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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Another parking AIBU one/ how to find out who owns a parking space

56 replies

Thereisnoprivateparking · 26/03/2018 12:43

I don't drive, neither does DP. We had a friend round yesterday who does, and she parked in the only available space in our crowded street- in front of a garage that was numbered 42. Trying not to dripfeed- there are many garages in our road and as far as we are aware the numbers on them do not relate to the house numbers- for instance we live in #67 and our garage is #1.
When we moved here a few months ago we asked the local housing association if there were any private parking spaces we needed to be aware of. We were informed that no, the street was a first come first served basis regarding parking. Apart from my neighbours one disabled space, as he is the only disabled person in the street so gets private use of this space.

Anyway, friend was parked for 10 minutes, came back out to find a note stuck to her windshield and a large car parked right in front of hers, blocking her in.
"If you want to get out, come to #42"

We went to #42, knocked, bloke answered the door and started shouting, demanded we apologise to him. This was before we'd shown the note, my guess is he was watching us through the window or something.
Friend said
"Excuse me but I would have apologised had you not just been so rude, I wasn't aware of any allocated spaces, please move your car, I need to get out"
He slammed the door in our faces Shock

His wife trundled outside 5 minutes later and was just as rude. Stood next to her car and said "Oooh you could probably get out through that spot, couldn't you?". We both looked at her like Confused errrr... Said we could probably but not without damaging her car, and could she please hurry up and move it- we were trying to get to the shops before closing time!

Cue lots of huffing and puffing on her side as she verrrryyy slowwllyyy moved her car.

I don't like getting into a disagreement with neighbours or anyone and wish this could have been avoided. IMO they were very very rude and it is a simple mistake anyone could make- I want to avoid this happening again so would like to know if there is any way to find out if the info our housing association gave us is correct?
Is there a way to find out if someone owns a parking space, or rents or whatever?
I'll be driving in a few months myself so really don't want to upset any more grumpy ass neighbours.

OP posts:
Original poster
Thereisnoprivateparking · 26/03/2018 12:43

That was a lot longer winded than intended- sorry but thanks to all who read! Diagram can be provided on request Wink

OP posts:
Springnowplease · 26/03/2018 12:45
Curtainshopping · 26/03/2018 12:46

Do you mean she parked on a piece of tarmac outside a garage or on the road outside a garage (dropped kerb?) or in a marked space?

Diagram!!

SilkandSteel · 26/03/2018 12:47

Could no42 still get their car into their garage if they wished to with the car parked?

notapizzaeater · 26/03/2018 12:47

Def need diagram, tbh if you'd parked in front of my garage I'd probably be pissed off

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 26/03/2018 12:51

Why didn't she park in front of your garage?

metalmum15 · 26/03/2018 12:52

Surely each garage belongs to a particular house though, otherwise who's using the garages? Isn't there anywhere to park that isn't in front of a garage?

BigRedBoat · 26/03/2018 12:54

You can't block a garage just because you don't know who owns it, or was it a legitimate space just near a garage?

ApocalypseNowt · 26/03/2018 12:55

Diagram or it didn't happen. Extra points for drawing the shouty neighbours.

SavvyBlancBlonde · 26/03/2018 12:56

DId the garage have a dropped kerb or had they built one with the pavement running alongside it?

Seen that before. My local council got fed up so put in pretty planters along the street so no-one could drive over the pavement.

Appuskidu · 26/03/2018 12:56

There's just not enough information here for anyone to be able to help you, OP!

Arapaima · 26/03/2018 12:59

Why didn't your friend park in / in front of your garage if you don't drive?

Original poster
Thereisnoprivateparking · 26/03/2018 12:59

No dropped kerb, road they were parked on is residential so no kerb at all if that makes sense?

Another parking AIBU one/ how to find out who owns a parking space
OP posts:
metalmum15 · 26/03/2018 13:02

So was she actually blocking their garage? In which case that really is quite rude and no wonder they were annoyed.

UnimaginativeUsername · 26/03/2018 13:02

I really don’t understand the parking situation. If I were to drive didn’t that street, I’d assume that they were driveways for the garages.

Why couldn’t she park in front of your garage?

Original poster
Thereisnoprivateparking · 26/03/2018 13:04

@Arapaima my garage is quite far away , she was only popping in for a few mins and it's much safer to get toddler out of the car in this bit of road. My garage backs onto a main road that's quite busy. It's not designed for parking in front of :/

OP posts:
autumnkate · 26/03/2018 13:04

You can’t park in front of someone’s garage. I’m not surprised they were annoyed although obviously he shouldn’t have sworn at you.

Original poster
Thereisnoprivateparking · 26/03/2018 13:05

None of the numbers on the garages match who owns them- these 2 garages are apparently different from the rest of the street! It's mainly housing association so you can rent out a garage through them- my garage number is not my house number

OP posts:
Original poster
Thereisnoprivateparking · 26/03/2018 13:08

And as I said in my OP, we asked when we moved if there were any private or reserved parking spaces and we were told that no, apart from the disabled space it was first come first served.

Fully aware we may have been in the wrong parking there but now I'm nervous about every parking space! How can I find out if someone has the legal rights to a parking space to avoid this happening again ?

OP posts:
frecklemcspeckles · 26/03/2018 13:08

It doesn't matter if the space doesn't match the house though. She blocked an entrance to a garage that doesn't belong to you or her! Or am I missing something fundamental here? Whoever owns the garage surely must be entitled to access?

veggiethrower · 26/03/2018 13:09

Don't understand why she would park in front of a garage irrespective of who it belonged to. It means the person who owned the garage would not be able to drive in or out.
Why didn't she park in front of your garage which you don't use?

frecklemcspeckles · 26/03/2018 13:09

Also if you have a garage number but don't drive could she not have parked in your spot outside your garage???

sotired2 · 26/03/2018 13:09

Agree with others you cant park in front of a garage that isn't yours - no excuses!

MrsPMT · 26/03/2018 13:09

You can't park in front of someones garage even for a few minutes. You either park in your own garage or the nearest available actual parking space, not blocking any access.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 26/03/2018 13:10

What your friend should have done was put a note on her own car when she parked, saying "please call at number 67 if you need access to garage"
The owners of garage 42 had no idea where to find the person was wa blocking their access

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