Neighbours putting cones on the road to reserve space

[MandiY]

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?

😂
You should win a Viz pencil for this

Do you think it’s kind to allow someone to drive who is not fit to do so and may kill someone?

The eyesight I would be reporting to the DVLA immediately. He has to pull over because he can’t see properly? Wtf?? Report it for goodness sake! As for the cones, completely unlawful to obstruct a public highway. Remove them and park there.

Move the cones.
Report again.

The main issue is his eyesight & fitness to drive. As covered by other posters just continue to report your concerns periodically.

For cones you can just move them, (the intent could be to discourage non resident parkers)
You can also report the cones to the council for blocking the highway which is likely to result in him being told to stop doing so, and ultimately a fine.

The other thing mentioned by a few is a disabled space. This helps the individual is disabled and needs nearby parking - but it still would not be their space, it would be a space for disabled badge holders

When I was diagnosed with long qt syndrome I wasn't able to drive from moment they did my ecg. I got buses to drop my child to nursery. I had to get buses and taxis to work. I arranged with work to work from home when I could. I walked, a lot. I didn't step foot in my car until I had the all clear from my doctors and my license was okayed by the DVLA. That wasn't nice either but I couldn't have lived with myself if I killed someone just so my life would be more convenient.

You can apply for a disabled parking space even if you cannot drive as many parents do for their disabled children.

Okaaay and your point is? Since its already been pointed out by several others

It would be nice to help an elderly neighbour park closer to their house( if they are fit to drive) but it just isn't practical for you to do this unfortunately.

I would move the cones but be understanding of their situation.

This is exactly what I’d do

My neighbour (not elderly at all) once had a face-to-face chat with me, acknowledging that the space belongs to everyone but they'd appreciate first dibs whenever possible. In that situation it was easy for me to choose what to say next (I said yes, it was no skin off my nose and they had 2 small kids at the time). If they'd said nothing at all and started putting out cones it would have been a very different situation.

At 80 my df was a faster walker than me.
He’s 91 now and can still walk a mile into town.

Well, I could explain my point to you, but as you say it's already been pointed out by several others so I'm mot sure I need to respond to your contradictory statement

Against the grain here but no way would I up the ante by moving cones and start a neighbour war, especially with an 80 year old.

If it was just one space I'd probably try and live with it, or it would depend on what I was doing, but if they're blocking two spaces and you have a toddler and a ton of shopping, I'd move the cones,

I'd report some abandoned cones left by the Highways.

Nor is killing someone because of your failing eyesight

I would move the cones and park in one of the spaces, but wouldn't park right outside their house - because I sometimes choose to be generous. I'm no doormat but I think I would let them away with that at their age.

However I would be very concerned about the eyesight thing, no idea what you do about that other than keep reporting?

Neither is a child being run over and killed, by a man whose eyesight is is bad he has to pull over sometimes, "nice".

@MandiY · Today 12:56
Pugalicious · Today 12:48
Okaaay and your point is? Since its already been pointed out by several others
Well, I could explain my point to you, but as you say it's already been pointed out by several others so I'm mot sure I need to respond to your contradictory statement Wink

But you just did you numpty 😉

My grandfather started driving in about 1909. Never took a test, never had an accident. One day in the 1970s he overshot a red light (no harm done) He drove straight home and sold his beautiful 1930s car, never drove again. What this neighbour is doing is perhaps understandable on a human level, no one likes losing independence, but is foolish and dangerous and I can't believe some people are defending it.

Cones to reserve a parking space, copyright Carla Lane in the 1980s.

If the comment about eyesight is true, as a responsible person you should be alerting the DVLA or perhaps the police. Before your next door neighbour becomes a widow or is visiting her husband in hospital after a crash.

When you speak to a professional about your eyes, one of the questions should be do you drive.
If you answer yes and your eye sight is bad there should be a professional responsibility to report to DVLA.
It shouldn’t be down to self reporting or hoping a neighbour/relative steps in. Plus surely coming from a professional aspect the report would hold more credence.

Amyway, remove the cones and report to everyone you can think of. If you also have community police I would be having a word with them.

He’s a danger to everyone around him and their property.

People pleasing is not a positive personality trait.

Is that your only frame of reference for kindness - to please someone and thereby benefit from having done so? Narcissism.

DVLA aren't processing things particularly fast atm.