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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think my neighbour has no right to complain about this?

117 replies

Cliveandclyde · 06/10/2022 09:47

I live on a street where parking for visitors is a nightmare due to the fact that nearly everyone has a driveway (including us). Therefore when we have visitors we always let them park across our driveway. To be clear, them doing this does not affect the neighbours on either side getting in or out of their own driveways - there is no overhang whatsoever and plenty of space. One of my neighbours has asked me not to let visitors park across my driveway as (his words) it sets a bad example and makes other people think they can park across driveways (I've never seen this happen once).

AIBU to think I should be able to let visitors block my own driveway?!?!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
CrushedPistachios · 06/10/2022 10:13

It’s unusual for there to be no walkway infront of a 1930s housing street.

a dropped kerb also implies there is a kerb to ‘drop’ which is usually a walkway for pedestrians. If your visitors are mounting the pavement or obstructing a walkway (anything that would require a wheelchair or person with a pram to have to veer off the full width of the path, then that’s a big no no.)

Cliveandclyde · 06/10/2022 10:14

There's absolutely no obstruction of any walkway. Even if they had parked on the road at the end of our driveway there still wouldn't be.

OP posts:
5foot5 · 06/10/2022 10:17

Is it possible to park on the road in front of your house? Although from the way you describe it, it sounds as though your visitors cause less obstruction doing what they do now.

Merryoldgoat · 06/10/2022 10:18

unfortunately your OP explained really badly but given both cars are ON the driveway (orientation is irrelevant) he should be told to jog on.

Seeline · 06/10/2022 10:21

I'm curious how a car can park across your drive without crossing/using any neighbouring property - you must have a very wide drive (as in your whole front garden paved or something?).

Assuming the visiting car is very close to your front boundary, are you sure that it isn't blocking neighbour's sight lines when trying to exist his property?

CrapBucket · 06/10/2022 10:24

Without providing a diagram, by default YABU. That's how these threads work!

Dotjones · 06/10/2022 10:25

If they're parked entirely on your property it's fine.

It's illegal to block a driveway (even your own) when parked on the road. But if the car is entirely on your private property that's not an issue.

BeethovenNinth · 06/10/2022 10:25

Your neighbour is a cheeky fucker

GasPanic · 06/10/2022 10:26

People always have a right to complain. Whether that complaint has a reasonable chance of being upheld or not is a different issue.

If the cars are parked on your land then I don't see what they can do about it.

However, it does all seem a bit weird. For example if you have enough room to park one car on your land straight and another across it, then you'd probably have enough room to park the cars one behind one another. Also it would probably be quite difficult to park the second car across on most normal properties, and if you could it would probably make more sense to park them side by side. So it's not really very easy for most people to visualise the parking/ land arrangement that means you have to park like this.

Floomobal · 06/10/2022 10:27

Cliveandclyde · 06/10/2022 10:08

Essentially my neighbour is basically complaining about 2 cars being parked on our driveway which don't obstruct any other cars.

You can only laugh and ignore. That’s completely batshit.

However, you ARE totally BU to start a parking thread without a diagram. 😉

dailyfup · 06/10/2022 10:30

Diagram needed here.
I am curious as to how the second car manages to park perpendicular on the driveway. How does it get on there at that angle?

starfishmummy · 06/10/2022 10:31

Yabu because diagrams are compulsory when it's a parking question.

MrKlaw · 06/10/2022 10:32

CrushedPistachios · 06/10/2022 09:59

As long as it’s not an obstruction to your neighbours (I’m thinking particularly anyone opposite your property, my opposite neighbour likes to have three cars parked directly infront of their drive and they fail to understand that the dropped kerb outside their house is an access for our dropped kerb parallel to it.)

We have this. the other side of the road appears to be 'the one people park on' as the road is too narrow to park both sides. But that means lots of cars parked directly opposite our dropped kerb. We literally can't get out without turning sharply and our wheels dropping off the full kerb.

I'd love a yellow line but not likely - opposite neighbours have shorter drives so it tends to be their cars parked in front of themselves.

Maybe I need an extension to the drop

mam0918 · 06/10/2022 10:33

Is the car blocking visability?

If they cant see to safely pull out onto the road because this cars blocking the view of possible oncoming traffic then it a legit complaint.

The drive is essentally acting like a junction and its illegal to park on the corner of junctions for this very reason, there might be a 'grey' area if its a private drive way but common sense and safety should still come first.

mam0918 · 06/10/2022 10:36

Im confused reading some other response, are both cars on your drive so completely on your property?

I assumed you mean they are parking on the road/pavement area where the drop curb is which is public land.

ChilliBandit · 06/10/2022 10:39

VainAbigail · 06/10/2022 09:52

No but you can be fined for parking across even your own drop kerb (likelihood?) and they’re not just there for access to your driveway (wheelchairs to cross etc) so YANBU but a tiny bit U too!

People always say this. I am not saying it’s wrong but until we paid to have the kerb dropped there was no dropped kerb outside our house. Now we’ve had it done, does this mean it then becomes a right of access for people even though there was no access before. I am not saying I own that bit of road now, I am just interested in how it works.

For what it’s worth, my council website specifically says they won’t issue PCNs for cars parked over driveways and if you are blocked into your driveway to call 101.

Floydthebarber · 06/10/2022 10:41

Scrolled to the end, no diagram!

Some people just like to complain. If your visitors parked on a nearby road without dropped curbs and walked to your house I imagine your neighbour would grumble about the amount of parked cars on it (if your neighbour is anything like my mother).

OhmygodDont · 06/10/2022 10:42

All the houses around here park over their own dropped bits but not on the road on the bit that used to be grass that’s now driveway.

Letthesunshineonin · 06/10/2022 10:42

He’s ridiculous!

StopDrivingIntoMyFence · 06/10/2022 10:47

For anyone struggling to picture this. This is how I imagine the OP means they park.

to think my neighbour has no right to complain about this?
girlmom21 · 06/10/2022 10:49

StopDrivingIntoMyFence · 06/10/2022 10:47

For anyone struggling to picture this. This is how I imagine the OP means they park.

Pearl clutching neighbour made me laugh!

StopDrivingIntoMyFence · 06/10/2022 10:50

girlmom21 · 06/10/2022 10:49

Pearl clutching neighbour made me laugh!

😁

SalviaOfficinalis · 06/10/2022 10:50

So there’s no pavement?

StopDrivingIntoMyFence · 06/10/2022 10:51

SalviaOfficinalis · 06/10/2022 10:50

So there’s no pavement?

I think there is no pavement. From a previous post OP said it's driveway to road, no pavement.

SerenaTee · 06/10/2022 10:51

Great diagram but am giggling at the rogue car looking like it’s on its roof 😂