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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Anyone know about parking restrictions or AIBU?

48 replies

Greenleafer19 · 28/10/2019 12:40

Hi Mumsnetters
I recently moved to a new house in August and have a query that I can't seem to get an answer from the Council about.
I'm a wheelchair user, I can drive but no vehicle at the moment however my house has a parking space to the right (where the bins are in the picture) which is unused and the council will at some point be putting a disabled allocated space in the road soon. To the left infront of the dropped kerb was my garage which has now been converted to my front door access due to my disability. However as you can see from the photo, my neighbour is parking over the pavement so I am having to wheel myself into the road to get round the car to the other side of the pavement as that's the way to the local shops. It's becoming very frustrating and I wish she would park her blue car in her garage but never does.
Does anyone know where I stand with this please? I know a vehicle blocking a pavement for pedestrians is an offence but is it the same with a dropped kerb especially as it leads onto her property? I have not seen my neighbours properly yet however I know the previous occupiers had issues with her as my other neighbour told me and she is apparently not very approachable. I was hoping for the council to deal with this so I don't have to but not having any response. Does anyone know? I don't want to make an issue of this, and hate myself for putting this picture online but if someone can advise me before I take it further I'd be very grateful.

Many thanks
Carly x

[Post edited by MNHQ to remove image]

OP posts:

Apolloanddaphne · 28/10/2019 13:51

Fair enough OP. Is there plenty of on street parking she could move to?

VeniVidiVoxi · 28/10/2019 13:57

It looks like there isn't space for the car, so she either has to put it in the garage or park in the street. She can obstruct her own dropped curb, obviously, but not the pavement. Call the police. You can ask that they don't mention who reported it, or to be double sure you can pretend to be someone else. No harm in that.

TheRobinIsBobbingAlong · 28/10/2019 13:59

That's a completely ridiculous way to park! If there's not enough room for her to have the whole car on her paved area without blocking the path then she has two options - get her garden paved (like yours) to make more parking space, or park in the road. If she knows you are a wheelchair user then it's totally unreasonable of her to park in this manner and block your way. It's irrelevant whether it's a quiet close, you shouldn't have to go in the road with a wheelchair or a buggy. I hope you get it sorted OP.

OrchidInTheSun · 28/10/2019 14:00

It doesn't really matter if there's plenty if space on the street for her to park on. She's blocking the pavement and it's illegal. Call 101

Scarydinosaurs · 28/10/2019 14:13

It all depends on who looks after

Original poster

Greenleafer19 · 28/10/2019 14:15

@ChicCauldron the wall behind her car is her garage, not her front door. Her front door is to the left near the bins with a pathway. She parks forward so she can get in the garage but there's no access to her house via the garage (mine is, because I just had it built for mobility issues).

OP posts:

BrightYellowDaffodil · 28/10/2019 14:20

Blocking a pavement is illegal - my old landlords blocked a pavement once (parking area in front of the house but they had visitors who parked partly on their land and partly on the pavement, but blocked the pavement almost entirely). A motorised wheelchair user couldn't get past and I believe they made a complaint.

I once parked on a pavement for about 5 minutes to unload something (I could have parked on the road but it was rush hour and I thought I was doing the right thing by getting out of the traffic's way) - in the time it took me to unload and get back to the car, the police had given me a ticket. I explained and they cancelled it but it goes to show that parking on a pavement is an offence.

FixTheBone · 28/10/2019 14:31

YANBU.

She needs to back up to her garage (or ideally into it) to make room on the pavement - properly entitled CF-ery to park there to make her life slightly more convenient, at the expense of completely inconveniencing you.

Original poster

Greenleafer19 · 28/10/2019 14:48

I've just had a response finally!

'We do not have the legislative powers to deal with this particular issue. The reason for this is that we cannot deal with obstruction of the pavement where there are no other restrictions (Double yellow lines etc..).
Whilst we can deal with people obstructing a dropped kerb this does not apply to the occupant of the property to which the dropped kerb gives access (therefore you can block your own dropped kerb), which would appear to be the case here.
I would state that the parking shown in your photo is unbelievably selfish.

I can advise that both the Police and local Council (not parking) do have powers to deal with Anti social behaviour which this clearly is. The Police can also deal with obstruction of a footway which again this is. I would advise that you look at both localpolice and council websites with regards to dealing with anti social behaviour which is likely to be more appropriate than parking legislation on this occasion.'

I don't understand how this doesn't apply to my neighbour?!

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 28/10/2019 14:51

Who is the reply from?

dementedpixie · 28/10/2019 14:52

If it was the council that replied then they're directing you to the police. Call 101

Original poster

Greenleafer19 · 28/10/2019 14:53

The councils parking partnership for my area

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 28/10/2019 14:55

They have said to contact the local police citing anti social behaviour rather than going from the parking restrictions angle.

Original poster

Greenleafer19 · 28/10/2019 15:00

Oh god, I think this is going to be bad

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 28/10/2019 15:03

You dont have to use that wording. Just explain to them the issues with blocking the pavement as its not just you it affects

Swimtobreathe · 28/10/2019 15:09

Dont worry about it OP, the council are just saying that they agree with you that it's unacceptable parking but that the parking dept of the council dont have authority over it, but police do.
We had an issue on our street recently, narrow road & a number of people who park their vehicles entirely blocking the pavement, because there's not enough space to park on both sides of the street. I think some people from a local school (rightly) complained about kids having to cross the road on the way to school because of this. Police warned a couple of times (via letters left on vehicles) and then started fining repeat offenders I think. Its simple, if there's no space they have to go and park on another street, they can't block the pavement.

BlackeyedGruesome · 28/10/2019 15:10

My friend would have beaten the shit out of it with his white stick if he came across that. He took great exception to twats blocking pavements with Wheely bins.

Good luck op.

maryberryslayers · 28/10/2019 15:16

@Greenleafer19 I had asked him nicely first so he definitely knew it was me. I haven't spoken to him again, but different in the fact that he wasn't my direct neighbour though.

Ask nicely first but don't put yourself in harms way.

The council told me it was police as it's a whole pavement obstruction.

Jaxhog · 28/10/2019 15:39

She can't block the pavement. Period. The police should be able to warn her and tow her if she persists. It might be worth asking her to move first though, as she is specifically blocking you in a wheelchair. She'd have to pretty insensitive not to move then.

Jaxhog · 28/10/2019 15:41

PS. Police will tow persistent offenders btw. I've watched them do it many times in my local town. It makes for great entertainment during lunch.

attillathenun · 28/10/2019 15:48

god who on earth parks like that?!? she is totally obstructing the pavement and its illegal to park over a dropped kerb.

I think it can depend on where you live about who deals with it - some places its the council and other places its the police and also depends on exact what it is that's been done. Where we live the police only deal with dangerous parking (which you could argue this is as you have to go into the road to get round!).

I would knock on the neighbours door and try and have a conversation with them first. Then if they are still doing it I would ring the police and tell them that you politely asked her not to do it.

BuildBuildings · 28/10/2019 15:57

This is bonkers parking! Can't believe someone would do this! Seems they are asking you to go to the police. I'd also contact your local councillor.

AthollPlace · 28/10/2019 15:57

Call the police and get them to have a word with her. She can’t block the pavement like that.

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