Neighbour Parking

[MumWithYOPD]

We don’t have a bad relationship with our neighbour we just both get on with our lives, say good morning, very rarely chat. His wife was a different matter, we got on very well with her. We always just took it that she was chatty and he wasn’t.
Tragically she died in the summer (aged 50) and since he’s been widowed he will overhang our drive considerably and regularly. Now when it started my DH wanted to speak to him about it but I stopped him and said how horrible would we be to knock the door to say move your car when he’s literally just lost his wife. But it’s still happening more than six months on and I feel we’ve shot ourselves in the foot by not saying anything before. The picture is what we woke to today. We don’t need to go out but surely that’s not the point.
Any suggestions how to broach this welcome as six months is still no time at all but tbh he’s taking the piss as sometimes there’s a big enough space across the street but he’ll park in too small a space outside his door crossing the driveway.

10/10 for the diagram. I might have to deduct a few points because you have set the bar too high

@Redshoeblueshoe

10/10 for the diagram. I might have to deduct a few points because you have set the bar too high

Yeah that’s a bit over the top. I long for the old days of a poor diagram redeemed by the inclusion of next door’s dog.

I don't agree the diagram is useful; style over substance. It's not clear where your driveway starts and ends in relation to his car.

@100problems

I don't agree the diagram is useful; style over substance. It's not clear where your driveway starts and ends in relation to his car.

@100problems hope this helps. It’s a residential street, 1940s terraced either side. Some residents have dropped kerbs with driveways, probably about 30% have a drive.

Send dh for a walk, and have an urgent need to move your car.
Start parking your cars much closer to the pavement to make it obvious he's being inconsiderate.
Go round to make him move at inconvenient times, frequently.

Is there somewhere else he could park? What’s in front of his car?

@VitalsStable

Maybe he wants you to go round to talk to him 😞

Came to say the same thing.

Excellent. Thank you OP.

This proves he is indeed a CF and needs a Stern Word.

Amazing diagram

@NoVaxDjokovic

Is there somewhere else he could park? What’s in front of his car?

@NoVaxDjokovic road, it’s a straight up and down road where residents park either side. Someone parked outside the front of his house and the space between that car and my drop kerb is probably the 1/3 the length of the average car. So the front of his car was outside the front of his home and the remaining 2/3 across my driveway/drop kerb completely in front of one of our cars 😠

You just need to start needing to use your car more often when he’s there.

I would probably tackle this head on rather than pretending to need the car all the time. Go round and ask him to stop. Tell him you didn’t want to bother him about just after his wife died but it’s been going on 6 months and its actually really inconvenient. Then, maybe, ask him to Sunday lunch or something - he may be a bit lonely and it could be a good way to shore up the relationship.