AIBU not to call the police? Parking thread.

[MooPointCowsOpinion]

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?

There’s some movement! Waaaayyyy more people in black milling around the end of the road now, far too many for just these two cars. I still look a fright but I might have to go out there, this is weird, why wouldn’t they go congregate at the church rather than the end of my road, there’s nothing here but houses.

So tossing up the possibility of being parked in for the day when you have things to do OR nipping out quickly with wet hair in house clothes to request they move and you chose the former .

Yes sorry Hopping I’m not particularly confrontational.

I dont understand why they wouldnt park in the car park (the one that’s not full from your diagram). . Don’t care if they are old and going to a funeral - its bloody rude and thoughtless of them to block you in.

So blocked in for a little over half an hour. Storm, teacup.

So from now on stick a sign on your garage saying “no parking” and park where they’ve parked today - that way no one should be able to do this again..?

Just call the police. They won’t come storming in with blues and twos and arresting them. They’ll just obtain contacts and call them to move the cars.

Going by the diagram and what you say about the width of the road they're parked in I'm surprised it's not marked with double yellow lines!

It is a police issue because it would in an emergency prevent access for emergency vehicles and it's preventing other vehicles from using that route, but getting police involved does seem somewhat heavy handed.

Personally I'd have gone out and spoken to them no matter how I looked to tell them it was a private road (is it really? Officially I mean? And if so why isn't THAT made clear?) and that they couldn't park there.

At the point where they've left is contact the church where you think they're at and ask them to ask any visitors that's parked there to move. You could give them reg numbers.

Ok so looks like they're moving away soon hopefully, but for the future you and the other residents need to organise signage/yellow lines on that road.

I know it's not the point but can't you get a bus just for today ?

Great diagram. You just need a little cross on your church though.

Go out and tell them to move now, if they go to the wake uoull never shift them until the last sodding vol au vent is down.

Bluelady I meant some movement with lots of people at the end of the road... the cars hadn’t moved at that point. In any event, the cars have now moved, so yes, I suppose a storm in a teacup. Well done.

I went out there, a hearse turned up too and I saw my neighbour there so I went and found out what’s happening from her. Someone who lives at the end of my road has died. They’ve all moved on to the crematorium now, cars just left. She was a lovely lady, always invited my kids in for a sweet when she saw us and she swore a lot, which I loved!

I’m still not ready to go shopping... I need to get off mumsnet!

Any chance that your next door neighbour gave permission for them to park there for not longer than an hour?

I'm glad they've moved, and sad about your neighbour. She sounds fun. Good luck with the shopping!

I have been at two funerals and numerous church services where proceedings were interrupted to announce someone needed to move their car.

As a regular church goer myself I get infuriated when other worshippers/mourners people park as if their convenience trumps that of other drivers. My DH used to be a shocker for it until I started refusing to leave it when he parked inconsiderately.

That being said, if he had parked somewhere and the resident had stood watching him and not objected I would be a bit annoyed if they later interrupted the service to complain.

Given that someone had died shorty parking is just about excusable I think. I think it's for the best that you didn't say anything. It's not like this is going to be a repeat occurance (hopefully!)

But it is likely to repeat if they have regular services at the church - funeral or otherwise. Their proper parking needs to be properly signed and people informed on the relevant occasions. A sign at the end of your road for certain but I suspect the ownership of the back lane is private so there is actually sod all the police will do - the vicar is the person you need to pester or his verger/maintenance folk

So you see the people leaving their car, you notice they're in black and you presume they're attending a funeral so will be gone sometime. You know you want to get out this afternoon, but you don't alert the offenders.

Instead you ring to tell your husband who is not at home, can't do anything. He then wants you to call the police? Who are already under stress and will do what? Either go to the church and ask for it to be moved or wait? Both of which you can do yourself?

I think you need to start dealing with your own problems! This could've been sorted before it happened!

You know a quick "hi, could you not park there I need to get out shortly" not confrontational just a request!

What Weightor said.

Yes sorry Hopping I’m not particularly confrontational.

The scenario you describe has nothing to do with confrontation unless you choose to do it that way which would be extremely bizarre. A 30 second exchange with a friendly shout out of ‘excuse me, leaving the car there will park me in and I need to go out shortly, thanks so much for your understanding’ is the least confrontational thing I can think of.

If suggest OP you talk to the vicar in the first incidence, tell him/her that your road is private so not to be used by the church goers to park on and to warn people before the residents on the road take further action as the cars are blocking them in which are causing problems with emergency access.

I had a similar problem and spoke to the vicar. He admitted I wasn't the first resident to do so. In my case they stopped for a bit then started again. So as their parking was blocking my neighbours in who have medical conditions and I live in a residents parking zone I complained to the council so we now have parking attendants ticketing CF parkers on a Sunday. Other residents have threatened the church with asking for the permit times to be extended to cover when they have church services if they start idiot parking again.

In addition you and your neighbours need to put up clear signs stating "Private Road Residents Parking Only" at the roads entrance plus opposite the garages put signs saying "No Parking. Garages in 24 Hours Use". Talking to the vicar and those signs should work until you sell your house.

Maybe I misunderstood, but I thought they were actually visiting the neighbor's house rather than the church. It seems unlikely to be an ongoing problem.