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.

[youvegottenminuteslynn]

@Sparks46th

Show me the law that says they are not

Straight after you us the law that says it's illegal to not invite your MIL for Christmas or to only invite some of the children in a class to a birthday party.

Eh? You have no idea whether people who have one opinion on this thread have the opinions you just used as (I assume) gotcha arguments. There isn't a list of opinions that are mutually exclusive, people can have independent opinions on multiple subjects.

[CounsellorTroi]

My point is that leaving your car on a residential street all day every day is not the same as occasionally parking there for an hour to two while you are visiting someone or going to the shops round the corner. That wouldn’t bother me at all. It’s permit parking where we live. We are near a large hospital which is surrounded by residential streets which became a huge car park for hospital staff. The hospital used to charge for parking (staff and patients) but they no longer do and a multi storey was built on site.

The OP should not be surprised to turn up one day and find it’s permit parking or 2 hours maximum parking.

[TheAlphaandtheOmega]

@CounsellorTroi

Residential streets are not there to provide free all day parking for people who don’t live there and aren’t visiting someone who does or a nearby shop or business. It is cheeky to use them as such.

They are if there are no parking restrictions.

[SunflowersAndLavender]

The OP should not be surprised to turn up one day and find it’s permit parking or 2 hours maximum parking.

And if it's a serious enough problem for the residents then that will happen. But that usually only happens when the road is on the outskirts of a town centre within walking distance, or near to some other well used amenity like a hospital.

All it does is push the problem to the next street, then the next. Permit parking and limited stay periods can adversely affect residents and their visitors too, so you'd be daft to push for it unless it was absolutely essential.

Until public transport outside of major cities is plentiful, regular and cheaper than driving , this problem will not go away.

[Donitta]

It’s technically not illegal to park on the public road outside someone’s house. But I can see how it would become annoying when someone is constantly parking outside your house all day, every day - so your visitors, delivery vans, tradesmen etc can’t ever park outside your own house. If I was her I’d be applying to the council for dropped kerbs or parking restrictions etc.

[Crocidura]

If I was her I’d be applying to the council for dropped kerbs or parking restrictions etc.

Maybe she could get a nice driveway with space for four cars.

[Paquerette]

@CounsellorTroi

Residential streets are not there to provide free all day parking for people who don’t live there and aren’t visiting someone who does or a nearby shop or business. It is cheeky to use them as such.

100% this.

Most of the roads in my area have a one hour no parking restriction from either 10 am or 2 pm. This enables parking for the school run/shops/restaurants/hairdressers/deliveries etc. We are a London commuter area, so without the restrictions all of the streets would be clogged up with cars like the OP's and all of our local businesses would struggle to stay open.

[Donitta]

Maybe she could get a nice driveway with space for four cars.
That’s exactly what I have. My drive is 3 cars wide and 2 cars deep, across the full front of my property. Mainly to stop people parking outside.

[youvegottenminuteslynn]

@Crocidura

If I was her I’d be applying to the council for dropped kerbs or parking restrictions etc.

Maybe she could get a nice driveway with space for four cars.

[Doris86]

@CounsellorTroi

Residential streets are not there to provide free all day parking for people who don’t live there and aren’t visiting someone who does or a nearby shop or business. It is cheeky to use them as such.

In your opinion.

In the eyes of the law, and seemingly the majority of people on this thread, anyone is free to park there for as long as they want.

[clpsmum]

Not illegal but it is rude of you

[Tossblanket]

Hahaha some people get absolutely demented about the parking spot outside their house, knobheads 😂

[Crocidura]

@clpsmum

Not illegal but it is rude of you

How is it rude to park on a road legally and without obstructing any driveways?

[sunglassesonthetable]

sunglasses she DID ask her not to park there, and having tolerated it for 2 years I'd bet she phrased it politely enough. But OP replied "it's a public road".

Reading the OP we obviously have very different definitions of what is a pleasant way to ask someone to do you a favour and not park somewhere.

[AmandaPlease]

sunglasses yes we're clearly miles apart on what denotes pleasantness. I'd have just agreed to vary the parking the first time she asked, since she'd gone 2 years without saying anything.

[sunglassesonthetable]

when she charged out and without a hello or please or any explanation? And immediately made threats?

[sunglassesonthetable]

when she is asking OP to do her a favour?

[BashfulClam]

‘Wonderful, any damage to my car and you have told me exactly who is at fault! I have a movement activated dash cam so will have proof! Have a nice day!’

[AmandaPlease]

sunglasses Probably, I'd get it 🤷🏻‍♀️

[sunglassesonthetable]

sunglasses Probably, I'd get it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Most ordinary mortals react in the moment to unreasonable orders being barked at them followed by veiled threats.

But I commend your ( predicted) speedy and thoughtful reading of the situation.

[AmandaPlease]

sunglasses I think many ordinary mortals, on being asked, would agree to change it up a bit.

You've interrogated my replies throughout the day and I've responded, but you can appreciate I hardly plan on spending the day writing to an over-invested randomer on MN

[Seldon]

Eh? You have no idea whether people who have one opinion on this thread have the opinions you just used as (I assume) gotcha arguments. There isn't a list of opinions that are mutually exclusive, people can have independent opinions on multiple subjects.

Wow, people have really different ways of understanding text

[Somanysocks]

Hope Op isn't stepping onto the grass when she gets out of her car (this may have been said already but I'm not rtft).

[sunglassesonthetable]

" asked" or instructed Amanda? Possibly the two are very similar and n your world


You've interrogated my replies throughout the day and I've responded, but you can appreciate I hardly plan on spending the day writing to an over-invested randomer on MN

I do generally reply when someone names me.

I know a feeble argument when I see one.

But that is the most fabulous reply I've EVER seen😂😂 in terms of one over invested MNer keeping someone else chained to MN replying.
😂😂😂

If I wasn't a dick I'd use it myself.

[sunglassesonthetable]

or if I WAS . 😆😉