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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I might be the parking bitch!

55 replies

MistressChalk · 22/09/2015 23:05

Parked on the street outside our house this evening as I always do, there is a small stretch of pavement outside our house and the neighbours where we all park. Neighbours on one end have put up notes saying don't park here as access is needed at all times, although they just seem to park their cars there anyway. The space outside ours is usually always filled and next door is always around so their car is always outside their house.
Tonight I parked where I have for nearly 2 years which is on the end of the stretch of pavement just before a dropped kerb. Earlier this year we had new neighbours here who moved in and got rid of the lovely huge driveway (big enough for 3 maybe 4 cars) to build over it. The only driveway on the whole street! But fine the new build looks lovely. Only the tiny stretch of garden they had left they have paved over and parked both cars in. Half of this was the original drive and so is over the dropped kerb and the other half is directly in front of the pavement so to drive into that space means driving over the pavement = illegal.
So I parked on the pavement and yes it was in front of one of their cars but they could easily get both cars out by driving the car in front of the dropped kerb out to move the other out iyswim? Same principal as having a long driveway only one car width wide.
I've just found a note on my car asking me not to block them in and to be considerate.
I've got my flameproof vest on so come on, am I THAT parking twat?

OP posts:

ChameleonCircuit · 23/09/2015 08:01

She didn't. Their driveway only has a one car width entrance. She parked next to it. So not only are they tight arses, they're entitled tight arses.

kungfupannda · 23/09/2015 08:10

Would they even get permission for a double dropped kerb?

Collaborate · 23/09/2015 08:12

They ought to apply to extend the dropped kerb. They may be refused - who knows? They'd have to pay for it though.

GloGirl · 23/09/2015 08:16

Actually I think they were being reasonable.

It would be considerate if you didn't park there. If there's only one person in the house switchin the cars around to drive off would be very annoying.

You have every legal right to park there but I understand why they have asked you not to. Next time you see them just explain that there's no where else to park close to your home.

kungfupannda · 23/09/2015 08:17

I'm just wondering if councils look at availability of parking, and how much of that space would be lost by a dropped kerb.

If so, they may already have been told they can only have the access they have. Which would give the OP a massive moral high ground!

teawamutu · 23/09/2015 08:18

Apparently I'm a parking bitch too. Got told off by neighbour for parking outside her house because it's not considerate.

Two thoughts though:

Almost no one has a driveway on my street, so nobody has guaranteed parking.
She did, but - like the op's neighbour - they built an extension on the driveway.

If you've given up your own parking, isn't it a bit rich to get pissy with people? Especially when you've reduced the amount of spaces available?

SunshineAndShadows · 23/09/2015 08:20

So why is it ok to park on the pavement but not ok to drive across that same bit of pavement to exit a drive?

It may be legal but I think it's inconsiderate

Thelushinthepub · 23/09/2015 08:24

We have a similar set up and people do this to us. It makes it tricky to get off the drive (as your visibility is majorly impaired by cars either side of the dropped curb) and often means we run out of space to turn in the road because we've had to reverse out straight for such a long length to avoid scraping the parked cars.

BUT this is all totally our problem, not a big deal and part of life. I'm
lOL'ing at the Idea of asking them not to park there. How totally bossy and weird.

The only thing I would say is your car is more vulnerable to getting hit when people have problems getting round it. But that could happen anywhere and unless you're sporting an Aston I wouldn't worry :)

InimitableJeeves · 23/09/2015 08:24

Where do you get the idea that a double driveway is illegal?

What you are doing may be legal but it is inconsiderate. Bear in mind that if they don't park in their driveway they will be parking in the road so there will be one less space for you anyway. Unless you seriously want to be in a war with your neighbours for the next few years I suggest you find somewhere else to park.

ovaryhill · 23/09/2015 08:26

The twat a couple of doors up from me has a drive and then a white line painted outside his house but deliberately does not park in either
He parks in the space behind the white line thus using three possible parking spaces and leaving hardly any for other people
If I had the money I would buy an old banger, tax it and leave it on the space permanently

Thelushinthepub · 23/09/2015 08:28

OMG what a total twat ovary. People are such cunts about parking

CocktailQueen · 23/09/2015 08:39

IMO - no dropped kerb, fine to park in front of a driveway. But it sounds as though they won't listen to reason so no point engaging them. Twats.

But seriously, you ruined multiple jumpers, scarves and bags squeezing between their car and hedge? Why not walk in the road?

Catsize · 23/09/2015 08:42

Yanbu. They just have to perform car ballet to get the 'blocked' car out, like we (and many others) do to get a blocked car off our drive.

Bogeyface · 23/09/2015 08:46

THey could apply for a further dropped kerb but as they had a double width and then built on the drive, chances are the council will say no anyway, especially as parking is at a premium there.

bimandbam · 23/09/2015 08:51

I would continue to park there to be honest. But I am still pretty bitter about the parking wars we had on our old (terraced) road and the sheer twattery of the people who lived across the road and their numerous visitors who not only parked across my lovely neighbours drive but also on it.

We did deliberately leave dps (tatty and large and unsightly) works van outside their house for 2 months in the end. It did stop their parking twattery finally. Would you like to borrow it?

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 23/09/2015 08:53

Would ignore them.

If they do it again... Tell them to get it dropped, but until then they can't expect everyone else to be 'considerate' , when they clearly are not...

Bottom line:they chose to make it more difficult for themselves by building in their front garden causing their parking difficulties (is it THAT difficult to take one car then the other??!)

It's an excellent example of someobe having a problem (that they've caused), and making it someone/everyone else's problem.

I dont know - can you object to an application for a dropped curve when they ask??

APlaceOnTheCouch · 23/09/2015 08:57

If it's just that they couldn't be arsed moving their other car then YANBU but I wonder if they parked in such a way that even after moving their other car, they still couldn't get the second one out. But, even so, it's not your fault and they will need to think about how they park or, you know, use the car that isn't blocked in

roundaboutthetown · 23/09/2015 09:15

Being neighbours makes it difficult. You don't want angry neighbours near your car! However, you could point out to them that it won't always be neighbours who park there and if they want their exit route to be protected, they should make an application to the council for the kerb drop to be widened. Their use of the word "considerate" was inflammatory, given their lack of consideration when it comes to neighbours' parking spaces.

Bogeyface · 23/09/2015 09:20

It's an excellent example of someobe having a problem that they've caused, and making it someone/everyone else's problem.

Exactly. Another case of the entitled attitude so many people seem to have these days.

They wouldnt have this problem if they hadnt built on their own sodding drive in the first place, a fact I would not hesitate to point out to them if I was the OP!

toomuchtooold · 23/09/2015 09:26

If I were you I'd check with the council that you're parking legally, and then just keep parking there and if they bring it up with you just tell them you're legally entitled to park there.

I've got very little sympathy for them in this situation as I really resent driveways in busy streets. When someone builds a new driveway the space in front of their house, which used to be available for parking, is now needed for access. Effectively it's a way of reserving the space in front of your house which you wouldn't otherwise be allowed to do.

TheUnwillingNarcheska · 23/09/2015 09:33

Were there any stipulations on the possibility of widening the dropped kerb when they applied for planning permission? Did they even apply for it? All the details should be on your council's planning bit with their application plus the reports from the planning officer when they went out to inspect it.

You are perfectly entitled to park where you are parking. They created this situation with their extension.

Clearly they just can't be arsed to move two cars around. Their problem, not yours.

Keep on parking there.

Snakesandbastards · 23/09/2015 09:56

If there is no space in front of your house and nowhere else in the street, then you are being perfectly reasonable. Tell them to naff of politely stating your rights. If there we loads of spaces but they are outside the residents own houses, I think it's R to leave those available, as in 1 space/ 1 car per house. The people who object to you have 2 so they have to accept their dropped kerb is the equivalent of their 1 space.

We have a wide drive but only I dropped kerb area and peopl do block me in sometimes. Annoying when there are places but they would have to walk .

Lurkedforever1 · 23/09/2015 10:33

Yanbu. I second the idea of having a quick look on the council planning to see if they've already been refused a double dropped kerb.
As they started with the notes, I would be tempted to leave one on your windscreen next time you park there, saying something along the lines of that whilst you will try and avoid parking there when there is a practical alternative, unfortunately the nature of local parking availability means it's not always possible to discount the legal road parking alongside their raised kerb.

MinecraftWonder · 23/09/2015 11:03

Yanbu

A house on the road the dc's school is on has done the same - knocked down their front garden wall and paved over the garden, giving themselves a double drive but without the dropped kerb on half of it.

I've parked there a few times (on the raised kerb bit), whilst one of their cars has been there. However, there wouldn't be enough space for them to get the car out.

That's tough in my book. Raised kerbs are fair game, and if you don't want the hassle and expense of dropping the kerb then expect people to park there and expect to be blocked in.

It's actually my favourite place to park, because the car parked on their garden seems to put people off, even when the street is jam packed with school cars - so it's usually free

TheExMotherInLaw · 23/09/2015 13:22

Just say sweetly, I'll try not to park there, as long as there's somewhere else for me to park. Then carry on parking there. Suggest they apply for dropped kerb, so that no-one can park there. Which they probably won't do, as they haven't already.

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