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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

..that this car blocking access is driving me nuts

60 replies

flowerygirl · 26/08/2015 22:10

We live in a house with a shared driveway. The driveway is gated and we and our neighbours all have a key. Lately, a car keeps parking in front of the gate blocking access so noone can get in or out. It is driving me NUTS, but as far as my online search goes, there isn't much that we can do about it. It's not a police matter as far as I can work out. Anyone got any suggestions of what to do? Or should I just let it go and park in the street?

OP posts:
TeamBacon · 26/08/2015 22:12

Do you know who the car belongs to? Have you left a note or anything telling them not to park there?

Oh course you shouldn't have to let it go, they're not allowed to block you in, but no idea who you'd call to get them towed.

Verbena37 · 26/08/2015 22:13

I'm pretty sure you cannot block access to someone's driveway. Check out the highways agency website or local council. I'm not entirely sure who's remit its under.

Verbena37 · 26/08/2015 22:21

Just checked out a website that said in the Highway Code it says DO NOT PARK across someone's driveway. Legally, it doesn't MUST NOT and therefore someone can park across your driveway.

On another site,come one said that they can block you from driving onto your drive but not block you from driving onto the highway...but don't know how true that is either.

SavoyCabbage · 26/08/2015 22:22

Legally you can park over a drive if it's empty or if you only park partway over it. At least that's what the police told me when it was happening to us.

I couldn't believe it. What about access for an ambulance etc was my question to the police. But we were told that there was nothing they could do.

Original poster
flowerygirl · 26/08/2015 22:22

I don't know who the car belongs to. I put up a sign on the gate saying 'No parking in front of gates' the other day and the driver parked even closer to the gate, which feels like mockery! Of course this has just riled me further!

Annoyingly, the car comes and goes all day. Everytime I look out the window it's either there or not, and I'm looking a lot...but never catch him/her as they're doing it! We live on a terraced kind of street with loads of houses so I can't really knock on all doors to find out who's doing it.

OP posts:
VinylScratch · 26/08/2015 22:23

Print out a sign and stick it to their window with spray mount. Apparently it's a bastard to get off.

Fixinggood · 26/08/2015 22:23

I thought it was the case that they couldn't block you in but could block you out. Something like if they block you in and you need car in an emergency? That's in Scotland anyway...I think!

TheCatsMother99 · 26/08/2015 22:24

Is there any way you could get your friends or neighbours to help you by blocking the car in so they need to knock on your door to get those cars to move in order to get out?

Fixinggood · 26/08/2015 22:24

But if you're blocked in I'd call 101 and report.

GinandJag · 26/08/2015 22:26

Do you have a dropped kerb put in by the council?

rollonthesummer · 26/08/2015 22:26

How many other households is it affecting? Bloody cheek-I would be fuming!

Lucked · 26/08/2015 22:28

I would block them in so they have to come and ask you to move. Persistence is the key, I use to live near a hospital and me and my neighbour helped each other out with this. Can this be done?

Original poster
flowerygirl · 26/08/2015 22:30

Haha VinylScratch . Good idea TheCatsMother99, I know my neighbours are as annoyed about it as I am. Putting a note on their car would be blocking them technically but it would force them into communicating with us!

I have heard that they can't block you from getting out but they can from getting in. Some people are just p*ss takers aren't they?!

OP posts:
SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 26/08/2015 22:33

There was a fairly similar post recently - the police did intervene & contacted the car's owner

Original poster
flowerygirl · 26/08/2015 22:34

It's affecting four houses and we've got a dropped kerb. I'm sure the neighbours would be happy to block him in. The more I think about this the more mad it's making me!!

OP posts:
Verbena37 · 26/08/2015 22:35

Is it illegal to put a sign saying 'Doctor on call, Access Required at all times'?

TheCatsMother99 · 26/08/2015 22:37

My neighbour was blocked in to their drive a while ago, they did call the police, who attended but for some reason weren't able to trace the owner immediately, eventually the neighbour did a weird manoeuvre thingymabob, mounted the pavement and eventually got out as they were already late for work (I gather the police permitted him to drive down the pavement a bit as they stood and watched). Was really weird as there wasn't a shortage of spaces in the street that night/morning either so no idea why they parked there.

TheCatsMother99 · 26/08/2015 22:39

I would definitely get your neighbours to work together to block in next time as it'll benefit you all if you can speak to the person to work out why they're parking like that & then get them to stop.

DogWalker75 · 26/08/2015 22:39

I'd definitely get your neighbours to all block the car in.

Original poster
flowerygirl · 26/08/2015 22:53

Thanks everyone, will be on the case tomorrow ????

OP posts:
SistersOfPercy · 26/08/2015 23:15

Failing that gather several neighbours and carry the thing out of the way, ideally to double yellows.

Or find a useful neighbour who knows how to operate a trolley jack, get it up at the back on a couple and gently roll it away.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 26/08/2015 23:21

Margarine all over the windscreen every single time. They'll soon stop it.

Ohfourfoxache · 26/08/2015 23:54

you could strategically place rather long nails just under their tyres

SugarOnTop · 26/08/2015 23:55

a few scratches on the bodywork or punctured tyres will get the message through to them

LL0015 · 27/08/2015 00:04

Could you in agreement with the neighbour eCh always park across your own drop kerb for a week or so thus preventing them from parking there?