Neighbors parking is making things difficult

[kekouan]

I don't know how to deal with this one.. AIBU?

Me and my DP have recently moved into a new house. Our neighbor is absolutely lovely but I think we need to talk to her about her parking situation.

We each have space for one car at the front of our house, but not separated by a wall or anything. She regularly parks her car right on the boundary of the propery (think right on the line of a car parking space, that's how small the drives are) and it's making things difficult.

I'm 34 weeks pregnant and find it difficult (impossible this morning) to squeeze past her car. Even when ours is as far over as possible, there is barely enough room for me!

I don't know how we'll manage when we have a car seat/buggy to manouvre.

How should I approach this subject with her?

Would be worth a cha but if she's within the boundary then don't think she's duty bound to do anything. If narky she'll just say you'll have to move your car and you will have to do so to solve the issue unfortunately.

I think being PG you have the perfect excuse!

Why not invite her round for coffee & say that you've noticed you are not getting in to the car as easily as you used to & would she mind easing her car over a bit so you can get bump in?

Keep it simple & truthful & if she's as lovely as you feel she is it'll be no problem-pobably just not occured to her?

She's really nice, so I don't think it would be a problem. Pretty sure it's not deliberate (don't think she realises) and I'm sure it would be Ok.. .

I just don't want to upset her..

Why would she be upset?

As you say she probably doesn't even realise!!

And if she's as nice as you think she is then she'd be MORE upset if she though you were struggling & has said nothing

I suppose I'm asking how I should approach it really... I don't want to make a big deal of it, but I can't just catch her in passing either.

Maybe it would be better to wait until I actually have the buggy/car-seat.

argh.. what's wrong with me? Trouble is, it's driving me absolutely mental and my partner doesn't want me to talk to her about it (he thinks I'll lose my temper and shout at her!!) but then he wont go and talk to her either.

Could you park your car the other way round? ie reverse on rather than drive on, or vice-versa?

There's a wall on the other side of our drive, and sometimes we have to park right up close to that so we can open the doors on one side, so yes, but would still cause a problem.

That's why it's such a problem - when the car seat is fitted in the back (back left seat) we'll need access to both sides, and it's just going to be impossible.

I can forsee a situation where she's so far over that I really wouldn't be able to get the buggy out of the house! The cars would literally be trapping me in! meep!

Well you would think she would realise then. Can you catch her out when you are, and make a big thing about struggling through the gap?

We have the same sort of set up with parking spaces. A neighbour, also a friend, asked us if we could just park over a little bit more. It wasn't a problem and it didn't cause any tension although I could tell he really didn't want to ask us. Usually people are blissfully unaware until you mention it.

well you could just be polite and ask her to do you a favour and park a little further over.

Or you could just park on the boundary first.