Petty neighbour - parking related

[Snufkins]

Not sure why I’m posting on here or whether it’s me being unreasonable or the ‘neighbour’

I live in a new build development, it’s not a cul de sac as such but there are other houses at the back and bottom and fields at the top. So technically anyone can pass through on walks.

My house is opposite a long road which makes a T junction, a sharp left takes you to the rest of the houses and a right to the few others. DP parks on pavement as at the moment we have a single driveway, cars can get very tight round the bend especially if icy so it’s all we’re able to do at the moment (we’re not in London so not illegal?).

A couple on their daily walk (I don’t know whether they live on the same block) have taken to slamming DP’s wing mirror when walking past. It’s showing some damage. I think I have seen them walk through my front garden during summer several times too to get past. The road is quiet, they could easily cross the road but there is room to walk on the pavement just in single file. There are cars and a van parked nearby on pavement and they don’t do the same to them.
We’re forking out over £10k to sort out our bog of a garden which has taken a while to save and DP now says we need to extend the driveway at the same time to stop this happening, can’t really afford both!

I instead want to confront these people but are we being unreasonable or them? I want to say we have CCTV (we don’t) to put them off but I am frustrated they are picking on us, especially walking on my property.

Fold the wing mirrors in?

YABU for breaking the cardinal rule of Mumsnet - parking threads need diagrams!

(and no, don't park on the pavement)

My house is opposite a long road which makes a T junction, a sharp left takes you to the rest of the houses and a right to the few others. DP parks on pavement

If you are parking at the end of a T junction you will be making it awkward for cars getting to the end and turning so that might be why they are targeting you?

www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252

motorists should not park “opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space”.

Stop parking on the fucking pavement.

He shouldn't park on the pavement ever, not even a little bit.

They, on the other hand, shouldn't be damaging your property.

You are all being unreasonable.

Why would you need to park directly outside your house? I live on a street with more homes than parking spaces and we park all over the place. A few times I've had to park in the next street over and cut through an alleyway back to my home. Unless your dh is disabled, but then wouldn't you give him the driveway spot?

@thedancingbear

Stop parking on the fucking pavement.

Pretty much!

Just move your bloody car and stop acting the victim.

The pavement is not an extension of your house or driveway. You don’t own it. You’re the problem. Stop it.

I am still confused about why his wing mirrors aren’t folded in. Is that the issue? Is that what they’re “damaging” ?!!

They are being unreasonable for actually causing damage.

You are being unreasonable for parking on the pavement.

You are also probably parking illegally if you are parking opposite a T junction.

Can you not just park a little bit further away and walk? The exercise will no doubt be good for you.

Just because you think there is enough room for a wheelchair doesn't mean you should park on the pavement. One of my service users in a wheelchair with CP constantly used to have fits and fling her arms out. So yeah you'd have had your wing mirror shoved a few times 🤣

I don't care whether or not it's legal or not, parking on the pavement is just fucking selfish. Cars already dominate pedestrians' lives, and now drivers think it's OK to take up pedestrian space as well ...

If it's not safe to park right outside your house, your DH can park a little way away, and fucking walk to your front door.

Are you allowed to park on the footpath on your estate? We viewed a new build estate a couple of years ago, some houses were already occupied and parked either half on the footpath or fully on (wide footpath!) the developers told us they had included a covenant preventing parking on the path but plenty still did it. It made a nice new estate look like cars were abandoned everywhere.

What they’re doing is weird but YABU to park on the pavement. If they have to walk single file then there isn’t room for a biggie or wheelchair. What about a double buggie? You shouldn’t expect pedestrians to walk on the road/ cross over because you’re blocking the pavement.

Do you mean slamming it closed, so it doesn’t stick out any more? If so, why wouldn’t you just close it yourself?

it’d be in front of someone’s house rather than my own

and....?

@Knotmyname am in South East!

YABU. You can’t park on the pavement. I hate it when people do this. If you want more than one car then buy a house that has room to park two, or park it on the road where it is safe to do so, even if it means a 5 minute walk.

No room for them to park their own car?

It’s actually not illegal to park partially on the pavement ...

Highway Code 244. You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.
Law GL(GP)A sect 15

In real life, cars always park slightly on the path (even though there’s no signage), literally everywhere .. not London as it’s now illegal. Personally, i think if you can fit fully on the road then you should. If you’re definitely not stopping pushchairs/wheelchairs, then I would absolutely be addressing the issue directly with the couple involved.

Infrastructure is just not big enough for pedestrians, cars and peoples homes. The conflict is the obstruction, either obstruct the road or the pavement. Hence why people park on the pavement, this then leads to pedestrians being passive aggressive in some kind of protest.

Personally I'd widen your drive, but before that I'd confront the two people involved and tell them clearly not to damage my property.

I have got the message! The old paving from my back garden is being planned to be used on the front. There’s been times where I live where I’ve had to go into the road to get past a car and that’s me on my own. In other streets I’ve had to do that with a pram. But still I wouldn’t think to damage or walk on peoples property.

Are you sure here is room for a wheelchair or pram or kid on a bike if there isn’t room for this couple to walk double file?

@Whattodo1610

It’s actually not illegal to park partially on the pavement ...

Highway Code 244. You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it. Parking on the pavement can obstruct and seriously inconvenience pedestrians, people in wheelchairs or with visual impairments and people with prams or pushchairs.
Law GL(GP)A sect 15

In real life, cars always park slightly on the path (even though there’s no signage), literally everywhere .. not London as it’s now illegal. Personally, i think if you can fit fully on the road then you should. If you’re definitely not stopping pushchairs/wheelchairs, then I would absolutely be addressing the issue directly with the couple involved.

The OP has already said there's not enough room for pedestrians to walk two abreast ergo there is insufficient room for a wheelchair or mobility scooter.

And the car is also opposite a junction.

And in real life here (and every other place I've lived outside London), people don't park on the pavement unless the road is really narrow and emergency vehicles wouldn't be able to get through otherwise. As far as the OP has said, the only reason for the car being on the pavement is that her partner thinks careless drivers might hit it.

Oh op you should know on mumsnet that you are not allowed to park on pavements. Back in the real world where not everyone has drives -should see my street mumsnet would be horrified.
Anyway you do have a drive do slightly unreasonable . They shouldn’t be damaging your car though they are arseholes . Can you not put your mirrors in ? Also do you definitely know it’s them ? Have you seen them . If so yeah confront them and tell them you have cctv .

Stop parking on the fucking pavement.

This!!!