribbler]

I can see why it would annoy you (it would drive me insane) but she's not legally doing anything wrong, and you can't then break the law to make a point.

If you'd have tried honey instead of vinegar, you could have approached her and asked if she would mind you parking on her drive whenever you need to unload something and move your car when finished and she probably would have said yes. But now, she's likely to tell you to go jump.

[Madamecastafiore]

What in gods name has it got to do with you where she parks her car?

Your shopping struggle is your issue and you obviously need to go at a time when you have someone to help you or get it delivered if you can't do it without it being a huge problem but it's certainly not her problem.

[oldnewmummy]

It sounds like her car sits there all day, occupying a space on the road, whereas you're in and out all the time?

Why not go round with a bunch of flowers, apologise, and offer to pay a small monthly fee for the use of her driveway, on the understanding that you'll move your car when she has visitors?

[lecce]

I think you were UR to stay for an hour, but I think she is being too. I have a drive I don't like using because it's too steep and I feel like I'm stuck on a roller-coaster when I'm on it, so I park on the road. However, I park across the dropped-kerb so am not taking space anyone else could use as they wouldn't be able to park there if my car was on the drive. If I'm saving the space for visitors, I park there and swap the cars around when they arrive. I can't see why your neighbour doesn't do the same.

However, you ABU to mention her not having children as that has nothing whatsoever to do with it. Also, I notice you mention that she leaves the car in one spot for weeks at a time. If that is the case, it makes her sound a little old/vulnerable like she doesn't go out much and, if it's like that, I would leave her be, tbh. I may have added up 2 and 2 and got 23 there, though!

[Bejeena]

I understand your frustration but you are totally being unreasonable not to mention the fact that you are probably asking to get your car keyed or tyres slashed by her husband/son/brother

[BMW6]

I cannot believe that ANYONE thinks you were being anything other than totally unreasonable, entitled and arrogant.

When you get your new house with your own drive, I'm sure you won't object to anyone parking over your drive because there aren't any spaces on the public road (as if)

[southeastastra]

'entitled' it having a drive then using up all the road space to park in whilst leaving the drive empty

[pianodoodle]

You had no reason to be so rude. How does she know you'veben increasingly annoyed with her?

A bit of politeness? "Sorry to bother you but do you mind if I stop here while I unpack my shopping?"

You might find she'd have been very accommodating.

You didn't give her the chance though. If someone did that to me and their attitude was "well tough" I'd have been furious. Totally uncalled for.

[DeepRedBetty]

IcallyouSquishy was referring to another parking thread that's ongoing about a lady who routinely parks in/over drives, on the zigzags, generally really selfishly and who is being called Mrs BOB on the thread. Will link to it if I can find it.

[ilovechips]

I'm shocked that this isn't a reverse aibu! Your shopping dramas with young children are not your neighbour's concern. I agree with the posters who say they'd have had you towed - shockingly rude, unreasonable and entitled behaviour! Wait until you have got your own drive, then see how reasonable you think it is when someone blocks your access because they can't be arsed to walk a few more steps, because they think having kids means they shouldn't have to! (And yes I have got kids)

Get your shopping online and delivered if parking is so bad.

[50shadesofmeh]

Slightly selfish of her to park all over the street but really you are in the wrong for assuming you are entitled to park on her property. She will maybe get you towed next time OP , tough shit for not having your own drive.

[Bluecarrot]

Yabu - to park there for a few mins to unload shopping, then move to a proper space, the neighbour shouldn't complain really.

To block her drive then be aggressive with her is v unreasonable of you.

When you say every other house has a drive do you mean everyone has a drive except you? Or only one out of every two houses has a drive? If the latter, I did read somewhere about getting your road made private parking only ( on other parking thread) maybe you could look into that and see if neighbours give their support.

[Xiaoxiong]

OP, good for you for accepting that YWBU and you won't do it again.

At least as you say, your road will soon be made residents' parking only so hopefully it's only a matter of time before the situation eases. Could you call the council to find out when that's scheduled to happen, so you have something to look forward to?

[canweseethebunnies]

I think you went about it in a bit of an aggressive way but I don't think you we're totally unreasonable. My neighbours asked me to move my car when they'd been shopping so they could be closer to their house. They are not blue badge holders, but they are elderly and it's a struggle for them to carry their shopping across the road. It's also a struggle for someone with two under twos to carry their shopping a long distance, as it inevitably means leaving the children unattended, either in the house or the car.

I could have told my neighbours 'sorry, it's a public highway, I can park where I like. Why don't you move to a house with drive?' But I didn't, because I was being considerate.

Also, why can't her visitors park across her drive when her car's in it?

[1Veryhungrycaterpillar]

Like Lecce I have a really steep and tight drive that I can't park on but I always offer it up to my neighbours visitors if I'm parked on the road they are welcome to have a bash at my drive

[MrsBucketxx]

Yabu

I would have called the police, its an offence.

hopefully the ticket will have taught you a lesson.

[1Veryhungrycaterpillar]

Did she get a ticket? Apparently it's illegal to block someone in their drive but not to block them out, not saying its right though. Canweseethebunnies has a good point it would be helpful if her visitors could do that and maybe if you'd approached it differently she may have agreed to this. It is extremely frustrating not to be able to park in your own road and I guess that's why you lost your temper, parking is a big issue nowadays just look at all the threads there are just too many cars around

[FanjolinaJolie]

YABU and a total pain in the arse neighbour.

[pickle79]

You can't be towed for parking in front of a drive if the car isn't on it - only if you block a car on the drive.

You were a bit unreasonable but she was more unreasonable. My neighbours refuse to park in their drive so I understand your frustration - however, they think their spot is in front of our house because they're not allowed to park in front of theirs! Imagine how annoying that is!

In future I'd try not to get angry and park elsewhere even though it's frustrating if you have too. I'd use her spot for a minute if I ever needed to unload heavy stuff though and explain you'll just be a minute.

Dont let her or the lack of parking get to you it isn't worth it. x

[1Veryhungrycaterpillar]

Do you have a drive Pickle?

[DeepRedBetty]

This is the Mrs Bob Thread. Well, the first one. It's gone to a second thread that's on 200 + messages...

[pickle79]

No we don't have drive. Yesterday I had to walk a poorly two month old from the next road after a doctors visit because my neighbours had parked in front of our house. Why they can't park on their drive, or in front of their drive I don't know!

[1Veryhungrycaterpillar]

Didn't this OP park over an empty drive though? If I've got it wrong and she blocked them in then shes BVU