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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
Hoppinggreen · 01/02/2023 19:57

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.

Green Party?
You should be worried they might be a bit soft on this person

Original poster
eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 19:59

@unsync Great idea. I will place all four cones directly under my wheel and SQUASH THEM! Good luck standing up a cone as flat as a pancake!

OP posts:
BasilParsley · 01/02/2023 20:01

OK why is there still no diagram?

Jux · 01/02/2023 20:01

I have a white line painted across our driveway, done by the Council when we first moved in. It doesn't actually have any legal meaning afaik, nor do I think we really need it, but we can't get in or out if someone were to park there, of course.

Anyway, I neeeeeed a diagram!

And clarification - is the spot she puts her car in actually her spot, or just one she fancies?
Is your spot on the driver's side of her car - can be hard to get in or out of a car with another parked close-ish. Be prepared for her to throw her door open and bang your car if so.

DIAGRAM! DIAGRAM! DIAGRAM!

FallopianTubeTrain · 01/02/2023 20:01

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

Agreed. Move them somewhere it's obvious you haven't stolen them but she also can't retrieve them

Lcb123 · 01/02/2023 20:03

Report her for flytipping (the cones)

BitOutOfPractice · 01/02/2023 20:07

Perhaps you could get some MTM blinds made for her car?

also second Blinds2Go

Original poster
eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 20:08

@orangegato Sorry to hear you are going through this. Its the worst, especially when you just want to get on with your and not deal with this!

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 01/02/2023 20:09

Id think the Green Party will take a dim view of her continued and repeated use of single use plastic cones.

orangegato · 01/02/2023 20:12

@eastafricanomad thank you, that’s very nice of you to say. At least it’s not just me. We live opposite a school, she’s even been over to the school to complain about signs and play areas facing her house. There is no reasoning as she has all day to be vindictive but you just want to get into your house. I get the whole ‘I’ve lived here since 1970 and always had that spot free…’ nonsense. Grinds my gears!

JassyRadlett · 01/02/2023 20:13

I am particularly enjoying the idea of using the fan council stickers against her.

Puzzled voice 'Your cones? No, I haven't seen your cones. There were some left here by the council, I dropped them off at the works depot. No, they definitely weren't yours, they had a council sticker on them.'

newfence · 01/02/2023 20:13

SunSandAndLotsOfGin · 01/02/2023 19:16

Take the cones
Sell the cones
After another 10 years you'll have enough to buy the blinds!!

Failing that, drive over the flimsy fucking things.

😂😂😂

Original poster
eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 20:14

@orangegato Oh, don't think it is just you. Parking disputes are so common! But when its unreasonable behaviour, it makes it even more frustrating because it genuinely is unnecessary. Thankfully, this woman hasn't been abusive towards anyone - just harassing them and telling them to move their car. I'm a force to be reckoned with so she doesn't even speak to me, she picks on people who will be intimidated by her.

OP posts:
Puckthemagicdragon · 01/02/2023 20:15

@eastafricanomad where is your diagram?!!

Original poster
eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 20:16

@JassyRadlett You genius. BRB, I need to get the exact coordinates for my local council office. They will be receiving a surprise on Monday morning!

OP posts:
Taranta · 01/02/2023 20:16

Jeez this is reminding me of my late dad. When I was a kid in the 80s, he would get incandescent if anyone parked on the street outside our house. He drove a beige mini metro at the time which took up half the width of the space in front of our house and he actually went to the ridiculous length of buying a second identical beige mini metro just to fill the full width. He’d put out traffic cones out when using one of the cars.
it was so embarrassing, and just one of many quirks of his that made me die inside as a teenager.

Girlgift97 · 01/02/2023 20:18

JassyRadlett · 01/02/2023 20:13

I am particularly enjoying the idea of using the fan council stickers against her.

Puzzled voice 'Your cones? No, I haven't seen your cones. There were some left here by the council, I dropped them off at the works depot. No, they definitely weren't yours, they had a council sticker on them.'

G E N I U S!!

OP say it with a head tilt confused face!

TheFireflies · 01/02/2023 20:19

ScroogeMcDuckling · 01/02/2023 18:57

We have a row of almshouses very close to us. There is a gentleman in the middle cottage, who is very infirm now, who has a mobility car, and guess what else he has, a disabled bay to park it in, right outside his front gate. It infuriates the other residents, because the way it’s being done, it’s all about him!

one of the bus stops - admittedly a quiet one also has a disabled bay in front of the bus stop and yes tge bus has hit it.

You say it would be easier to rehouse her, clearly her housing officer has been involved at some point and is ignoring the situation, she has one car, someone else is parking in her allocated space, and you want more cars than your allocated space(s)!

You think an elderly disabled man making use of his right to a disabled parking bay is making it “all about him”? Crikey.

LlynTegid · 01/02/2023 20:23

If the neighbour has no blue badge in her car, report to the DVLA for the alleged failure to tell them of a medical condition.

Oh and move the cones.

Blossomtoes · 01/02/2023 20:25

LlynTegid · 01/02/2023 20:23

If the neighbour has no blue badge in her car, report to the DVLA for the alleged failure to tell them of a medical condition.

Oh and move the cones.

That’s not an offence.

CrescentMoons · 01/02/2023 20:26

eastafricanomad · 01/02/2023 17:39

@Laiste They are small, pathetic, flimsy yellow cones with a FALSE local council stickers on them. I've called the council to confirm if they have issued these or if they are currently obstructing this area of the highway lawfully, they have no idea where these cones came from and have nothing to do with them.

P.S blinds were quoted £1700 for 2 windows. Vomit! They are cute though...

Take them
to the council and drop them off and report her for obstructing a highway every single time and fraudulently claiming to be council property
photo or video her screaming or shouting
photo notes left
and report all every single time to council

CrescentMoons · 01/02/2023 20:27

And the police via online particularly if you can photo or video her putting them out or screaming or shouting about it - video all the time

CryInToYourCornflakesNicola · 01/02/2023 20:27

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.

Email with pictures. Much better, paper trail and everything.

Blueisthecolor · 01/02/2023 20:29

Get rid of the cones! I'd prob put them in car and take them to waste/recycling centre. If there isn't one nearby I'd gladly just take them in the house until I found somewhere to put them 😆 and Id do it every time she found new ones.

If she attempts to leave notes/shout at u etc ignore her.

U cld always keep a diary and see if council wld do anything about it like issue her a letter or something.

The whole situation is bonkers! I was actually at my friends house recently and she said oh uv parked infront of my neighbours house. I said and....she's like oh she doesn't like anyone parking there is better move. I said eh NO she doesn't own the road I'm afraid. So seems there is more bonkers folk out there that think the same! J

DaveyJonesLocker · 01/02/2023 20:29

I would absolutely keep stealing the cones. Surely its litering/fly-tipping, you can't just leave your shit out on the street.