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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

213 replies

Blanketyblanket · 17/08/2020 18:48

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
maddening · 18/08/2020 00:17

Get gates that open out or leave your nose of your car sticking out?

GemmeFatale · 18/08/2020 07:17

Do you use the weird conservatory? Would you need permission to get rid of it? That way you don’t have to mess with the wall.

If it’s just angry neighbour and his guests that park there the community police liaison officer might come and have a chat to him about not parking over neighbour’s drives. It’s the sort of thing they do to prevent full scale disputes. However it might make your neighbour more belligerent.

GoldFluff · 18/08/2020 07:24

I reckon your neighbour told your guests to park there when they couldn't find a space as he'd seen you park there. You are blocking your OWN drive. Doesn't give anyone else the right to do so.

GoldFluff · 18/08/2020 07:24

*his guests

Original poster
Blanketyblanket · 18/08/2020 07:25

I don’t really use the weird conservatory thing at the moment and it’s really ugly. Eventually planning to have it redone and extending the kitchen out into it which is currently really long and thin and totally impractical.

I’m hoping it was just a one off as angry neighbour just had an extra guest over as normally they’d just park at their house. Hopefully it will only be a few more weeks and then most of the tourists will be gone and parking won’t be such an issue.

OP posts:
JacobReesMogadishu · 18/08/2020 07:28

If someone parks there again meaning you can’t leave your house even on foot climb over the car. Ideally in stilettos!

Original poster
Blanketyblanket · 18/08/2020 07:29

That’s what I thought goldfluff. The neighbours on the other side of the road all park across their own drives once they’ve got one car on it. I don’t think it’s strictly allowed but it doesn’t really affect anyone and no one would ever park in front of a drive that isn’t theirs.

OP posts:
lifecouldbeadream · 18/08/2020 07:40

I’m with @JacobReesMogadishu, I’d be shouting in a performance parenting voice

“now then ( insert child name) as we can’t leave our house we’ll just have to climb over this car. Now mind your buckles don’t scratch the paintwork. We wouldn’t want the same problem we had last time this happened now would we”

ElephantStamping · 18/08/2020 07:46

I would put a chain across it, with a sign dangling off the chain (& probably another on the wall if allowed) saying “Keep Clear. Access required at all times”. Would be a cheap, easy, and quick solution while you’re sorting out what you want to do more long-term. (Or just keep the chain! I grew up fairly rurally and the driveway chain with dangly sign was a common feature).

If any neighbours say anything, just say that you’re not normally one to make a fuss about such things, it’s just that if someone blocks the gap you can’t actually get off your property!

BiscoffAnythingIsTheWayForward · 18/08/2020 07:48

How infuriating! And imagine having the cheek of coming out and having a go at you! Cheeky barsteward!

I have a driveway and live very close to a primary school and frequently have people parking very close to the entrance (like 1cm) or over it. Unfortunately for them, if I return, I am very good at reversing into it and quite often come very close to their cars (maybe a bit on purpose)...they don’t park so close again. But in your case, you have no pavement and therefore this means they can park really close. I would definitely put signs up on the driveway entrance walls and by your garden gate, and perhaps ask the council if you can have plastic reflective bollards, placed either side of the entrance to stop this from happening?

Beautiful3 · 18/08/2020 08:07

Ah... now I've seen your google map photo update, I've changed my mind and vote! You are not being unreasonable. No one should block your drive as you cannot enter/leave the property. Perhaps put a chain across it with "KEEP DRIVE CLEAR" on a sign in the middle of it?

Ethelfleda · 18/08/2020 08:25
  1. YADNBU OP
  2. Your neighbour is an arse for mouthing off at you in the street
  3. I like the cut of your jib
  4. People really should read the thread
  5. Why don’t you drop the kerb? Wink
Apolloanddaphne · 18/08/2020 08:31

I have a driveway that comes straight off a road with no dropped kerb. There is no pavement, just a narrow road with drives off it like the picture shown above.

Jeremyironsnothing · 18/08/2020 08:45

It's a pity if prams and bikes damage anything as they are squeezed past.

MoreListeningLessChatting · 18/08/2020 08:51

If it is your property then get one of those low metal 'rope' type things that people put across the area with a padlock on it and a no parking private property sign on the wall. Then no one could physically park there but available should you need it - its yours.

Okbutnotgreat · 18/08/2020 09:34

You’d have to be a cretin to park there OP. If you let car overhangs the gap by 1cm it’s too big and should park elsewhere. Chase the council re op you need to get that wall down.

Floralnomad · 18/08/2020 09:37

Having seen that picture I can’t imagine how anybody thinks they can park there , is it possible to put some big concrete planters across the entrance , obviously with gaps to walk through , right on the edge so at least if someone does park there thus can’t use the doors on that side .

purpleboy · 18/08/2020 09:43

Agree with the chain and sign across the drive. It's totally obvious you would park there. Even if you didn't have a car, there could well be a motorcycle or similar that needs to get in and out.

Nonotthisagain · 18/08/2020 09:49

Oooh is drop the kerb going to be the new cancel the cheque? 🤣🤣

BillysMyBunny · 18/08/2020 09:51

YANBU but can you get a sign that asks people to leave the hole in the wall for your drive clear as access is required?

I’m also wondering whether you could reverse park in your drive but roll forward so the back of your car is in the drive but the front bonnet is in the road? Then you wouldn’t have to worry about anybody blocking you in by slightly overhanging as your car would be sticking out slightly.

Finally, although your hill may be too steep for flowerpots etc could you try and get some large flatish stones or something similar that won’t roll down the hill to mark the boundary of your drive?

Woeismethischristmas · 18/08/2020 09:59

There's no pavement so can't be a dropped kerb. I'm rural so all driveways just appear from gaps in fencing, walls through the trees etc. It's cheeky to park so close to the wall that you can't squeeze out. Stick a couple of big planters on either side of your drive to stop people parking next to the wall.

Bella2020 · 18/08/2020 10:00

From what I remember the police telking me when I arrived home to find a strange car parked on my drive, it's not illegal to stop you being able to get on your drive, but it is to block you from getting off your drive. I guess this is in case of emergencies.
Stuff that neighbour; who the heck do they think they are. Call the police non-emergency number next time.

Graciebobcat · 18/08/2020 10:22

I'd climb over the car to get out of my front gate, see how they feel about that. Maybe roll over the bonnet, 1970s cop style.

Ethelfleda · 18/08/2020 10:37

Maybe roll over the bonnet, 1970s cop style

Ah this sounds like fun! Do this OP!!