A parking thread (with a bit extra)

[Pljeskavica]

I probably am unreasonable, but everyone loves a parking thread right?

We live in a popular, family-oriented and well-to-do part of a city. At the end of our road of about 50 or so houses is a discreet brothel. No flashy lights, it looks mostly like a normal home, and it closes at 7pm. It specialises in the more mature offering. I’ve been on the website, it’s something else.

Anyhow, one of the women working there has a very distinct look - think OTT Bette Gilroy here - and drives an equally distinctive car. She has started parking this car at our end of the road, the opposite end to her work. Despite there being space closer. The houses are 1920s semis with no parking, so her parking there causes some problems for those who live here (I’ve asked to convert the front garden to a drive, we’re not allowed).

More significantly, not-Bette and her car is a bit of a sight to behold for the young families. Our neighbour with two under 5 boys wants our support in asking the woman to park closer to her work / away from our houses. I can see why she’s not comfortable.

AIBU to not offer our support even though it’ll damage neighbourly relations?

AIBU - support your neighbour
AINBU - what does it matter where she works / parks

I want a leopard print car with pink alloys!!!!

Haha xpost

I don’t actually know whether brothels are legal in the UK. I think they probably weren’t when I moved abroad. In which case, parking on your street for the purpose of working there isn’t legal either, and it should not be impossible to get the issue fixed, if you want to.

Welcome to MN, OP. What an interesting and attention grabbing first thread you've written :-)

Somehow I don't think this thread is going to have a happy ending.

That can be arranged, but it costs extra.

I would have more of an issue with the Brothel to be honest

Aye. We used to have fun. When posters were funny.

She can park where she likes.

Leopard Print Lady sounds like a lot of fun, OP! I think you should invite her in for tea and make a new friend

I got at all excited about a parking thread!!! But unfortunately this one does not meet the basic criteria which was laid out in detail way back in 2015 (if not before).
I cannot remember it all now... and unfortunately I think the best parking threads have been removed but I do recall the need for a diagram.

Few options here:

1. she could be parking it further away so that customers can't see it and know its hers

2. she's leaving space for customers, but if this was it I think you'd have mentioned it

Or 3 (and my personal fave) shes doing it because it rattles the massive sticks that you and your neighbours have stuck up your arses.

Voted you YABU for describing your area as 'well-to-do' (can a 50-row terrace be such a thing?) and for saying 'judgey pants' despite having an opening post brimming with judgment.

I'd rather have that woman's car and presence outside my house than the seedy fuckers who pay for sex.

Is she parked legally? If so, she’s on public highway and you and your neighbours don’t own the road, only a house on it. Nothing you can do other than ask her politely.

Isn't it illegal to run a brothel? Surely the concern is that an illegal business is running on your road. The woman is parking on your road (whichever end of it) to engage in illegal activity.

I saw a leopard print car yesterday! It was one of those small smart cars too. But to be honest I wouldn’t say it was a sight to behold, it’s unique yes, but I didn’t give it a 2nd thought until this thread.

Personally don’t think she’s doing anything wrong.

@Merryoldgoat

I wear a lot of leopard print.

I’m an accountant.

Me too, and I’m a special needs teacher... Also regularly have a big fuck off now in my hair and borrow my parents very ostentatious and in your face convertible to drive to work in. I also park on a middle class road & all is fine...

Leopard print and pink sounds fab.
I've seen a car covered in fake grass.

Any unlicensed business run in a residential area that brings in extra parking is being unreasonable and the people in that area aren’t being unreasonable to complain about. Simply asking her to park further down is just pushing the issue on to someone else, though.

I don’t think her type of business is entirely irrelevant if it attracts unruly clientele or advertises indiscreetly. Because dealing with punters accosting you on the street can be disconcerting and, particularly for teen girls, frightening, but that’s only if customers aren’t discrete - which isn’t that likely near a brothel, more likely in a red light district. Or if there is no way to avoid young children knowing what it is as transactional sex and the objectification and commodification of women in our culture is a bit beyond the understanding of most young children (many older children too). But I find it hard to believe there’s no alternative. Her car is fantastic (or tacky, depending on your mood!) but there’s nothing about it that makes it a prostitute’s car, it could be driven by an accountant. I highly doubt many prostitutes drive a car like that.

I might be inclined to support reporting on the grounds it’s an unlicensed business that increases parking pressure in a residential area - I wouldn’t support just asking her to move down the street, though, because that just pushes the problem on to other people.

I think my children's response to that car would be "cool, can we get one?".

I don’t actually know whether brothels are legal in the UK. I think they probably weren’t when I moved abroad. In which case, parking on your street for the purpose of working there isn’t legal either, and it should not be impossible to get the issue fixed, if you want to.

So, the police raid the place and then call the traffic wardens to issue a ticket for an illegally parked car.... I don't think so!

How would you propose judgy OP gets the issue fixed?

Perfect time for your neighbour to talk to her kids about differences in people and being kind and not judgemental. The fact she is a sex worker is another issue entirely.

@Pljeskavica Surely your neighbours kids see distinctive cars and people in other places, like the supermarket? What's so terrible about seeing it regularly in their street? What would she do if that lady MOVED IN to a nearby house? Would you have to go round with her to support her to ask the woman to move house, or at least buy a less flashy car? If it was a middle aged lady in a white Micra who parked there in order to catch a nearby bus, would she be in such a froth and wanting to ask her to move due to there being restricted parking? I suspect not.

The brothel is a red herring.

If she's parked legally then her car - and what it looks like - and the job she does, has naff-all to do with you or your neighbours.

Interesting first post.

I think most kids would love seeing a leopard print car. I don’t get what the problem is. It all sounds a bit Hacinyth Bucket. Is the concern that having such a car parked spoils the view? More so than a black car? Or are people worried about house prices being devalued by something which some may judge to be common being parked in a “well to do” area?

Has your neighbour been telling the kids that this woman is a prostitute? If so, then that's bad parenting on her part - totally inappropriate information to share. If not, she's not really objecting to this woman being a sex worker - she's objecting to her wearing leopard print. And that's totally U. Women who have dyed hair and wear bright colours can park in the exact same places available to women in beige cardigans. There's no additional restrictions on people who are blonde in public.

sadly I don't think there's much you can do.
are brothels legal???
obviously she doesn't want anyone tonsee her car near her workplace to connect the two .
just try and ignore it