You don't have a right to park outside your house!

[LendAnEar]

Burgh! Why is it that people feel that they have some God given right to park outside their home and can demand where other people can/can't park?

I parked on the road yesterday afternoon, in front of another car, getting the perfect spot, just before the double yellows start. There was a bin on the road behind the other car, I assume to reserve a space . It's difficult to find a parking spot so I was happy I got a space.

As I get out of my car another car coming towards me slows with their window down. A woman proceeds to shout "Excuse me, you're not allowed to park there, you need to move. I'm expecting a delivery".

I was annoyed at the way she spoke to me, condecending and assuming because I look young, that I don't know where I can/can't park. I replied that I can park there as it's a public road and I'm not on the double yellows. Lady repeats that I can't park outside her house all day and that I need to move. She has a delivery coming. The house she's referring to has an empty drive!

I simply say tell the woman I'm parked legally and not moving before walking away. The thing is, if she had been polite from the start and not so entitled and asked nicely if I would move then I would have. I just hate that people think they have a right to tell other what they can or can't do

Now I want to be REALLY petty and park there every time I'm in the area but then again now I'm worried something will 'accidentally happen to my car which isn't worth it 🤷🏼‍♀️

I can see why it winds people up. Near my station, there are lots of residential roads that commuters use for parking (because the station car park is full). I go in really early so I generally get a car parking space but so many people I know have had cars deliberately damaged. It’s a pain for residents though as they can’t park near their house. Basically the council needs to invest in proper car parking but won’t because of green travel initiatives so it is the residents that get the worse end of the deal as the commuters have to use cars as there isn’t a bus and the route is dangerous for cycling.

formerbabe nice bit of casual ageism there.

It's a well-known problem. People think they can "intimidate" others into not parking outside their house. I once had a psychopathic neighbour yell and scream and block me in, and I saw him doing this to other people as well. (I heard on neighbour grapevine that he was also a regular drink-driver, and had mates in the police.)

Be very careful if you decide to fight this battle, especially if they are your neighbour. Yes, they are wrong and shouldn't be trying to bully people, and the rest of us shouldn't be giving in to the bullies, but if neighbours decide to be wilfully nasty, it can be very hard to prove it, and to do anything about it.

Our council put signs outside the disabled persons house with the space. Normally on the low wall. The disabled bay is only to be used by the corresponding badge holder number, no one else, regardless of blue badge or not @00100001

@00100001 also your question about why can't the blue badge holders who paid for the space just park on double yellows and walk shows lack of understanding on your part. They may be totally disabled and unable to just walk.

@YogaDrone

"Blue badge holders are allowed to park on double yellow lines."
Not on all double yellow lines.

From www.nidirect.gov.uk
"You may park on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours if it is safe to do so but not within 15 metres of a junction or where there are restrictions on loading or unloading – indicated by yellow kerb dashes and/or signs on plates. You are not entitled to park on yellow lines in 'off-street' car parks."

Yes....it could be seen as selfish.

But the resident isn't ENTITLED TO THE SPACE!

"They may be totally disabled and unable to just walk."

Maybe so...bit they still aren't entitled to sole use of the space....

Yes....it could be seen as selfish.

It is selfish

To use a space organised and paid for by someone else when there are other spaces, or you could organise your own is utterly selfish. The fact it’s a common problem shows how people just generally don’t give a second thought to anyone else

I used to live somewhere where parking was really difficult. I often had to park a couple of streets away from where I lived even with a parking permit. If I had a lot of shopping or luggage it was miserable. I don't have much time for people who complain they can't park directly outside their house.

Agree, it's very shitty to park in a what is obviously a "private" disabled bay. It's there because people NEED it.

Yes it's legal, so what. Do people always have to behave in the worst possible way they can get away with?

What a pathetic attitude.

I have an elderly couple on my street who do not drive, have no car and rarely get visitors.

They are so fucking cheeky. They often stand in their front yard and watch the world go by and have no reservations about asking people not to park outside their house because it spoils their view (of the other side of the road which has w bus stop and more houses). They have also been known to leave notes on windscreens to this effect.

I'm not ashamed to say the space outside their house is my go to place if I need to park elsewhere.

We had a large car parked outside our house for a few hours last week. It was a bit odd as we are on a curved corner and there was loads of straight space just along the road. Was there for a few hours and I happened to be looking out of the window when this woman appeared (I do the ironing in the bay window). She was mouthing sorry although I hadn’t said anything. I guessed she had been at my opposite neighbour’s but his drive had plenty of space. Later on I happened to see neighbour and he said that next time our visitors could use his drive as the car was sticking out on the corner and looked awkward. We don’t live near schools or anything - the whole thing was a bit odd.

I'm aware of the restrictions on double yellows but this thread is talking about standard on-road parking. I was also too late as someone had already made the point!

What’s even more irritating is when you do own the space in front of your house and people park there and then get huffy when you ask them to move

Wow @00100001, so selfish.

The twats that block your drive whilst the rest of the street is completely empty are something else. Why, just why?!?

This is one of my pet hates. There are so many people who believe they own the pavement outside their house. As my DH, who is a Local Authority civil engineer working for Highways, pavements are part of the public highway, unless you're on a private or unadopted road. And every one of us pays council tax so that our local council maintains it.

I can see why it would be annoying in some cases, though. My MIL hasn't got a drive where she lives, so there's very limited parking for the residents.

Many disabled spaces are advisory only. My FIL's ndn had white lines and a white disabled sign (wheelchair) painted outside their house. They also had metal no parking signs with a disabled sign on it attached to the front of their house. The lady, who struggled to walk due to a heart condition, died several years ago. However her son regularly flies into a range with anyone who parks there as he regards it as his personal parking space. He still has the signs on his house (and no, he does not have a hidden disability. He states how he should be able to park outside his own house).

Because it is only advisory, anyone could have parked there even when his mother was alive (but didn't out of respect). Now people are terrified to park there because he is an outrageous bully.

@00100001 it IS thoroughly selfish and entitled if they have PAID for that space and there are other spaces available. Encountering this problem on a regular basis could result in a person being too afraid to go out and becoming housebound, socially isolated, potentially severely depressed etc. Your attitude is appalling and by the looks of it I am not the only person who thinks this.

Corse you should be able to park outside your own house.....whoever says not obviously hasnt got this issue and doesnt have to lug everything from miles including little ones just to get in own home ....oooooo the novelty of a driveway you lucky people!!!!

BB holders aren't entitled to park in that space 00100001 that's very true. My mum has a BB and lives in a road full of small bungalows largely occupied by the over 70's and there are lots of these "disabled" bays along the road. Luckily my dad drives so if they aren't able to park in the one outside their bungalow he drops her off (idling in the road) and then finds a space further down.

But it is easier for someone with limited mobility to park as close to their house as possible. What really used to piss off my parents was when work vans would park in the spaces - no BB obviously. Most non-BB holding car drivers don't park in the disabled spaces in my experience.

I agree with you projecting her condescension due to your age - I suspect you were a bit chippy in return.

While no one has a right to the space outside their house - if you are expecting a large delivery, or something like scaffolding is going up, it makes everyone's lives much easier if they can get the delivery done at the side of the road rather than what will probably now happen is the delivery will block the road for however long it takes, pissing off far more people in the long run. We take our car off the drive for deliveries, mainly because the delivery has to go round the back of the house over the drive, and we can't do that with a car on it.

not so entitled and asked nicely if I would move then I would have

No you wouldn't. You were pleased to get a space.

Not that you should have moved, but don't pretend it was only her attitude that stopped you.