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Please tell me not to be a complete child about parking feud

48 replies

ParkingFeud · 26/11/2020 19:54

I'm not even sure why I'm writing this, I'm a mixture of pissed off, slightly concerned and rather amused. I'm currently trying to resist shaking chilli powder over neighbours door handles, please tell me not to!

We live in a very little country village with a mix of people parking on the street and in drives. Unfortunately due to the general disaster this year has been I ended up moving back in with parents to save us money while my partner rented a room Monday to Friday near his work an hour away. Since the last lockdown he has been working from home so we now have 4 cars to park. Mine has been relegated to the road (being the cheapest and least valuable!)

I happily pulled up on the street behind some other cars to park last week and a van pulled up behind me. Just as I was gathering my bits a man shouted through the window "you are parking on my drive, you can't park here." Cue slight confusion from me because this is 100% definitely a road beside a hedge. I didn't get out or open the windows but sort of shouted calmly (but loud enough to get through window obviously) that no, this was actually a road. He kept repeating no this is my drive, you can't park here and I kept repeating that it was a road and I definitely could. Eventually (and wimpily) I called my Dad from the car and asked him to come out and he came out to ask the neighbour what the problem is - very politely, quite impressive for my Dad actually. Almost neighbour started by saying again that this part of the road was his drive (bear in mind he does actually have a gated drive attached to his house) and my Dad pointed out again that no, this was a road. Eventually he moved away from that and said it was very suspicious to suddenly have a car parked outside his house every night. So we assured him I have no criminal record, have lived in the village all my life, haven't contributed to the non-existant crime stats and that my kia picanto wouldn't be a very good get away car anyway. He seemed to calm down.

Ever since when I've parked in that spot he has either made the effort to pop both my wing mirrors in (v kind to make sure they don't get banged off I suppose?) or parked just a few centimetres away from me. It's really quite impressive actually. I presume his wife must come out to help them judge how close it is. I couldn't really care less about that...mine is an old banger of a car and even if they dented it it probably wouldn't be noticeable.

But seriously is this behaviour just bonkers? Is it going to carry on forever or will they get bored eventually? I am a little bit worried it might escalate into tire slashing or wing mirrors actually being bashed off. Someone tell me to be an adult and not retaliate because I'm so close haha!

OP posts:
CodenameVillanelle · 26/11/2020 19:55

Can you park a bit away and walk? You shouldn't have to but weirdos like this don't give up and you don't know what he could do!

StealthPolarBear · 26/11/2020 19:57

What a charmer he is.
If he can't tell the difference between a drive and the road I'm worried about his judgement.

flaviaritt · 26/11/2020 20:00

It sounds a bit odd but I don’t think you need to do anything about it. Popping in your mirrors won’t hurt your car. Parking near you - well, can you get out?

gottakeeponmovin · 26/11/2020 20:01

He is a dick I would keep parking there!

SquirtleSquad · 26/11/2020 20:01

He won't give up, this particular breed of wanker never do but it's all the more fun for you to wind him up.

Namechangedforthisoct2 · 26/11/2020 20:01

I don’t think people like that ever give up. However it would make me park there every. single. time.
And I’d probably get the rest of my family too!

Royalbloo · 26/11/2020 20:02

YANBU but I'd just park somewhere else to be honest. Life is hard enough at the minute. But that's just me...

My neighbour "stood up" to my other neighbours and she was right but she's suffered anxiety ever since so it might be worth considering how much you don't like this situation vs. what you're gaining. Especially if you needed to get your Dad out? I would just move but I hate animosity x

Royalbloo · 26/11/2020 20:02

Do what serves you.

Nottherealslimshady · 26/11/2020 20:05

Wel at least you've added some excitement to their miserable lives.

HavelockVetinari · 26/11/2020 20:06

He sounds like a fecking eejit, but DO NOT ENGAGE. Not only will it raise the stakes, your parents have to live there.

CakeRequired · 26/11/2020 20:07

I would keep parking a bit further back each night further from your house, towards his. Obviously not over the driveway though. Just a cm's back each time.

GarlicMonkey · 26/11/2020 20:08

I'd be smearing my wing mirrors with something really nasty.

ParkingFeud · 26/11/2020 20:09

@gottakeeponmovin

He is a dick I would keep parking there!
This is the problem...now I know it winds him up it is my preferred spot! I just can't help myself!

This sounds silly but it is one of the only convenient spaces as the village is on a bend and the other houses on our side of the bend don't have drives so the people who live in them park right in front of their houses (of course). In a way I wouldn't even want to park in front of their houses as its long been accepted that those spaces are for the people that live there. I park further down on the opposite side to our house (or I would block whole road) but to park even further away would mean I really need to go round the next bend and end up, you know, even further away. I know I have two working legs and we aren't talking a marathon distance but...laziness?! ;)

It has just dawned on me that actually it will be over once partners work reopens and at least I will only be "parking on his drive" at weekends.

OP posts:
FancyNancyClancy2 · 26/11/2020 20:09

I don’t really have any suggestions for you but you have every right to park there.

I have some neighbours a few houses down from me who sounds exactly like your neighbour except one day he actually went outside with a knife and slashed the tyres of the car parked there. Que a lot of commotion down the street that day. I really don’t understand why some people feel so entitled about the bit of road outside their house that isn’t theirs.

GettingAwayWithIt · 26/11/2020 20:13

Are the other three cars parked on your parents drive? I take it you aren’t blocking his actual gated drive at all and have left enough space for him to get his own car manoeuvred off the driveway? He sounds like a bit of a curtain twitcher TBH! Is there anywhere else you can leave your car though just in the interests of keeping the peace?

Sorry you’ve had a financially rough year Flowers

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 26/11/2020 20:19

I can't believe no-one has pointed this out yet, but you haven't provided a diagram?

HiyaMeAgain · 26/11/2020 20:28

@UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername

I can't believe no-one has pointed this out yet, but you haven't provided a diagram?
I was literally just coming in to say we need a diagram.

Why does he think it's his drive? Does the hedge run along side his drive so he thinks the road belongs to him? He sounds bonkers.

ParkingFeud · 26/11/2020 20:32

@UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername

I can't believe no-one has pointed this out yet, but you haven't provided a diagram?
Very very good point. You can tell I'm meant to be studying right now, hopefully this will suffice. The green bit is a hedge. Brown bits are buildings. Orange bit is my car. Car isn't actually orange, it's black.
Please tell me not to be a complete child about parking feud
OP posts:
CrocodilesCry · 26/11/2020 20:37

I don't know about chilli, I'd be putting cat shit under his door handles.

Whammyyammy · 26/11/2020 20:37

Sound like you live in my village! We only have room for 3 cars on our drive so park one of our cars on the village road if we have family visiting.

One particular guy or his wife are very protective of the road outside their house, always come to the window and stare etc, twice the guy come out and rudely told me to park elsewhere.
Next night my oh parked the car for me, guy came charging out, oh (6'2 and big) got out, the guy slowed his pace and walked right past without saying a word.

Oh asked if their was a problem, guy ignored him. Never had a problem since.

Its a road, not his road either, you park there.

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 26/11/2020 20:39

Sometimes the dropped kerb extends beyond the drive slightly to allow for visibility. Are you 100% not parking across any part of his dropped kerb at all?

ParkingFeud · 26/11/2020 20:41

@WhereverIGoddamnLike

Sometimes the dropped kerb extends beyond the drive slightly to allow for visibility. Are you 100% not parking across any part of his dropped kerb at all?
A good 3 or 4 metres away for sure! You could put another car in (and sometimes there is, especially at school pick up times) and still leave plenty of room for the drive. My diagram is not very to scale!
OP posts:
AdobeWanKenobi · 26/11/2020 20:42

@CodenameVillanelle

Can you park a bit away and walk? You shouldn't have to but weirdos like this don't give up and you don't know what he could do!
Do you always kowtow to bullies then?

OP, pop your own mirrors in when you park, that will leave him head scratching.
If he continues to park inches from your bumper take photos and speak to your local PCSO. This is harassment.

yeOldeTrout · 26/11/2020 20:43

Gold Stars on the diagram. Especially enjoying the "I have lived in 2 of these houses" type comments.

ReindeersAreBetterThanHumans · 26/11/2020 20:45

You deserve to park there for life after that stunning diagram. Bravo!

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