Aibu for removing tyre caps (PARKING THREAD!)

[JackieakaBritney]

Background, live in converted 3 flat house for 6 years odd, we are attic flat.

Been here since 2015, bought car 2017, previous neighbour had a defunct car on drive which he moved when he moved out late 2017

Since then I've parked my car on drive at least overnights, during day (pre Covid) was parked at my work, insurance detailed the same.

However since beginning of 2020 we have had two different neighbours move in on the middle floor flat and ground floor flat. Neither of the houses moved in with an existing car

Since the two flats have moved in, there has been an constant influx of visitors (particularly during lockdown) but also pretty much every weekend and these visitors decide to block me in, over a dropped curb. It's not the
Same car each time, it's a rotation of 4 or 5 different ones?

I ignored it to the best of my ability during lockdown as we weren't supposed to really go anywhere but then why is ok for them to block my car in?

Then when restrictions eased my husband put a note on one of the cars saying "illegal to park on dropped curb/driveway. Park somewhere else." This was ignored
The next time a car blocked me in by a visitors there was a note saying.

"If I've blocked you in call...."

Tonight I've come home and I'm blocked in again. Tbh I've kinda lost my rag and taken off two of the tyre aircaps. Aibu??

I am sick to death of worrying about asking neighbours To move their visitors cars during the last year especially when I might need it in an emergency etc and they have been asked for their friends/visotors not block me in previously?

A) The drive isn’t exclusively yours.

B) You’ve not knocked at your neighbours door and asked them to move it, which is surely the first thing anyone would do, a note is not the same.

C) They gave you a number to call if you want the car moved.

D) You illegally tampered with someone’s car, potentially causing them to have an accident.

Two wrongs do not make a right. And in the hierarchy of wrongdoing, you win.
You’re being entirely unreasonable to tackle this problem, which is understandably annoying, by doing something both illegal and dangerous. And now you’re trying to justify it, but you can’t because you are wrong and unreasonable.

I don't agree with removing tyre caps. The sticky notice I would support, the parking cone too.

I’m all agog at the number of Mumsnetters who do not respect the sanctity of the dropped kerb. I thought that was law on here

I don't understand the multiple references to 'Huns' - what is a 'Hun'? I know it was a derogatory term used to describe the Nazis in WW2 ( like calling them The Bosch in WW1) but are we saying the OP is actually a nazi?

@mybrainhertz

Possibly causing a fatal accident over a petty parking gripe.

What are you going to do about the caps you've removed OP?

It is not a petty parking gripe. I can imagine how irritating and probably stressful it is for OP when she needs to use her car and can’t get out.

What is she supposed do each time, go around knocking on everyone’s door to see whose car it belongs to and get them to move it?

I think the idea of difficult to remove stickers is a good one. It’s when you inconvenience other people that they start to change their behavior.

Surely there is someone you can call to get them a ticket for parking on a dropped curb?

I think you’re getting a rough time on here OP. I’d be pretty pissed off too at people continually parking over a dropped kerb - it’s just rude. I also can’t see what the issue is with you using the ‘shared’ parking space when you’re currently the only resident who owns a car - visitors can park elsewhere.

Its quite worrying the number of people who think that dust caps are what maintains tyre pressure.

[quote Changechangychange]@JackieakaBritney the thing is, taking their tyre cap will either do nothing (in which case what is the point), or increase their risk of a blowout (which is dangerous). So it is either totally pointless or a crazy over-reaction, depending on what you are hoping happens.

Tip a milkshake over the car or something. Or squeezy honey on the windscreen. Will make you feel much better, and won’t risk lives.[/quote]
Careful with that, I squirted suncream on a van that blocked me in a dark empty carpark. You'd have though I'd run over the guy's cat for revenge the way the people on the thread went off 🤣

I would be v annoyed about people blocking me in. I suggest that if more than one visitor parks like that then they have been told it's ok by the person they are visiting
Taking the tyre caps is illegal. I wouldn't even notice if it were my car so no point at all
Have a word with your neighbours, perhaps show them the photos and then ask them to move every single time. Keep a record and then write to landlord or authorities when you have sufficient evidence.

@KaptainKaveman

I don't understand the multiple references to 'Huns' - what is a 'Hun'? I know it was a derogatory term used to describe the Nazis in WW2 ( like calling them The Bosch in WW1) but are we saying the OP is actually a nazi?

hun, as in honey. ‘Are you alright, hun?’

@JackieakaBritney

How am I hogging the driveway when I LIVE here and the people blocking me in dont? Please elaborate

What you’ll find on mums net is people don’t read the post properly, start going off on tangents, make sweeping statements, get on their high horse about what you should and shouldn’t do based on their own distorted version of events, and oh, are abusive about it as well.

You have to be thick skinned on here.

Someone calling people 'hun' or 'hunny' when they're pissed off is just a really pathetic attempt to be goady. It's a telltale sign that they know they've lost an argument and don't have anything intelligent to say.

@MangosteenSoda

I’m all agog at the number of Mumsnetters who do not respect the sanctity of the dropped kerb. I thought that was law on here

The sanctity of the dropped kerb is only respected when people type or write in a way that makes the Mumsnet regulars think they're "one of them".

And if they haven't made any "mistakes", either in deed or spelling.

I think you know you were unreasonable to take their tyre caps.

Before I read that, I though your neighbours’ friends were in the wrong by blocking your car. But in taking the caps, you become the bad guy, sorry.

It's a shared drive for tenants. Nobody should be blocking a driveway - ever and I understand your frustration, OP, but you must know that sabotaging a vehicle is unreasonable and dangerous.

@giggly

I’d be going to the 24 hour Asda now unless of course your in England( where the shops shut at 4 on a Sunday) misses the point entirely

Yeah, do a 3am shop and wake those bastards up. I really can’t understand why people would park outside a dropped kerb, especially when there is a car already parked there, because obviously they may need to get out.

What’s the point of a dropped kerb if people if people are going to park outside it?

Nasty vindictive spiteful behaviour.
If the issue is that in that moment you are blocked in, how on earth is that meant to resolve anything? It's the sort of thing a three year old would do, grabbing angrily when they don't get their own way.
The issue is you cannot get out of the space? And people have not responded to you asking them not to? And it's not even your space?
Park somewhere else.
If you were my neighbour and you resorted to this sort of thing rather than a practical solution that doesn't bother anyone else, Id completely avoid you every time I saw you.

This would annoy the heck out of me OP but you can’t go taking things off people’s cars you must realise that ?

Personally, I think the neighbors have told their mates to do it because it’s not your space but they haven’t got a car.
It’s all very passive aggressive.

Do you have to knock on neighbor’s doors to get them to move ? What’s their reaction?

1. Your neighbour’s have clearly told a variety of visitors that it is OK to park there and block you in.
2. You need to go round and make clear that it is not OK.
3. You are not “hogging” the drive. It is first come first served so if it is empty you are entitled to park there.
4. Can you get the council to paint a white “T” line on the road?
5. Taking off the dust caps is not dangerous but is a pointless gesture. Go and put them back on.

[quote JackieakaBritney]@ThursdayWeld

What would you do then? After repeatedly requesting people who don't live at your address to not block you in? [/quote]
Call the police every time they do it, it's an offence to block people in. If the neighbours find their visitors' cars keep being ticketed or towed away, they'll soon learn to warn them.

The issue is you cannot get out of the space? And people have not responded to you asking them not to? And it's not even your space?
Park somewhere else.

Of course it's OP's space. The fact that she shares it with other people doesn't mean she's not entitled to park there when it's available. It's ludicrous to say that she must park somewhere else because other drivers are breaking the law.

I park outside our house on a little piece of grass as we dont have a drive. This is not 'my space' and we just use it because we can. On occasion, I get internally ranty if someone parks right next to me, but I would never assume I own that piece of grass. It sounds as though you have taken ownership of an area that isnt yours and so perhaps needs to rethink. How about, I dunno, asking the neighbours if they need the shared drive ever and come to an agreement?

@catless

Its quite worrying the number of people who think that dust caps are what maintains tyre pressure.

It is. You do wonder whether they've ever checked tyre pressure themselves or would know how to put air in should they need to.

@CeibaTree

I get that it's annoying, but if the people in the flat they are visiting have told them it's fine to park there, then it's not the car owners fault and you should probably put the tyre caps back on.

OP, you need a stock of these - www.filthysentiments.co.uk/ourshop/prod_6946097-STOP-PARKING-LIKE-A-TWAT-STICKERS-E14.html