To bump this car out of the way?

[GenericUsername404]

Every Monday I need to get my van out to pick up my dc from school and take them to their club. Other days I use my car but on Mondays it’s kayaking so I need the van until a place in the kayak storage becomes available. My van is 20year old and very bashed.

Every Monday at 2.30 a brand new Volvo parks directly opposite my drive, in front of my neighbours dropped kerb. When they park here I can get my car out but not my van meaning my dc cannot go to their club which I have already paid for. I know they are inside the house opposite, I knock on the door but they don’t answer but then when I’m attempting to manoeuvre my van out I see them peeping out of the window. I put a note through the door a couple of weeks ago asking them not to do it after they still wouldn’t open the door. They put a note back through mine saying they were parking in front of their dropped kerb, they were entitled to and many others on the road did the same. This is true but I am the only house on my side of the street so no one else has anyone else opposite. I’ve also put a sign on my gate saying please do not park opposite

Having again had to carefully get the car out and not be able to get my kids to their club I’m thinking next week I’ll just bump it. I’m pretty sure I could get out with a couple of touches to their car but it would probably leave dents.

I’ve tried calling the police to say I’m blocked in but by the time they arrived neighbours friend had moved their car and when the police knocked they hid again 🙄

Btw I know I’m unreasonable and I almost certainly won’t do it. I’m just bloody pissed off.

Yes,it's illegal to park even over your own dropped curb.
I had similar issues and used to park smallest car over our dropped curb.
Police came to my door to tell me to move it.
Reason being was disabled people in their wheelchairs use the dropped curb to cross road safely and when it's blocked they can't get off the pavement to cross what was a busy road.

I hadn't realised and of course didn't do it in future.

Would one of the nice neighbours let you put the van on their drive in the morning and they park on yours?

Failing that do the knocking on the door business and when they inevitably don’t answer drive the van forward so it’s almost touching the Volvo then get out and start looking at the Volvo closely and rubbing your hand on it as if you’ve scratched it, they’ll be out soon enough if they think you’ve damaged it.

I'm shocked that even though the car wasn't there when police visited, in order to attempt to bring this to a close they didn't knock and let them know they cannot park across the drive. Gutless.

If they park there at 2.30 and you pick the kids up at 3. Can't you just leave at 2.25?

I really think the council would be a good route to go down. Issuing fines for illegal parking is easy revenue.

@Dobbyafreeelf okay apologies, I must have missed that, no need for the million exclamation marks and raised eyes face, it didn’t really matter for my post anyway.

scrumptiousbears the police did knock repeatedly for a good 15 minutes but they won’t answer even when the policeman shouted through the letterbox. They wrote a note on proper police paper (I’m sure that’s a thing) telling them not to park there and posted it through the door.

@GenericUsername404

iamanunsafebuilding I always reverse my van into my drive but it’s absolutely impossible to get it out with the car there due to the width of the gap in my driveway between two listed walls that I can’t touch and how close the car opposite is parked.

Can you ask a 'friendly' neighbour to swap spaces with you for the day you need to get your van out?

Could a local paper be persuaded to do a story on it with your children doing their best sad faces.
Or do you have a neighbourhood group online on which you can rant and shame em with photos. Does no one know who this hideous visitor is? Shame them!
Or get your children to do a sad face pose, photocopy this and post a copy through their letterbox every week. Stick copies on the Volvo.
Get your children to cry loudly and dramatically outside their door and through their letterbox.

I really think direct action of van going into road and door bell ring is needed. Maybe give them heads up that's what you'll do and then they'll move. They'll look stupid when people get out of their cars and you tell them you know they're in ...
Like you say, the car parking shuffle is a well known move in villages with parking situations like this

What would happen if you just sounded your horn constantly. Ie drive out and hhhooooorrrnnnnn. Fuck id take great pleasure id have the whole street out!

The fact your neighbour is 'entitled to park there' doesn't mean they have to if it makes life difficult for you. Why on Earth do people go out of their way to be morons?

Talk to the other home owners. Explain that the police have told you that they are all parking illegally even if they are over their own drives.

Explain that if twat neighbour blocks you in again and you call the police, they might all get ticketed.

Then explain that you don't have any issue with them parking there, you just want twat neighbour to move briefly while you get your van out, they can drive back there after you've gone.

Maybe the other neighbors will exert some pressure on TN?

I think you need to contact your local PCSO and ask for them to help mediate before the situation escalates into a serious dispute. There should be a record of the original police call out and action taken. Once it’s with them you can ask for a contact and get in touch every time you’re blocked in.

@GenericUsername404

strawberrydonuts I’ve tried that but they’re hiding in their house pretending that they can’t hear me. So I’m going to be a prat too.

Regardless of what they're doing, if you damage their car you are criminally liable for it. Grow up.

@GenericUsername404

scrumptiousbears the police did knock repeatedly for a good 15 minutes but they won’t answer even when the policeman shouted through the letterbox. They wrote a note on proper police paper (I’m sure that’s a thing) telling them not to park there and posted it through the door.

Are the police not able to issue a fine or a summons. Disgusting them not answering the door. Remember when you used to have to bring in your license (not that I ever have)

@GenericUsername404

Not to scale

Great diagram. have you tried to maneuver out with a lot of reversing etc that will give them a few scares !

@GenericUsername404

motogogo when the police came out a few weeks ago they confirmed that the neighbours were at fault. My car is a Nissan Micra and it is only just possible to get that out when the car is parked opposite. According to the police strictly speaking none of the cars should be parked across the dropped kerbs but they don’t generally enforce it as parking is so limited here.

this maybe of interest Can you park over a dropped kerb? This is one area that always causes controversy. Dropped kerbs are lowered sections of the pavement that allow easier access from the pavement to the road by wheelchair users, pushchairs and the visually impaired. Dropped kerbs are also often found outside of businesses and private residences for vehicle access.

The Highway Code's Rule 243 states that you should 'not stop or park where the kerb has been lowered to help wheelchair users and powered mobility vehicles, or where it would obstruct cyclists except when forced to do so by stationary traffic.'

Parking a vehicle fully or partially across a dropped kerb is classed as an obstruction and either the police or local council can enforce the contravention. Based on the resources a particular authority has in dealing with this, attention will usually be focussed on offences that impede those with disabilities.

Complaints can be made to the local police via the non-emergency 101 number, although it's usually better to contact the local council first. Action from the council can only occur the it's the occupier of the premises involved who has complained.

If the problem persists, the council can mark a white line below the dropped curb. However, the markings aren't enforceable by police or councils - they're only an advisory area as where not to park.

As ridiculous as it may seem, you can be issued a PCN for parking across your own dropped kerb. To avoid this happening, contact your local council with the make, model, registration of your vehicle and confirmation that you reside at the property.

Givne they don't reside there, they have no rights.

So I'd be hassling the council every week.

And naming and shaming on any local residents groups you have.

@TSSDNCOP

This is like cancel the cheque on meth.

Thanks for this- it made my day😂😂

Simple solution: wait until they're out then park across their drive. "Hide" inside your house laughing hysterically when they knock on your door.

Really though, just park over their drive until they get the idea. It's a gift that they're scared of you.

Shame they can’t just move it to let you out when you need to go. Surely any decent person would do that?

It would be such a shame if your foot slipped and you banged into their car trying to get out.

I would say I can’t believe they don’t answer the door but all the time on MN there are posters saying they don’t answer the door without prior arrangement.

I remember that thread - it was 2 young children ringing the bell to ask about the 3-legged cat that lived there. The owner told them to go away as she was wfh (I think) and Dad came round and went into one. Lots of us said we don't answer doorbells unnecessarily but if it was the police then I probably would.