To park in front of this person's drive

[SophiePendragon]

I had to go to school for an open day this afternoon and the usual car park was full plus a long way up the road, so I parked eventually on a space (well, what I thought was a space) behind another car, on the road.

I often see cars parked along there so I'm sure it's allowed, it's a large village, no signs or meters anywhere near there.

I noticed as I drove up though that there was a recently block paved driveway, which was the width of the property (bungalow) but it only had a small section of dropped kerb, to the left, and the rest was normal kerb, uninterrupted, which continued along the road.

Anyway this looked odd but I assumed it was fine to park my car on the normal bit, leaving the dropped kerb free obviously.

There were two cars parked on the drive but I figured that it was probably fine to get off using the dropped kerb as there was plenty of space behind them to steer to that bit, (at least another car's length) and they were little cars. I'm a fairly experienced driver and I could definitely have done it.

Anyway I got back after about 40 minutes with the children and found a note under my wiper - please do not park in front of our drive, access is needed at all times, thank you.

It was polite but a bit stroppy. I saw there was someone in, so I went and rang the bell (leaving children in the car)

The woman who answered looked quite old but not elderly, and also looked a bit of a stroppy type who might feel the world is against her. So I smiled and said I just wanted to apologise but I genuinely didn't realise I couldn't park on a normal kerb.
She said that it's hard to get off the drive anyway due to being near a junction and I said, did the council know about her kerb as I thought other people might get confused as well.

She just started saying 'don't worry about it' and was pleasant enough but truly I don't think she has a leg to stand on - does she?

I mean I won't go and park there again as I'd like to avoid confrontation with her but seriously - you have to get planning for a dropped kerb don't you, and pay for it? You can't just extend your drive and then demand no one parks on the undropped section in front of your house?

[woodleydoodle]

hedgehogsdontbite I don't think it matters if the pic is already on the internet. This is a very specific context.

[Sparklingbrook]

I am just waiting for the woman that lives there to appear on the thread having recognised her house.

[TheChandler]

How would you feel if some stranger parked in front of your house one day, knocked on your door, argued with you and then posted photographs of your house and made comments about both you and it on a well used internet site?

Happy?

I'd be absolutely furious.

[PurpleHairAndPearls]

Exactly, TheChandler, but you forgot the bit where OP investigated their planning permission too...

[YNK]

Given you were parked to collect your children from school, just how important to you is it for them to concede that YOU in particular need to park in that exact place?
Do you have mobility needs that dictate this? Do you know anything about the mobility needs of the occupants which might affect their needs?

She asked, you declined.
Move on for goodness sake! Have you nothing better to do than snoop on them? Jeez!

[SoupDragon]

If I had been a total arse and left a twatty note on someone's car telling them not to park in a perfectly legal spot because of my illegal driveway access, I would feel I didn't have a leg to stand on.

[googoodolly]

It doesn't matter that the photo is on Google! The OP has taken the time to find the house, screenshot it and post it on here. If you live in the area, you'd recognise the house and maybe even know the occupants or neighbours.

Not on, imo.

[SoupDragon]

Do you release how easy it is to "investigate" planning permission? I was idly checking the planning application online of one of my rear neighbours and wasted a happy half hour browsing all the historic local applications for the houses in my road.

[Damnautocorrect]

I wouldn't have done what you did, but due to the lack of a dropped kerb you were fine to park there.
There was a council in London that put posts up over 'illegal' driveways where people didn't have dropped kerbs and planning, they had just paved them. They warned residents to move their cars and if they didn't they just blocked them in with a post, there was utter uproar about it.

[TheChandler]

It doesn't matter how easy it is soupdragon, unless you are a wanabee stalker or nutter, well adjusted people don't tend to do it. Its quite easy to do all sorts of things, but we tend to learn boundaries to help us live in society which means not doing many of them.

If I found out someone had done that to me, I'd complain to the police re harassment. Theres personal comments about the homeowner too.

[hedgehogsdontbite]

So someone in the area might recognise the house and discover the occupant leaves notes on car that park in front of her 'drive'. It's hardly revealing her secret double life as a dominatrix.

[Silentelf]

Yanbu at all. Good on you. I wouldn't have parked there as I would have been worried about getting an earful from disgruntled resident, but I would have cursed under my breath about selfish non kerb-droppers as I drove on

[Namechangenell]

Once again I find myself agreeing with Soupdragon. I don't think you did anything wrong, OP.

[YNK]

.......but it's a bit creepy,
The op almost certainly won't NEED to park in that EXACT spot again unless this is to do with mobility issues.

[Lweji]

Ywnbu and I'd park there again if I had nowhere else to do it.

[lighteningirl]

No it's considerate to not have an illegal driveway. If you ignore planning regs why should you expect consideration and compound that ignorant behaviour by leaving notes on legally parked cars?

[FurtherSupport]

It all seems a bit of a performance but it's actually illegal to drive across the pavement, unless there's a dropped kerb, so yes, OP was fine to park there because the householder has no right to drive over the pavement, whether they need to to get their car out or not.

[BareGorillas]

I wouldn't have left you a note, knowing that I've no real right to keep that bit of space clear, on the other hand I wouldn't have parked their either.

I do agree with Soupy on the planning applications thing though, I've spent loads of time nosing the local planning apps and declines while checking to see if my neighbours have in fact appllied to get their trees trimmed as they keep promising

[redbinneo]

Chandler, one could argue that your persistence at pointing out the error of OP's ways shows a bit of OCD. I don't really understand why your taking the side of someone who has probably broken the law.

[Stealthpolarbear]

Op please don't put pictures of other people's houses up!
And you seem to have a real bee in your bonnet, you've takwn pictures, Googled planning, started a thread...Surely most people would have just had an internal moan, maybe started a thread but you seem to be building up evidence

[Stealthpolarbear]

Sorru massive x post thought there was only one page

[WinterOfOurDiscountTents15]

Never mind about parking, you should go on some talent show for your amazing ability to read full personalities from a glance at someone's face

[Piratespoo]

I would have parked there, in fact I do frequently park in front of a house that has a similar set up. In fact, they have half a drive with a dropped kerb and half not, and then they added one themselves with Tarmac!! The funniest thing was the council then came and got rid of it!!!

[fizzychuck89]

Ooh looking at that picture I wouldn't have parked there either.