Angry I’ve been shamed on local FB group?

[FrenchFancie]

I’ve just moved to a new area - we’ve been here about two weeks and I’ve just joined the Facebook group for the estate. I had a quick scroll through and found a post from the day we moved in, showing my car (with registration!) and complaining I’d parked badly because there was a small gap between my wheels and the curb - apparently ‘everyone here parks on the kerb and who is this tw@t that doesn’t know it?’ The post admitted that I wasn’t causing an obstruction, but did highlight my bad parking.

the only reply was from someone saying ‘think it’s the new neighbours at X house’.

I’d parked slightly badly because, on my way to the house I’d been hit by another car (from the side, she pulled out of a junction into the main road and straight into me - so not my fault). I’d had to wait to exchange details etc etc and was late for the moving van so just pulled my car up sharpish.

i loved it about 4/5 hours later after the van was gone. It’s a quiet estate with a no through road, so it’s only local traffic.

I’m really cross this man chose to try and shame me in this way. AIBU to be angry and feel like we’ve got off on a really bad start to the new house? Why didn’t he just come and knock and ask me to move it, or just be patient and wait til our moving van had gone?

also - how should I reply? I’ve drafted a really curt response but don’t think this will mend fences, so sitting on it for now!

Local Facebook groups are great for figuring out who to avoid.

Gosh, I admit I’d be rising to the bait like a hungry fish, and responding with a ‘Hi! This is my car! I’m embarrassed as your new neighbour that you have posted this photo. I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong as I thought it was illegal to park with wheels on the kerb.’

i wouldn’t be able to ignore this, but I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea to engage on Facebook.

How bizarre, is this now the new way of the world. This is the third thread now I've read on this sort of similar situation. It's like a bad Black Mirror episode

The data protection problem here is the person who replied with your address, linking your licence plate to your address. The registered keeper of a car is private data except by special request to DVLA, who will only give the registered keeper's name and address if they think the request is for a good reason. Licence plates are not private, they are on the back and front of your car everywhere you go for all to see.

If you're a home owner, your home address can be matched to your name by anyone willing to fill in a form and pay £3 to HM Land Registry, no justification needed. The Facebook complaint about your parking, linked to your address, allows anyone who has access to that group to trivially put a name to your car.

So ask for the post and comment to be removed on the basis that it allows someone to match your car to you and enables stalking etc.

For anyone now worrying about having their car linked to them by having it parked outside the house: no one has a right to park on the public highway outside their home, so the car outside your house could be anyone's. If you park on your driveway or in an allocated private parking space and are bothered, you have three options:

• Use a garage.
• Park on the road.
• Check whether it's legal to remove or cover your licence plates when parked on private land. I know someone in a high crime area where plates are often stolen to use on other vehicles who removes his plates when he parks on his driveway. I don't know whether he does so legally.

Ask the group admins to remove the post. The busy-body won't care.

I’d be tempted to reply ‘what a lovely warm welcome to the neighbourhood, thanks x’ but I probably wouldn’t bother

Sounds like my road. It wasn't Rob the knob was it?

I'd say something light hearted like trust a man to make 2 inches out to be bigger than it is. Then forget about it.

What?! Don't give it a second thought. No one else will