to wake my neighbours up at 6.30 as they parked blocking my drive

[marryj]

I don't actually need my drive now, but I'm pretty annoyed and will be leaving soon but want to make sure they are not blocking it when I'm back this afternoon.

I know its silly but it bugs the hell out of me that they often park over it

You shouldn't park across a driveway. That's basic common sense!

If there is no car on your drive they can legally park across it

since when? That means that every time you go out someone can legally prevent access to your own drive.

Really?

Sounds like madness

I can't park over my driveway as half of it is adjacent to the driveway the other side of the road and would stop them from using their driveway and I'm not entitled enough to ever park and block someone from accessing their own property.

I wish you were my neighbour...

I'm tempted to post a fake reverse TAAT.

AIBU to be pissed off with my neighbour who has AGAIN posted a note on my car about parking over her drive?

She rarely seems to use her drive but when I accidentally park a bit over over it she gets the right arse! I have a drive but but prefer to park on the street, just like her. It's easy enough to knock on our door and respectfully ask us to move (which of course we would). Also, she could widen her drive or get a narrower car but she refuses. AIBU to expect her to know we're not telepathic and can't know the exact random times she chooses to use her drive?

PS NannyOgg - I know! Apparently this is true though.

Parking across a drive is contrary to the highway code (para 242) - it's a DO NOT, rather than MUST NOT, so there are no legal consequences. But just because there are no legal comebacks doesn't make it right, or "fair game" to block a driveway. That it's contrary to the highway code should be enough to a courteous driver to simply not do it. It's shit behaviour, pure and simple.
As others have said, it becomes an offence when you block a car in.

Of course YABU.

First post - most people would probably agree, if someone's blocked you in, then you are well within your rights to wake them up to shift their car.

Second post however, makes you look like a complete nightmare.... my car isn't on my drive..... I don't actually want to go anywhere anyway..... I rarely use my drive.....I'm taking up a space on the road by leaving my car there even though I have a drive..... I might want to use it later.

Really ???

Generally, people should not park across empty driveways, however, in this case, they can see that you don't use the drive, and that you take up another space on the road by parking there, so realise - when they need a space on the road, that no harm will be done by someone blocking your driveway.

I speak as someone whose drive is regularly parked across by people attending the Drs Surgery nearby, so know how annoying it can be, but your case is completely different.

Oh, and I think Katie's questions are very reasonable.

The highway code is a code. Not the law.

Fwiw

So those who think an empty driveway is fair game (and there seem to be a few on here), how infrequent does the OP's use of her drive have to be to mean she should lose her right to access to her property?

You still haven't said where your insurance company thinks your car is parked overnight...

Probably because it is completely irrelevant to the fact that her neighbour's visitor parks like a cunt.

I think there is a total difference between anyone saying an empty driveway is fair game and this situation where the neighbours know OP does not use her drive except on rare occasions because she finds it difficult to drive up it and choses to park on the street as her default position. h and who

One would think that if the opposite neighbours did find that a car parked there impeded them exiting their property they would have words with the owner thereof.

Or possibly because the insurance company have been told it is parked on the driveway every night.

How is that relevant in the slightest? Other than using it to divert attention from the fact that you think it's OK to park like a cunt.

My initial thought was yanbu. Then I saw that you didn't need the drive yet and thought yabu.

Now I've read your responses to other posters I just think you're incredibly rude. No need to be swearing and exclaiming at responses to a question you chose to ask.

*Dropped kerb parking enforcement

A vehicle that is found to be parked either fully or partially alongside a dropped kerb will see the parking enforcement officer issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) when an offence has been seen throughout their daily patrol route.
A particular vehicle, or vehicles keep parking across the dropped kerb of my driveway, can I complain

Complaints can be made to local police via their non-emergency number, although it is recommended to contact the local council.

Action from the council can occur only if the complaint is received from the occupier of the affected premises. Name, address and contact details are required and confirmation that they are the occupier.

Action on the councils behalf is subject to staff availability and current location. Complaints received for repeated offences may see a parking enforcement officers route temporarily altered to deal with the issues.

If the problem persists on a regular basis, the council may provide the address owner with white bar markings along the dropped kerb area on the carriageway. White lines are not enforceable by police or councils and act as only an advisory area where not to park. *

From the link above

I paid a premium for my house as it has off street parking, we also paid two grand to have it block paved.
I didn't do that so some tosser can stop me getting on and off as and when I want to.
In RL where I live anyway, no one parks over anyones drive!
I'm with the OP on this one. Sod a note, I'd be banging on the door.

I don't understand the whole 'note through the door' culture on MN. Just talk to people. you're far more likely to get a positive response.

some very angry people in this thread, and I don't mean the OP.

Of course they shouldn't block your drive. Hopefully the note will work and they will park more considerately.

Obviously I don't think that as you would know if you actually RTFT. it happens to me just about every single day with the idiot parents driving less than 8000 metres to drop their kids right at the school gates - and that is with a car parked in the driveway. As I said above, so I know exactly what it is like when you are blocked into your driveway. Not that this is the situation here.

the question of insurance is relevant as it adds to the picture of what is actually happening here. OP states she rarely uses her drive but is evasive about what she's declared to her insurance company regarding where she actually parks the car at night. Insurance is generally cheaper if your car is parked off the road on a driveway. And making a false declaration might just invalidate that insurance

Parking in front of a drive in use is clearly the act of a knob. Parking in front of a drive you know your neighbour does not use as she always parks in the street is different. It's not great and it's not something I'd do, unless the street parking is difficult, which OP says it is not.

YANBU to want to use your drive.

YABU to go straight to wanting to really piss them off before doing the obvious things like mentioning it in passing next time you see them. There is no urgency to get onto the drive at 0630. Give them a fair chance to be reasonable.

whoops! For 8000 read 800 metres (local school with a very small catchment area)

The note due to the early hour I assume. Far more reasonable than waking them up.

YANBU it would piss me off no end.
But if you post in AIBU and then get pissed off that people think you are being unreasonable then YABU for posting in the first place, as you'd already made up your mind that you aren't.

Hmmm - I think it's quite plain that the OP has told her insurers she parks on the drive AND she herself rarely uses it. Can't think why else she is so defensive.

Op - the driveway is wide enough for your car. Try reversing in to it (generally easier than driving in) every day and you'll soon get comfortable with the width. Then your neighbours won't annoy you by parking across it and you won't annoy them by using a space you don't need.

Blimey - what a lot of spite on here.

Tell them to shift it OP