Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking- why wouldn't you use your own drive?

90 replies

Tomboytown · 09/07/2018 16:15

This is just an irritation at the moment, but I'm wondering if I'm missing something.

Neighbours have two drives, two spaces that they could use without blocking each other in.
They have small children, I would have thought it's easier/safer to get them out in their drive rather than in the road.
The cars aren't too big for the gate posts-they're quite wide.
I recently couldn't use my drive and it drove me crazy parking in the road.

There is a big tree outside which they park under and birds crap on their cars. The kerb is all uneven because of the tree roots and they back up to it.
There are no other cars on the road. The road is wide.

It's annoying me because it restricts my view when I'm backing out, they park right up to the entrance of my drive, so I have to do a big arc to get in, and even though I indicate, cars behind me can't figure out that I'm turning in a drive.
When they have visitors they park outside my house, so in turn my visitors are parking further down.
Is it just a quick getaway they're after?!!

OP posts:
DesignStatement · 09/07/2018 16:53

Why don't you just ask them?

Plannergirl9 · 09/07/2018 16:55

I don't understand it either. Why wouldn't you use something you have paid extra for? Dumbassedry I suspect.

Original poster
Tomboytown · 09/07/2018 16:57

TSS- of course they can park there- I'm just trying to understand why they would want to.

I could reverse on to my drive, but then the traffic behind me would be even more confused about what I'm doing.
Because it's a big wide road I've actually had cars try to overtake me when I'm indicating right to turn into my drive.

OP posts:
IwantedtobeEmmaPeel · 09/07/2018 16:59

I've never understood this. Finally, I now have my own drive and even though it is a bit narrow for my car, I always use it. No more worrying about whether there will be a space when I come home late at night, no more worrying about losing my wing mirrors, no more having to lug my shopping up the hill from the only parking space left. I have come to the conclusion that some people are just so bone idle that they can't be arsed, some are just incapable especially if a narrow driveway and some just want to make a quick getaway. But I think people who have driveways & still park on the road (unless across their own driveway) thereby depriving neighbours who don't have off-road parking, of parking spaces are utterly selfish. I would like to see a law passed that makes it illegal not to use your own driveway, hrrmph.

NoelHeadbands · 09/07/2018 16:59

I imagine it’s probably something like the simplicity of just driving up and stopping, rather than the faff of a manoeuvre.

Original poster
Tomboytown · 09/07/2018 16:59

The kids don't play out front.
Design- cos I'm new round here and trying not to be an annoying neighbour.

OP posts:
Firsttimemum892 · 09/07/2018 17:00

I could have written this exact same post ! My neighbour constantly blocks my drive way the road can be completely clear and he still chooses the exact spot right outside our drive to park ! It’s infuriating

GrumpySausage · 09/07/2018 17:03

Has there drive been recently block paved? I only ask as ours was and my husband won't park his truck on it at the moment whilst it 'settles'.

I've no idea if this is an actual thing or is my husband is also bu by not parking on our drive. Hmm

ALemonyPea · 09/07/2018 17:04

The elderly couple who live next to my mum have a drive way, they take their car off ever morning and park it on the street, and there it stays until around 6pm when they drive it back on to the drive. They maybe use it twice a week, otherwise it stays on the road outside their house. Cannot see the point.

safariboot · 09/07/2018 17:05

They've been blocked in by arseholes before.

They're incompetent at reversing.

Their insurance is cheaper if they park on the street. (I had that with insurance!).

Could be any number of other reasons.

diddl · 09/07/2018 17:05

"I could reverse on to my drive, but then the traffic behind me would be even more confused about what I'm doing. "

How so?

What do you do that would confuse them??

viques · 09/07/2018 17:10

I think you ought to speak to the local council about that tree growing in the middle of the road, it's a real hazard IMO.

Smile
NoSquirrels · 09/07/2018 17:11

If it’s a wide road that you sometimes have trouble manoeuvering onto and off your drive, due to other road users not understanding your signalling (or bloodymindedness) then that’s your answer, eh? They’re fed up of the faff of manoeuvring so just pull up.

Xmasbaby11 · 09/07/2018 17:11

I don't park on my drive because we've got gate posts and I'm not good at getting into tight spaces. There's also a tree next to the entrance so you have to get the right angle going in.

I'm sure this annoys my neighbours. I freely admit I am poor at parking even though I try really hard and have been driving for over a decade. I feel guilty parking outside the house but it is much easier for me.

Original poster
Tomboytown · 09/07/2018 17:14

Diddl- well I'd have to pull in to my left, so they think I'm going in a drive there, when im actually wanting to go right. Then I reverse right back across the road, they get impatient, won't wait.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tomboytown · 09/07/2018 17:15

Cos they don't understand where I'm going- it's easier to just indicate right and turn.
If they were parked up their drive I wouldn't have to make such a sharp turn.

OP posts:
brizzledrizzle · 09/07/2018 17:17

Because they have a drive for one car and then they have a car per adult and no room to park it off road, or worse more than one car per adult.
We have two houses on our road with a one car drive and a large front garden, both have two adults and three cars and one also has a campervan.

diddl · 09/07/2018 17:17

"they get impatient, won't wait."

That's their lookout!

Is it a very busy road?

Perhaps wait on the left until it's clear & then reverse in?

Original poster
Tomboytown · 09/07/2018 17:22

It's not a main road, but kind of a cut through, but because it's really wide they seem to think they can overtake, it's 20mph too, I think that's why they get frustrated.

OP posts:
Snappedandfarted2018 · 09/07/2018 17:22

We have a long drive which dh parks on but I choose to park on the road because we have three dc and their doors would open out onto our brick wall.

Lweji · 09/07/2018 17:24

Maybe they want the whole street to see their cars?

bumpertobumper · 09/07/2018 17:24

I have to reverse into my drive from a fairly busy road... I slow down while indicating, then stop a short way( about a car length) before where I need to be to make the manoeuvre, then put on the hazard lights - this makes it clear to the car behind that I am up to something and they are stationary so not just carrying on automatically. I then pull forward to where I need to be and reverse in, and give a friendly wave to the cat I have made stop.

Only very rarely is someone enough of an arsehole to misread my intentions and get in my way when I do this.

I agree though, it is odd of the neighbours to choose a shat on car over their driveway...

bumpertobumper · 09/07/2018 17:25

Car, not cat
Although DD is often waving at cats Grin

zzzzz · 09/07/2018 17:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FishingIsNotASport · 09/07/2018 17:28

Are they precious about their drive? Have they had it block-paved etc. and don't want to risk oil dripping onto it? My friend parks his Landrover Defender on the road for this reason.

Swipe left for the next trending thread