Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking outside someone else's house for a week

56 replies

Aliceinunderland · 20/08/2023 19:59

Most of our street have driveways and there is only a small section of public road that has parking for three cars at our end of the street. Recently a random car was parked directly outside our house for a week. I have no idea whose car it was and I've never seen it before. We are not nosey neighbours at all but we've all lived here for a while and know each others cars. I assume they went on holiday because I saw a young couple with suitcases return to the car and drive off.

I know it's a public road. I know as long as the car is taxed they can park there for as long as they want and I would never be a CF and say anything but surely people try to be considerate when parking? I don't even park my own car outside my house when I'm going away and will park on the side road where I'm not outside anyone's property so that my neighbours still have use of the actual parking spaces on our street whilst I am away.

My partner thinks I'm overthinking but it genuinely wouldn't occur to me to park outside someone's house and leave my car there for a week. I would have no idea if the occupants of the house had health needs or young children or any kind of additional need where they would benefit from parking outside their home. It just annoyed me because like I said, we only have 3 spaces on the public road on our end of the street so parking is difficult enough as it is sometimes.

So my AIBU is not from a legal perspective but more of a moral one. Am I being too considerate?

OP posts:
Crispyperifries · 20/08/2023 20:01

Agree it’s a shitty thing to do, but unfortunately nothing you can do.

do you live near a station/airport? Does it happen a lot?

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 20/08/2023 20:02

Yes too considerate- public road is a public road. I also live in London, every road is a residential in some form.

Original poster
Aliceinunderland · 20/08/2023 20:04

We're not in London and no we're not near any train stations or airports. It's never happened before so I was a bit puzzled by it to be honest.

OP posts:
ThomasHardyPerennial · 20/08/2023 20:07

If they didn't block a drive, or park dangerously, what is the big deal? I couldn't care less who parks outside my house.

DiddyHeck · 20/08/2023 20:10

I don't even park my own car outside my house when I'm going away and will park on the side road where I'm not outside anyone's property so that my neighbours still have use of the actual parking spaces on our street whilst I am away.

Yeah but that's pretty OTT so if you're going to compare others to you, they'll always look as though they're 'in the wrong'.

And you're right, you have no idea if someone needs that parking space more due to the health of their children, their cat or their gerbil.

So yes, you're overthinking.

VitaminNinja · 20/08/2023 20:10

I wouldn’t for longer than a day. I’m with you.

Valerie23 · 20/08/2023 20:10

What if you had booked a skip or a house move or building work?

Whilst they can park there legally it does seem inconsiderate to leave it there for so long.

Mrburnshound · 20/08/2023 20:12

I used to live in a block of flats in london, had to park my car on a side road. When DS was tiny i didn't really drive anywhere so it would be left there for a couple of weeks at a time. I would leave on a road where people had driveways if I could but I had a residents' permit so if there was a space in my zone I would take it

BennyBlancofromtheBronx · 20/08/2023 20:16

Aliceinunderland · 20/08/2023 20:04

We're not in London and no we're not near any train stations or airports. It's never happened before so I was a bit puzzled by it to be honest.

Maybe they were visiting friends or relatives who live in the street?

DinnaeFashYersel · 20/08/2023 20:16

I've never knew how funny people are about parking till Mumsnet.

Public road, not blocking anyone. Not doing anything wrong.

LivStanshall · 20/08/2023 20:17

It's a public road. They can park on it for as long as their car is taxed and insured.

A8888 · 20/08/2023 20:18

You don't own the road outside your house more than anyone else does.

You're being inconsiderate of the needs of the people that have parked there. What if they have health needs or young children or any kind of additional need where they would benefit from parking there?

The actual moral thing to do would be to give the space to a homeless or low income person to build a shelter on, people who already own a house and a car can be a bit entitled.

Insommmmnia · 20/08/2023 20:20

If you were nowhere near a station or an airport and you saw them got in a car with a suitcase the fairly obvious assumption is that they were staying with someone on the street so I don't understand why you are bothered about it

Original poster
Aliceinunderland · 20/08/2023 20:21

The way I see it is that there are three spaces. If I park there for a week then I've taken a third of the spaces away from my neighbours. But I agree I might be OTT because it wouldn't necessarily bother me if my neighbours parked there and went away. It just seems off that they were random people.

If we lived somewhere that had ample parking up and down the street then maybe it wouldn't be so bad but I still don't think I'd want to park outside someone else's house and leave my car there for a week.

OP posts:
ThreeLittleDots · 20/08/2023 20:23

The spaces are not 'for' anybody in particular.

The visitors did nothing wrong whatsoever.

If anyone doesn't like it they shouldn't live in a house without parking.

SophiaElizabethGrace · 20/08/2023 20:24

But they might not have been random people. They are randomers to you but what if they were staying with someone on the street? Your frustration is based on something that you don't even know to be correct. Chill.

Neverseenbefore · 20/08/2023 20:25

It’s a public road. It’s completely fine. I always have random cars or vans parked outside my house. I wouldn’t even notice if the same car was there for a week. It would always be replaced by another vehicle immediately.

WeWereInParis · 20/08/2023 20:26

I genuinely don't understand people who care who parks legally on the road outside their house.

lavendernights · 20/08/2023 20:28

I live on a newly built estate in a small village just outside of a tourist destination town with limited and fairly expensive parking. We've had a massive issue this summer with holidaymakers parking outside our houses whilst on their holidays and walking into the other town. Selfish twats. Its only a small estate of 35 houses and on the Facebook group no one knows these people. It's annoying so I feel your pain.

Insommmmnia · 20/08/2023 20:28

Aliceinunderland · 20/08/2023 20:21

The way I see it is that there are three spaces. If I park there for a week then I've taken a third of the spaces away from my neighbours. But I agree I might be OTT because it wouldn't necessarily bother me if my neighbours parked there and went away. It just seems off that they were random people.

If we lived somewhere that had ample parking up and down the street then maybe it wouldn't be so bad but I still don't think I'd want to park outside someone else's house and leave my car there for a week.

But you don't know they are random people

Maybe it's one of their parents whose broken a leg and they came to stay for a week to look after them

Maybe it's a sister whose had a new baby and they came for some baby bonding time

Maybe it's an aunt, or grandmother or cousin etc etc

This is a ridiculous thing to be so irritated by

Original poster
Aliceinunderland · 20/08/2023 20:29

A8888 · 20/08/2023 20:18

You don't own the road outside your house more than anyone else does.

You're being inconsiderate of the needs of the people that have parked there. What if they have health needs or young children or any kind of additional need where they would benefit from parking there?

The actual moral thing to do would be to give the space to a homeless or low income person to build a shelter on, people who already own a house and a car can be a bit entitled.

I made it very clear I know they can park there legally.

I'm not what you mean about giving the space to a homeless person. I'm sure the council would have something to say about that. And not to nitpick but we don't own our home. We are lucky to have a lovely privately rented home.

OP posts:
SerendipityJane · 20/08/2023 20:30

Some less reputable airport parking services do this.

megletthesecond · 20/08/2023 20:31

We used to have this. People would park and trundle off with their suitcases to the train station, then appear a week or two later.

The council brought in parking permits so they can't do it anymore.

EthicalNonMahogany · 20/08/2023 20:32

The spaces outside people's houses don't belong to them!!!

Djmaggie · 20/08/2023 20:32

Public road, taxed & insured car. Unless they are blocking somebody’s drive MYOB!

Swipe left for the next trending thread