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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be annoyed at neighbour's parking habits?

50 replies

MrsExpo · 10/09/2016 12:46

Ok ... some of you are going to tell me to get a grip, but anyway ...

We live in a house with a block paved frontage providing generous and adequate parking, for three cars side by side, or four if we close up a bit. Our next door neighbour has a similar amount of space, and the two drive ways are open to each other. The only thing which indicates the boundary is a change in the block paved surface: no fence or anything. Both households own two cars.

In spite of having generous amounts of space, our neighbour insists on parking his vehicle (a large 4x4) within inches of the boundary. So close, in fact that he can't open his car door without it overhanging our drive and he can't get out of his car without his feet actually landing on our drive as he does so.

The other day, OH actually watched him drive up, back in, then pull out again and move closer to the boundary!!!! Even though there was acres of spare space between him and his wife's car which was already on the drive. Needless to say OH is getting pretty fed up, but in every other respect the people are lovely neighbours. Would you say something or just put up with the guy's behaviour.

OP posts:

Chikara · 10/09/2016 16:53

OurBlanche we have a problem like that but no-one dare challenge it because they know that they will then have to declare it and that it will impact on a house sale.

I could sue - and win - it is as clear as clear - but who will happily buy a house with a neighbour dispute that has gone to court? And if they do buy they want a discount.

There should be a better system - better for everyone - but I don't know what it is.

And yes OP I agree about both parking your car and about the plant pots.

Solina · 10/09/2016 16:58

I can understand why it is annoying even though it is slightly U of you as he hasnt actually parked on your drive.

We and our neighbour share drive with 3 spaces. 2 for us and 1 for him. He also has a separate drive and a garage yet he parks on the drive which is further away from his door than the other 2 places he could park. He has all the right to do so but for some reason it winds me up and I know I am very U about it. It almost feels as if he is "reserving" it so no one else can use it even though no one ever does or has.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 10/09/2016 16:59

I'm guessing his wife is rubbish at parking and needs every inch she can get

OurBlanche · 10/09/2016 17:03

DSIS and neighbours didn't want to either, Chikara. They played silly buggers out of frustration, not thinking even the most batshit of crazy neighbours would take legal action.

But the Mr OATT didn't seem to care! Coincidentally, though I live about 200 miles away from DSIS, Mr OATT moved up here and I know someone whose friend has a friend who now lives next door to him. He is still a total pillock!

DSIS and Friend of a friend of a friend have swapped notes about him

PoisonousSmurf · 10/09/2016 17:06

I'd leave it. These things can escalate. Sounds like he wants a view from his window. Is his car very ugly?

mrsfuzzy · 10/09/2016 17:19

ourblanche sounds like a sitcom story line .

RaspberryOverload · 10/09/2016 17:23

BreakfastAtSquiffanys Sat 10-Sep-16 16:59:47

I'm guessing his wife is rubbish at parking and needs every inch she can get

From OP's posts: We live in a house with a block paved frontage providing generous and adequate parking, for three cars side by side, or four if we close up a bit. Our next door neighbour has a similar amount of space.... Both households own two cars.

If she's that bad at parking, she's better off not driving for all our sakes.

sophiestew · 10/09/2016 17:38

Fence should sort it.

LyndaNotLinda · 10/09/2016 18:06

Why would you guess that Breakfast?

OurBlanche · 11/09/2016 12:39

ourblanche sounds like a sitcom story line It does, doesn't it?

I have to admit to having sneaky sniggles on the odd occasion I saw him in action. Small man, squeaky voiced when angry. He had/has some odd vocal patterns: "... that is it, full stop, just so you are aware, FULL STOP!" seemed to be his way of signaling the end of a conversation. His problem was he would shout it at you before you had said anything.

DSIS had to lock me in the house, to stop him realising how much I was laughing!

I fear I would be terrible if I had a problem neighbour.

mrsfuzzy · 11/09/2016 12:50

latest post ourblanche love the description of your neighbour, am laughing so much that i'm going to re read the thread, no, i am, seriously!

RandyMagnum · 11/09/2016 13:27

I'd park right against the boundary with your passenger side so you can still get in and out of your car ok.

Mypurplecaravan · 11/09/2016 13:37

My neighbour does this but I don't have blocked paving I have grass and I ended up with a dent that I had to back fill. And then turf over. It was a big big debt too. And his kids roll their bikes over it.

We have narrow drives. I know because mine is the same. If you reverse on up to the boundary you can easily open drivers side door wide before hitting the house at the narrow bit and then if you have others who want in on passenger side you can just pull forward.

I want to put up a fence or prickly hedges. My husband says to grow up and let it go

He is of course right and I am choosing to let this rankle me. And rankle it does!

HighwayDragon1 · 11/09/2016 13:50

May I suggest penguin bollards??

Dogsmom · 11/09/2016 15:30

Does his car block windows if he parks it further across?

Reason I ask is our drive could fit 6 cars across it but I park mine as far to the left as I can and dh parks as far too the right because it's out of view from any windows, we have a hedge so it doesn't affect any neighbours but I'd rather look out over the road than look at my car.

Original poster

MrsExpo · 11/09/2016 16:46

No, the place he parks is in front of his garage. The kitchen and living room windows are further across and usually his wife parks in from of them, so I don't think it's a matter of him not wanting to look at his cars. He's just being a pain ...

OP posts:

LifeIsGoodish · 11/09/2016 17:01

Maybe he is lining his car up precisely with his garage entrance?

SleepDeprivedAndCranky · 11/09/2016 17:08

If they are good neighbours otherwise, I would ignore it. Starting a parking battle with the neighbours could be the start of a lot of agro.

WatchingFromTheWings · 11/09/2016 17:19

I agree with others. Park your car as close to your boundary as possible so that you climb out your side, but he can't get in his door. You'll probably get him knocking the door asking you to move but he should get the message!

Brahumbug · 11/09/2016 17:35

You are not being petty in the slightest, if you let him continue to open his door and walk over your land then eventually he will have a prescriptive right to do so and that will affect the value of your home.

Dogolphin · 11/09/2016 17:37

I would pop a pot plant or two near the house and occasionally a wheel barrow with something heavy in it (right at the edge so you can still park of course) or your car, just to make the point really.

RichardBucket · 11/09/2016 18:01

I'm guessing his wife is rubbish at parking and needs every inch she can get

Why would you assume his wife is rubbish at parking?

Livelovebehappy · 11/09/2016 18:17

Tread carefully. Having a word with them will go one way or another; they may enjoy the fact it causes you annoyance and continue to do it, or change their parking but start blanking you because they think you're being petty. I had a parking dispute with my previous neighbours, and we didn't speak for the next two years until we moved.

Vvlgari · 11/09/2016 18:24

We have a not dissimilar setup, and our car door overhangs my neighbour's drive when open and vice versa. Neither of us have bothered about it, TBH. Both of us could park slightly further over but we tend to leave a gap to get the bins out otherwise it's a struggle to get them past the cars.

RaspberryOverload · 11/09/2016 18:44

RichardBucket Sun 11-Sep-16 18:01:45

I'm guessing his wife is rubbish at parking and needs every inch she can get

Why would you assume his wife is rubbish at parking?

Perhaps people are looking for explanations for the man's precise parking. And as he's the one being precise, it's easy to wonder if the wife has parking issues.

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