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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour kicking off about car

252 replies

Biancadelrioisback · 28/05/2021 13:57

My neighbour popped a note through the door yesterday asking if we can put both cars on the drive as they're having people round today for a BBQ and would like people to be able to park on the street.
Technically we can fit both cars on the drive way, but you can't get in the garage or shut the gates at the end of the drive, and the cars need to be bumper to bumper and will still overhang onto the path a bit (you can still fit a buggy and wheelchair past). So usually we have one on the drive and one on the street. Street has plenty of parking, no issues here, plus the car on the street gets used most days so is really only there overnight.
So DH went out to work this morning taking the car from the street. I've had neighbour round banging on the door reminding me to put both cars on the drive and pointing to a random car that is parked just a bit up from our house that I've never seen before. It's the same colour as ours but definitely not our car. Neighbour is accusing me of lying and being difficult. He is adamant it's my car and I'm being unfair.
He's gone off in a huff but I can hear them in their garden complaining and talking about coming back to talk with me again.
I'm not worried per se but I'm a bit...antsy? I can't really prove that it's not mine, plus it's legally parked so I really can't see a problem other than them not getting their way.

AIBU to not put the other car on the drive when DH gets home just to antagonise them?

OP posts:
murbblurb · 28/05/2021 14:00

It is entirely up to you where you park as long as it isn't on their drive. Do all the attendees have walking difficulties which mean they have to park super close?

DancesWithTortoises · 28/05/2021 14:00

They're already annoyed. I'd put the other one on the street when DH gets home. Damn cheek.

Horst · 28/05/2021 14:00

Invite your friends around with their cars Grin

Seriously just ignore him. He doesn’t own the road and it doesn’t sound very good to park two cars on your drive. Maybe he could extend his drive to accommodate his guests in future....

Babbly · 28/05/2021 14:01

I was with YANBU until the last sentence. Don't intentionally antagonise your neighbours, especially with your car. It's very easy to key a car and get away with it - it's almost impossible to prove who did and you'd end up creating problems for yourself. Sorry your neighbour is a dick.

Aquamarine1029 · 28/05/2021 14:01

Ignore them and don't answer the door. Honestly, some people are just unhinged.

Chicchicchicchiclana · 28/05/2021 14:02

Fgs. It's not your car, ignore the twat.

Ponoka7 · 28/05/2021 14:03

It depends on how petty you are. Sometimes watching nightmare neighbours it's something stupid like this that kicks things off. If you've got time and the headspace for tit-for-tat, then carry on.

AlmostSummer21 · 28/05/2021 14:04

I'd take a photo of the other car showing the number plate.

I'd park my car on the street.

When he comes griping again I'd ask him how many cars he thinks you have???

Then I'd tell him that had he asked nicely and not accused my of lying I'd have accommodated his request at my inconvenience. However, I now do not feel inclined to help him out and will be parking on the road, as is my legal right.

Utter twat bag.

CornishGem1975 · 28/05/2021 14:04

@DancesWithTortoises

They're already annoyed. I'd put the other one on the street when DH gets home. Damn cheek.
This.
Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 28/05/2021 14:04

Our driveway is definitely a one car drive which we had to have widened to fit the car on but it's just about long enough for the two cars (with the above mentioned issues) so we never do it.

There is plenty of parking. It's a residential area where most people have drives so loads of street parking. I've just turned my blink camera back on just incase they come back around

OP posts:
Batshittery · 28/05/2021 14:05

Although you can park where you like, it sounds a bit twattish to park on the street with the sole intention of antagonising your neighbour imo.

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 28/05/2021 14:05

@DancesWithTortoises

They're already annoyed. I'd put the other one on the street when DH gets home. Damn cheek.
This was my first thought too Grin
OP posts:
Peridot1 · 28/05/2021 14:06

I’d definitely get your DH to park on the drive. Then if the other car is still there your neighbour will look a bit silly.

TrashKitten10 · 28/05/2021 14:06

Fuck that! I'd have squeezed the cars on the driveway to help out a polite neighbour but if he's going to be like that then park both cars on the street! What a horrible man.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 28/05/2021 14:07

Wow! If they had asked nicely, I would have taken the inconvenience of squeezing both cars on the drive. Demanding it though and then accusing you of lying would have me doing precisely nothing for them.

CharlotteRose90 · 28/05/2021 14:08

@Batshittery

Although you can park where you like, it sounds a bit twattish to park on the street with the sole intention of antagonising your neighbour imo.
This..

If it’s just for one day and you don’t need the garage then I’d park both cars on the drive. I personally wouldn’t want to worry about my car being damaged or anything.

CrazyCatsAndKittens · 28/05/2021 14:08

Just park where you like. I suspect if you comply with his request, you'll be dealing with it all summer.

newnortherner111 · 28/05/2021 14:10

Check what the number of people permitted under Covid 19 regulations currently in force is for such an event, and immediately call 111 if you think there is a breach, or the council if too noisy.

If they had been polite, I would say co-operate.

KnottedFern · 28/05/2021 14:11

If your car overhangs onto the pavement when it's on the drive though that's more of an issue than some twatty neighbour. Park your car where you like and tell him to stop harassing you. He's got no leg to stand on.

eurochick · 28/05/2021 14:12

Neighbour is going to feel like a right doughnut when your husband turns up if the look-a-like car is still there.

Just ignore. None of this is your problem.

Laiste · 28/05/2021 14:14

Why don't you just keep one car on the drive and park the other across your drive for a day?

None of the BBQ guests would have parked over your drive, so that was a 'dead' space. This way all legal parking spaces are there for neighbours guests and you don't have to squeeze your 2 cars onto your drive.

Whammyyammy · 28/05/2021 14:14

Id be getting husband to park his car on the street, lighting a bonfire around the same time as guests arrive and playing spice girls wannabees on repeat until ge apologised

bigbeatmanifesto · 28/05/2021 14:14

Tell them it's not yours as reg plate is clearly different but now that they've been rude you will no longer be willing to accommodate their friends parking and they'll have to just make do, CF's.

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 28/05/2021 14:14

If you have a camera, make sure you have it pointed at the second car on the road. If they’re inclined to damage it, you’ll have evidence.

Original poster
Biancadelrioisback · 28/05/2021 14:15

@KnottedFern

If your car overhangs onto the pavement when it's on the drive though that's more of an issue than some twatty neighbour. Park your car where you like and tell him to stop harassing you. He's got no leg to stand on.
We rarely ever do it, I think we've maybe done it twice since we moved in 5 yrs ago and the first time was when we finally had the driveway widened to see if we could squeeze both cars on, and the other was when my dad didn't believe that we couldn't for both cars on, so I did it to prove to him that I was right. Even though there is space for wheelchairs and prams, we're on a hill and if kids are out on scooters etc, I can easily imagine one crashing into the front of the car.
OP posts: