Was I too harsh? Another parking one

[SecretYellow]

It’s a bit hard to describe, but my house and my neighbour’s is accessed by a narrow single, 100m track with a space to turn at the bottom. I have two parking spaces, one before the turning space and one to the side of the turning space. The neighbours have one space at the bottom of the turning space. The whole track is on my deeds. It’s all tight, tricky access and very difficult to reverse out of as there’s a tight, sharp turn at the top making the turning space essential.

I never had any issues with the parking since moving there several years ago as everyone was very reasonable about moving for each other etc. Sadly the H died earlier this year, and the W now lives alone. Their daughter visits daily and 4/5 times will park in the turning circle, blocking me in and out. I offered her use of my top parking space after the first couple of times plus she has her mum’s space but she still parks in the turning circle. She always moves it if I ask but I really resent having to ask to leave my own house. It seems really obvious to me that the turning circle should never be blocked and I am careful to be considerate about access.

Today I snapped when I’d returned home from the emergency vet with my poorly dog and a massive bill to find she’d again parked in the turning space. I texted saying I thought it was unacceptable and listing the places she should park in future. Now I’ve calmed down, I worry I was a bit harsh and should have just said ‘can you please not block access’. Not sure if I should apologise? I really don’t want an argument with them - I like them as people, just really fed up being blocked in/out! WIBU?

Would it be worth suggesting you use her mum's spot (it seems nearer to your and she uses your bottom spot?

Although personally I'd be getting arsey with her about where she is parking.

SecretYellow

Your message wasn't in the least bit harsh, it was calm, measured and polite!

Please don't fret over it, not least about your tone.

Thanks everyone, feeling a lot better knowing my message doesn’t come across as snippy! If I had received a message like that, I’d apologise and agree to stop parking there so the fact she didn’t reply makes me think I might have annoyed/upset her.

Her dad had a car and was good at parking. She would park on the road at the top when visiting. This is all set on a hill so their space is almost ‘suspended’ between our houses. It would be no good for me having to get things out of the boot etc. on a regular basis.

The top space is annoying to use because you have to go to the bottom, turn around, drive past the space then reverse in (then you can’t access the boot). I do this if I have anyone visiting that will need to use the bottom space and so I can’t get blocked in. Whereas the bottom you can just drive in then reverse out. As I’m coming and going all day, I think it’s fairer that she is only inconvenienced once a day to my many times having to use the top spot.

I suppose it’s also about how she parks too. She could pull as far forward as possible when I’m out to leave enough room for me to squeeze into the bottom spot on my return but she will leave loads of room in front of her that also means you have to squeeze past her car on foot as it’s close to the fence. Like a PP says, she must know she’s inconveniencing us.

At some point I will be having the track properly surfaced and some of the access issues improved. I’m also planning on getting an electric car and home charger on the bottom space so then I really will need to be able to park there at all times.

Forgot to say, she visited today and used the top spot so hopefully that’s the end of it.