Neighbour complaining about our garden lights

[Slave2love]

Very petty and silly subject I know but here goes.
We have a small hedge on the edge of our front lawn to separate our garden from the neighbour's driveway. (Only recently planted, very small at this stage) further in on our lawn we have put a few small solar lights. Next doors drive is only just wide enough to squeeze 2 cars side by side and there is very little room to open doors etc. Until we put the hedge and lights in they were opening their car door fully over our garden in order to get out (also stepping on our land at times). Now I appreciate that we have made it awkward for them to open the doors fully now but surely they are not entitled to use our garden in order to get out of their car? They are new to the street but we knew of them previously and children are actually in the same class at school. Neighbour has asked this morning if we can move the solar lights. All has been pleasant with them up until now despite them being quite selfish neighbours. I could understand if the lights were on the boundary line but they are much further in. I feel it is them who have created the problem by parking 2 cars on a drive only really suitable for one. AIBU to not want to move the lights?

[Clangus00]

If it’s because of the parking, build a wall.
If it’s because of light disturbance, move the lights.

[Gallivespian]

It wouldn't bother me if they stepped on to MY land unless they were complete knobs about other things.

But from what the OP says, now that she's put a hedge on the edge of her boundary, they will be trampling her growing hedge if they step out of their car onto her land.

[Frenchw1fe]

Just ask 'Why?'
When they say it's difficult to get out of the car tell them you sympathise but the lights are there so they can see your garden and don't trample on it.
Smile then walk away.

[Slave2love]

Just to add the hedge is very small and low as it has only recently been planted. It's not high enough to cause any obstruction as the car door goes straight over it. Basically the neighbour wants to be able to open the car door fully and my solar lights are stopping her from doing it. Of course the door overhanging shouldn't bother me but if I have no division between the garden and the grass then they tend to take advantage and walk on my garden. Also just to add it's not my drive and their drive next to one another, it's our garden and their drive. I think I just feel annoyed because they have done numerous selfish things since moving in and weve never made a fuss.

[IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory]

Ignore her. She doesn’t have a right to access part of your garden for getting into her car. This time next year the hedge will be well up and she’ll have to park her car with more care.

[IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory]

I can’t believe she actually had the nerve to ask you tbh. If have struggled not to laugh in her face.

[Gallivespian]

When they say it's difficult to get out of the car tell them you sympathise but the lights are there so they can see your garden and don't trample on it.

This, I think. At the moment, your baby hedge is so tiny it's not obstructing their car doors when opened, but that will change as soon as it starts to grow, and unless you want your growing hedge damaged on a daily basis by being bashed their car doors, it's best to have lights to remind them that a growing hedge is there, on their boundary, and that they need to figure out a different way of parking.

[DriftingLeaves]

Ignore and watch your hedge because they will they to clip that.

If they ask again and tell you it's so they can open their door then explain the hedge will be stopping them soon anyway.

[greenlobster]

Move the lights.
Also don't forget to fertilize your hedge well with manure. It's important to take care of your garden

[AnybodyWantAChip]

If she's asking because the lights are disturbing them at night, then Ii would remove them but then put plant pots or something similar in size in the same spot.
If sh'es asking so she can continue to use your garden for space to get out of her car, I would say no.

[spacepyramid]

We have had a similar problem and have put up a wall now to stop it. Our neighbours have a wide drive which they can fit four cars on. They then bought a caravan which they park as far over to our side of the drive as they can to the extent that it blocks light from our lounge at the front of the house and so they have to step on our drive in order to get in and out when they are doing whatever they do inside it.

We asked them to please park outside their garage or further over on the drive because of it blocking the light from our lounge - we now need the lights on all day. We've had a company come out now and build a wall along the edge of our boundary so they can't park their caravan there.

In your case I'd just move the lights though, it's not worth falling out over some little lights.

[firawla]

I think you’re being the petty one more than them. If the hedge is right on the boundary then soon you’re hedge is going to start growing over into their land and surely that’s more of an obstruction and an issue than an
Over hanging car door and a couple of footsteps on your land. They are your neighbours and you have kids in school together, I would just be trying to get along not make life difficult and start neighbour disputes

[WhenYouCantRunYouCrawl]

Put up a fence. They will damage your hedge I guarantee it.

[cantfindname]

Very petty OP. Be 100% honest and think how you would feel if you had to struggle to get in and out of your car!

I could understand if they were trampling on a lovely flower border but this is just mean-spirited.

[cakeandchampagne]

Build a (legal) wall or fence.

[Apolloanddaphne]

I would tell her there is no point because your hedge will grow very soon and she won't be able to open her door anyway.

[JustHavinABreak]

You've said that your neighbours have acted selfishly in the past so perhaps what you've done here is justified. Without examples though, I think you're just coming across as petty and very un-neighbourly (is that a word?) As I said, maybe they deserve it, but without context, it strikes me as really odd behaviour to make getting out of their cars more difficult

[theoriginalmadambee]

Fence, a tall one.

[IdleBet]

they have done numerous selfish things since moving in and weve never made a fuss.

Don't move the lights.

[JKScot4]

These threads can be pretty hypocritical because in reality how many of you would if this was you tolerate a ndn using your garden to get out their car? be limited in what you could do to your OWN garden to appease your ndn?
You wouldn’t, the ndn sound like cheeky entitled gets, tell them no you’re not adjusting your garden to suit them and they best not damage your hedge or lights.

[JKScot4]

Diagram is a legal requirement in MN parking threads!!!!!!

[reginafelangee]

Move your lights. I am sure you like them but if its stopping your neighbours being able to get in and out of their cars then you are being very unreasonable and selfish.

Maybe they don't have a 'right' to be on your land but any reasonable person would not object to this.

And it is really not worth falling out with people over.

Move the lights

[oohnicevase]

Our neighboUrs used to do this and churned up my grass in the process . We have a bit of land in the middle that is ours and separates the driveways . I dig it up and planted a 5 foot hedge as close to their boundary as I could and gravelled the rest .. I prefer the privacy and it means they don't churn up my grass .. it's probably very annoying for them but 🤷‍♀️.. we all knew what we were buying .

[yuiop]

Are they being careful not to step on the hedge when they step out the car?

[yuiop]

And I wouldn't move the lights. It's your garden, not theirs. They can figure out parking without your assistance.