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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To bin the card now? Parking one with diagram.

198 replies

crowsfeet57 · 23/10/2021 18:29

We've lived in our house for 26 years and our neighbours have live here for about 15 years. We've maintained a civil relationship until last year when after demanding that we take down some ivy growing on our fence, she announced she was taking down the fence and we weren't allowed to grow anything on the new one. It's actually our fence but she refused to believe that until I showed her the deeds and told her she was not to touch it. Even after that we had a number of rows about her getting workmen in who attached things to the fence and refused to stop when we asked. At one point she screamed at us on the doorstep for 20 minutes about what bad neighbours we were. We were so embarrassed that we agreed they could attach this horrid willow stuff to our fence.

This morning she knocked at our door to let us know they were having a party in the garden tonight (we'd already spotted the marquee). She told us she had asked her guests not to block our drive. We were impressed at how considerate she was and bought a congratulations card for their celebration.

We've just got home and they haven't parked in front of our drive. They have, however, parked right across the road so we can't get to our drive at all and have had to park two streets away. We live at the end of a cul de sac and so ours is the only house inconvenienced by this

DH won't let me knock and ask them to move the cars. I think this is a big fuck you from next door. Would I be unreasonable to bin the card we bought?

To bin the card now? Parking one with diagram.
OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Hankunamatata · 23/10/2021 19:54

Why the hell didnt you go banging on the doors and get them to move their cars

Bloodypunkrockers · 23/10/2021 19:55

@Nanasueathome

The OP stated she lives at the top end of a cul de sac Am assuming it’s a dead end to the right of her drawing The only access is from the left hand side So, if she drives towards her house then the cars parked across the full road are not actually blocking her drive but they are blocking her access to her drive
Thanks for the explanation that makes sense

I was looking at the top of the picture and didn't see that bit blocked but presumably the cars are up against the perimeter there

LittleDandelionClock · 23/10/2021 19:56

@Nanasueathome

The OP stated she lives at the top end of a cul de sac Am assuming it’s a dead end to the right of her drawing The only access is from the left hand side So, if she drives towards her house then the cars parked across the full road are not actually blocking her drive but they are blocking her access to her drive
See, I am thick!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can see it now!

Thanks to @PheasantsNest too for explaining it. yes of course she is blocked from getting into her driveway! I missed the fact that the OP lives in a cul de sac' ...

Ooooh, Very interesting info on here from the police and the RAC regarding this. And the conflicting info.

Although it's widely believed that it's illegal to block someone's access OUT of a driveway, but not IN to a driveway; there could be repercussions with the insurance, should the OP's car get vandalised. Because it's not on her driveway! We all know how anal and strict insurance companies are!

saraclara · 23/10/2021 20:02

@iwishiwasafish

Surely most likely is that their guests didn’t understand their parking instruction, rather than them specifically doing what they went out of their way to say they wouldn’t.
Yep. It's the guests that have parked badly, not the neighbours.

I get that I'm probably ruining a parking thread, but I don't understand the vitriol here. I also don't understand why anyone would park two streets away instead of just knocking and asking one for one of the cars to be moved.

To the pp who said the neighbours should have monitored the parking. who does that? If you're hosting a part you're busy greeting people/pouring drinks/cooking whatever, not being a parking attendant.

Jumbojem · 23/10/2021 20:06

For those going on about insurance, so you never park your car anywhere other than on your drive overnight?! Never stay away or go out in the eve? The RAC one means don't claim you park in a garage if you never do as this would invalidate the ins. It doesn't surely mean it must always be in the garage, only overnight when at your property of that's what you stated when taking out the cover.

PotterHead1985 · 23/10/2021 20:06

@PheasantsNest

I would block them in OP. I don't know what others aren't understanding OP would have to drive through the cars to get to her drive. They are blocking the road.
Exactly. To the poster who said leave it: they've blocked the whole damn road. They are parked across a road where it continues (albeit not far but still). Id be ringing the police.
Iloveacurry · 23/10/2021 20:07

Block them in.

cuttlefishgame · 23/10/2021 20:07

@CallyWW

It's not a huge deal. She tried to warn you and probably did warn her guests not to block you. What's the harm in parking 2 streets away for one night? I would forget about it and pass along the card. It's nice to be nice to people.
'It's nice to be nice to people'?

What - even when the people in question are shitheads who are deliberately going out of their way to cause annoyance?

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/10/2021 20:09

I would have parked behind the car, which blocked your access (the one the far side of the houses). What a couple of idiots the car owners are. They could have parked behind the 2 cars where I’ve drawn in red and blocked no one bar your neighbours.

To bin the card now? Parking one with diagram.
CtrlU · 23/10/2021 20:11

Bin the card??

Come out the car, go to your neighbour and give her a 20 min screaming lecture about common courtesy and tell her to move the bloody car!

No way I would be having that! Clamp the car blocking the road if you can. CHEEKY F’s

malpa · 23/10/2021 20:13

OP, why did you purchase a congratulations card? It's so much cheaper and more thoughtful to make one.

Here, I made a card for you to give to your lovely neighbours. I hope they like it! Smile

To bin the card now? Parking one with diagram.
DILevil · 23/10/2021 20:16

Absolutely go and get your car, park in front of them, take the card around and say congrats and then ask them to move their car. If they say no, leave your car there and have a bottle of wine.
Take photos so it’s time stamped their cars where blocking you out first, then you parked after that.

Lou898 · 23/10/2021 20:17

If you parked in front of the two top cars, you can be near your house, they can still get out by reversing and asking those already at the party to move if needed. No drama required, it’s one night. There is a chance that neighbour has asked not to block and is unaware they have.

FOJN · 23/10/2021 20:18

Wilful obstruction of a public highway is an offence under the Highways Act 1980. I'd tell them they've got 10 minutes to move the cars or you'll phone the police. I'm not sure they'd actually do anything but it might get the desired result. I agree it's a big fuck you, no one can observe that parking and not notice it obstructs access to your drive.

NigellaSeed · 23/10/2021 20:19

@malpa

OP, why did you purchase a congratulations card? It's so much cheaper and more thoughtful to make one.

Here, I made a card for you to give to your lovely neighbours. I hope they like it! Smile

This is amazing!
itsgettingwierd · 23/10/2021 20:20

@malpa

OP, why did you purchase a congratulations card? It's so much cheaper and more thoughtful to make one.

Here, I made a card for you to give to your lovely neighbours. I hope they like it! Smile

I feel a personalised card making business is a venture you should consider 🤣🤣
HunterHearstHelmsley · 23/10/2021 20:21

I live in a very similar cul-de-sac. I have more than once been blocked out of my driveway. First time, I knocked and asked them to move and got a mouthful. Second time, I blocked the road.

Aprilx · 23/10/2021 20:22

I mustn’t be understanding the diagram, as it doesn’t look like anything is stopping you from parking on your own drive.

LittleDandelionClock · 23/10/2021 20:23

@malpa Brilliant! Grin

PheasantsNest · 23/10/2021 20:24

@Aprilx only the slight problem that she can't get to it!

dementedpixie · 23/10/2021 20:26

@Aprilx

I mustn’t be understanding the diagram, as it doesn’t look like anything is stopping you from parking on your own drive.
It will be the cars parked all the way across the road that is stopping OP from getting to her drive!
TenThousandSpoons · 23/10/2021 20:28

Excellent diagram, OP.

Tirediam · 23/10/2021 20:30

@malpa 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

SunShinesBrightly · 23/10/2021 20:30

@Aprilx

I mustn’t be understanding the diagram, as it doesn’t look like anything is stopping you from parking on your own drive.
?? Can you see the 4 cars blocking the road? The road is a dead end. There is no access from the right!
WeAllHaveWings · 23/10/2021 20:31

Ask them to move, if they don't block them in