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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU about my neighbour and parking

57 replies

FemelleReynard · 11/09/2019 22:15

I live in a row of 5 terraces. We don't have parking so park on the road in front of our terraces. Opposite are several bungalows, all with driveways AND garages.

I noticed recently a silver car is often parked outside of our houses which I didn't recognise to be one of our terraced neighbours. I then noticed a similar silver car parked on a driveway opposite. I noted down the number plate for future reference to establish if it was the same car.

Lo and behold, I saw the silver car owner (who lives in one of the bungalows opposite, with a drive AND garage) come home tonight and park on her drive. All fine. About 5 minutes later, she comes out and moves her car off her driveway and on to the road in front of our houses.

Now I know she's perfectly entitled to park where the hell she likes. BUT, AIBU in thinking that if you had a drive/garage, you'd use it and not take up a space on the road that someone without parking could use? I just find it so bizarre. Her parking there now means that one of the terraced owners will now have to park further up the street whilst her drive sits empty.

As far as I can ascertain, she's the only car in her household (so not keeping drive free for anyone else), no building works, have never seen her open the garage, so there is no rhyme or reason for her moving her car from her drive to park on the road. Next time I see her I might politely ask why she chooses to park on the road because I find it so odd.

It doesn't make much difference to me, but it's just one of those niggling things I cannot work out!

OP posts:
Pimmsypimms · 11/09/2019 22:41

That would piss me off too op. We used to live in a terraced house with on street parking only and sometimes it would be a nightmare, especially when the neighbours had visitors and there was nowhere for me to park, However, I never realised how much of an issue it was until I lived there!
It's not something that would have occurred to me before.
We have now moved and we have a drive, but the houses over the road are terraced. We have 2 cars and very rarely park on the road as I know that the people in the terraced houses need to park there. It's just common courtesy!

tiggerandpoohtoo · 11/09/2019 22:41

I have a similar situation but I am the one with the drive. Unfortunately when the cars park opposite I can't get off the drive in one manoeuvre and the road is very busy. It is safer for me to park in the road and easier to pull out.
I should point out that in our case the terrace houses have parking behind the houses too but many use the road.

Original poster
FemelleReynard · 11/09/2019 22:42

@Windydaysuponus absolute madness!

OP posts:
KatiePricesLeftEar · 11/09/2019 22:43

Park over her drive just enough to not let her park there. She may knock on your door and then you could ask her

KatiePricesLeftEar · 11/09/2019 22:45

Or, ask if you could use her drive

LaurieFairyCake · 11/09/2019 22:47

She will be parking there because she has some anxiety/fear/real life experience of being blocked in by some tool before.

Bet if you ask her she says 'I'm a nurse/ambulance driver/ and can't risk being blocked in cos I've got an early shift'

Worlds0kayestmum · 11/09/2019 22:47

My neighbour who has space for 2 cars on their drive, often parks on the road leaving their drive empty for no discernible reason, taking up spaces that could be used by those on the road with no driveways. It's perfectly legal and they are entitled to park where they want but it is very infuriating so YANBU. To add to it, my neighbour also runs their engine for 10 minutes every morning for no earthly reason (can be anytime from 5am onwards) and it always wakes me up and leaves me fuming in bed until they eventually emerge from the house and drive away. Gah.

TheSerenDipitY · 11/09/2019 22:53

firstly i would speak to her and explain that there isnt enough parking and it makes it hard on everyone else when she does park on the road and ask if she can be kind and park on her drive and if she tells you to get fucked...start parking on her drive... as long as you are not blocking her in, it is not illegal, its also a civil matter so the police wont deal with it... after a day or two i would tell her if she decides to use her drive and not take up one of the limited parks that the rest of you need you will stop taking her park

TheseThingsAreFunAndFunIsGood · 11/09/2019 22:56

Good idea from Katie - park in front of her driveway (so she can't drive into it) and when/if she asks you what you're playing at innocently say you noticed she didn't ever use it so thought it wouldn't be a problem?! 😂

ozymandiusking · 11/09/2019 22:59

Worldsokayestmum It is now illegal to leave you engine running.
You could try asking them nicely and explaining about pollution etc etc
Not to do it. But if they don't respond favourably, you could then report them to the police. Butf course one assumes they would realise it's you.
I have asked parents at school to turn their engine off, also Grandparents, who have just said no. No ammount of explaining this is your grandchilds future,they just don't seem to care.

Antigonads · 11/09/2019 23:01

This would give me the rage and I would have to ask or park across her drive.

Pollywollydolly · 11/09/2019 23:05

I'm guessing she owes money and leaves the car away from her drive so that bailiff's won't take it as they can seize vehicles parked close enough to a property for them to reasonably believe it belongs to the household.

RavenLG · 11/09/2019 23:07

God this infuriated me. Everyone in our street had a drive but hardly any use it. Couple moved into house at the end of the street where there is a business and a shop. There’s always vans parked and a flat above the shop has cars so it’s always really busy. New people park blocking their own drive on the street meaning it’s a total bottleneck at times. It’s a bit worrying.

HappyParent2000 · 11/09/2019 23:09

Without knowing more it does seem strange, but there is probably a half decent reason behind it. We will likely never know.

To the world outside their head it does look very bad.

I would let it go, maybe ask if you can rent their drive as a private parking spot as you see it empty?

Ravenblack · 11/09/2019 23:16

@TheseThingsAreFunAndFunIsGood

Good idea from Katie - park in front of her driveway (so she can't drive into it) and when/if she asks you what you're playing at innocently say you noticed she didn't ever use it, so thought it wouldn't be a problem?! 😂

LOL! Brilliant! Grin

Biggie123 · 11/09/2019 23:22

Argh, I’m curious now too! Ask her and come back to us please!

PeachesPlumsPears · 11/09/2019 23:32

Neighbors parked both the cars on the road. Its a quiet wide straight road. Someone speeding rammed one car so hard it hit the one in front too so they had to write off both cars. Now everybody parks on their driveway instead of the street.

FireBloodAndIce · 11/09/2019 23:43

Our neighbours do this with their double drive. Fucking annoying as they have no issues getting off or being blocked in, and take up 2 of the scarce road spaces. They just like to part as near to their place as possible, right outside than 10 meters down where the backgarden should be.

Their drive now does get parked over temporarily especially by delivery trucks and taxis and they get infuriated.

Original poster
FemelleReynard · 12/09/2019 06:37

Interestingly, I went to sleep at around 11:30 and the car was still on the road. Of course the first thing I did this morning when I woke up at 6:20 was look out and it’s back on her drive!

It must be as some posters have suggested that she comes and goes maybe and she thinks it’s easier to do so from the road? (I can’t see why however).

OP posts:
Thiswayorthatway · 12/09/2019 06:41

Maybe she works nights and doesn't want to disturb others at home when coming and going. It's more hassle to park on the road so there must be a good reason.

pictish · 12/09/2019 06:49

I understand you. We have similar in that we live on a terraced row with unrestricted on-street parking outside. There are flats opposite us on the other side of the road. One or two of the neighbours across the road prefer to park outside our house instead of their own. One family get heir toddler and baby out and all the gubbins that goes with it and trail them and it across the main road, rather than just park on their own side and have it easy. We end up having to park outside their house and guiding our kids across the road because they are outside ours.
Why? Fuck knows. Can’t say anything because it’s not our space but surely to fuck common sense should prevail? Their Skoda Fabia sitting there like an unwanted guest at a party.
No idea why people do this.

dimdarkashian · 12/09/2019 07:00

My 'lovely' neighbour's DS always park outside our house instead of theirs when he visits everyday. Now they have three cars so always have one on the road too. There are only two of them living there. Three cars!! She works for environmental health Hmm

GoneToTheDock · 12/09/2019 07:06

I'd ask her, but try (probably fail!) to do in an almost casual way

Oh, I was just wondering....etc

GOODCAT · 12/09/2019 07:24

That would annoy me too OP. It may not break any legal laws but it breaks a social code.

stucknoue · 12/09/2019 07:28

Perhaps she has a friend due to visit or carers to call who can't find spaces later in the evening