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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Parking one - am I in the wrong?

63 replies

GinSolvesEverything · 04/09/2018 08:02

DDs weekly music lesson. Location at the end of a no exit street, no parking restrictions. Usually a couple of spare spaces around.

One space is fairly short between driveways, but I can fit my car against the kerb without overhanging at all. This is where I am currently as it’s the only space free right now.

Parked, sitting in the car waiting for DD to finish. People from one of the driveway houses just pulled up next to me and had a go at me as ‘I’m not allowed to park there, and the no other spaces is not their problem’

I wasn’t over their driveway, but I was close. I’d say a foot either side. There are no other road markings.

Was I parked like a dick, or where they unreasonably rude?

OP posts:

WhatchaMaCalllit · 04/09/2018 09:58

Seriously???
The first rule of MN Parking threads is You must post a diagram
The second rule of MN Parking threads is You must post a diagram.

If we can't gauge where you were parked in relation to their driveway, we can't really say if they were being unreasonable or if you were. You've decided that you were not, so there you have it.

QuizzlyBear · 04/09/2018 10:23

I live on a narrow road with houses down one side only and people regularly park right up to our driveway on both sides, perfectly legally but it means that I can't turn into the driveway!

Drives me nuts but I'd be unreasonable to get angry with the drivers about it.

Annechristmas · 04/09/2018 10:53

It depends if you're parked at all on the dropped kerb. If you're parked up to the drive's opening then I suspect you are as the dropped bit of the kerb usually extends past.

HalfGreekBitch · 04/09/2018 10:58

Unless it’s a private road they have no right to attack you. People are arseholes, they don’t own the road even though it’s outside their house contrary to what they may believe! Strictly speaking you can park across a dropped kerb if there is no car present in the drive, but then you would be an arsehole for doing that. Don’t know why can’t just be sensible and reasonable but you see/hear this all the time ☹️

Satsumaeater · 04/09/2018 11:50

it must get really bloody annoying to have people parked outside their house very frequently whilst waiting for children to have a lesson

but why does it affect someone with a driveway who can get in and out of it easily?

I live near a school and I get annoyed when people park in the turning areas/blocking driveways/on the pavement/grass verges, but if they park sensibly between driveways and not causing an obstruction anywhere, how is there a problem?

I do make sure that I don't park opposite a driveway on the other side of the road either, especially if I can see they need to reverse out.

Nobody pays road tax, and hasn't since the 1930s.

TheWinterofOurDiscountTentsMk2 · 04/09/2018 12:04

it must get really bloody annoying to have people parked outside their house very frequently whilst waiting for children to have a lesson

Why would it be annoying? It's a public road, anyone can park there, they have a drive and don't need the space, and it doesn't affect them in any way. In what way would it be annoying?

FadedRed · 04/09/2018 12:10

IMO one of the problems that lead to many of the parking issues, is that people learn to drive a car, but don't learn how to park them, especially parallel and reversing into a parking space. The number of people I know who admit that they cannot park their car properly astonishes me.
Also many people buy and drive larger cars than their drives/garages were designed for, and, again, cannot park them efficiently.
When I took my driving test, four decades ago, parking was not part of the test. For many years I drove a mid-sized van, and my ability to reverse into a standard parking place, or parallel park it often drew comments from passengers (and passers by! ), but I was only able to do this because I practiced in a safe area until I could do this.
Many people need to take the trouble of learning how to park properly. And not buy massive prestige brand cars if they can't be bothered to learn how to park the bloody things.
Rant over, as you were.

Iruka · 04/09/2018 12:12

Parking was definitely part of my driving test. Has this changed? The parallel parking bit was probably the bit I feared most :)

Shockedshell · 04/09/2018 12:15

I live opposite a primary school & the parents who don't park across my drive or actually on it often park right up to the edge of the driveway. What they can't seem to grasp is the front of my car then swings over the pavement opposite when I'm trying to drive round them to get off my drive. This pavement is usually full of children making their way into school so it's bloody dangerous but these parents actually don't give a shit.

BackToTheFuschia7 · 04/09/2018 12:20

No excuse for their tirade and they had no need to be rude, but if you’re parked just a foot away from their driveway I imagine it would be hard for them to see if anything is coming towards them. They’d essentially be turning blind which is dangerous.

reallybadidea · 04/09/2018 12:21

I find it annoying when people park close to my driveway, but I totally understand that I'm being unreasonable and wouldn't dream of having a go at someone for doing it! I also get irritated by our neighbours having a caravan and by people parking in front of my house, but I keep it to myself and try not to be a twat.

MulticolourMophead · 04/09/2018 12:31

I passed my test 25 years ago, and parallel parking was an established part then.

Most crap parking is down to arseholes, or idiots.

PopGoesTheWeaz · 04/09/2018 12:40

But you were in the car? In which case you aren't even parked.

But if you were, just so people know, the traffic warden told me you were allowed to overhang, but your tires can't block the dropped curve. (This was in London. I was blocked in due to overhangs on both sides of my drive way.)

PopGoesTheWeaz · 04/09/2018 12:42

Me too. Except the park in front of the house bit, but otherwise this is me to a t. Wish the caravan would park around the corner

billybagpuss · 04/09/2018 12:46

I love that this thread has been posted Tuesday of the first week back to school. Most music teachers have very few students over the summer, next week they'll be back with a vengeance and the neighbours will be well and truly annoyed.

I'm fortunate in that we have plenty of space for parents to wait but it does annoy me when they leave the engine running for heat/aircon as I don't think that is fair on the neighbours.

TheWinterofOurDiscountTentsMk2 · 04/09/2018 12:47

But you were in the car? In which case you aren't even parked

Of course you are. The car is not moving, you've parked it. Doesn't matter if you are in or out of the car, if its in a parking space and the engine is off, the car is parked,

Tiredtomybones · 04/09/2018 12:53

Yanbu

MidniteScribbler · 04/09/2018 13:17

I think they were dicks and I was fine!

Why bother posting then? This forum is called 'Am I Being Unreasonable?'. You are convinced that you aren't, so your entire post is entirely irrelevant.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 04/09/2018 13:21

The folk who park on my narrow road are not doing anything illegal. They know they will block me in though especially if another car is parked on the opposite side to them so even though they have the right to be there it's still very inconsiderate and selfish because they know full well I won't be able to get off my drive.

reallybadidea · 04/09/2018 13:47

Wish the caravan would park around the corner

Wishes can come true. Mine did after 2 teeth-grinding years!

DadDadDad · 04/09/2018 14:06

Nobody pays road tax, and hasn't since the 1930s.

If people routinely refer to vehicle excise duty as a tax and it has the features of a tax (it's money payable to the government) then we can refer to it as a tax in common parlance, even if we wouldn't do so in a court of law. And you, along with everyone else, knew what was being referred to!

freshstart24 · 04/09/2018 14:28

Parking is a nightmare on our street. Even If people park perfectly legally within the non-dropped kerb areas it can make it impossible for me to get onto my drive, and incredibly difficult for me to get off my drive.

However, I consider this to be my problem, no one else's. As long as people park legally, ie don't physically block my drive I don't blame them when I struggle.

This is because the whole World does not revolve around me. OP I'd suggest you did absolutely nothing wrong whatsoever, but that the people who had a go at you mistakenly thought that the whole world revolves around them.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 04/09/2018 14:40

People may be parking legally but if they park in a way that means you can't get your car off the drive no matter what then that is selfish. I missed a funeral once because someone had parked right next to the drive and another car was parked opposite so I was literally blocked in as the road I live on is so narrow. Large vans couldn't get through the gap so had to reverse back up the road.

There's no justifying that sort of parking.

exaltedwombat · 05/09/2018 17:51

They have the right of access to their driveway. They don't have the right to a reserved parking space ACROSS their driveway.

This case may be complicated by the music lessons. In a private house? With planning permission for business use? Trouble could be made.

Jaxhog · 05/09/2018 18:00

Diagram please.

But if you're not parked across their drive, or obstructing their ability to coma and go, then you're free to park there. But a diagram would make it easier to judge.

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