Why does neighbour keep blocking driveway?

[time2tork]

We bought a new house a year ago. It's along a road with a few other houses and driveways but a couple of houses have been made into 4 flats.

We made a driveway at the back of our house and turned what was parking at the front into a garden, installed gates on driveway..

Our gates aren't automatic, so we sometimes park in front of them blocking our own driveway if we can't be bothered to swing them open.

A neighbour parked there once, we came home and couldn't get in so asked him politely to move.

Same neighbour has parked there when we needed access to it, again asked to move.

Same neighbour parked there and I mentioned I'm pregnant and ambulance access to our property is essential as I'm high risk pregnancy...

Same neighbour, parked there again, we also have builders in and out, carrying heavy things and they need the use the driveway.

He's the only neighbour who does it, what is the mental reasoning for it?

He and his wife are really nice people and
I genuinely like my neighbours.. but what is with this? they are the only ones who keep doing this? We've only been nice to them.

We paid a lot of money for our house and the luxury of having our own parking. Lots of tourists come and park around our houses, not even they park in front of our driveway and block us in..

You're being too nice. & hes relying on that. He already knows you don't want him to park on your driveway

Put up a No Parking sign and tell him to stop parking there. You can surely do that in polite fashion.

If he takes umbrage thats his problem. You can't please everybody and you shouldn't try.

Our neighbour parks inconsiderately, every time he does I go to his door and get him to move his van, the later at night I notice it the better!

Dh thinks I’m being petty but I believe I should be able to drive straight off my own drive without having to manoeuvre around his dodgy parking. It gets better for a few months and then he reverts back so I go back to chapping his door! 😂😂

"What is it about MNetters and their inability to read posts incorrectly?!"

But, but if they did that, they might not be able to have a pop at the OP. You simply cannot let facts get in the way of a good kicking.

@HomeTheatreSystem

He sees nothing wrong in it, rationalizing to himself that you are happy to ask him to move as and when and in the interim he can enjoy the use of the space. He doesn't realise that he is being a very tiresome cheeky fucker.

It's absolutely this.

Excuse me sorry to trouble you but would you mind moving your car please so I can access my driveway if that's ok with you and sorry again to knock. Have a nice day.

If you're asking like this or any other watered down version then he thinks he's not causing any issues. He doesn't know how you really feel so you have to explicitly ask him to stop. Then put the signs up. Then do the ungodly hour knocking thing if he keeps doing it.

No, I'm in the camp that he's doing it on purpose to be a dick. The OP has asked him not to park there and given her reasons, but he continues to park there. He's either thick or nasty. I bet the latter.

For the sake of neighbourly relations I would speak to him one more time. Tell him clearly that he cannot park there ever again. You don't need to give an excuse as to why. It's your driveway. It's illegal to block it.

If he blocks it again I would get it towed. And tow it again every time he does it. Bet it will never happen after that.

@GoodnightGrandma

Priam Farrell - my DM did not call the police out, they came out because she asked them not to drive on the pavement. They took offence to this and contacted the local police. They are mounting the pavement at her dropped curb and driving along to their house, which is 4 houses along.

Driving along the pavement is illegal. In our area they plan to fine people £200 a time for doing so (and I wish they'd get on with it)

www.pedestriansafety.org.uk/footway_parking_legality.html

I agree with the one more option, and then have it towed. Be prepared to 100% stick to it, no backing down.

@MadeForThis

For the sake of neighbourly relations I would speak to him one more time. Tell him clearly that he cannot park there ever again. You don't need to give an excuse as to why. It's your driveway. It's illegal to block it.

If he blocks it again I would get it towed. And tow it again every time he does it. Bet it will never happen after that.

Yes, have the vehicle towed, preferably with the neighbor in the boot.

We live in a cottage with a small shared road, which we all manage to use without blocking access for the others. Although the etiquette for this was talked about when we moved in.

Next time he does it instead of saying "could you move your car please?" Say "could you stop parking in front of our driveway please?" If you're in England it's illegal to park over any dropped kerb so it's not really an argument, he just needs to stop

@Nix2020

In the grand scheme of things does it matter? If your not using the space as a drive way because you've built a new one, what's the issue. If you've got builders in ok ask him to move. I honestly don't see the issue of parking spaces. Of you need to walk further to your home then walk.

I'd love to know what @Nix2020's grand scheme is, but I imagine this attitude is more prevalent than you might think. "If you're not actively using it, I'll have it" sort of thing. AKA entitlement.

Wait. Is it a new house. Or did people live their previously? Or do you mean a bee house to you?

He simply thinks you are OK with him parking there as you have been asking him to move but not specifying you don’t want him to park there again.
Time to pull up your big girl pants and let him know you want it to stop.
At the same time put up a notice saying access needed at all times - vehicles will be towed. That will solve your problem with no drama.

Nocutenamesleft

Yes there has been a dropped curb for a long time, it was always a driveway but previous owners didn't use it as one - they used the front for parking and back for a terrace.

The words 'previous owners' might be a clue.

@ASeriesOfTubes

😉

Next time it happens go and speak to him

’Perhaps I haven’t been clear enough, but this is the access to my drive and you must stop parking there.’

or

‘You seem to be parked across my gates again meaning I can’t access my drive. I’ve spoken to you about this a number of times, but perhaps I haven’t been clear enough about it and you think I don’t mind. I do mind and need you to stop doing it, so I know I can access my driveway at all times. Can I just check that we are in the same page with this?’

I think a key part if the conversation is asking them if they understand that you need them to stop doing it - to acknowledge it. Once someone does this, it is much harder for them to continue with it.

The reason this happens is you’ve been too nice and not clear. Your neighbour thinks you don’t actually mind much or don’t mind enough to tell them not to do it. And until you spell it and out (and possibly not even then) they intend to just do what suits them. They can see you find confrontation awkward and are relying on you never being brave enough to call them on their actions. Those who are more more assertive (not rude or aggressive, but willing to voice their reasonable objections to what has been happening) would have stopped this happening ages ago. Tell him it needs to stop. Ask him for an undertaking that he will stop. At that point, the vast majority of CFs will stop.