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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:
alwaysthepessimist · 26/03/2018 13:10

you don't park in front of someone else's garage or driveway full stop. The road I live on has parking problems, we put in a driveway and loads of people block it, drives me mad but there are 6 garages across the road, you rent them, none of them match the house numbers, under no circumstances does anyone block anyone elses garage without prior consent. I would have been annoyed but I wouldn't have shouted to be fair, that bit was rude.

Curtainshopping · 26/03/2018 13:10

I think your mistake is thinking it’s a parking space. The area directly in front of a garage is for access, so it’s not a parking space.

They were rude though, they could’ve been nicer about it if it was a one-off.

UnimaginativeUsername · 26/03/2018 13:10

But the garage rent probably covers the parking space in front if it, since it’s access to the garage.

WeAllHaveWings · 26/03/2018 13:11

you shouldn't park in front of a garage or a drive, what if they had their car in there and needed out?

IAmWonkoTheSane · 26/03/2018 13:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

frecklemcspeckles · 26/03/2018 13:11

Oh sorry I see now your post about your garage not suitable for parking. But my original point stands. You can't just park where it suits you if you're blocking someone's access. Same way that a friend of mine who lives in a road with a school gets people blocking her gate and saying "but it was only for 2mins and I have a toddler". It's not on to block someone's access. They may have been rude but your friend was also initially very very rude by parking there.

UnimaginativeUsername · 26/03/2018 13:12

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.

They probably thought you meant ordinary in-road parking spaces. Not ones in front of garages that people pay to rent.

notapizzaeater · 26/03/2018 13:14

You was in the wrong, you locked the access to their garage so it's not a parking space,

Original poster
Thereisnoprivateparking · 26/03/2018 13:18

Okay so we were BU, but that doesn't justify the harsh rudeness! First and last time this has/will happen/ed!

So is there a way we can find out who owns what parking space?

Most garages on this road are empty and unused- so we assumed wrongly but I like the idea that we should have left a note saying where we were if they needed access.

I don't want to be that neighbour and up until now we've made friendly impressions with the majority of the street- dreading seeing this couple again though as they were so angry! I can understand why but anger and aggression is not the way to fix anything !

OP posts:
HardAsSnails · 26/03/2018 13:20

Surely it's not a parking space, it's garage access.

HariboIsMyCrack · 26/03/2018 13:22

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

ShotsFired · 26/03/2018 13:22

@Curtainshopping They were rude though, they could’ve been nicer about it if it was a one-off.

Agree with pps generally, but on this point, it could have been the 100th time that week. It gets right on your tits (I have a similar sort of situation and it winds the fuck out of me because my case is completely avoidable, just people being lazy fuckers)

veggiethrower · 26/03/2018 13:24

The spaces in front of the garages are not parking spaces. They are for access to the garages. It is irrelevant who owns what - they are not parking spaces.
It is also irrelevant that the garages are empty and unused. The space in front of the garage belongs to the garage and belongs to the person who has bought or rented the garage. If they choose not to use the garage that is their business. If the garages are not rented out then they belong to the company that manages them.
If you feel that you need another garage (with its space in front of it) when you start driving then you should contact the company that manages them to arrange to rent one. Otherwise you will need to park in your own garage or in an appropriate parking space in the street, not blocking access to someone's property.

CarrotVan · 26/03/2018 13:24

Why do you need to know who owns which space? You just don't park in front of any garage as to do so would block access.

But you could probably ask the housing association.

diddl · 26/03/2018 13:25

"but that doesn't justify the harsh rudeness! "

I suppose that might depend on how often it has happened!

My dad often gets people parking across the drive-who then walk into town or work so are gone for a while.

When he asks them to move they often say that there's nothing parked on the drive.

No-but there is in the bloody garage!!

Just because a lot of folks don't use theirs for cars!!!

FairiesVsPixies · 26/03/2018 13:26

Is this the first time the OP has actually been the cf in a parking thread? Grin

blueskyinmarch · 26/03/2018 13:26

Your friend did not park in an available space, she parked in front of someone's garage. That is not a space, it is needed for access. Your friend was in the wrong and should not have parked there at all.

Iruka · 26/03/2018 13:27

If there are handy empty garages and your garage isn't in a good place, can you ask the HA to swap your garage? Then your visitors can park in front of it whenever you like

seven201 · 26/03/2018 13:28

You can park in front of someone else's garage! It's not a proper parking space.

I like the pp's idea if asking if you can swap your garage for one that's closer.

seven201 · 26/03/2018 13:28

*can't

MrsT4 · 26/03/2018 13:30

I feel like I’m missing something, you can’t park infront if someone else’s garage regardless of correct numbering.
The diagram isn’t helping me.

OP do you mean this is a ‘lock up’ type storage unit with a pavement and then parking space infront of it. Or is it an actual car garage with access to drive into? The first option the neighbours are the CF’s and the latter is not and your friend is the CF.

crazycatgal · 26/03/2018 13:31

You can't park in front of a garage and block access - that's common sense. It also doesn't matter who owns the garages, you can't park in front of any of them.

WorldofTofuness · 26/03/2018 13:32

OP, is anyone else (apart from the disabled chap*), parked on the 'road'? Because that may give you an idea whether it is in fact free to park on. If it's a public road, I would expect markings on the road and/or signs at the side--but all bets are off it's a private road.

*Possibly he was given dispensation to park there if a garage would be awkward for him to access and/or nearest street parking isn't nearby.

ikeepaforkinmypurse · 26/03/2018 13:33

come on, even if you don't drive, it must be common sense that you don't block people's garages, driveways or any access to their property?
If your friend has a driving licence, she at least must know that!

I am puzzled. But yes, YABU, the abuse was unnecessary, but the neighbours blocking the car that was blocking them did exactly what they should have done.

Travis1 · 26/03/2018 13:39

So you were actually blocking access to the garage? Yes YABU and shouldn't park blocking access to any of the garages. That is just common sense.