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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Neighbours and parking

171 replies

rainbowheart · 23/08/2019 12:15

I've lived on the same street for 20 years, buying my childhood home when my parents sold it.
The house is down a narrowish lane and I'm the very end house. There's a pull in which makes it easier for myself and my neighbours to get off of our drives.
For as long as I've know there's always been an agreement that people will avoid parking in the pull in wherever possible, because if 2 cars are parked there it's very difficult for me and my neighbour to get out, we have to reverse about half a mile down the lane if we cant turn in the turning point. It only effects our 2 houses, everyone else can exit their drives fine.
Sometimes it's unavoidable and that's fine, if people are having lots of guests over etc, workmen to their houses.. things happen.
The house next to my neighbours house was sold 3 months back.. new people moved in. My neighbour explain the parking situation and they said it was no problem. And for the first few months everything was as it had always been,
One day my baby took ill and I had to call an ambulance.. the ambulance parked on the lane in-front of my house blocking my neighbour, my husband rushed home and parked behind the ambulance, blocking the new neighbours driveway.
The new neighbours knocked the door asking for the car to move, the ambulance driver explained baby was poorly and asked if they could just hold fire and she'd get my husband to move the car. 10 mins later she knocked again the ambulance driver apologised and said she'd get it moved,
My husband went to move the car and the new neighbour said it's about time she was going to be late.
There's a lot of old people who live down our lane and ambulances are fairly common, when it happens, especially further down the lane, everyone is blocked in, never have I moaned in that situation, even when it's meant I've been late or missed appointments, surly that ambulance is likely to be far more important than anything I need to do at that time,
Since the day I called the ambulance the new neighbours now park both their cars in the pull in, leaving their driveway empty I feel this is really petty and pathetic. I've knocked and asked if they could park at least one car on their drive as before, the woman said she's entitled to park her car wherever she likes, obviously she is.. but would you not also be considerate of your neighbours?
For the last 2 weeks 2 cars arrive every morning at 6am, they move their cars from the pull in and the other cars park there.. the 2 drivers get into the van with the difficult neighbour and I assume go to work, she parks her car on her drive.. when they get home from work the 2 cars go and the move both their cars to the pull in so the turning point always has 2 cars parked in it, day and night.

What are you views on this situation? As I've said I do get she can park her car wherever she likes, I just don't understand why they insist on making it difficult. I don't know if I'm just being touchy because it all started when my baby was poorly and maybe I'm being too emotional about it? Any ideas on how to resolve it?

OP posts:
StCharlotte · 23/08/2019 12:18

Oh man, this would wind me up so badly! I think I'd have to resort to violence.

Can your other neighbour have a word again?

dementedpixie · 23/08/2019 12:19

Park in it yourself? Ask the council to mark it with 'Keep Clear' paint and then noone gets to use it

TrainspottingWelsh · 23/08/2019 12:20

Obviously she’s a twat, because only a twat would go knocking at a house with paramedics in to complain an ambulance was blocking them in. To resolve it just reverse in to your driveway, and then you won’t need to turn when you drive out.

Aebj · 23/08/2019 12:21

They sound horrid. Hope your baby is feeling better. I would of been making coffee for you all and being late for wherever I needed to be.

karenbokaren · 23/08/2019 12:21

Jesus. What arseholes. Yanbu.

Dontlickthetrolley · 23/08/2019 12:22

If her drive was empty and you can't get on yours, I'd be tempted to park on her driveway til she got the message!

viques · 23/08/2019 12:22

Only here for the diagram.

Taps foot, looks at imaginary watch. SIghs. Rolls eyes.

WillLokireturn · 23/08/2019 12:22

They are doing it deliberately. So aside from persuading them to stop now, there's little you can do. Have you thought about asking council to put double yellows there so nobody parks in turn spot? That's an option that I might mention you are going to ask Local BC to do as it's dangerous having to reverse halfway up the street with young children around. Or, start turning in their drive way. That's an option. Get out and open their gate if you have to.

RB68 · 23/08/2019 12:23

IS this a private lane? You need to find out who actually owns the land regardless of right of access - access does not mean parking

Paraballa · 23/08/2019 12:23

Can you use their drive to turn around in? I'd do that.

rainbowheart · 23/08/2019 12:23

To reverse into the drive is no different to reversing out.. both would require reversing the half mile down the lane as you can't turn in the road without using the turning point.

My husband and neighbour said they will park in the pull in but between them and the people that arrive for work at 6am it's occupied!

OP posts:
MrsKittyFane1 · 23/08/2019 12:25

There will be a time when the pull in is clear surely?

rainbowheart · 23/08/2019 12:26

They do have gates on their driveway, only small ones with a lift catch.. I could open it and pull into their drive to turn.. it just seems so petty and I don't want to lower myself to their standards but maybe I have to to make a point.

OP posts:
MrsKittyFane1 · 23/08/2019 12:26

For you to park there I mean?
Your neighbour must be just as annoyed?

MrsKittyFane1 · 23/08/2019 12:27

Oh yes! Turn on their driveway! Leave the gates open every time!

whocanbebothered · 23/08/2019 12:27

Another vote for involve the council. If you state your case that this is dangerous parking and should be clearly marked as a Turning Point then they will paint it appropriately.

I recently logged a complaint on my LA via their app about the junction at the end of my road; the tree trunks are overgrown and idiots park ON the corner, so trying to merge into traffic is taking life into your own hands. Reported, had a call 2 weeks later that they had looked into it and agreed. Yellow lines are suggested but need to go through a proposal bid to get approved. Trees trimmed in mean time. Long story short; involve the council and you may be pleasantly surprised by their response.

I suppose if you were REALLY wanting it solved, you could try asking a company who does painting etc to put a Keep Clear marking on the road and pay for it yourself. Not sure of the legalities of this but I imagine some companies might get the job done with minimal fuss if the money was right Blush

Stressedout10 · 23/08/2019 12:29

If they are blocking the turning point they are causing an obstruction phone the police and report them every single time they park there

rainbowheart · 23/08/2019 12:32

Would yellow lines help.. who would police that down a quiet country lane.. it's not like the traffic warden pops by.. I don't think it would be a deterrent to them?

OP posts:
steppemum · 23/08/2019 12:33

Go round and invite her over for a coffee.

Sit down round the table and say - look we seem to have got off on the wrong foot, and it seems to have started with the ambulance?
Acknowlegde that they were blocked in with the ambulance, and what an unusual and stressful event that was for everyone.
Give her time to respond.

Then talk about the pull in. Be open and low key - not sure what has happened here, we seem to have a miscommunication etc. Wonder what we can do to resolve it?

I know someone will come on an say NO - don't say anything which sounds like an apology! But in real life, when you sit down face to face and say hands up, I get it, you were inconvenienced. Then usually people have the grace to back down, look shame faced etc, and then you can move on.

I would have a few options ready to suggest

  • could the people coming at 6 double park on driveway or pull in, to leave you space?
-can they park further up the road somewhere and walk down?
  • how about we get council to paint one space out as turning bay and leave the other for parking, so everyone knows what is what

etc

steppemum · 23/08/2019 12:35

missed the one about her gates, yes absolutely, turn on her driveway.

WillLokireturn · 23/08/2019 12:37

It becomes a detrrantvegrn you photograph and email report to council if they repeatedly park on double yellows. They'll get some tickets... Traffic warden will think result, easy pickings..
Just mention to them that if they don't stop parking there making access difficult it maybe that double yellow lines are needed...
And enough is enough now, they've made their point that ambulance saving your baby's life blocked them in for 10 minutes which inconvenienced them but they can stop this pettiness now.

WillLokireturn · 23/08/2019 12:39

*deterrent when ... Sorry. Also have cross posted with another PP saying similiar but politer.

TrainspottingWelsh · 23/08/2019 12:39

Maybe I’m picturing it wrong but if there’s enough space at present to drive forwards and turn into the drive, surely there’s enough to instead go slightly past and reverse in? Forwards or backwards they both only need the same turning space.

rainbowheart · 23/08/2019 12:47

We don't turn to get into our drive.. we drive straight in next door can get out of their driveway by turning towards us but with posts and walls it's a squeeze but manageable, for us there's no other option that to reverse down the road.

I will photograph and email the council and request it's use is restricted but it's just so frustrating because at times everyone needs to park in it, if they have visitors or workmen.. our guests sometimes park there, as do next doors sometimes it's just unavoidable so it will inconvenience everyone.

I will try speaking to them again, I certainly don't feel the need at all to apologise for the ambulance blocking the road but in order to resolve it I may get some flowers and apologise anyway just to try and sort it out without the need of involving the council!

OP posts:
Millie2017 · 23/08/2019 13:06

I can’t possibly comment until I have seen a diagram...

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