Really shaken up. Did I do anything wrong here?

[seventymodules]

For past two years I have done the school run, I park on a street near the school. There is a detached house with a driveway and a patch of grass next to the driveway. I park in front of the patch of grass, not blocking the driveway whatsoever.

Once I drop my child at school I get collected by my workmate (we are cleaners so have company car) and then work till 3 until I have to return for school run and car.

This morning as I was getting out of the car the lady in the house came charging out, she said 'can you stop parking your car in front of my house?' I said 'it's a public road' and she said 'you park out here 5 days a week, if you refuse to move it I should make you aware that I will be cutting my grass today and any damage to your car is not my responsibility' said with a sarcastic smile on her face, she then walked back into the house shaking her head.

I've left the car but worried now she is going to damage it.

Am I being unreasonable parking it there? It's a public road and not on her property at all.

If she owns the grass and wants to mow it, fair enough. She’s given you due warning.

The council mowed the patch of grass on the other side of the road from where my car was parked outside my house (we don’t have a drive). Random stone still managed to fly across the road and totally shatter one of the car windows.

Park where you want but personally I wouldn't park in the same spot outside someones house every day because I'd probably find it slightly annoying myself. I'd mix it up a bit anyway because I hate people knowing my routine.

But apparently people with four car driveways (whatever they are) are not actually people, and one need have no consideration for them.

Well, I wouldn’t say they’re not people. But no, you really don’t need to give their need or desire to potentially park five cars greater credence than your need to park your own one car.

This would really annoy me tbh and I think it’s a bit cheeky to just constantly leave your car there all day.

You're entitled to, but for both your sakes you should give this lady a break. She's had her turn of you parking there and even if she's being unreasonable you're making her unhappy. If you have other options it'd be a nice thing to do to park elsewhere...

Yes you shouldn't 'have to' and you don't. But it would be generous of you. Aside from that, these things rarely de-escalate. Why keep fueling conflict?

Yes aren’t doing anything wrong OP, but you have unwittingly annoyed the resident, perhaps she has difficulty reversing out of her drive with your vehicle blocking her view, or she has a visitor or HCP that need to park there when they visit, who knows. For the sake of the peace, I would park elsewhere and not in the same place continually. To stop this scenario being repeated.

Everyday for 2 years outside the same house is a bit much, even though it is legal.
We get similar from holiday cottage people all the time. Often they arrive in 2 cars, park one up for the week outside our house, and use the other for travelling round the area. It means the road becomes single track. It's legal but maddening.

Legally this is ok but you would piss me off doing that every day. You’re just like my neighbours who have bought a big white van that they insist on parking at the end of my drive so I have to do a blind 90 degree turn every time I leave my house. I haven’t said anything because it’s a public road, but frankly I can see where that woman’s coming from. I instead curse my neighbours every time I go out and day dream about someone stealing the van so it will be gone.

Curious, Trade people don’t expect a close parking space but it can be very helpful and the OP removes the option for that women everyday it is going to piss her off. I think normally cars come and go and there is movement of free parking spaces on the lane, a car that is always in the same position all day every working day by a non resident is a pain.

I can see her being annoyed, but no leg to stand on assuming you're not blocking her dropped kerb. If there is a legit issue with parking capacity for local residents they can raise with the council to consider residents permit parking only.

@Sorka

Legally this is ok but you would piss me off doing that every day. You’re just like my neighbours who have bought a big white van that they insist on parking at the end of my drive so I have to do a blind 90 degree turn every time I leave my house. I haven’t said anything because it’s a public road, but frankly I can see where that woman’s coming from. I instead curse my neighbours every time I go out and day dream about someone stealing the van so it will be gone.

Or reverse onto your driveway, just saying?

The posters on here who think it's OK to do it because it's a public road would be just as pissed off if it happened to them, and I don't believe for a second that they wouldn't be.

For years I lived 5 mins walk from a college. Cars parked down my road all day every day. There would be a car outside my house from 8am - 4 or 5pm every day - not always the same car, but I don't see how that makes a difference.

As another poster said, it never even registered as something to get annoyed about. A car parked on a public road is not something I'd ever considered getting worked up about.

I know it’s legal blah blah but it it’s really annoying if you’re leaving it there every single day. What if they have a delivery? An elderly/ disabled relative visiting? Have a bit of consideration instead of quoting the part of the law that suits you

I think it's a really odd thing to get wound up by someone parking on a public road that you don't own. Judging by some PP's comments it seems like it would annoy a few people here. But why?

If she damages your car, it is her responsibility. Write down the date/ time she made that comment about damaging your car and what she said. Take pics like other posters have said.

Or just park somewhere else to reduce the aggro. Depends how stubborn you are!

Legally, you’re not doing anything wrong. But, I can understand why she finds it frustrating when you’re leaving your car there all day, everyday.
Get picked up from your house, drive to your colleagues, or move the car regularly.

@CaraherEIL

Curious, Trade people don’t expect a close parking space but it can be very helpful and the OP removes the option for that women everyday it is going to piss her off. I think normally cars come and go and there is movement of free parking spaces on the lane, a car that is always in the same position all day every working day by a non resident is a pain.

Did you miss the bit where I said I AM TRADE!!??

And I don't care, wouldn't think twice, about any car parked close to the house I am working in.

Despite what you think the cars outside my own home park for the day, same cars in prety much the same spaces, every day! That's just how people park, creatures of habit!

The posters on here who think it's OK to do it because it's a public road would be just as pissed off if it happened to them, and I don't believe for a second that they wouldn't be.

Nope. You're wrong.

I live in an urban area. Happens all day everyday.

I agree OP can legally park there but you don’t know if it’s affecting Homeowner or not - OP isn’t there. Eg elderly mother could live there and get ring & ride bus to day care centre. Bus can’t park outside so mother has to shuffle further with her Zimmer frame. Or householder runs a business from home eg music lessons, beautician and lack of parking is putting customers off.

Everyday for 2 years outside the same house is a bit much, even though it is legal

Why though? It's a public road. The resident has a big, 4-car driveway and loads of space to manoeuvre. Why is it "a bit much"?

@MiddleParking
But apparently people with four car driveways (whatever they are) are not actually people, and one need have no consideration for them.

Well, I wouldn’t say they’re not people. But no, you really don’t need to give their need or desire to potentially park five cars greater credence than your need to park your own one car.

It's all about being considerate to other which OP clearly isn't

@sunglassesonthetable

The posters on here who think it's OK to do it because it's a public road would be just as pissed off if it happened to them, and I don't believe for a second that they wouldn't be.

Nope. You're wrong.

I live in an urban area. Happens all day everyday.

And I have sadi the same a couple of times!!

It's normal!

You aren’t morally entitled to spaces for visitors! Has no one here ever lived in flats? You know, where you get one parking space per flat maximum? Do we think those people are being denied what they’re morally entitled to? OP is going to work. She needs to park somewhere and wherever that somewhere is is going to be somewhere that another person can’t park that day. If that’s going to be anyone, it’s pretty much optimal for it to be someone who already owns space for four cars to park.

Maybe where you park it makes it awkward for her to see when she’s driving in/out of her drive and given the close proximity of the school, it will be a risk factor with lots of children.

Last year, the local council closed off most of the pavement to my kids school for temporary work access, yet there were still some parents who insisted on still driving their cars as close to the school as possible, despite the fact the kids couldn’t walk on the pavements and had to walk on the road.... yet still parents would try to drive as close as possible.

Utter laziness on their part. There’s plenty of side streets and lots of parking, but never any cars on those as they’d have to walk a minute. Instead the proceed to block the small road that’s closest to the school and causing a hazard in access if the emergency services need to get to residents.

She’s probably sick of it and took it out in you

What if they have a delivery? An elderly/ disabled relative visiting?

They. Have. A. Drive. For. Four. Cars

It's legally fine but annoying nonetheless. Just share the love out and park in front of someone else's house too .

I'm on a terrace street and don't park outside the same house every day because it's just a bit off to do so. A relative of someone further up the street left their car parked outside my house for 3 weeks while they went on holiday, I was irrationally annoyed the whole time (especially as they'd parked like a twat and took up 1.5 car spaces instead of just 1).