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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To ask not to park outside our house

255 replies

aibuhun · 06/12/2018 17:12

We live on a tight street so if you get back late you will not be parking on that street or you will have to park right at the bottom and walk up (our street is long 5 min walk at least).
Sometimes OH pops to the shops in the evening and someone will take the spot right away so in the morning I have to carry two DCs bags coats right to the bottom. DD is 10 weeks old and DS has just turned two and he hates walking!

I'm getting fed up now and I never say anything as I know you can't fight over a spot but would I be unreasonable to ask them to not park there when I see them pulling up?

They are never neighbours either they are always people visiting Angry

OP posts:
Kleptronic · 06/12/2018 19:47

I feel your pain too. I actually have a drive but it's narrow and people park right bang up, and sometimes over, the gateposts either side, so then I can't get in/out. I have to park on the street (over my drive) if I want to able to go anywhere. So everyone on the street hates me, got a drive but taking up a space, so selfish!

zzzzz · 06/12/2018 19:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Crunchymum · 06/12/2018 19:51

It's not an everyday occurrence is it OP? Confused

Bahhhhhumbug · 06/12/2018 19:59

What is it with this attitude of 'But l have children don't you know'. I am so tired of this 'hand that rocks the cradle mentality' This is second thread lve seen tonight where the Op seems to think having children should somehow mean people shouldn't park outside your house in a perfectly legal public parking spot. Have the P&C parking spaces in most car parks these days given you a false sense of priority dear?

Junkmail · 06/12/2018 20:01

This was one of the reasons we moved last year and bought a house with parking. I totally get it OP—it’s such a pain when there’s only on-street parking but UWBU to ask people not to park there. You don’t own the space so, with all due respect, it’s tough. And I know how frustrating it is.

katseyes7 · 06/12/2018 20:03

We used to live opposite a dentists. l've seen occasions when l've come home from doing a food shop, and had to park halfway down the street, then make three or four trips with the shopping, while some bloke sat in his car outside my house, reading the paper, while his missus was at the dentists.
Then almost invariably, as soon as l'd finished, she'd come out and they'd drive away.
Unfortunately there's nothing you can do about it, frustrating as it is.

MNHQ
EstherMumsnet · 06/12/2018 20:03

Evening all,

We all love a parking thread here at MNHQ (especially if it has diagrams) but this one seems to have been steered away (see what we did there Wink) from the OP's question and become a little bit personal. Can we take it down a gear please. (We did it again! Told you we love a parking thread)

Badbadbunny · 06/12/2018 20:05

Get dh to use his own car for late night trips.

Or do some planning/organisation so he doesn't have to go out at night.

Jubba · 06/12/2018 20:05

I used to have a flat where there was no parking anywhere near. We had to park in a car park. Down the road. I also couldn’t leave car seats in the car. So two kids. Car seats and shopping being lugged down the road was a nightmare. I got a buggy. Put the baby in a sling and transported the rest. Made the toddler walk. Chucked the rest in the buggy. Can you do that? It’s hard. But sometimes it’s just got to be grin and bear it.

AboutThat · 06/12/2018 20:07

when you have shopping and two kids it is a nightmare.

No, it's a minor inconvenience.

When you have shopping, 2 kids, no car and have to use the bus, live at the top of a hill in a 2nd floor flat - that is also just an inconvenience until it's snowing and icy - then it's a nightmare.

YAB Totally U and entitled.

crimsonlake · 06/12/2018 20:09

Whilst I sympathise, you must have taken the realities of parking in to account when you first bought the house surely?

tinytreefrog · 06/12/2018 20:14

You can ask. It's annoying when people park outside your house. I did once ask a guy to move, he was clearly just waiting for someone, not getting out of the car, and there was no other space on the road where I could have parked for the night, but still other places he could wait iyswim. He did move and was fine about it.

So yeah, you can as I said, but they can say no.

ASauvignonADay · 06/12/2018 20:15

YABVU! I have a similar problem - I just have to accept if I arrive home late, or need to go out in the evening, I might have to walk further.

I can't actually imagine a neighbour giving evils or leaving a note for parking outside their house, but it certainly wouldn't stop me.

MyShinyWhiteTeeth · 06/12/2018 20:15

I can't stand people parking on our street when they are not residents or known visitors. We get the nearby hospital staff and hospital visitors plus people shopping in the town centre.

There are plenty of car parks. Some of the nearer streets now have residents and guest parking only. They've pushed the problem onto our street now and made it worse.

I think it's rude and inconsiderate. People can't always afford houses with drives.

VisitorsEntrance · 06/12/2018 20:16

I understand op. I lived in a house like that and hated it.
We had a residents parking permit, which was only valid until 6pm. Which would be fine except we lived near a theatre which meant that the road would often get full in the evening.
Utterly annoying but bugger all you can do about it.

FuzzyCustard · 06/12/2018 20:16

I had three kids under four and no car. I'd have been GLAD of a 5 minute walk! Grin

FuzzyCustard · 06/12/2018 20:17

People can't always afford houses with drives.

(Or parking for that matter...especially if it is hospital parking. (A whole new thread)

decentchap · 06/12/2018 20:18

Unless its on your property, a parking space on the highway is open for all to use. Traffic regulations excepted. No one owns the highway but if you have particular problems the Highway Authority might be able to help. A baby and a long walk will not cut it. If yours is a private road thats a bit different. An adopted highway (lights?) belongs to none specifically and to all generally.

glitterelf · 06/12/2018 20:20

I'm suffering with this too and you know I asked the person if she could move considering there was a spot outside her own home, she was taken aback at first but when she saw that I had 4 small people with me and a boot full of shopping she said no problem I won't park here again. I totally understand the rage it just takes over you Blush

Unihorn · 06/12/2018 20:23

I have two under 2 and feel your pain. But unfortunately there's nothing to be done. I make passive aggressive comments when I get in and out of the car though about how easy it must be to just park straight outside your house and not carry everything, in the hopes that a neighbour is snooping and hears me. Helps me feel better Grin

Our road is up steps too so I often have to leave one child in the car while I get the other as there's no safe way to carry them.

ASauvignonADay · 06/12/2018 20:27

So where do you park when someone is outside your house? Presumably outside of someone else's house...
Where do your family and guests park? Presumably outside someone else's house...

I don't see how in a busy street, people can think they'd be able to always park outside of their own house. It's just illogical!

sanpelle · 06/12/2018 20:28

Currently dealing with my neighbours behaving like this. They stare out the window at myself and any visitors parking outside. Even go so far as opening the door and talking to my delivery drivers. Outside every morning without fail writing down all the reg numbers of the workers that work at the factory at the end of the road. It's a public road with no markings. If you don't like it then buy a house with a drive or live in the middle of a forest. People with your attitude are also the type to barge their way through someone's right of way, cut up traffic and just generally think they own the road

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 06/12/2018 20:29

Winterfellwench why is it a 'supremely silly comment' and do you always speak to people as if they are children?

I have no idea where you live (hopefully nowhere near me) but around here the price of a property with parking is much higher than one without. OK we probably could have afforded parking in a different area but we wanted to be in a decent area near family. We live in a maisonette and the only way to get parking is to buy a house at double the price of a maisonette.

sanpelle · 06/12/2018 20:29

Oh and my other neighbours moan about the parking too yet park outside my house all the time! Talk about hypocrisy

itbemay · 06/12/2018 20:32

We have exact same issue but with bloody big vans, at some points we have all the 'trades' gas, electric, water, rac & builders. Drives me insane but what can you do. We're hoping to move next year partly because of this, I just want a drive!