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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbours putting cones on the road to reserve space

145 replies

MandiY · 17/10/2022 11:47

Is this cheeky? I live on a row of terraced houses. All residents have to pay for permit parking. Neighbours who are around 80 have started putting cones outside their house to reserve their space. They put them over two spaces too, I'm guessing so he has space to manoeuvre in. His wife has been telling me about how his eyesight is deteriorating and he often has to pull over because he can't see properly so not sure he should even be driving, but that's a story for another day! They often put cones out for delivery vans and window cleaners etc, again meaning I can't park. They are elderly but he's quite capable of walking is out and about walking all the time. Often means I can't park outside my own house and have to walk round the block with my 3yo. I know if I parked there then they would then have to do the same, but surely that's just life when it comes to using on street parking? WIBU to have a friendly word?

OP posts:
Cigarettesaftersex1 · 17/10/2022 11:48

Just move the cones and park there, every time. The eyesight thing is a problem though, I wouldn't be happy about that but not sure what I'd do

IamSmarticus · 17/10/2022 11:49

I wouldn't be having a word, I would be moving the cones and parking.

NewIdeasToday · 17/10/2022 11:49

It’s clearly unreasonable. I’d just move them and park there, especially if they’ve blocked off two spaces.

HighlandPony · 17/10/2022 11:49

More concerned about him being on the road than parking spaces if I’m honest. Take his spark plugs out. That’s what I did to my gran.

Backtoreality1 · 17/10/2022 11:50

Report him to DVLA and move the cones and park. No need for any discussion. They have no right to put cones out.

Isthisexpected · 17/10/2022 11:50

Report him to the DVLA. Imagine if he killed your toddler or someone else's.

Clarice99 · 17/10/2022 11:51

I would move the cones. Every single time.

And I would give serious consideration to reporting the person with eyesight problems that are so bad he can't park a car to the DVLA (I'd want to witness what was going on first)

Original poster
MandiY · 17/10/2022 11:51

I've already reported him to the DVLA, so has another neighbour as she had the same concern. Just for reassurance!

OP posts:
onemouseplace · 17/10/2022 11:52

Move the cones every time they put them out. If they need a disabled space outside their house, they can apply for one.

Sleepybumble · 17/10/2022 11:52

I'd report to the DVLA too. It's easy and anonymous. I reported my grandfather as he wasn't listening to family and his eye sight was shocking. He was asked to do another driving test, and failed the eyesight at the beginning of the test.

passport123 · 17/10/2022 11:53

Move the cones. Every time. Just put them on the pavement.

focuspocus · 17/10/2022 11:53

Far more concerned that he needs the space because of his eyesight. Where I used to live two older neighbours used to do this. I don't think anyone was fussed as although parking not easy it wasn't too hard to find something in a reasonable distance and they weren't very spritely.

DenholmElliot1 · 17/10/2022 11:54

I always just move cones if I need the parking space.

People aren't allowed to cone off sections of the public highway for their own personal use lol!

Overandunderit · 17/10/2022 11:54

Such CFery. My neighbours do this with wheelie bins. I move them every time and park there.

drpet49 · 17/10/2022 11:54

Backtoreality1 · 17/10/2022 11:50

Report him to DVLA and move the cones and park. No need for any discussion. They have no right to put cones out.

Also report to the councils highway department about the cones.

Comefromaway · 17/10/2022 11:55

I've been known to accidentally run over illegally placed cones.

But yes, report to the DVLA, he is dangerous and could kill someone.

Oysterbabe · 17/10/2022 11:55

You're more capable of walking around the corner than an 80 year old man. I'd leave him be.

Sleepybumble · 17/10/2022 11:57

Just saw your reply that's you e already reported to the DVLA. It took me 2 reports as the first report they just asked him if he felt ok to drive. To which he said yes. I reported again and that's when they requested a re test.
Re. The cones we had a neighbor who did this but everyone used to ignore and move them if we needed to park on the street. He never brought it up to anyone. Probably because he knew he didn't have any right to.

ancientgran · 17/10/2022 12:00

Sleepybumble · 17/10/2022 11:57

Just saw your reply that's you e already reported to the DVLA. It took me 2 reports as the first report they just asked him if he felt ok to drive. To which he said yes. I reported again and that's when they requested a re test.
Re. The cones we had a neighbor who did this but everyone used to ignore and move them if we needed to park on the street. He never brought it up to anyone. Probably because he knew he didn't have any right to.

Maybe he didn't mean to stop neighbours but wanted to put other people off. My neighbours parking outside my house don't worry me, even if the teenager opposite parks badly, but I do get fed up with the parents from the local primary who park so close that their children get out and run across my garden, park on the bend one house down making it dangerous for anyone trying to cross the road and park so close to the T junction that I can't get out safely.

YellowTreeHouse · 17/10/2022 12:02

I would report him to the DVLA for the eyesight problem and move the cones.

Peashoots · 17/10/2022 12:02

Move the cones and park there. I wouldn’t even get into it with them. You’ve done the right thing reporting him, well done.

Original poster
MandiY · 17/10/2022 12:03

Oysterbabe · 17/10/2022 11:55

You're more capable of walking around the corner than an 80 year old man. I'd leave him be.

Last time I had a car full of shopping and my 3 year old so had to go back and forth to the car with him as I can't leave him in the house on his own. I know there's always a risk of this happening but if I have the option of parking outside my own house I'd like to be able to. He's capable of walking his dog and walking to the shops so I just don't see why someone should be reserving a space unless he's disabled, at which point there are processes in place to reserve his space formally.

OP posts:
Unanananana · 17/10/2022 12:07

I had this with a dickhead over the road with his giant merc that he couldn't possibly park anywhere else.

I'd move them and park there every time. Just because I can.

Echoing other pps though, keep reporting to the DVLA. He is going to kill someone.

Nsky62 · 17/10/2022 12:07

The joys of living with no parking space

Atmywitsend29 · 17/10/2022 12:16

Parking permits and unallocated spaces are a first come first served thing, I'd be moving those comes. They can park the same as everyone else.

I used to live in a block with unallocated spaces and could rarely ever park in the parking bays, I used to have to park about 5/10 minute walk away. It used to annoy all the neighbors when that one family would cone off a couple of bays for their own cars.