Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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:
WiddlinDiddlin · 23/08/2019 13:15

Yep.. diagram is required, I really can't picture this!

Rainytowngirl · 23/08/2019 13:16

It's sad that arseholes like that exist.
I would make damm sure that every other neighbour is fully aware of what they are up to and that you think it was prompted by the day an ambulance blocked them in while attending to your baby. What they are doing is provocative and deliberate !

LakieLady · 23/08/2019 13:21

Anyone who kicks off at being delayed because an ambulance has blocked them in is a first-class cunt and they deserve to die while waiting for an ambulance of their own.

What do people like this do when there's been an RTC and the road is blocked by emergency vehicles? Do they walk to the front of the queue and explain that all the police, fire engines etc move, because they are going to be late?

Engoltheharpy · 23/08/2019 13:21

Is there anything you can do to your own driveway to make more space?

Tarrarra · 23/08/2019 13:23

I agree with steppemum and whilst I know you weren't really in the wrong and don't feel the need to apologise, I think this would be a good way to try and get neighbourly relations back on track and hopefully get them back on side.

rainbowheart · 23/08/2019 13:26

I think the fact the ambulance started this is what is upsetting me the most, people are cruel!
There's an old man at the other end of the lane, he has epilepsy and isn't good on his feet, he's a really large man and often when he fits his falls off the bed/chair.. when this happens they end up with an ambulance and fire engine and the whole lane is blocked.. it happens every couple of weeks.. I've missed appointments because of it a few times.. I wouldn't dream of ever complaining. In fact I'll always stop when I see his wife and offer help or just listen to her moan.. I wonder how they will react when they are blocked in from him having an ambulance.. it will be hard to apologise and I'm not sure I will be able to keep my cool if she moans that my baby being poorly was too much of an inconvenience to her!

OP posts:
rainbowheart · 23/08/2019 13:30

@Engoltheharpy
Yes I could re-landscape my entire front to make space to turn.. and this was an argument they made when the neighbours approached them once.. but it would cost a lot and as the house has been in my family for over 50 years it bugs me to think this is the extreme I may have to go to. The whole time my mum and I have owned the house the parking has never been an issue.. and I begrudge paying thousands to re-landscape my front just so they can have an empty driveway!

OP posts:
BogglesGoggles · 23/08/2019 13:30

I would get a ‘please stop being cunts’ greeting card and get everyone who needs the space for turning/guests to sign it. But I just get really irrationally pissed off with people who put their own convenience over a sick baby.

BogglesGoggles · 23/08/2019 13:31

Maybe get one that plays why can’t we be friends for good measure.

LakieLady · 23/08/2019 13:34

@steppemum YABVU for being so reasonable.

OP, do what steppemum says, and if that doesn't work, THEN use their drive to turn. Or, even better, park in their drive!

tompointer · 23/08/2019 13:36

Such a shame you're having this hassle.
What the heck is wrong with some people!!

They're obviously unreasonable bullies and the only way to treat these people is to be NASTY.
I agree with the first poster. Park in the pull in yourself. If she objects then get angry and act totally OTT.
Then tell her if she doesn't park there then neither will you. If she blocks you in then do the same to her.

TrainspottingWelsh · 23/08/2019 13:36

lakie I don’t know about walking to the front, but I know of someone that tried arguing with the officer stood directing the diversion following a really tragic Rta. And thought it quite acceptable to rant afterwards that they could have had one lane open still, and could have cleared the road quicker etc. Such a hardship to go on a circuitous route in crawling traffic, even though she would have been able to see that some wouldn’t ever be going home. Some people are just utter cunts

swingofthings · 23/08/2019 13:43

It was the ambulance blocking, it was OP's car. Unless the child was being ressucitated, yes I think it was totally unreasonable to make them wait 20 mns to move the car.

It's easy to assume that it doesn't matter but maybe it was important for them to get going.

I would have been annoyed too in that instance. Sadly they've decided to act up on it, pathetic they couldn't move in and are taking much further than what it needed, but it shows the importance of being considerate in the first place.

Ginnymweasley · 23/08/2019 13:43

Well they sound delightful. I know the adult thing to do would be try and have a chat with them. But I wouldn't really want to. Your baby was sick enough to need an ambulance and they are acting like this over a minor inconvenience. I hope they never need an ambulance that ends up blocking the road. What utter twats.
I'm guessing your road is a cul de sac and you are on the end. So you drive straight into your drive but need to use the space st the side to reverse out? They are just doing this out of spite so I dunno if you can reason with people like that.
Just use their drive to turn round.

stucknoue · 23/08/2019 13:46

Speak to the council about double yellow lines perhaps or maybe the other neighbour could talk to them. It's beyond petty but people can be so unreasonable about ambulances - your local paper might be interested if there's no other avenue

Oakandlove · 23/08/2019 13:50

can you or your nice neighbour park off your drive like they do (a diagram would really help here to see if this is possible) that makes it difficult for the cars parked in the turning point to get out

Ginger1982 · 23/08/2019 13:50

Diagram please!!

Cohle · 23/08/2019 14:06

Unless the child was being ressucitated, yes I think it was totally unreasonable to make them wait 20 mns to move the car.

Shock Who on earth thinks it's reasonable to be annoyed about being blocked in by a bloody ambulance. Jesus Christ.

What if a child actually was being resuscitated and you were knocking on the door bitching about your car? What a totally fucking self centred way to behave.

Jaxhog · 23/08/2019 14:09

tbh, no-one should be parking in the turning area. It's designed for turning at the end of narrow roads! But this is very common. I visit a friend and have to turn around in the turning area. Inevitably it's full of cars so I either have to do a 50 point turn or reverse the length of the street. Got help them if a fire engine or ambulance had to go there.

rainbowheart · 23/08/2019 14:15

My drawing skills aren't the best,

My child wasn't being resuscitated but he was extremely poorly and fitting. (Fine now)

There was no where else for my husband to park other than right down the lane.. in the situation I just don't think he thought of anything other than coming in to see our son. At the time we weren't really thinking and the ambulance driver didn't ask us to move our car the first time they knocked.. it didn't even enter my head as to who knocked the door and what they wanted.

OP posts:
katewhinesalot · 23/08/2019 14:16

Turn in their driveway and "forget to put the latch back on the gate afterwards.
Promise to stop when you can exit your driveway properly.

ElizaDee · 23/08/2019 14:22

I'd slash their tyres constantly. if they want cars there permanently, that's what they'd get.

I'd also start petitioning the council for double yellows for the lay-by.

JLouise95 · 23/08/2019 14:24

To be honest I'd be straight over to bang on the door. Ask her why she feels the need to be so pathetic and it stops now.

If she doesn't stop, make it more hassle for her if she parks there than if she doesn't, it soon wouldn't be worth it for her.

Speak to the council, call the police every single time you're blocked in, reverse in her drive, don't be cold faced smile and wave. If that doesn't work.. Slash her tires or pour paint stripper on the car? not really but I bet it'd be therapeutic

AryaStarkWolf · 23/08/2019 14:26

people who complain when emergency vehicles are blocking them are absolutely the worst humans

JLouise95 · 23/08/2019 14:30

I've thought further, and a less dramatic and satisfying approach, although I like it ElizaDee, you could splash a tiny bit of paint remover so they get a weird mark they won't know what it is, initially. Then every time they park there add some more, until either they get the picture or the whole car resembles a dalmatian, it'll drive them nuts not knowing what's causing it. You can observe the inspections and confusion from your own home. I'm petty I know but gotta get your kicks somewhere

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread