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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you would feel about learner drivers being parked outside your house, every flipping hour of the day

123 replies

Derlei · 30/01/2017 12:39

We live on a street that attracts a lot of learner drivers. On a normal day you can see up to 15 an hour driving past or doing some kind of manoeuvre (I actually counted! Most of the time it's the same ones going round and round in circles)

They particularly seem to like the front of our house, as we are on a corner, so they love to practice reversing into the street next to us.

I can cope with the cars going up and down the road as they have paid their road tax just as much as I have, however I'm getting irritated by the ones (of which there are many) who park up outside our house for more than 10/15 minutes a time obviously just talking about their manouvres/re-capping etc. They are doing this constantly. They don't block the entrance to our drive but are right in front of our living room window. We have huge windows so because of this we keep the blinds half drawn pretty much all day.
After being parked up for ages, the learner would then swap sides with the instructor and while they do so, they can't help but naturally glance in to our window as it's so big and they are smack bang in front of it.

Some of the learners park on the opposite side of the road to our driver which is less annoying but if I'm driving in or reversing out of the drive it can be a bit tight.

Aibu to be annoyed by this and do I just have to suck it up?? I feel like putting cones up along the length of our drive but I don't think I have a right to!

OP posts:
teaandakitkat · 30/01/2017 14:35

My road is often used to practise reverse parking, so they reverse into a space behind our car at least a dozen times a day. Of course they are learning, of course I had to learn too, but every time I see one I hide behind the curtain hoping they don't bash into my car.

Original poster
Derlei · 30/01/2017 14:37

Kanye thanks for the link!

Flowery - empty parked cars on the road all day is different to parked cars with 2 people sat in them, all day - in my opinion.

OP posts:
Original poster
Derlei · 30/01/2017 14:43

Haha love the naked idea but I couldn't!! Grin

There have been a few times where I have tried to reverse out the drive and I am literally 50cm away from their parked car, but they don't make any effort to reverse back to give me a bit of space, some do though and I always make sure I put my hand up in the mirror to thank them.

Yes I normally am busy but am on maternity leave so spend quite a bit of time at home especially in this weather. The living room is our main sitting room and where DS's toys are so unfortunately if I'm home, I'm likely to be in there! I'll try not to look towards the window.

Yes sorry my title should say "in daylight" - although I did hear some car doors slam at 4.30 in the morning in December, I peeked out my bedroom and it was a learner! And no I wasn't annoyed but did find it amusing!!

OP posts:
mambono5 · 30/01/2017 14:45

Move to a private road and a house with a very long drive?

That so doesn't help, people are not afraid to use private roads or reverse on private drives unfortunately.

It does sound very irritating, but on the plus side, it must mean that your road is quiet at night. It's still a nicer place to live than a dual carriageway.

Original poster
Derlei · 30/01/2017 14:46

Dorcas - the unreasonable deranged precious thing was just an act!! 😂

OP posts:
Honeyandfizz · 30/01/2017 14:48

Do you live on my road in the West Midlands by any chance? I live near a test centre and my road is long and wide. This serves as a practice/test area for every learner driver in the area. Now this would not particularly bother me if my neighbour did not leave her mothers car outside her house 24/7 (she leaves the car there to stop the neighbour on the other side parking directly outside her house), this therefore attracts every learner to practice their reversing skills thus blocking my drive in the process. They then stop and have a little chat and have another practice. I cannot tell you how many times a day I need to get on/off my drive without it being blocked by one of these.

It does grate on my nerves to fair.

flowery · 30/01/2017 14:57

"Flowery - empty parked cars on the road all day is different to parked cars with 2 people sat in them, all day - in my opinion."

I didn't think the same people were sat in the cars all day outside your house? What are they doing in their car which makes it worse than if there was no one in there?

Outside mine, people don't usually park for long so there are also frequently people there as cars arrive and leave. Plus pedestrians. They're doing nothing to me, I struggle to understand why it would bother me.

thatdearoctopus · 30/01/2017 15:01

I saw a notice at the local test centre (in Halfords), where instructors often wait for their pupils while they're out on their tests, asking them to please avoid practising in a certain couple of streets as residents had complained.

Worth a shot?

downwardfacingdog · 30/01/2017 15:08

Yanbu to be annoyed - it sounds annoying! Ywbu to do anything about it except move (or park your car there)

Glittermakeseverythingbetter · 30/01/2017 15:24

OP this would absolutely bug the hell out of me. Is it the same company each time?
I would definitely log how many times this is happening and ask them not to park directly outside your window. I don't think it's too much to ask at all. I have a large window and my neighbours drive runs alongside my house and when they have guests the guests can't help but glance into my window - I hate it!!!!

WyfOfBathe · 30/01/2017 15:28

What's your view of normally? All I can see from my front window is the house opposite, so I really don't care if there's a car in the way. Maybe if I had a view of rolling hills or something I would care.

I used to live on the same road as two schools, so there were plenty of cars parked on my road and plenty of people walking past my house who could look in if they wanted but it never really bothered me.

nicelyneurotic · 30/01/2017 15:40

Yanbu. My friend had this problem with an instructor blocking her driveway (just a little bit) until she accidentally drove in to them! Partly their fault.

You could run out and shout at them every time until they learn to avoid 'the mad lady at no.44'.

FarFromFolsomPrison · 30/01/2017 15:41

On a slightly side issue, wouldn't it be better (and safer) to reverse into your drive, so you can just drive out?

Ifailed · 30/01/2017 15:45

On a slightly side issue, wouldn't it be better (and safer) to reverse into your drive, so you can just drive out?

But maybe she's not very good at that, and where on earth would she find someone who could give her some tips and advice?

Original poster
Derlei · 30/01/2017 15:47

There are several different instructors, some are companies whereas others look like one man bands so if I put a complaint in it would be to the instructor directly. There are even from time to time some learners just with L plates on in a non-learner car (ie with friends/family)who are probably local and practice on the bend because they know every other learner driver does!

My view normally is a lovely bungalow with a gorgeous big roof. I get that this is not the worst problem so let's forget the view aspect for a second which yes is a bit precious of me!
What about the maintenance aspect? We are council tax band E so we are not paying small amounts of council tax. Yet the condition of the road is deteriorating which I think to some extent is definitely down to the increased traffic from learner drivers. However in the time I have been here (5 years) I have not noticed any maintenance work being carried out.
Should we raise it with the council?

OP posts:
ItWentInMyEye · 30/01/2017 15:49

Sounds just like my road OP. We've had it constantly for the 6 years we've been here and it does get annoying! Sometimes they even pull up over the entrance to our drive, then look incredulously at us when we point to it wanting to pull onto the bloody thing. You have my sympathies, but there's nothing you can do unfortunately. (however I have many petty things I keep in my head I'd like to do!) Try and find a positive, my DD used to count the learner drivers going past to improve her number skills Grin

kilmuir · 30/01/2017 15:51

YABu
Tough titty.
If you have a drive that fits 3 cars on then car drivers can't be that close to your window.
Move

kilmuir · 30/01/2017 15:53

The instructor will be paying road tax so what's the problem.
You sound like a nimby

OverByYer · 30/01/2017 15:55

It's better than looking out at my neighbours sodding work van. But that's another thread. Y probably are BU, but it would get in my nerves too

Original poster
Derlei · 30/01/2017 15:55

Kilmuir. 3 cars parked side by side next to each other hardly requires the length of a football field.

OP posts:
Ifailed · 30/01/2017 15:56

We are council tax band E so we are not paying small amounts of council tax.
Oh dear. I think I'll get a packet of crisps.

welovepancakes · 30/01/2017 16:09

First world problem! A sense of perspective is required

SirChenjin · 30/01/2017 16:22

First world problem!

Yeah - 'cos MN fortunately doesn't have to live in Aleppo/the US/insert your choice of oppressive regime here. Of course it's a first world problem - 99% of posts on here are.

SirChenjin · 30/01/2017 16:23

That should have been 90% - but you get my drift.

BeingEB · 30/01/2017 16:23

Definitely alert the local council to the fact that there are non-Band E roadusers wearing out the roads in a Band E neighbourhood and until it's sorted you'll be withholding your council taxes. Also please record the call and post it here so we can listen to them trying not to snigger in the background. If you weren't Band E I'd suggest you do a sadface for the Daily Mail too but that's only for people in much lesser Bands.

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