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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU not to call the police? Parking thread.

46 replies

MooPointCowsOpinion · 24/08/2018 13:51

I am at home with my two kids and we had plans to go shopping for a present for my dad, which I am supppsed to be dropping off to him at 5pm today.

Unfortunately I am blocked in! My road is a private road to two houses, with access to 4 garages. It’s only really single car width, but there’s just enough room to park down the side if you mount the verge a bit and still leave room for people to manoeuvre. We have arrangements for the 4 families who have garages here (one of them being us) to park all of our cars with no trouble. Usually...

Two cars full of people over 70 years old have pulled up, parked bang in the way of every single car down here, and then all of them have walked off! They were formally dressed, lots of black, so I think perhaps there’s a funeral at the church. They clearly saw me watching them from my kitchen window.

My husband is livid, he’s not even home but I told him we were stuck in, might not get to the shops, and he wants me to call the police. I am really cross too, there are two car parks that are nearer to the church than my road, though the closest one is nearly always full. I’m also trying to sell my house and the parking thing has scared off two potential buyers already, if someone drives by and sees all these cars and is put off again I will be so cross!

But what can I do, I’m hardly going to bother the police with this?

My husband is home about half 4, if they’re still here he could block them in and we could pretend not to be home later... that’s the only recourse I can think of. AIBU not to call the police?

OP posts:

sprinklesandsauce · 24/08/2018 13:54

If you saw them doing it, why didn't you go out and say something to them?

I agree that they are in the wrong, they shouldn't have blocked you in, but they may think it is ok if they saw you watching and didn't say anything to them?

RubberBabyBuggyBumpers · 24/08/2018 13:54

I think you should have said something at the time really. Why didn't you just go out when you saw them parking and ask them to park on the verge/somewhere else?
It would be really shitty to block in a group of elderly people who have just been to a funeral. The police wouldnt do anything as it's not a police matter.

Original poster

MooPointCowsOpinion · 24/08/2018 13:54

I’ve drawn the obligatory picture.

AIBU not to call the police? Parking thread.

OP posts:

mickeysminnie · 24/08/2018 13:56

Why on earth would you watch them do it and say nothing?

hammeringinmyhead · 24/08/2018 13:57

You missed your chance - they saw you watching, you didn't object, so off they went. There isn't anything you can do now!

ohhelloitsyou · 24/08/2018 13:57

We had a phonecall once about blocking someone in on their drive. It wasn't my car but for some reason DP's phone number was connected to his sisters car. The police can and will deal with this. I don't know how I feel about disrupting a funeral to do that. It would be 101 that I would call for this.

Original poster

MooPointCowsOpinion · 24/08/2018 13:57

The verge is full, lots of us are home today.
I should have said something, I have wet hair which is up in two giant Princess Leia style buns, and I’m in slobby clothes, and I was just embarrassed to go outside looking a mess. I am halfway through getting ready to go shopping, i wasn’t planning on going out like this.

OP posts:

ohhelloitsyou · 24/08/2018 13:59

Also I would only really bother the police if I thought there was a real risk of emergency. I know you can't really predict them but you had your chance to ask them to move... you didn't.

DartmoorDoughnut · 24/08/2018 13:59

Funerals don’t last that long, if they’re not back in a hour call then? Only because you should’ve been straight out telling them not to park there, you missed your window!

SoupDragon · 24/08/2018 13:59

I wouldn’t do anything if I thought it was a funeral, although I would seethe. I might leave a note on the cars explaining that they had prevented me from leaving.

Original poster

MooPointCowsOpinion · 24/08/2018 14:00

That’s the thing, elderly folk at a funeral, I can sympathise. I’d rather just leave it. But I do need to get to the shop and then to meet my dad at 5...

OP posts:

AgentProvocateur · 24/08/2018 14:00

Watching them block you, not saying anything at the time then calling the police is a crap thing to do.

RB68 · 24/08/2018 14:01

The service isn't likely to be any longer than an hr and then they will be off to the crem, if its longer than that I would go up to the church and find where they are all are and see if you can speak to the vicar and get them to sort.

RubberBabyBuggyBumpers · 24/08/2018 14:01

They haven't blocked a drive though? It's crap parking but not illegal. I know in london police would say NMFP but maybe they have more time in other places.
It's crap you're stuck in but you had a chance to say something. Funerals don't last that long anyway, maybe by the time you're ready they'll have moved.

SoupDragon · 24/08/2018 14:04

Can you put up signs saying “Private road: resident parking only, CCTV in operation” for the future?

Dollymixture22 · 24/08/2018 14:04

Do have a sign at the entrance of the lane to say it’s private?

I would leave a polite note on each car explaining they have parked on private property and blocked in residents causing inconvenience. Ask them not to park on this private lane again.

SoupDragon · 24/08/2018 14:05

They haven't blocked a drive though?

They have blocked several cars in.

OneThingAndThenTheNext · 24/08/2018 14:08

I wouldn’t have said anything to them at the time either OP. I had similar once and told her it wasn’t public parking (blatantly obvious) when she came back a minute later after dropping off her DD and got a mouthful of abuse.

NonJeNeRegretteRien · 24/08/2018 14:11

Errrr... yeah don’t call the rozzies, that’s a bit silly.

Bowl into the church with a child’s toy microphone and say “please can I have your attention, could the owner of a grey Nissan Micra, reg FR63 YHM and a blue Vauxhall Corsa reg PH17 TYU please move your car immediately as it is blocking my bloody garage and car”

Let us know how you get on.

In all seriousness, hopefully they’ll move it soon.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 24/08/2018 14:13

I interrupted a church service once as someone had parked in my drive, they read out the number plate to have them come move it. Sorry funeral or not you need to go about your day. Be nicer than I was given its a funeral as opposed to a regular service though.

AdoreTheBeach · 24/08/2018 14:13

It’s not ideal if they’re there for a funeral- or elderly BUT it’s still CF, you’re still blocked in and god forbid you needed any emergency services during this time. It’s still not on.

When your husband comes home, if they’re still there, he won’t hsve anywhere to park but behind them - so do it but leave a note on their windscreen that as they parked inconsidetably, blocking access to your home, there was no choice. Give them your house number and ask them to come see you when they’re ready to go. They’ll not do that again and not be inconvenienced but for the short walk to your house to knock at the door. That only requires one driver too so any frail older people can wait in the car.

I would suggest in future perhaps signage that reads “Private Road. No unauthorised parking. Towing in operation”

This as a deterrent.

I can understand how this is an issue for selling too. If someone had been booked to come. view today, they wouldn’t be able to get to your house and be put off.

Hope it gets sorted.

Travis1 · 24/08/2018 14:14

It's shite but why on earth did you stand and watch them?

BlankTimes · 24/08/2018 14:15

Can your husband pick up the present for your Dad and drop it off on his way home and explain what's happened?

TwoBlueShoes · 24/08/2018 14:17

You still have loads of time, so hopefully they will be back in an hour.

If not, I'd pop down to the church and explain the problem to the vicar.

ShatnersWig · 24/08/2018 14:19

If it was impossible for me to have said something at the time (although I'd have gone out there in dressing gown and looking a mess if necessary) I'd have no compunction in going to the church and speak the funeral director. For all you know they could be there for a couple of hours after having tea and cake in the church hall.

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