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Original poster

Neighbour knocked on our door and had a go...

167 replies

Daisycat76 · 25/04/2022 19:37

Not sure what to think of this.... DP and I moved into a new neighbourhood a few weeks ago. It's a fairly affluent area, detached houses etc. Anyway we had visitors over the weekend staying for 2 days, and DP wanted to move our car so the visitors could park on the drive. He parked the car on the street opposite. Wasn't blocking anyone's drive, or parked in an illegal or obstructive way. He parked it there Friday lunch time.

Saturday evening neighbour we've never met came knocking on the door, and without introducing himself just started having a go at us for parking our car there. He didn't ask us to move it or explain why it bothered him - just immediately started ranting that we're "disrespecting our neighbours" and "we don't give a s*". We said we haven't done anything wrong, it's legal to park on any road as long as it's not blocking a driveway. He accepted it's not illegal but it's not acceptable anyway. Said we "should have realized" it would upset him!!

DP then said sorry I'll move it, I didn't mean to upset you and we'd like to keep good relations with you. The guy just kept having a go, and eventually went "well you have upset me, welcome to the neighbourhood" and stormed off.

I'm not being unreasonable here, right? Would you go and have a go at your neighbours for parking a car outside your house for a couple of days?? I keep overthinking it, is it rude to park outside someone's house?

OP posts:
ComDummings · 25/04/2022 19:38

He’s a dickhead

BigSandyBalls2015 · 25/04/2022 19:38

batshit. Ignore and certainly don’t apologise!

BigSandyBalls2015 · 25/04/2022 19:39

He clearly needs a hobby or a job

Hugasauras · 25/04/2022 19:39

Knob. He doesn't own the road and anyone is entitled to park there if they wish.

Original poster
Daisycat76 · 25/04/2022 19:40

I forgot to add that he knew when the visitors arrived, knew when we popped out and returned, and knew which cars were ours. As if he's been sitting there watching us through the window all day.... Which I also thought was weird and a bit creepy

OP posts:
Horst · 25/04/2022 19:40

Well done your managed to local the village idiot. Better to find out sooner than later.

it is rather nice when they out themselves quickly.

Maydaysoonenough · 25/04/2022 19:41

Hire 5 cars for a week. Park them all along the road. He is a twat. Ignore.

Dilbertian · 25/04/2022 19:41

Don't move the car. Whatever you do your batshit neighbour has set the tone of his relationship with you, so you may as well stand your ground now, rather than establish that you will bend over backwards to appease him.

HouseOfGoldandBones · 25/04/2022 19:42

I'd start parking there once a week, just to make sure he doesn't think everything will go his way.

ChocolateHippo · 25/04/2022 19:47

Well you've annoyed him anyway so you have nothing further to lose. May as well crack on and park there whenever it suits you!

Merryoldgoat · 25/04/2022 19:48

How did you manage not to tell him to fuck off?

the80sweregreat · 25/04/2022 19:49

Sounds a charmer ! Not
Goes to show that even affluent 'posh houses ' areas have complete idiots living there.
You should have said ' you can pay my road tax next time it comes round if you like'
What is it with people eh?

backtobusy · 25/04/2022 19:50

We lived somewhere with neighbors like this, it was very trying.
They had all retired early and didn't seem to do anything other than look at the road for what they saw as infractions.
I would be polite but live your own life as it suits you.

WaspStingsAreAwful · 25/04/2022 19:52

Far too much time on his hands, and the self appointed Estate Manager!

Ignore him for now, as it seems that your other neighbours are quite normal and had nothing to say about your perfectly legal parking!

Original poster
Daisycat76 · 25/04/2022 19:54

Merryoldgoat · 25/04/2022 19:48

How did you manage not to tell him to fuck off?

Was close to it! Mainly just didn't want to give him reason to do anything, like slash our tyres or park in front of our drive or something...

OP posts:
lassof · 25/04/2022 19:59

It would definitely be rude where I live to park your car outside anyone else's house. If we do it, we ask first and explain why it's necessary.
Obviously it is perfectly legal, but it does really piss people off and a polite knock to ask doesn't cost anything.
In a busier street, maybe terraces or semis close together, that wouldn't perhaps be the norm as it just wouldn't be possible.
Anyway, his reaction was ott so now you know who to watch out for! Welcome to the neighborhood.

TabithaTittlemouse · 25/04/2022 19:59

Hard to know without a diagram… sort it out op

NoraEphronsNeck · 25/04/2022 20:00

Sounds like my village. We were more or less introduced to the 'estate manager' in a similar manner in our first week of living here. I've long since told him where to go 🙄

Original poster
Daisycat76 · 25/04/2022 20:04

lassof · 25/04/2022 19:59

It would definitely be rude where I live to park your car outside anyone else's house. If we do it, we ask first and explain why it's necessary.
Obviously it is perfectly legal, but it does really piss people off and a polite knock to ask doesn't cost anything.
In a busier street, maybe terraces or semis close together, that wouldn't perhaps be the norm as it just wouldn't be possible.
Anyway, his reaction was ott so now you know who to watch out for! Welcome to the neighborhood.

Hmm yeah this was something I considered afterwards... Maybe in some neighbourhoods it's not the norm. Where we've lived in the past it's always been fine and everyone accepts that the road is fair game for parking, no matter who's house its in front of. But yeah, if he'd just explained it inconvenienced him and asked us to move it, we'd have done so no problem. It was the rudeness that caused us to argue back.

OP posts:
MrsMoastyToasty · 25/04/2022 20:06

Ask him what patt of the words Public Highway he doesn't understand.

Beamur · 25/04/2022 20:07

Neighbour is a loon. Avoid.

chesirecat99 · 25/04/2022 20:11

As much as you are entitled to park anywhere on the street, is there a reason why your DH parked opposite your house instead of outside your house? It's a bit cheeky to park outside someone else's house if you can park outside your own.

Joolsin · 25/04/2022 20:13

I would make it my business to park on the road at every opportunity in future, op. The guy is a muppet.

KarmaComma · 25/04/2022 20:14

Daisycat76 · 25/04/2022 19:40

I forgot to add that he knew when the visitors arrived, knew when we popped out and returned, and knew which cars were ours. As if he's been sitting there watching us through the window all day.... Which I also thought was weird and a bit creepy

Umm that's the basis of every MN parking thread. OP has to sit and watch all day and do drawings. Nothing weird about that at all...

Other than mildly insulting all the parking thread lovers, YANBU

DaisyQuakeJohnson · 25/04/2022 20:15

Some streets are like that. In our last house, the street behind our garden was full of people who complained if you parked there. They admitted it wasn't illegal but that entire street had managed to work themselves into a frenzy about who they thought could park where.

Just be careful. That ^^ was in a very naice area and yet the parking issue tipped over into assault; verbal abuse; people being arrested and cars being keyed.

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