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AIBU?

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Original poster

Parking - feeling terrorised by neighbours

68 replies

CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:35

I've included a drawing because I know you'll all ask.

Key:
Blue = driveway
Green = hedges covering garden of neighbour on different street
Red = our house
Pink = partners car

My partner's tyre just got slashed after countless arguments with different neighbours because he sometimes has to park on the street maybe one or two days a month. He makes sure to park at the end of the road where there are no houses and that he isn't in front of anyone's house or drive. Our drive parks two cars but you can only get the one at the front off, so if I need to leave for business at 4am then my partner puts his car on the road the night before and moves it back the next day. I WFH mostly so my car stays tucked on the drive 99% of the time with him having full access.

Previous arguments have been neighbours saying that because we have a drive, we have to use it 100% of the time and OH has to get up at 4am to play musical cars. Ironically, most people on the street have drives but don't use them and park across their drive or elsewhere on the street. These are the ones moaning at us.

It happens so infrequently but it's got to the point now of tyre slashing and I feel like we're being terrorised by the neighbours. We're moving soon (thank god) and have to get a skip meaning both our cars will have to be on the road and we really can't afford 8 new tyres when they inevitably get slashed. I'm so worried.

Am I genuinely being unreasonable parking a car on a road, not blocking anything, once a month or is there anything that I can do? Police feel pointless as we're moving soon.

Parking - feeling terrorised by neighbours
OP posts:
eurochick · 30/10/2022 11:45

Report to police and get a dash cam.

Aquamarine1029 · 30/10/2022 11:48

Get forward and rear dash cameras. Your neighbours are unhinged.

Original poster
CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:49

Would the police even bother doing anything given we're moving in <1 month? We have an idea who it is but no evidence. I think a dashcam in the car 24/7 would make it a nice target. No one cares round here

OP posts:
OliviaFlaversham · 30/10/2022 11:49

Will you need to declare neighbour disputes when moving? I can see why you’d avoid police if so but slashing tyres is hugely worrying and an over reaction

StarbucksSmarterSister · 30/10/2022 11:50

Until you move can you not play musical cars the night before and park your car at the front of the drive so you don't disturb him? Or have I misunderstood?

However, he's parking occasionally on a public road and they sound deranged, especially if they all park on the road.
Is it one particular set of neighbours or more?

If you go to the police you'd have to report a dispute if you're selling.

Original poster
CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:51

You do @OliviaFlaversham . I don't want to sabotage our move when we're so close to completion.

OP posts:
Ludo19 · 30/10/2022 11:52

Another vote for cctv in car. Police will take it seriously. Its an age old case of "do as I say, not as I do" I'd love to have no neighbours but can't afford it.

OliviaFlaversham · 30/10/2022 11:52

CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:51

You do @OliviaFlaversham . I don't want to sabotage our move when we're so close to completion.

I wouldn’t involve the police then as this is your long term get out of the situation.

ShowOfHands · 30/10/2022 11:53

Why not leave cars in the right order the night before? You don't need to juggle cars at 4am. Just juggle them before bed.

Yes the police could investigate and probably should but they're never going to prove who it was. Sounds awful. Thank heavens you're leaving.

Winterscomingagain · 30/10/2022 11:53

Criminal damage is being committed and I'd certainly involve the police, perhaps ask for a visit from a neighborhood team and make it quite visible.

Original poster
CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:53

@StarbucksSmarterSister his car doesn't fit in the gap I squeeze mine in to. We did think of that already. Easiest solution is him parking 50 yards down the road out of the way of everyone... But apparently that's not a solution.

OP posts:
notmyrealmoniker · 30/10/2022 11:54

Any possibility of not having the skip? Man and a van to remove to the tip? For a month I would put both cars in the driveway. DH doesnt need to move his car as you could shunt them around at 4am Not ideal but for a short while do able. Getting police involved if its a neighbour dispute would need to be declared and may affect the sale.

Original poster
CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:54

@ShowOfHands that's exactly what we do. He moves his car before bed, goes to work at his normal time then parks back on the drive when he comes home.

It's absolutely mental.

OP posts:
Winterscomingagain · 30/10/2022 11:55

You've no proof your neighbours slashed the tyres, the odds are v high but there's no proof so I'd use the police as a frightener.

notmyrealmoniker · 30/10/2022 11:55

Or park one of your cars across your driveway overnight?

HumourReplacementTherapy · 30/10/2022 11:56

I don't understand why they're so annoyed by it?
It's not blocking the road or view from someone's house.
So you know which neighbour it is then going on your previous post?
Meh. Slash their tyres tonight Grin

Original poster
CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:57

@notmyrealmoniker that's a possibility, but my partner would need to put his car on the road so the man with a van can get the stuff. There's only just enough room for a person to scoot between the cars when they're both on the drive.

Are man with vans expensive compared to skips? We're on a tight budget given the cost of everything else associated with moving...

OP posts:
Tomanycarrots · 30/10/2022 11:57

Could whoever needs to go out take your dhs care if that’s the one at the front?
you absolutely have cf neighbours but if they are into slashing tyres I’d either park miles away or adjust how you use the cars til you move

Original poster
CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:59

@notmyrealmoniker we're not allowed to park on the street at all. If we go across our drive then we're blocking those opposite getting in to theirs 🙃 yes, they really came and knocked on our door to tell us to move (they park across theirs 80% of the time)

OP posts:
Original poster
CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 11:59

@HumourReplacementTherapy honestly I was thinking of it being our leaving present on the day we move 😂 I know I shouldn't but I'm at Witt's end with them!!!

OP posts:
JolieJ · 30/10/2022 12:00

I think dash came only record when the car is moving? We have the same issue, our neighbors scratched our car but there's no proof as dash cam was off

willithappen · 30/10/2022 12:01

It's criminal damage so regardless of you moving or not the police can and should still get involved. In fact even better if you are moving and won't need to deal with them

YANBU, you can park wherever you like as long as you are not blocking their drive. You pay your road tax and they don't own the road.

Utter insanity that someone would slash tyres over this. I wonder if there is maybe a little more to it? How have interactions been previously?

maddening · 30/10/2022 12:04

Insure both of you on both cars and drive the one that is most convenient at the time.

Shouldn't have to, you are as entitled as anyone to park on a public road and your neighbours are cunts, if it weren't for moving the police would be your recourse.

I would apply for skip on the road and have a cover on it or be organised to have same day skip delivery and pick up and only have it when you are ready to fill in the same day.

Original poster
CinnamonSwirl82 · 30/10/2022 12:05

There's no more to it. We're quiet neighbours - no dogs or kids that have been p*ing everyone else off. Keep ourselves to ourselves other than the odd friendly chat with the neighbours to our left. We're even giving neighbours free furniture when we move.

I've been here 6 years and this has only become an issue over the last year.

OP posts:
Phillipa12 · 30/10/2022 12:05

I understand not wanting to get the police involved as you are moving. So the neighbours would rather you played musical cars at 4am than Park perfectly legally on the road? If this is the case I would be making sure that musical cars at 4am was not quiet, then point out when someone complains that the usual legal solution had your car tyres slashed.......