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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking!!

101 replies

firenze86 · 01/11/2017 22:07

So petty but I don’t know if iabu?!
We live in a semi detached house, our neighbours are three girls who have a car each. My husband and I have a car each. We have a front garden with a path (yellow house) so no drive to park on. There’s also an alley (red) running down the side of our house which isn’t a massive problem but I’d rather not park in front of it as my car has been scratched a few times by people on bikes/idiots coming through the alley. We both fit our cars on the street outside our house. The girls next door have a drive big enough for 2 cars (blue house & blue cars) they have just got a 3rd car and instead of parking on the street in front of their drive way or further up, they have chosen to park one car directly outside our house, meaning we have to park further away or across the street which is obviously not a huge problem but means our 3 kids have to cross a road to get to the car. It’s more the cheeky-ness of the situation that’s grating on me. They know we have always parked there and we’re in and out a lot throughout the day (I work part time/school runs/husband works shifts) I’ve started parking in front of their house but all three of them just knocked on my door together and asked me to move my car. so I guess my question is aibu to be pissed off they have taken the parking space? Or should I get over it and let them inconvenience us all?

Parking!!
OP posts:
Original poster
firenze86 · 01/11/2017 22:46

Yes Babs they do but only half the width of their driveway as the dropped curb is used by them and their neighbours so it’s in the middle of their houses

OP posts:
Viserion · 01/11/2017 22:46

So you did block one of them in at least. In that case YABU.

Ifearthecold · 01/11/2017 22:49

viserion I am not sure she was wrong as it sounds as though at least one car was driving over the pavement to access the road, if that was the case she didn't need to move, as it was public highway. She can't block the dropped kerb but she doesn't have to let them have space to drive over pavement.

Original poster
firenze86 · 01/11/2017 22:50

Extra pic. The new red bit is the dropped curb (probably should’ve pointed that out at first!)

Parking!!
OP posts:
HashtagTired · 01/11/2017 22:50

I think...
YANBU to feel pissed off about the situation, but
YABU to think you can act on it.

It’s a public road and people can park where they want. That sucks sometimes, but they or you cannot expect to reserve spaces on a public road.

glitterlips1 · 01/11/2017 22:51

If you weren't blocking their drive then I wouldn't have moved. I don't think you can tell them where to park because you don't own the space. I would invest in my own drive. I know how frustrating parking can be, before I had my drive my neighbour from three doors down would insist on parking outside my house rather than her own even though the length of the road was always clear because of private drives. I eventually got a drop kerb put in and a drive and then she blocked it. I felt I could then ask her to move her car because she was blocking me in but I couldn't before as I don't own the road space!

flumpybear · 01/11/2017 22:52

If you’re not parking on a dropped kerb then that’s fine

TitusPullo · 01/11/2017 22:55

I think I’d feel exactly the same as you.

Why should you have to be inconvenienced twice over (having to park on the other side of the road and not being able to park where there isn’t a dropped kerb) and they are not inconvenienced at all even though they chose to live somewhere where half the drive does not have a dropped kerb.

I wouldn’t move to be honest and every time they asked I’d tell them I’d parked legally and they were welcome to swap parking spaces with you if they didn’t want the inconvenience of asking you to move everyday.

NoSquirrels · 01/11/2017 22:57

Again - I'd explain nicely that A) I would not always be able to answer the door, let alone move my car (legally parked) and therefore B) it might be better if we informally agreed that we would both park outside our own houses on the road (blocking our flatmates/partners) as much easier to sort out moving cars within a household.

Basically - be nice, but be an immovable practical solutions version of nice i.e. sort it yourselves, let me park in front of my own house.

Do not answer the door to car-moving issues once this conversation has been had.

CoveredInFondant · 01/11/2017 22:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lucked · 01/11/2017 22:58

Okay. Then neither of you is being unreasonable for parking as you have but they are being unreasonable to ask you to move.

So don't' move next time.

RainbowPastel · 01/11/2017 23:01

Fondant how has the OP blocked access? The only bit that needs to be clear is the dropped kerb not the whole width of the house.

Hissy · 01/11/2017 23:03

Why not take the opportunity to say ‘you park outside your house and we’ll park outside ours and that’s sorted..’

ShellyBoobs · 01/11/2017 23:04

YANBU. They are.

Can you check the local planning application portal and see whether they got planning permission to convert the garden into parking?

You can’t just convert your front garden into a parking space without permission. Even things like the run-off water, if the surface isn’t permeable, have to be looked into.

AhhhhThatsBass · 01/11/2017 23:08

I’d say you’re unreasonable to be annoyed that they park upside your house given that it is a public space, while at the same time recognising and acknowledging that it’s very annoying. However they too are being unreasonable asking you to move. I wouldn’t have moved. Or I’d have said something along the lines of “I’ll happily move to the space outside my house but it’s currently occupied by one of your cars. Why don’t we swap?”
It doesn’t need to turn bitchy and if it does, politely but firmly tell them to go fuck themselves. (More appropriate language than this obviously.)

AhhhhThatsBass · 01/11/2017 23:09

Ps Excellent diagram, OP.

StaplesCorner · 01/11/2017 23:29

Why not take the opportunity to say ‘you park outside your house and we’ll park outside ours and that’s sorted..’

It cannot possibly get more simple than this excellent solution.

Venusflytwat · 01/11/2017 23:38

Based on that diagram no one is parking illegally.

They have the right to park in front of your house. You have the right to park in front of the bit of their house where the curb isn’t dropped.

That’s it.

Hidingtonothing · 01/11/2017 23:42

Not sure if I'm being a bit thick but this bit is confusing me They asked me to move because they couldn’t be arsed moving one of their cars in order to get the other one out. If your car wasn't over their dropped curb why was it affecting them being able to get either of their cars out? I'm just trying to figure out their reasoning for asking you to move if you weren't blocking their drive, and yours for agreeing tbh.

TheweewitchRoz · 01/11/2017 23:42

By moving, surely you’ve made a rod for your own back? They’ll think they’re right & continue to get you to move.

Next time, park there & if they ask you to move, tell them no, you’ll swap places but that’s it. If they argue, then calmly close the door & disengage.

BlondeB83 · 01/11/2017 23:45

Just don’t move next time. You can’t stop them parking in front of your house but they can’t stop you parking where you did. Moving forward, consider having a drive put in.

Shadow666 · 02/11/2017 00:32

I’m guessing the car on the side closest to the OP’s house can’t get out past the other car on the drive, which is why they like to keep the kerb in front of the house clear, So they can either drive over the non-dropped kerb or it gives them more room for manoevering. That’s why they don’t want anyone parking in front of their house. However, legally the OP can park there. The neighbors just have to have the one car drive out to let the other car past. I can see why they don’t want to be bothered to do this each time but if that’s the design of the drive, then it can’t be helped. It’s nothing to do with the OP.

If the OP does convert her garden to a drive, it won’t really solve the problem as there will be one less space on-road for parking, so they will still struggle to park their second car.

Cantshedmymuffintop · 02/11/2017 00:54

Ah bloody parking, bane of my life. Well as some have said it's a street and you have to expect people will park where they like, BUT tbf they have chosen to park infront of your house then moan when you do the same back. I would have used the encounter to point out to them that you'd be quite happy to swap car parking spaces with them, or if possible have said, well yes the parking is getting quite difficult now with the number of cars increasing (glare) so we were discussing a drop kerb and turning the front of the house into a driveway in the hope that we too can park by our house without anyone taking the prime spot away from us. Your parents were clearly wise to do this so we'll check with the council. I'll fetch all three children now, belt them all in and move the car as it would clearly be irresponsible of me to leave them unattended in the house. It may take me about half an hour to get little Jo to agree to put on shoes, but fear not you will get the parking space back.

Ttbb · 02/11/2017 01:06

YABU to act like the space belongs to you but asking you to move was ultimate level of CFery on their part so all rules are off. Fight for that packing space to the death!

keepcalmandfuckon · 02/11/2017 02:02

Tell them they are cheeky fuckers and shut the door in their face.

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