To not let people park across the drive that I don’t use?

[Blanketyblanket]

My house has a drive that runs next to the side of the house. For some reason the previous owners of the house built a conservatory across half the drive so it is almost impossible to actually get a car onto the drive. I’ve applied for planning permission to widen the driveway as it would involve knocking down part of the garden wall which is over 6foot. Massive backlog with PP at the moment in the area due to CV so not sure when it will actually happen.

The town I live in is very touristy. Parking is a nightmare every summer but this year has been particularly bad due to fewer people going abroad. As a result I’ve often not been able to find anywhere to parks I for the past few weeks I’ve been parking in front of the gap for my driveway. There’s no pavement or dropped kerb, it’s just an opening in the wall. My house is the only one on my side of the street. On the other side are about 6 houses, all with drives, so everyone parks on the side of the street that my house is on.

I come out today to find I can’t actually physically leave my house via my door as there is a car completely across the entrance to my drive. I hadn’t parked there as I only park there when I can’t find anywhere else. I can leave my house via the side door but it’s 20 steps down to the gate at the bottom of the garden, it’s a pain in the arse and very narrow and very often that gate is blocked by a car too. That’s not normally an issue as I don’t normally leave that way.

I put a note on the car parked across the drive saying ‘please don’t park here, access required’. Came back this afternoon to find the car still there and a neighbour from down the road came out to shout at me that I had upset his guests, where did I expect them to park, I was being really selfish in thinking that I had my own personal parking space when it’s a public highway. Luckily another neighbour came out and told angry neighbour that it was just temporary etc as angry neighbour wouldn’t let me get a word in.

So AIBU? I know it’s a public road but I’d never park across someone’s drive. The drives on my road generally only for one car so a lot of houses then park their other car across the dropped kerb. Bit different in my case I guess as I have no dropped kerb and no car on the actual drive. I very occasionally park my car on the drive but I never would at this time of year as if someone even slightly overhangs my drive I’ve got no chance of getting out again.

Your neighbour is a meany. i love your diagram. Get counsel permission for a dropped curve asap. Sorry about this situation op.

Blanketyblanket I suppose people are getting their knickers in a twist about it being a driveway you don't use. But it's clear from your clarifications actually it's the entrance to your house, and you can't get in or out of your house on foot if people park across your hole in the wall. Which does make it obvious that no one should be parking across it and your neighbour was wrong to give you an earful for requesting room is left for access.

Thanks for the Google photo. That's really clear its an entrance and shouldn't be blocked. I wouldnt park across it or any other 'gap' like this in case it is used for access in any way. I wouls def arrange some pots or traffic cones but failing that how far out would your car come past the wall if you parked on there? Would it be too tight a squeeze to get out? Xx

I'd stick a massive cone there with sign on it about access

Is get a "no parking, driveway in use" big fat sign.

*I'd 🙄

Someone near me has put massive (metre wide by metre high) concrete bowls On the road and made them into planters. They look like some kind of industrial council supplied planter but they‘ve been put there to stop people parking down a narrow lane that provides access to other houses. They’re clearly illegal but they’ve been there for years and do the job! There will always be chancers if parking is in short supply and a sign or even a road marking might not stop people. Good luck!

If there's a drive, technically anyway, then why is there no dropped kerb? It seems fair game for people to park there without one but I would be onto the council to put a dropped kerb in to stop them (or at least have a valid argument).

@Blanketyblanket

The man isn’t normally there. Not sure who he is or what he’s up to. He’s not a pavement or a kerb and and I can’t paint lines on him.

This really made me laugh much more than it should have. Nice one OP.

Here is a similar situation on the right of the photo. Note the cones on the photo - maybe a solution for OP.

@alwayslatte there is no curb to drop

I would put a big planter either side of your gap. Just a cheap one would do weighed down with bricks in the bottom and some sort of decorative tree. Keep it close to the wall literally either side of the gap. They won’t be able to move the planters so will need to park around them but the planters won’t cause an obstruction in the road and will inform people that the gap needs to be kept clear. I’d also put an access needed at all times sign just beside the gap.

Out of everything on the thread I like the flower in the garden in your diagram the most.

Ugh, why are people still going on about dropped kerbs? OP made it clear from the first post there is no pavement and has even put a google maps image up. There is no kerb to drop!

Put a chain across (cheap, by the metre from
Homebase or wherever) and attach a sign saying ‘No Parking. Access required”?

The photo clears it up a lot. I'm surprised that people park there tbh. Entry and exit to your home shouldn't be blocked. Makes it difficult for you to get out. Makes it difficult for emergency services (if needed) to get in. I wonder if anyone in the council could help? It's probably worth having a word with someone.

Its obviously a driveway....or obvious if one lives in similar locations.
Stick a cone each side and always park with your nose poking out.....you'll find people stop parking over the drive in time as they get used to it.
....what's with the conservatory though....???

You’d have to be thick to park across —the man— the entrance. Your neighbour is a dick.

Comes are your friends I think. Bright ones. And a chain across with a no parking sign as pp suggested.

Is "drop the kerb" the new "cancel the cheque"?

Just get that bloke to tell people not to park there.

YANBU. Your neighbour sounds horrible.

@DdraigGoch

Is "drop the kerb" the new "cancel the cheque"?

Feels like it!

God knows why people are still saying it though. It's not exactly a long thread to read through. You could even just read the OP's posts. 🙄

I'd put planters (very heavy planter) or some hanging baskets at car scrapping height on the wall if the road is too steep.

The man isn’t normally there

Shame. Can you try and hire him to shoo cars away from your drive?

Alternatively, could you get the kerb dropped?