Is neighbour being a CF parking this way or AIBU?

[GoodbyeRosieQueenOfCorona]

Outside of our house there is space for 4 cars between dropped curbs, as per diagram 1. The old boy two doors down normally parks on one end, I normally (but not always) get the space the other end, leaving space for 2 cars in between.
The house next door is rented, and the people that lived there when we moved in only had one car so there was never any problems with parking. But they went and the new renters who moved in a couple of months ago have two cars, so there's always a little bit of a tussle for the spaces out the front since then.
It really irritates DH but that's mostly cos he works shifts and is often the one who doesn't get a space and sometimes has to park quite far away. But I've always had the attitude that it's a public highway and it's first come first served.
That was until today. Me, DH and DS been out for the afternoon in DH's car and came back to find the neighbour's car parked right in the middle of the two spaces. (As per diagram 2) We were both a bit "really??" but went and found another space further down the road, parked and walked back.
A bit later on the neighbour 2 car turns up, neighbour 1 comes out, moves his car back, neighbour 2 parks up and they both go in next door.
Me and DH were now cos it now seems like neighbour 1 deliberately parked in the middle in order to keep a space for neighbour 2.
AIBU to think that this is a bit cheeky? Of course it's public highway and we've got no control of how they park, but we've always been mindful when parking to make sure we are being considerate. We might not bother in the future!

So Old Boy has 1 car, your household has 2 cars and new neighbours have 2 cars.

You used to be able to park both of your cars because the other two houses previously had one each but now it’s war between you and the new neighbours because each of you feel entitled to the fourth parking space. They are deliberately reserving the fourth space rather than doing first come, first served. Is that right?

@HTH1 pretty much except I wouldn't say that me and DH feel like we are entitled to a space. It just annoys DH more than me cos it impacts on him more.

@FixTheBone 🤣🤣🤣 it is tempting.

If there are 5 cars and only space for 4, I don't see why it's cheeky for them to take 2 of them. But it's pathetic and immature to try and reserve spaces for each other. I would be compelled to respond in the same manner, and leave a beach towel or a chair with a coat on to reserve a space.

[quote GoodbyeRosieQueenOfCorona]@Baker0104 god that sounds like a nightmare! [/quote]
Complete pain in the arse to be honest but not much we can do. I'm due my first baby in a couple of weeks and ended up buying a doona car seat just so I don't have to carry a heavy car seat miles to my house which will happen 😂
We've got a street WhatsApp group that got set up at the beginning of the pandemic to support each other etc and it's now just turned into moaning about car parking 😂
In your situation I would move my car up to theirs so they can't park.... Just letting them know you've clocked onto their CF ways lol!

@TrainspottingWelsh absolutely agree and if we'd come back and both their cars had been parked there that woulda been a different thing and fair enough. But to park in such a way to prevent us parking so they can have both the spaces is very annoying!

Tricky one. They’re obviously doing it deliberately, probably because (if the diagram is to scale), two of the spaces are mainly next to their property rather than yours so they perhaps feel they “belong” more to their house.

Agree with PPs that the only way forwards is pettiness so either parking right up against them or trying to do the same thing as they’re doing outside your house (so that they couldn’t park without hanging into the road/over a dropped curb). This is, of course, assume their cars are both MOTed, taxed etc (would be a shame if they weren’t and had to be towed )

Take the DIAGRAM to their door and show them it 🌸

Unfortunately it's a public road and there's nothing you can do, no matter how annoying it is

@HTH1 the diagrams are not to scale - if they were we could argue they both "belonged" to us as two of the spaces are covered by the front of our property. If everyone parks correctly, the back of the car parked in front of my car would be level with our path. (If that makes sense?)

Im sure he understands some English particularly as he is Driving here..

you need a friendly rugby team (another thread in past where they moved car on behalf of another op )

@mumwon damn where's a friendly rugby team when I need one eh?

Start parking in the middle spots to deter this behaviour - ask your other civilised neighbour to do the same. And if they park right in the middle, park up close behind to ruin their plan.

Its annoying but certainly in our street people are coming and going all the time so I can park sensibly with no huge gap and a couple of hours later other cars have moved and all of a sudden it looks like I am in the middle of a two car gap.

Sadly its just how it goes.

I’d start doing the same. They’ll soon get the message

Sorry, realise this isn't the point, but re "the old boy" who's two doors down; couldn't he just be called "the man" since it doesn't appear that his age is relevant?

It's quicker to type too.

whenever there is space park where the black car is in your diagram so they have to park either side of it.

My neighbours used to do this! They have space for 3 cars on their driveway but the husband had a truck So his mrs used to park taking up 2 spaces on the road (next to a drop curb) every single day, “d”p went out and bought a cheap smart car so he could get up behind her and prevent her being able to save a spot big enough 🤦🏻‍♀️ He’s petty!

@starfishmummy yeah I see your point but my car hadn't moved and the old boy (sorry @LaMarschallin) being an old boy doesn't go out very often so I'm pretty sure his car hadn't moved either. Hence me thinking it's deliberate.

What language do they speak? You could translate "please can you move your car up" and "it is not neighbourly to block spaces like that" and have it written down, if they can't understand you saying it you can let them read it.

@maddening - yeah I'm not sure - upthread it was suggested using Google translate but without knowing the language I can't do that or your suggestion. And cos they don't speak English I can't ask them!

sorry @LaMarschallin**

Really?

being an old boy doesn't go out very often

So, the man two doors down doesn't go out very often...
May be nothing to do with his age.
Certainly isn't anything to do with your AIBU about your neighbours' parking.

I agree it’s cheeky to try to reserve a space like that! Can you park in the black spot in diagram 1, so the only options are one space behind you and one in front, then they can’t do this?

Honestly whats good for the goose is good for the gander just so the same as they did when it's going to work for you.

I assume you can't create off street off parking?