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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

10 YEAR PARKING DISPUTE WITH NEIGHBOUR.

419 replies

eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 17:23

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
tara66 · 01/02/2023 18:18

Bonfire of the cones (instead of the vanities ) - where she can see it? Wear black balaclavas of course and run away.

Brotherlove · 01/02/2023 18:19

When I go to the local hospital I cannot fit my (oversized disability) van in the multistorey car park. As I have a blue badge my council allows one to park in a resident bay.
Many houses on the street directly outside the hospital out cines outside their house ...which I have no problem driving over, parking then upon leaving putting them in my van and binning 🤣

You cannot save a space on a public road.

Pick up cones, put in nearest wheelie bin, or your boot and dispose of later 👍

mumda · 01/02/2023 18:19

eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 17:41

@Slowingdownagain I've reported it 4 times. I'm wary because my council charges me to speak to them... I've calculated roughly £82 on calls to them regarding this issue.

Your local councillor will have an email.

losingit31 · 01/02/2023 18:20

I can't work out how someone with such limited mobility that they can't use their own parking space is spritely enough to go out and replace/rearrange their cones several times a day.

Redshoeblueshoe · 01/02/2023 18:21

This thread is great value, 3 threads in one.
Can't you email the council ? I'd tweet the council and say how expensive it is to contact them, that's disgraceful

Acheyknees · 01/02/2023 18:23

I'd take the cones to the council and innocently mention that they appear to have been 'left behind', so you are returning them. She can hardly complain to the police that they have been nicked.
She'll soon tire of replacing them.

BookmarkReportSave · 01/02/2023 18:24

I'd pick them up and slowly and carefully place them in her garden. If she starts to rant give a a lovely wave , let her think you've misunderstood, say " you're welcome always happy to help a neighbour' and walk away

MeridianB · 01/02/2023 18:24

I don’t understand why you would hesitate to remove the cones every time? Just chuck them in her garden.

if she come out ranting, just tell her the council and police have told you it’s fine to park there, so she should take it up with them. On repeat.

ThisIsWednesday · 01/02/2023 18:25

eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 17:46

@Nightynightnight Can I be accused of theft if I remove objects obstructing a public highway? Grey area... I would consider it an act of service.

Nope. They're fly tipped. You're removing essentially, litter.

ivykaty44 · 01/02/2023 18:25

What on earth do I do with these cones?

pop them on her roof where she can see them but can't reach them

Original poster
eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 18:26

@losingit31 Don't even get me started! I'm convinced this woman is a fraud. She even has a Motability vehicle. I just need to sit up cameras to show she does this... I truly couldn't care less what she is being fraudulently about or the allowance she claims, but she has woken up the sleeping bear.

OP posts:
SmudgeButt · 01/02/2023 18:27

report her for littering the street with her cones.

VegetablesFightingToReclaimTheAubergieneEmoji · 01/02/2023 18:27

nopuppiesallowed · 01/02/2023 18:12

In the dead of night, nip out and add 2 long, material legs and arms to each cone. Pop on a bobble hat and draw smiley faces on. Then sit them in the middle of the garden with a note on saying " I'm home, mummy."

LOVE THIS

Wibblewibble1 · 01/02/2023 18:28

Buy a cheap, rusty car, tax and insure it. Then remove the cones, park it in the space and leave it to rot away.
it won’t settle the dispute but it will make you laugh every day

breatheinskipthegym · 01/02/2023 18:29

Wibblewibble1 · 01/02/2023 18:28

Buy a cheap, rusty car, tax and insure it. Then remove the cones, park it in the space and leave it to rot away.
it won’t settle the dispute but it will make you laugh every day

Yes, maybe an ice cream van?

AnneElliotfanclub · 01/02/2023 18:30

Get your local Councillor to sort this out. It is what they are for.

ivykaty44 · 01/02/2023 18:30

if the person comes out to talk or shout at you about the parking

standard reply

go to the council about the issue of parking
go to the council about the issue of parking
go to the council bout the issue to parking

the council will explain to her its a public highway and anyone can park there

then they stand there silently, then they start up again at the council worker who explains to them again the same thing its a public highway so anyone can park in that spot

let the council worker - who gets paid to listen to this rubbish, deal with it

Borisisafecklesstoad · 01/02/2023 18:31

On an aside try blinds direct, so so much cheaper....

Acheyknees · 01/02/2023 18:31

Alternatively if you want to really piss her off, park outside her house!

WeWillLookBack · 01/02/2023 18:31

We had a similar issue. Neighbour putting cones out etc. Mysterious damage to cars that parked in from of his house. I contacted our local councillor - who was brilliant. The Highways and Police worked together - Highways kept taking the cones, and the police made a couple of visits. The police wrote to everyone in the area to ask for any further information on misuse of cones or damage. It then stopped.

Boomboom22 · 01/02/2023 18:32

Put the cones back in front of her front door off the public highway. No theft there!

Original poster
eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 18:33

@WeWillLookBack My local councillor is lovely, this is a shout. I want to hit this woman with an ASBO though, my councillor is a green part member - worried she might be a bit too soft on this woman.

OP posts:
NumberTheory · 01/02/2023 18:34

You only steal something if you permanently appropriate it. So throwing them away would count, but storing them in your shed with the intention of giving them back to the owner at some point would not.

So you could take them and email the council to tell them you have some of their cones (since they have council stickers on them) and they are welcome to pick them up any time.

Original poster
eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 18:34

@Boomboom22 You've given me a great idea. I'm going to line all the cones up on the entrance to her front garden, EVERY TIME. I've been so polite, I've just been excusing the cones to the side. She wants war, I've prepared my Trojan horse.

OP posts:
Boomboom22 · 01/02/2023 18:34

Also why call the council? There will not be a record. Use the online complaint form. And same for 101 online form for blocking the highway. All free then

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