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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

A parking one...

404 replies

mrsflanders23 · 24/02/2023 17:22

So I live in a street of mainly terraces. I'm one of few houses that has a drive (I'm an end terrace). There is green space across the road though with no houses so there is generally enough parking for everyone iykwim.

I don't use the drive a lot recently, I have quite a big car and the drive is narrow so I find it more effort to park up there sometimes (a bit of laziness on my part). If I can park on the road I will. I used to have a smaller car and used the drive a lot more.

I guess people on the street have noticed that I'm not using the drive as much and I've had a spate of people parking across my drive... I've not said anything so far as I don't want to fall out with anyone but there have been occasions where I haven't been able to get a parking space near my house and then haven't been able to park up my drive as it's been parked over. I've then had to park further up the street... but hey ho.

Issue is- I'm heavily pregnant, baby due in a matter of weeks. The people parking over my drive thing has started to annoy me a little recently as I'm thinking with a baby I will more than likely want to use my drive if I can park at the front of my house.

I've had various complications and this week I've been at hospital nearly every day. Feeling a bit flustered and stressed. Approached my house in car to see neighbour park 3/4 of way over my drive. No drama, space at front of my house I suppose.

As I got out of my car said neighbour approached me, and told me, didn't ask, but told me, that they now have two cars and would be parking "like this from now on" (gesturing to the way his car was parked over my drive). And that "you know where we are if you want us to move".

I was in such a stress and fluster that I just said "okay" and hurried into my house.

Thing is, I don't want to have to go and knock on doors and ask people to move when I have a newborn baby. I want to be able to use my drive, or not use my drive, or do whatever I like with my drive, which is one of the reasons I bought the house.

If I choose, or choose not to use it, surely that is my choice?

AIBU?

Would I be unreasonable to go speak to neighbour and tell them no?

Oh and I've never parked at the front of this neighbours house or anything like that so it's no kind of weird retaliation from them. I either park in front of my house if available, or across the road where there are no houses.

OP posts:
TheOrigRights · 02/03/2023 16:11

Surely you won't be able to get the baby in and out of the car if there's only a cm either side. That is tight. How do you get out? Through the boot?

sonjadog · 02/03/2023 16:14

Can you park so that you have just turned off the road into your drive, but not driven the whole way up it?

Sistanotcista · 02/03/2023 16:21

Wait2see2 · 24/02/2023 17:26

You need to start using your drive its not fair to take a space from others. Tell them you need to use your drive now the baby is coming. I'm sure they will be fine about that. But don't then start parking on the road.

Unless the others in the street paid substantially less for their properties, it's perfectly fair. Street parking is available for all residents, not just those without a drive.

Bookworm20 · 02/03/2023 16:31

Wow, the amount of people who haven't ready the thread properly. Its a bit like cancel the cheque all over again.

I totally get it. You have an insanely narrow drive which is difficult to manouver up until you get to the widened part. And as parking not generally an issue on the street its a hell of a lot easier to park on the street, except for the very odd occasion when you can't park near your house then you might use the driveway. especially if you have the dc with you.

Being very pregnant and not feeling at all well, totally understandable to not use the drive unless you really really have to.

And your neighbour has decided they will park over the entrance to your drive so they can have both their cars at the front of their house all the time. And are refusing to move them.

Not sure what the actual solution is to be honest, but `i'd be getting pretty pissed off with the neighbour. of course you don't want to cause an issue and start upsetting people, but they are the ones in the wrong here.
So what if you don't use your drive, its not like its a normal open driveway at the front of your house and you're just being awkward. Its an awkward drive (if you can even really call it a drive!).

Once you're feeling better and baby is here I would try telling asking them again . If they still don't move, I would photograph the car each day and send the pictures to the council and ask if there is anything they can do about this car parking across your driveway each day. A letter from them informing them they are parked over a dropped kerb may do the trick, and hopefully out and out war won't start.

I can't tell from the picture, but is there a footpath in front of it or is it direct ontot he road? if no footpath, perhpas you could rig up a chain across the entrance with some bits of plastic or something attached to it which will flap about in the wind. I'm sure they wouldn't want it flapping onto their precious new car. If theres a footpath though obviously this wouldn't work.

How old are the kids? Can they suddenly take an interest in cycling, so they have to squeeze wheel their bikes past the car every time they want to go out on them. They'd soon move it I bet, once they see how close those bikes have to get to it.

Good luck and hope everything goes well with the baby OP

Createausername1970 · 02/03/2023 16:36

I get what you are saying about a narrow drive. My parents in law had a ridiculously narrow drive with brick pillars either side. If you didn't flip the wing mirrors before pulling on you would lose one. So I get that narrow drives can be impossible sometimes, given the ever-increasing size of modern cars.

However, if you feel you have to park on the road then why don't you park across your own drive? It frees up a space in the road then for other people.

SinnerBoy · 02/03/2023 16:40

katenutzs · Today 16:02

Attention seeking or what! I would hate to be your neighbour, park across your own drive if your so lazy and not take up parking area another neighbour needs

DragonsFurry

There is clearly an issue with parking in your road so just use your drive so everyone else can park too.

If you read through the thread properly, she explains that there are usually about 30 free parking spaces. The neighbour is a complete arse, because he wants to park close to his house and doesn't give a shit that he's blocking her drive.

Also, blocking dropped kerbs and on white lines is illegal. It's all in the thread.

humpty74 · 02/03/2023 16:41

I haven't read the whole thread but... does your local council do double yellow lines over drives? It's usually either free or pretty cheap.
The only drawback is that if you then want to park over it you can't, but you say there's plenty of parking on the road so it shouldn't be an issue.

VivX · 02/03/2023 16:45

YANBU. You're parking legally and not creating a parking shortage for everyone else, given the ample free space on your street.

Your neighbour is wholly unreasonable to park across a dropped kerb and even more so now that he has been specifically asked not to by you, the owner of the driveway.

Good luck for the birth.

Bezziebabe · 02/03/2023 16:52

If it’s a dropped kerb it’s actually illegal for them to park across it. Report it.

bananaAgogo · 02/03/2023 16:57

mrsflanders23 · 24/02/2023 17:55

People thinking I'm being unreasonable- looking outside right now and there is space for at least 30 cars on my street right now, including spaces just further up from my house and most being directly across the road (the whole stretch is empty!)

But my neighbour is parked across my drive??? It's the evening and most people will be in too

There really isn't a parking issue here at all, as I said in my opening post it's very rare that I can't park or people can't park.

If there is enough space for all the cars, he is being a dick parking over your drive, of course he is!! You park over it because it's your drive! You cannot get fined (I'm a traffic person of sorts) so you will be okay

Skipsareyum · 02/03/2023 16:58

Do you know what OP. You are not obliged to use the driveway and all the people on here moaning are the ones being unreasonable. Yes if the street was rammed and you chose to park out then maybe but you pay your road tax and can park out if it’s easier for you without guilt. If it were me I would park over my driveway though as that’s already marked as off limits to anyone else (or rather it should be). Neighbour is clearly one of those who thinks they must park directly outside their own house and gets annoyed if they’re slightly further away.

DO NOT stand for this “we will be parking like this” nonsense. That needs nipping right in the bud now.

DysmalRadius · 02/03/2023 17:07

Good luck with the baby OP - nothing is online cuntishness into perspective like squidging a baby!!

CraneBoysMysteries · 02/03/2023 17:11

This is such a weird thread! And yes, you're not supposed to park over dropped kerbs. I was once towed for parking over my own driveway and ended up paying £350 to get it back!

OP YANBU

Jupiter15 · 02/03/2023 17:15

The replies on this thread are ridiculous.
Your neighbour is completely in the wrong here and the fact that he is still doing it after you’ve explained why you need him not to, not to mention, the fact that it is illegal, just shows what an arse he is.

Oldnproud · 02/03/2023 17:18

katenutzs · 02/03/2023 16:02

Attention seeking or what! I would hate to be your neighbour, park across your own drive if your so lazy and not take up parking area another neighbour needs

You are calling the OP lazy, yet you clearly haven't bothered to read the many posts where the OP describes the parking situation in her street: there is not a shortage of parking, so she isn't taking up parking space that another neighbour 'needs'.

Hairmouse · 02/03/2023 17:21

You need to get arsey about it. I have a drive and won’t tolerate neighbours parking across it. I don’t care if they think I’m unreasonable I won’t put up with it. It’s your drive, stand up for yourself!

Newyearnewmeow · 02/03/2023 17:22

Ignore the people having a go at you OP. I wouldn’t be bothering trying to explain myself to them and that goes for you entitled neighbour too.
Knock on his door and tell him to move his car and don’t be so polite this time.
CF’s like him need stern words to get through.

Wtfwhy · 02/03/2023 17:39

Just reading some of the responses and all I can say is man some of you are thick! At least read the OPs post properly.
Just come on here to be nasty to someone else? Even you should read the post properly. Wankers.

Doone21 · 02/03/2023 17:47

Park on your drive. Drop a note to your neighbours telling them, not asking, to stop blocking your drive or you will have them towed. Imply it's their fault you don't park on the drive all the time. Do not ever again not park on your drive. Buy a small car if you can't drive the one you have.

DeadOrchid · 02/03/2023 17:54

katenutzs · 02/03/2023 16:02

Attention seeking or what! I would hate to be your neighbour, park across your own drive if your so lazy and not take up parking area another neighbour needs

Did you read the post from the OP? Or do you just have poor comprehension skills?

DeadOrchid · 02/03/2023 17:55

Doone21 · 02/03/2023 17:47

Park on your drive. Drop a note to your neighbours telling them, not asking, to stop blocking your drive or you will have them towed. Imply it's their fault you don't park on the drive all the time. Do not ever again not park on your drive. Buy a small car if you can't drive the one you have.

Did you read the posts from the OP where she explained her situation over and over and over again?

DeadOrchid · 02/03/2023 17:57

DragonsFurry · 02/03/2023 16:10

This. OP I’m sorry I think YABU. There is clearly an issue with parking in your road so just use your drive so everyone else can park too.

Show quote history

There is clearly isn't an issue.

Luminousnose · 02/03/2023 17:58

I think I must be extremely stupid Op. I haven’t RTFT, but for the life of me I can’t understand why people think it’s acceptable for your neighbour to block your drive, whether you use it or not. If there was a shortage of parking, I’d (maybe) understand, but as you’ve stated this isn’t an issue, why can’t he park somewhere else? You may NEVER use the drive, for your car, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need access. If he’s parking 3/4 of the way across a 2m drive that leaves you with 50 cm. What happens if one of your children wants to get a tricycle up there? Or if you got a double buggy you needed to get up there? I’m sure he wouldn’t be happy to have his car scratched.

CatA27 · 02/03/2023 17:58

@mrsflanders23 I can't see how it's illegal for you to park in front of your own dropped kerb, who would report it?? But anyway, you keep saying it's illegal to park in front of a dropped kerb so why don't you report your neighbours for doing it? If you don't want to fall out with them then just ask them not to, I dont see what the problem is!

Wtfwhy · 02/03/2023 17:58

I would stop explaining OP. This lot are proper numpties. They’re never going to get it!