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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my drive is not a public turning circle

113 replies

Quicksharp · 15/09/2016 10:16

We live on a quiet road but it seems our driveway has become public property.
Whilst I acknowledge that you can't avoid delivery vans taking liberties and turning round where they can (& it seems our drive is the best place on the whole of our street for this activity), our new neighbours across the street have now started using our drive to reverse back onto in order to turn out of their own drive (& appear to have advised all their (numerous) visitors to do the same).
It sounds petty writing this but we manage to reverse out of our property without invading their drive so I can't help but think they are being a bit cheeky and getting into a habit that I would like to nip in the bud.
AIBU to see this as an irritation?

OP posts:
JudyCoolibar · 15/09/2016 14:26

So is your neighbour driving forwards into his drive, then reversing into yours and then turning into the road? That does seem incredibly feeble. I'm not the greatest driver in the world but even I manage to reverse out of our drive without using the neighbour's, and our road can get pretty parked up and awkward to manoeuvre in.

PersianCatLady · 15/09/2016 14:37

I just wrongly assume that people are thoughtful respectful and considerate to their neighbours
I used to think that everybody just wanted to live nice and quietly and show a bit of consideration to all their neighbours.

Then I got the neighbours from hell.

Now I don't think that way any more.

Original poster
Quicksharp · 15/09/2016 14:38

Yep that pretty much sums it up Judy - although sometimes they prefer to swing forwards into our drive when the arrive home and reverse straight back into their drive so that they are good to go in the morning 😈

OP posts:
Original poster
Quicksharp · 15/09/2016 14:43

It's a sad state of affairs isn't it Persian. I have to say that I can't complain about my neighbours in general just this one annoying re occurrence.

OP posts:
2kids2dogsnosense · 15/09/2016 14:48

All the area outlined in green is technically mine. The neighbours either side of me can come onto my land to access their parking spaces.

This would incense me beyond rational belief.

I would be on top of the garage with a sniper's rifle, a bottle of Tizer and some sherbet lemons, and I wouldn't come down until I had put a stop to them. Angry

Isitjustmeorisiteveryoneelse · 15/09/2016 14:58

A pop up/lockable bollard in the centre front of the drive is defo the way to go. Wonder how much a remote control one (like they have to block areas of city centres off) would cost? How satisfying it would be to press 'up' just as they started reversing in......

breakfastnotattiffanys · 15/09/2016 15:13

Could you not go for something a bit like this.?

To think my drive is not a public turning circle
ExAstris · 15/09/2016 15:52

The diagram makes it much clearer, thanks OP. They really are being cheeky feckers aren't they? If you're out there again, and see them impatiently waiting to use your drive, I'd go over to the car and politely ask if you can help them. Hopefully they'll have the front to ask you to move and you can affect a puzzled look, and ask why. When they say they want to turn or whatever, you can ask, "In MY drive?!" with baffled tone like no-one could be that odd and unreasonable. Then see what they say.

As you can see I have the whole scene in my head!

Or a chain is a good idea.

Heyheyheygoodbye · 15/09/2016 15:54

I've just moved and where I live now we all have to be generous with our drives or nobody would ever get in or out Grin But where I lived before it would have been odd to reverse onto a drive instead of turning out into the road.

Original poster
Quicksharp · 15/09/2016 16:07

HeyHeyHey and if that was the case I would obviously be generous too - I like to think I am fairly reasonable but given the amount of space it's just not necessary and we manage to reverse out of the drive into the the road no problem.

OP posts:
Original poster
Quicksharp · 15/09/2016 16:09

Love the scene direction btw ExAstris - I'll memorise the script for future encounters Grin

OP posts:
ratspeaker · 15/09/2016 16:09

The penguin bollards were from a thread a couple of years ago, neighbours were parking outside the house thinking their landlord had rented them the space.
As I remember the OP found out the landlord in question didnt own ANY of the land , the freeholder offered it and she bought it.
The penguin bollards were suggested as a way of blocking the drive in.
So of course everybody clicked on the link , ( and was followed by the ad if they didnt clear their cookies) and yes they do exist, cute wee things
www.barriersdirect.co.uk/bollards-c1022/marshalls-rhino-bollards-c1034/penguin-bollard-polyurethane-p2357.

So maybe you could have a couple as sentries at your gate ?

Heyheyheygoodbye · 15/09/2016 16:11

I agree Quick. There's obviously plenty of room, they're just lazy buggers!

ProfYaffle · 15/09/2016 16:14

Is it visually obvious that the bit in front of the gate is your property? Is it possible to 'claim' it a bit more maybe with house signs/numbers on the wall at the entrance or pot plants/hanging baskets?

Coffeethrowtrampbitch · 15/09/2016 16:16

Great diagram Grin.

I think you should buy bollards, or you could pretend they really have damaged your drive and arrange cones round the 'damaged' bit which you only move to give your own cars access.
Also I don't drive and think their behaviour is very dangerous to pedestrians. Someone crossing your drive would not wait for a car pulling out the opposite drive, as they would assume it wouldn't enter another driveway, so your neighbours could easily run over someone!

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 15/09/2016 16:19

I've tried to get worked up about this but I simply can't!Confused

Mybeardeddragonjustdied2016 · 15/09/2016 16:21

Get some cones and change your surname to Boswell.

Original poster
Quicksharp · 15/09/2016 16:29

I know it seems trivial and if it wasn't happening to me several times a day I would also be saying that I couldn't get worked up about it or it wouldn't bother me, but when it is happening to you everyday, it is a constant (albeit small) irritation Confused

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 15/09/2016 16:51

It happens on my drive but I don't mind,if they parked and blocked me in I'd be furious.

SantinoRice · 15/09/2016 17:03

So odd that they would use your drive, especially since it runs alongside your actual house. Could you start using theirs? Might make them see how ridiculous they're being.

rollonthesummer · 15/09/2016 17:15

What do they do when your car is parked at the front of your drive?

TheElementsSong · 15/09/2016 17:32

i I've tried to get worked up about this but I simply can't!

I imagine it's a little like this:

"Mummy?"

No problem.

"Mummy?"

No problem.

"Mummy?" "Mummy?"

Slight problem.

"Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?"

Hmm

"Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?" "Mummy?"

AngryAngryAngry

Original poster
Quicksharp · 15/09/2016 17:45

That sums it up perfectly Elements Grin
DramaQueen you are obviously a better woman than I in that case - but yes I do get blocked in (and out) of my house too and have had to go door knocking to find the culprit to move the offending vehicle so maybe you could get a little worked up about that on my behalf instead Shock
Summer when we park on our drive they miraculously manage to vacate their drive using the road (just as we do) but seem to dramatically over rev their engines from the effort of doing so Wink

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 15/09/2016 17:50

I'm INCANDESCENT with rage Angry

Better ?Wink

Original poster
Quicksharp · 15/09/2016 18:19

👍

OP posts:
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