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Original poster

To ask my neighbours to park in front of their driveway?

41 replies

CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 19:53

I moved to my property 6 months ago. It turns out that my car is too low to get on my driveway so I had to park it outside on the road.

This seemed to be working fine. The people who lived here before me had two vehicles, neither of which could go on the driveway, so at first there was an 'extra' space available. This meant that 4 cars would fit on the road between mine and my neighbour to my right.

My neighbour to my right has the same problem of not being able to get their car on their driveway and were therefore parking across the entrance to their driveway.

The neighbours across the road have 4 vehicles. They were parking 2 on their driveway and 2 outside my property. So in line it would be my car, 2 cars from neighbours across the road and car belonging to neighbour to my right. (I hope you're keeping up Grin)

A couple of months ago my neighbour to my right stopped parking across their driveway meaning that the 4 spaces reduced to 3 and a half. To compensate for this I started parking my car halfway across the entrance to my driveway so we were back to 4 spaces.

Now my neighbour to my right is parking further away from the entrance to their driveway so we're back to 3 and a half spaces!

I'm reluctant to park fully over my driveway because it would make visibility difficult for my neighbour to my left when reversing off his driveway as it's directly next to mine (have I lost you yet? Grin)

So do you think I should go and ask my neighbour to my right to start parking nearer to/across the entrance of their driveway like they did when I first moved here?

If you've made it this far without going falling asleep ThanksSmile

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 15/04/2019 19:54

Could you apply to get the kerb lowered so you could use the drive?

LindaLyndell · 15/04/2019 19:55

Not unreasonable at all - I'm sure they'd understand!

MyDcAreMarvel · 15/04/2019 19:56

You lost me at too low to get on driveway?

Nicknacky · 15/04/2019 19:56

I’m completely lost about who parks where but I think I would be looking to improve the driveway access for you and your neighbours then there is room for everyone.

I wouldn’t want to park in front of my drive, pain in the arse working out who needs out when.

SilverySurfer · 15/04/2019 19:57

Is there nothing either of you can do to enable you to park on your drives? It seems daft to have them and not be able to use them. use them.

SilverySurfer · 15/04/2019 19:58

sorry for double 'use them'

Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 19:58

Dementedpixie - both me and my neighbour to my right have a dropped kerb to get onto the driveway but unfortunately the drive has a steep drop which means our cars scrape on the bottom.

I'd be ok if I had a 4x4 with decent road clearance but I don't. Have looked into getting the drive raised or pavement sorted but it's going to cost thousands!

OP posts:
TixieLix · 15/04/2019 19:59

What is peculiar about the driveways that people are having difficulty getting on them?

Nicknacky · 15/04/2019 19:59

We did have a similar problem with my husband’s car and as the problem was on the roadway rather than on our problem the roads department came and fixed it. No way was I buying a house with a drive that he couldn’t access.

Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 20:00

Nicknacky - no one can park on the driveway so no problem with anyone wanting to get on or off when I park in from of it.

OP posts:
GemmeFatale · 15/04/2019 20:00

I’m having trouble imagining a driveway you can’t use because the car is too low and yet apparently there’s a whole bunch of them on your street. Are you all driving lowered vehicles of some sort or is the driveway not a proper one with a drop curb?

Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 20:02

The previous owners of the property failed to tell me they couldn't get their car on the drive (surprise, surprise).

The times I went to view the property there was always a van parked on the drive so I had no reason to think it was unusable.

OP posts:
Feelsdeadpeople · 15/04/2019 20:03

I'm guessing the driveways are all really steep, not that they're all driving supercars 😀

No harm in asking, OP

Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 20:03

Sorry, I understand it's hard to imagine what it's like.

Basically there's a dropped kerb in front of my drive, then pavement which has a slight incline, then my drive that drops away quite steeply. Hope that helps?!

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 15/04/2019 20:04

Op, I meant If i was your neighbour I wouldn’t want to have to park on front of mine because you can’t get on yours. It’s a hassle for them.

Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 20:07

Sorry nicknacky I misunderstood!

We always park with my car across my dropped kerb, the 2 cars from across the road are parked in front of my house with no dropped kerb and then the neighbour to the right was across their dropped kerb. Bear in mind they have the same problem as me with not being able to get their vehicle on their drive.

OP posts:
HicDraconis · 15/04/2019 20:08

My driveway is a steep slope which levels out at the bottom - if you drive a car without much ground clearance, as it levels out the bottom of the car will scrape on the ground. I had to sell my beloved MR2 when we moved in for a car with higher clearance, so I can see why op is parking in the road.

Ask the neighbour to your right, but I wonder if they’re doing it to stop the people over the road parking in front of your houses.

Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 20:10

HicDraconis - I think you're right, it appears there may be some history between my neighbours to my right and the ones across the road!

OP posts:
Gronky · 15/04/2019 20:11

I used to own a home with a double-width driveway that was also very steep, I realise this won't help you get two cars on but you can use this width to your advantage by approaching the driveway on the transition from level to inclined at an angle (go on to the drive diagonally).

Gronky · 15/04/2019 20:11

I used to own a home with a double-width driveway that was also very steep, I realise this won't help you get two cars on but you can use this width to your advantage by approaching the driveway on the transition from level to inclined at an angle (go on to the drive diagonally).

Citygirl2019 · 15/04/2019 20:11

My drive similar and if I drive straight on it scrapes the underneath when I reverse off. However if I reverse on this doesn't happen.

I also wasn't aware of the issue when I purchased the house as always had a car on the drive.

I'd recommend trying to reverse in the drive.

Biancadelrioisback · 15/04/2019 20:13

Can't you get your driveway fixed?

Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 20:13

Gronky and CityGirl13 - I've tried frontways, backways, sideways....Grin

Think I might just get a new car....!

OP posts:
Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 20:14

Sorry Citygirl2019 Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
CharbaLabaDingDong · 15/04/2019 20:16

I've had the council out who've washed their hands of it. They say their only responsibility is the dropped kerb which is already there, which is fair enough. I've had 3 driveway contractors out who've quoted me between £1800 and £2500!

OP posts:
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