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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To park in this space?

65 replies

MissisBoote · 17/10/2022 10:18

We live in a regular road with Victorian terraced houses on either side. Cars park parallel to the road. One house has a dropped kerb and the garden was concreted over years ago. Newish neighbour used to keep a car SORN there. The concreted bit isn't very big, it's only about 2.5m deep so you can only fit a small car on there parked parallel to the house otherwise it would go on the pavement. Obviously no one parked in front of his house then as he had a car on the 'drive' so no one would have wanted to block him in.

The car is no longer there and the neighbour gets really annoyed now if anyone parks in front of his house in 'his spot'. Leaves notes telling you not to park there or passively aggressively parks his car really close to whoever parks there making it difficult to move your car. He thinks his dropped kerb gives him the automatic right to park his car there and no one else.

YABU - you shouldn't park there as there's a dropped kerb

YANBU - it's a public highway so park away

To park in this space?
OP posts:
asdasult · 17/10/2022 10:19

That's a bit of a dick move given that it's a dropped kerb.

emmathedilemma · 17/10/2022 10:20

no one should be parking across a dropped kerb

FlounderingFruitcake · 17/10/2022 10:21

You can’t park over a dropped curb, ever. Even if you happen to know that the driveway isn’t in regular use. Or am I missing something?

chipsandpeas · 17/10/2022 10:21

you shouldnt be parking blocking a dropped kerb anyway

JudithHarper · 17/10/2022 10:21

You cannot park over a dropped kerb.

Why can't you park outside your own house?

Marblessolveeverything · 17/10/2022 10:22

My understanding of the law is you can't park in front of a dropped kerb?

viques · 17/10/2022 10:22

thank you for the diagram. I think if it is a dropped kerb you shouldn’t park there.

I misread your “parking space” notation as “dancing space” , perhaps you could get together with your neighbours for a Lindy hop, or go out there one morning and perform a floaty number to welcome the sunrise……..

Cigarettesaftersex1 · 17/10/2022 10:22

Yep agree with everyone else, no parking over a dropped kerb

Hugasauras · 17/10/2022 10:25

If it has a dropped kerb then it's surely classed as a driveway and you can't park in front of it. Whether he's currently using it or not is irrelevant.

ChilliBandit · 17/10/2022 10:25

Regardless of what you think of the size of the space, if the council have given permission for the kerb to be dropped it’s a drive. Why do you think you can park over it?

Heronwatcher · 17/10/2022 10:25

I think it’s unreasonable. Where I used to live the person wanting the driveway had to apply to the council for permission to drop the kerb and then pay a small fortune to pay them to do it. Also he is entitled to access to his own drive whether or not there is a car on it at that particular moment. I’ve also had a parking ticket once for (inadvertently) parking in front of a dropped kerb so I am fairly sure it’s illegal.

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 17/10/2022 10:26

Have you ever seen a highway code op? You also shouldn’t park on double yellow lines or the zigzags in front of a school. This isn’t an exhaustive list.

PuttingDownRoots · 17/10/2022 10:27

If its an official dropped curb then its not on to park there. Although technically its "allowed" if no car on drive.

Unofficial dropped curb... its anyones.

Original poster
MissisBoote · 17/10/2022 10:28

Great - I just wanted to double check.

Does that mean that he shouldn't be parking in front of the dropped kerb?

@viques I love the idea of a dancing space. Lindy hop at dawn it is!

OP posts:
ChilliBandit · 17/10/2022 10:28

Heronwatcher · 17/10/2022 10:25

I think it’s unreasonable. Where I used to live the person wanting the driveway had to apply to the council for permission to drop the kerb and then pay a small fortune to pay them to do it. Also he is entitled to access to his own drive whether or not there is a car on it at that particular moment. I’ve also had a parking ticket once for (inadvertently) parking in front of a dropped kerb so I am fairly sure it’s illegal.

Yep same here, cost me £2,000 on top of the £8,000 the driveway itself cost. Before we had the kerb dropped it was the postman’s preferred spot. It remains his preferred spot now even when there are plenty of spaces. Drives me nuts but he just shrugs and walks/drives off when I’ve asked him not to park there.

ChilliBandit · 17/10/2022 10:30

MissisBoote · 17/10/2022 10:28

Great - I just wanted to double check.

Does that mean that he shouldn't be parking in front of the dropped kerb?

@viques I love the idea of a dancing space. Lindy hop at dawn it is!

I think technically not, but given he is only blocking his own access I can’t see why it should be an issue. I think it would be a dick move to report him really. Whether he is parked on the drive or across the kerb he is still using 1 parking space. I assume you are welcome to have a drive if you want one?

Hugasauras · 17/10/2022 10:32

I guess he shouldn't be parking there either but no one is going to enforce that because there would be no complainant.

Heronwatcher · 17/10/2022 10:32

MissisBoote · 17/10/2022 10:28

Great - I just wanted to double check.

Does that mean that he shouldn't be parking in front of the dropped kerb?

@viques I love the idea of a dancing space. Lindy hop at dawn it is!

I suspect he might still get a ticket (how are they going to know it’s his car?) but I think morally it’s fine, as he’s choosing to block his own drive and can similarly choose to move his car at any point if he needs access. Plus how is it different from him parking on the drive? I would not have an issue with it.

girlmom21 · 17/10/2022 10:32

No he shouldn't be parked there either.

Hugasauras · 17/10/2022 10:34

And I'd be annoyed if I were him and people kept parking across it! They're lucky they haven't been towed or he hasn't informed the council. Even if he doesn't have a car, it stops visitors or tradespeople parking in his drive. If he's done it to his garden then I imagine others are free to do so if they want to park more easily.

AryaStarkWolf · 17/10/2022 10:34

MissisBoote · 17/10/2022 10:28

Great - I just wanted to double check.

Does that mean that he shouldn't be parking in front of the dropped kerb?

@viques I love the idea of a dancing space. Lindy hop at dawn it is!

Are you going to report him for parking in front of his own driveway? jesus

Original poster
MissisBoote · 17/10/2022 10:35

Of course not! Where did I say I was going to report him?

OP posts:
IhearyouClemFandango · 17/10/2022 10:37

Why would anyone park over his dropped kerb? What an odd thing to do.

caffelattetogo · 17/10/2022 10:37

He can park there, you can't. I can see why he would be angry!

Vapeyvapevape · 17/10/2022 10:39

In my street, we all park across our own dropped kerb , I have a 2 car driveway and if someone visits me they park across the dropped kerb but it's not a problem as we can move the cars to let the 'blocked' car out. I also park across it if I've popped home and will be going out again soon. I'd be cross if an unknown person did this though .