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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking thread with diagram

118 replies

RubyReigns · 10/08/2021 17:18

Bit of background. New build houses. We moved in about 6 weeks after the neighbours. Our house is has driveway parking for 2 cars, theirs only has one space. We only have one car and only use the extra space for visitors.
We get on ok with the neighbours, not overly friendly but say hi, take in each other’s parcels etc if needed.
When we first moved in their visitors would block our drive whether we were on it or not. DH is very calm and amenable and he didn’t mind knocking on their door daily to ask to be let out. Meanwhile I decided we could get round this by parking sticking out on to the pavement for a few days to stop them fitting over our drive iyswim? DH agreed to do this to appease me haha.
This seemed to work and they stopped parking over the drive even when we went back to parking on it normally.
For the last week they’ve been parking over our empty drive space as in the diagram. It means when we have visitors they have to park elsewhere (no parking spaces anywhere near by apart from driveways or blocking your own cars in). If our visitor parks over our other driveway space it blocks the junction for anyone coming on to or out of the street.
How can I sort this without speaking to them directly? There’s quite a few of them there at all times and they are quite loud so I don’t want to approach this on my own and DH doesn’t think they’re being unreasonable.
I think they should be blocking in their own car with their own visitors because that’s just the done thing isn’t it?
Am I being unreasonable? Do I just need to calm down and be more DH?

Parking thread with diagram
OP posts:
Blossomtoes · 10/08/2021 17:21

I’d be more DH but I guarantee I’ll be the only one who is!

Oldraver · 10/08/2021 17:23

Do you always park in the left hand space, could you park in the one nearest to them and see what happens ?

Though yes ideally you should talk to them and ask visitors to park over theirs

CaptainHammer · 10/08/2021 17:23

I’d be annoyed too. Why the heck are they parking over your drive instead of their own?!

Spexy · 10/08/2021 17:24

Could you park in the space closest to their house? Would force them not to block you in.

Spexy · 10/08/2021 17:25

@Oldraver beat me to it.

To add - I think they're being very unreasonable!

JustLoveYourselfALittle · 10/08/2021 17:25

Just go round and ask if their visitors could block their own drive.

JustLoveYourselfALittle · 10/08/2021 17:25

Oh and yes. Park the other side..

NotYourCupOfTea · 10/08/2021 17:27

I would knock every single time and start parking in that space
They will soon take the hint
It’d give me the rage even if I didn’t need to go out

anon12345anon · 10/08/2021 17:28

This would really piss me off. I think they know you're soft (& DH easy going) and they are just being bellends.

The most sensible option would be to approach the most normal of that household and ask them to stop doing it.

Failing that, I would just be passive aggressive, and start inconveniencing them and their visitors. Park at awkward angles to make them have to ask you to move. I'd also go over each and every time, whether it's late at night or early in the morning.

Wotta pain - good luck Star

simbobs · 10/08/2021 17:29

Completely unacceptable behaviour. In no way are they justified in doing this. You are going to have to sort this out once and for all, but I can't see it ending amicably.

RolloTomassi · 10/08/2021 17:30

Yes they're totally ignorant to use someone else's area when their own is available! Why do people do stuff like this?! Just start parking on it yourself.

Original poster
RubyReigns · 10/08/2021 17:31

Parking the other side is what I’ve suggested to DH. I am pretty unreasonable in general, I posted to check if it was just me or if the mumsnet hive mind would agree with me.
DH is the driver I don’t even drive, yet I seethe inwardly whenever their visitors block the space. He isn’t bothered because he’s anti social and has no visitors, it’s always people visiting the children or me that can’t park. So far he hasn’t agreed to parking in the other space but I’ll be more likely to convince him if you all agree I’m not being unreasonable.

OP posts:
CustardyCreams · 10/08/2021 17:31

Yeah, park on your empty space - they can’t reasonably block you in, and they can’t block the empty space as it would block the junction. Problem solved.

simbobs · 10/08/2021 17:32

Also, the way you have drawn the diagram it looks as though they are fully parked across the pavement. In our village the police would be having a word with them.

Coulddowithanap · 10/08/2021 17:32

I'd start parking where they are instead of the drive, but I don't like confrontation.

OhRene · 10/08/2021 17:33

@NotYourCupOfTea

I would knock every single time and start parking in that space They will soon take the hint It’d give me the rage even if I didn’t need to go out
This.

Make them
Move every single time. They'll eventually stop. I'd also start parking on the side they're blocking.

Original poster
RubyReigns · 10/08/2021 17:36

@simbobs

Also, the way you have drawn the diagram it looks as though they are fully parked across the pavement. In our village the police would be having a word with them.
They are. It’s not illegal here. In fact after this part of the street there is no pavement all the way up the cul de sac, just gardens or driveways.
OP posts:
MintyGreenDream · 10/08/2021 17:37

I love that you are totally owning the fact that you're an unreasonable personGrin

Kite22 · 10/08/2021 17:43

I don't know which way to vote, as obviously they ABU to be blocking your driveway, but equally you ABU to not go round and get them to shift it when you need to use your driveway.
Or, get your visitors to block their car in on their drive.

Also, the town planners ABU to allow all new estates to be built without sufficient parking. Angry

RightYesButNo · 10/08/2021 17:43

Those are HUGE cars! Wait… is this diagram to scale?

Anyway, YANBU. While some would say it’s mostly your DH’s opinion as he’s the only driver, I would say this is actually largely affected by your opinion as you said you and DC are the only ones to get visitors. Since DH won’t agree to see sense, you’ll have to block the other space with penguin bollards when visitors aren’t there so that DH has to park in the “visitor” spot and they have to block him.

GingerBrod · 10/08/2021 17:51

You need to nip this in the bud sooner rather than later, it'll be more difficult further down the line.

DP needs to park in the other space, someone needs to just go over and speak to them, it doesn't matter if they're loud. Big girl pants on!!

Jaxhog · 10/08/2021 17:52

@Spexy

Could you park in the space closest to their house? Would force them not to block you in.
This is what I'd do too.
TheCrowening · 10/08/2021 17:52

If you have visitors, get them to park across your neighbours drive.

Trouble is that’s illegal but I’d still be tempted…

simbobs · 10/08/2021 17:55

If you don't nip this in the bud you appear to be giving them tacit permission to keep on doing it. If you don't need the extra space you may be able to rent it out. Just saying...

Original poster
RubyReigns · 10/08/2021 17:59

DH is coming round to idea of parking on the other side but he doesn’t want to look like a passive aggressive idiot so has said he’s going to park dead centre. Who have I married! Hah

OP posts:
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