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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Petty neighbour - parking related

241 replies

Snufkins · 08/02/2021 16:15

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.

OP posts:
Sarahrellyboo1987 · 09/02/2021 18:11

You’re blocking a pavement and parking opposite a junction which is illegal.

jwpetal · 09/02/2021 18:24

They should not be walking on your property. You can say something. As for the mirror, why don't you make it a habit is close it? That will stop the ill treatment.

FrankStory · 09/02/2021 18:32

My front door opens right onto the street. People on my side of the street park on the pavement - there's not a lot of choice. However, somebody parked 18" from my front door! No note left on the windscreen or through my door for contact. If I'd have had a buggy I wouldn't have been able to get out. As it was I needed to get some furniture out of my house for somebody to collect. I had to knock on everyone's door to try and find whose it was. Nobody knew whose car it was so I phoned the police in desperation. They wouldn't do anything. I asked them what would happen if I scratched it when it was illegally parked and they said I would be responsible for any damage. So the people damaging your car will be responsible for the damage, even if your car is parked on the pavement. BTW there are parking restrictions outside my house.

caspersmagicaljourney · 09/02/2021 18:33

So obviously they shouldn't damage the car, but you shouldn't have bought a house with a single drive and two cars, and not have thought about this!

Absolutely agree with this. We have the same problem in the road I live in. I feel really sorry for anyone in a wheelchair, or people with pushchairs as they don't stand a chance🥴

Shona52 · 09/02/2021 18:47

It is not a criminal offence to park on the pavement—apart from Heavy Goods Vehicles—however it is a criminal offence to drive on to the pavement, whether there is an intention to park or not. So technically you are breaking the law

Reinventinganna · 09/02/2021 18:47

Maybe try to talk to them. Apologise for parking like a selfish prick.

Polomints · 09/02/2021 18:53

Where do some MNers get their 'facts' from? Parking on a pavement is not against the highway code if you are outside of London.

SoupDragon · 09/02/2021 18:57

@Polomints

Where do some MNers get their 'facts' from? Parking on a pavement is not against the highway code if you are outside of London.
It is a "should not" outside of London.

Rule 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.

Simcat · 09/02/2021 19:01

Sorry for all of you saying no parking on pavement... I drive an emergency vehicle and I’d happily allow this if it means I can get to my destination. It’s selfish to believe that cars are also ok parked on both sides of a street.
Wise up, if people can get by safely with a pram/ pushchair (and are not illegally parked), and emergency vehicles can pass through ... then this is what matters. I have seen many people moan about pavement parking but you wouldn’t be moaning when we can’t get through as the road is too narrow with vehicles parked on the road on both sides.

Galena · 09/02/2021 19:15

My daughter uses a wheelchair. Sometimes I end up having to push her up a (quiet) road in the road itself as so many people have parked on the pavement we can't get through. If a car then comes up, I can't always retreat onto the pavement as the cars are all parked nose to tail. It may be a 'should not' outside London, but you should also not be causing an obstruction to pavement users.

However, I absolutely agree that it is also hugely important that emergency vehicles can get through.

This is why we saved money to make our drive bigger.

pollymere · 09/02/2021 19:15

Legally you're in the wrong. They need to be able to get past side by side. If they can't then I can understand why the mirror is getting bashed. Always push your mirrors in anyway. They are being a bit petty but it's a battle you'd lose.

FredtheCatsMum · 09/02/2021 19:18

I'm always amazed at how entitled car-owners are.

Not only do you think you have a right to space on the road to park your antiquated polluting box of emissions, you even park it on space meant for people getting around under their own steam.

Don't park on the pavement. Better still, get rid of the evil machine.

Outlier · 09/02/2021 19:19

Wise up, if people can get by safely with a pram/ pushchair (and are not illegally parked), and emergency vehicles can pass through ... then this is what matters.

@Simcat Bit of a glaring omission there. I think you’ll find that people in wheelchairs being able to pass safely also matters... probably more so in law than people with pushchairs in fact. Accessibility for disabilities is a thing.

Leedsfan247 · 09/02/2021 19:46

It’s really simple, you cannot park on the pavement - anywhere in the country.

Don’t be surprised if the car gets damaged - it shouldn’t be there.

SparklyPyjamas · 09/02/2021 19:49

I wouldnt even bother confronting them just find out where they live and key the hell out of their car, theyll soon get the message

Gilly12345 · 09/02/2021 20:29

You really shouldn’t park on the pavement as that is out of order, however I they really have no business in touching your car and that would really piss me off.

Stop parking on the pavement and sort out your long term parking arrangements.

yellowsubmarines · 09/02/2021 20:49

I'm reading these comments thinking of all the cars parked on the pavement on my and neighbouring roads. When I take Ddog out for our walk tomorrow we could deliberately damage each car as we walk past and MNers think that's ok? Shock

OP if parking is an issue maybe focus on installing a new drive instead of working on the garden. Even if your DH's car is illegally parked that does not mean the neighbour has a right to damage it. Install cctv or a Ring doorbell which will cover the car. I think I would challenge the neighbour and maybe mention you've had a quote to repair the damage they've done to your car and would they like to discuss it. Maybe ask them why they are targeting your car instead of others.

GrannyRose15 · 09/02/2021 21:52

Used to get very cross about pavement parking when my DGSs were in a pushchair. Why should their lives be put on danger when I walked in the road just because someone couldn't park properly.
Suggest you park elsewhere.

Yourcatisnotsorry · 09/02/2021 22:16

YABU if you aren’t leaving enough room for double buggies/wheelchairs etc. and expecting people to cross the road etc. Of course they shouldn’t be damaging your property either and I would definitely ‘speak’ to them if I saw them do it!

paintfairy · 09/02/2021 22:46

@yellowsubmarines

I'm reading these comments thinking of all the cars parked on the pavement on my and neighbouring roads. When I take Ddog out for our walk tomorrow we could deliberately damage each car as we walk past and MNers think that's ok? Shock

OP if parking is an issue maybe focus on installing a new drive instead of working on the garden. Even if your DH's car is illegally parked that does not mean the neighbour has a right to damage it. Install cctv or a Ring doorbell which will cover the car. I think I would challenge the neighbour and maybe mention you've had a quote to repair the damage they've done to your car and would they like to discuss it. Maybe ask them why they are targeting your car instead of others.

These are my thoughts too. People all commenting its fine to damage someone's car because it shouldn't be there. And the way the OP describes it- its not in an accidental way. This is not ok? Literally every car i pass walking my dog, is on the pavement. I do not start smashing them up? I have walked by odd ones i can't fit by (yes that bad) and I just walk round. I tut to myself and think they are selfish. But I do not start damaging someone's car because it pisses me off? I honestly wonder what kind of world we live in. 🧐

Someone could park across my drive and block my car in. Illegally. But the law still says I have no right to damage it, touch it, or move it out of the way! So must definitely these people are causing criminal damage. End of.

Simcat · 09/02/2021 23:17

@Outlier

Never said it wasn’t and mentioned the more obvious ones according to this thread... so please do not try and make this in to something else as my original post is about emergency access for blue light vehicles.
At the end of the day if a fire engine, ambulance, Dr, police car can not pass due to vehicles parking on both sides... this is more of an issue than those that park on the pavement. I get it’s not the done thing but I’m extremely tired of knocking on doors to say... hey can you move your cars as the guy down the road is having a heart attack or best one knocking on doors at 2 am as we couldn’t get to a young toddler having an asthma attack... so you tell whose in the wrong ?????

RenoSusan · 09/02/2021 23:59

Spread honey over the mirror. They. will stop.

evenBetter · 10/02/2021 00:26

Spread honey over the mans hands, to remind him to not park on pavements. Pavements are not for cars.

evenBetter · 10/02/2021 00:29

Actual pavement users can’t help but to ‘touch’ vehicles causing obstructions. If the entitled car owner gave a fuck, the vehicle would be parked considerately. I say that as a car owner, without a driveway.

Devora13 · 10/02/2021 00:32

'I doubt reporting them for damage when you've been parking illegally would get you far.'
Oh good. I'll just pop out and take a crow bar to that car on the path outside, shouldn't be a problem at all then...