10 YEAR PARKING DISPUTE WITH NEIGHBOUR.

[eastafricanomad]

Hi all,

I need some serious advice. I'm probably writing this in the heat of the moment so please ignore any theatrics. Let me break it down...

We've lived in this property for about 17 years. Our charming neighbour moved in on our tenth year. She is our attached neighbour on the right hand side. We all have allocated parking - what is the problem you ask?

See the thing is, we live in a cul-de-sac. Every house has an allocated parking spot and we have several visitor spots (families with multiple cars use these visitor spots as permanent parking spots and it doesn't appear to be an issue with anyone including me). My neighbour, has an allocated parking spot at the back of her house, but due to her mobility issues - she parks in front of her house on a public highway - again, no issues with this.

There is still space for another vehicle to be able to park directly parallel to her with no issues of blocking her car or her house. Yet she has proceeded to block off this empty potential parking space because she doesn't want anyone 'parking in front of her house' - bear in mind, this is a public highway. No one can reserve rights to a public highway.

Living in a cul-de-sac, naturally parking is tight despite the allocated spots we have. Households do sometimes have more than one vehicle and everyone else on the street is incredibly understanding.

However, this woman, has proceeded to put CONES! In an empty slot on the public highway, not reserving it for any reason as she has one car. No daily visitors - her sole reason is 'I don't want anyone parking in front of my house' (???) ITS A PUBLIC HIGHwaaaaay. Anyway.

Now that we are adding a vehicle to our household, this has only really started to irritate me now. We've ignored her a long time, DESPITE her harassing anyone that parks there. She has harassed my family, construction workers, delivery drivers - you name it! I'm at my wits ends. The straw that broke the camels back was this week, when we had a lovely gentleman come out from Hillary's to do measurements for my blinds. She left a note on his car and yelled at him when he left my property.

I've spoken to the local council, they have confirmed - no one can reserve rights to a public highway. I've spoken to the police, they have confirmed - this is illegal. I've sought legal advice, again - confirmed my perspective.

What on earth do I do with these cones? We work 7 days a week in my household, and coming home after a long shift, moving cones to park my car is proving tiresome! It's not even the inconvenience, its the AUDACITY!

Am I being unreasonable? What would you suggest? What would you do with these cones? I want to put them in my boot and dump them 500 miles from my house. Any advice on this issue would be helpful.

This! Absolutely this! Why is it not on the diagram? Do you know anyone with a chain saw?

@BadNomad Evidence.

@BasilParsley So most recent post. It isn't even a tree you can move, what even is that? A tree with a community of bricks around it.

How interestingly little... Would be a shame if it took just one small reversing bumper to knock it over....

I'm sure you could fit a car in parallel to the front of her house, i.e. horizontally on your diagram. That way you're taking up both of the spaces (assuming they're unmarked) so her cones are rendered useless and she can't park in front of her house. Petty, for sure, but not illegal.

Batshit neighbours who have no concept of the law but don't let that get in the way of their sense of entitlement are the worst OP, you have my sympathies!

Lovely lateral thinking there @Cantseethewindows !

I'd have cameras installed before you park there or move her (unlawful) cones. To protect yourself and your car.

Not as good as your pun though 😂😂😂

Is it leafy? That's where you put her little cones of doom... up the bloody tree

@Tilllly Not very leafy, the branches are as pathetic as her flimsy cones - I say branches, more twigs. Surprised the tree withstands wind tbh. Love the idea though.

I would be sorely tempted to invest in a hydraulic press £89 in the range! Bargain!

Every time she puts one of her piddly little sodding cones out, wheel your press out and crush it!!! Then post them back through her letter box!

You have put up with her long enough, now is the time for action! Move the comes and dump them in a rubbish bin somewhere....she will eventually get fed up of replacing them, it will cost her, that will solve it...her behaviour might get worse....just make a log of every incident.... people should be able to go about their business without getting yelled out....just be careful also....rage is a terrible thing but you need to stamp her behaviour out....good luck and keep us posted....

This is not correct information, she may be being unreasonable with the parking but accusing her of benefit fraud is not right. Not all disabilities are visible or obvious. There are many things she may qualify for.

The rules for children on DLA are not the same as for adults on PIP. For adults there does not always need to be a physical disability to qualify for higher rate mobility.

For children claimants you have to be unable or virtually unable to walk or qualify under the Severe mental impairment criteria. This is not the same criteria as adults.

That diagram is ....chefs kiss!

Do you have a landline? It will be free from there to call an 0800 number.

;)

Can't you put the cones in different places or in different patterns each night? Sort of like 'Elf on a shelf' ?

Can you not just tuck the cones neatly under her car?

Pointy ends inwards, cone-bottoms facing out. All the way round.

No worries about theft, keeps the place looking tidy- and I imagine a bit of a nuisance to get out, especially if it's done every single time...

Well the other residents who are infuriated are in the wrong, although you sound very much like you agree with them. If they have mobility issues requiring a blue badge, they can park in the bay. If they don’t, they should stop whining about the person who does need it. I’m sure he’d rather not.

Or put one on the end of each windscreen wiper?

Doesn't that resolve the problem, then? Presumably she can't usefully put cones out while they're there?

It lifts my heart to even think of it 😂

i was answering a pp about disabled bays, and you are accusing me of allsorts - I noticed you haven’t trolled others.

im fully aware how disabled bays work, but thank you for reminding us all that if you have a blue badge you can park in it.

I do think how the council have done that particular bay is crazy, you can only get four cars in there now, before you could get ten cars, meaning that some of the residents have to park a few minutes walk away.

Advertise the cones on fb marketplace, free, buyer to collect 😉

Put some googly eyes on the cones and position them around the tree in compromising positions. Tree Cone Party.