WIBU to put a note on this car?

[JammyGem]

Our street is really bad for parking - it's very tight and narrow and difficult to get a space. The last few weeks the same car has parked outside our house. There are no designated spaces or permits, so although it's annoying as it means sometimes we have to park a couple streets over if there's no space, it's just one of those things.

However, this car always parks halfway up onto the pavement. I understand that the street is narrow, and everyone wants to avoid getting their car scratched, but they are the only ones to do this. There is enough room to get the pram past it on the street, but often they park right in front of our gate so there's hardly any room to manoeuvre the pram out of the gate onto the street iyswim. A couple of times I've bumped into their car (thankfully with my body rather than the pram) and I'm worried I'll scratch it. Plus it's just plain annoying.

I could assemble the pram on the street and then carry DD to it, but to be honest I just don't want to do that as it's really inconvenient.

WIBU to put a note on the car? I don't know who it belongs to, or even if they live on this street, as I never seem to catch them. I was thinking something along the lines of: "Hi, please be mindful of how much of the pavement you take up when parking - it makes it difficult to get our pram out of the gate and I'm worried about damaging your car! JammyGem @ [housenumber]"

Is that rude?

[DontCallMeShitley]

Just buy some of these

www.amazon.co.uk/Sticker-Parking-Stickers-Novelty-Decals/dp/B0716C6853?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Ali1cedowntherabbithole]

Don’t mention the risk of scratching the car with the pram. If their car is scratched in future they will assume it’s you, whether it is or not.

I’d stick to please don’t block our access.

[Charmlight]

Goodness, are so many people really so vicious that they would deliberately damage someone’s car deliberately, without even pointing the problem out to the driver?
OP is very polite and it is she who is being inconvenienced.
Personally I would not put any identifying details on the note - no name /house number. You don’t know who you are dealing with, so better to keep them at arm’s length.

[Disfordarkchocolate]

I would leave a note that pointed out they were blocking the path for wheelchairs and prams and it could result in damage to their car. I wouldn't put anything that could identify yourself as their parking demonstrates they are an ignorant arse hole already.

[Derbee]

Mentioning a risk of scratching the car sounds like s petty threat. Can’t believe how ridiculous so many people are on here, thinking you should purposely damage someone’s car because you don’t like how they park?

Leave your note. Don’t mention scratching the car. If they park differently then great. If they don’t, report them. Don’t be petty and aggressive like half the people here are suggesting

[SilverySurfer]

How about:

Would you please not park on the pavement. It's extremely difficult to manoeuvre my pram out of the gate and makes it impossible for those using wheelchairs and mobility scooters to pass.

Thank you

[MrsTerryPratchett]

What "circumstances" would lead them to park like a cock?

Same kind of circumstances that lead someone to think criminal damage is an adequate communication method?

What if the cock is driving their Granny's car and she is nice? What if the cock is misinformed about the law? What if the cock is 18, not well informed and doesn't understand the needs of people with disabilities or parents? What if they just moved from somewhere this is standard?

Ask first, then complain.

[Vanhi]

thinking you should purposely damage someone’s car because you don’t like how they park?

It's more than disliking the way someone is parked. It's someone parking in a way that is dangerous to people walking. It's a threat to ding an inanimate object, not a proposal to kill all their newborns. If the road is narrow, tant pis, just make sure emergency service vehicles can get along the road and you don't obstruct the pavement.

[73Sunglasslover]

Is this parking illegal? Can you report it and get the car towed? If they park like that again I'd leave another note saying if they are on the pavement again you'll have to formally report it.

[StoneofDestiny]

'I'd add, I accept no responsibility if your car gets scratched as I cannot get my pram along the pavement with your car blocking the way'. I wouldn't put my name or house number - both irrelevant.

[Yogurtcoveredricecake]

Excellent diagram. Clearly time & effort went into it. You do lose a point for not putting it on your OP as per the rules.

Everyone is very polite here. I once left a sign on someone's car that said "stop parking like a twat, you wanker". (They had parked three inches from the back of my car and I couldn't get the buggy out of the boot)

[imabusybee]

I had a similar issue in our house when heavily pregnant with my second child, I literally couldn't get out of my gate into the street with the buggy with my second child in without scratching the car. I cringed the whole time but it was unavoidable and their fault not mine. They never did it again..

[PumpkinP]

They will know it is you anyway so doesn’t matter if you don’t put your door number on it will be obvious.

[DrWAnker]

A note will probably not make any difference.
A neighbour used to do this to us. We asked him nicely to stop. He did not so DH called the local police who sent someone to have a word.
He still parks like a twat but he doesn't block our gate anymore and stopped speaking to us for a good 6 months. Win win .

[MO2x]

No not at all. If I see cars parked on the path and I can't get down I will purposely scratch them. Judge me all you may but it isn't safe to walk out into a main road with a double buggy and 2 baby's inside. So I don't care lol but I used to have this problem an they never ever ever stopped. So my husband went out and popped all their tires. They haven't done it since ! I just hate inconsiderate car Parker's. But you could leave your note and get a sign off eBay just saying please do not block gate maybe ? X

[Mothership4two]

My PIL used to park on the pavement like this (wheels up but room to pass) to give the neighbour opposite more room to come out of his narrow drive because their road was quite narrow. The neighbour reported them to the police because it's not legal to park on the pavement and the police came out and spoke to them - the reason I am telling you this OP! So, if a polite note doesn't work, you could do this.

Apparently the police were understanding and quite nice about it and didn't take it any further. They live in quite a large town, not some rural backwater. The neighbour has fallen out with pretty much everyone in their street.

[Mothership4two]

Try a polite note first and see if that works. Do not scratch cars - nasty, expensive and illegal!

[Winterlife]

I agree with a polite note. Don’t mention the gate, just generic it’s difficult for prams and the disabled. The person may be oblivious to the inconvenience to others.

Many people have car cameras, which could be an issue for those who deliberately scratch vehicles if caught in camera.

[Winterlife]

^on camera.

[TumblingTumbleWeeds]

I am astounded that people are allowed to park their vehicles in a place meant for pedestrians. What a ridiculous country.

[SimplySteveRedux]

Where I live has narrow pavements and round a blind bend a car loves to park 3/4 on the pavement. As I'm in a wheelchair and DP is blind, going around into the road would be very dangerous, so we literally have to force past on the pavement, often catching the car with my wheelchair. My wheelchair has sharp bits, shrug.

Twats who park on pavements give zero fucks the issues they cause.

[RebootYourEngine]

I would leave a note simply saying by them parking the way they are they are blocking the pavement for pedestrians. If that doesn't work report to 101.

[Mothership4two]

@TumblingTumbleWeeds it isn't allowed if they are obstructing the pavement and it isn't allowed at all in London and this may roll out to the rest of England and Wales.

[Mileysmiley]

I would contact your local council because they employ a street warden who will contact the owner of the car. I did this once because I live in small cul de sac and someone kept parking on the corner of the road. The inconsiderate parking made it difficult for me to see up the road when leaving my road so making it dangerous. If that doesn't work contact the highway police. After I had contacted the council the person stopped parking their car on the corner which is illegal btw

[croprotationinthe13thcentury]

I would smear dog shit under the driver door handle so when they open their door they get shit on their fingers.