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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

For asking learners to stop parking in front of our drive

99 replies

Limyleek476 · 14/10/2023 09:46

Hi everyone, I’m just after a bit of advice more than anything on what I could do or even should do?

We have a small drive that has 2 cars with a dropped kerb in front, for around 6 months we have had learners practicing reverse parking in front of our drive blocking it completely as the end house parks his car on the road. (They like to use that to reverse round)

this wasn’t an issue until a week or so ago when our child was Ill and 111 recommended taking him to AnE, we rushed and got in the car ready to go when a learner started reversing blocking us in. Long story short I explained the situation and asked them to let us pull of the drive, then they can carry on to their hearts content, all we got back from the instructor is that it’s a public road and he can do what he wants, we proceeded to be held up for 10 minutes before being able to pull off of our own drive.

is there anything I can do here? I know it’s a public road and they are sat in the car with the engine running once the manoeuvre is complete so not technically parking? 99% of the time we just ignore it but in a rare situation like that I’d like to know what my options are if any?

thanks in advance!

OP posts:
smartiesneberhadtheanswer · 14/10/2023 10:06

I cannot believe both functioning humans in a car refused to let you out with a sick child.

WhamBamThankU · 14/10/2023 10:07

Stand there with score cards

LambMomo · 14/10/2023 10:07

Learners reverse park in front of our house too. My 8 year old gives them a thumbs up if they do it right. I have considered holding up number scores.

Complain to the driving school assuming you actually said you needed to get to a&e.

Needmorelego · 14/10/2023 10:08

You know I would have stood banging on the front of the car shouting "you need to move I have to get my child to A+E" over and over. I doubt they would have faffed for ten minutes then.
(@Limyleek476 I hope your child is better now 💐)

LlynTegid · 14/10/2023 10:09

Complain about the instructor as noted above. A rare instance yes, but still should have moved and then resumed the lesson once you had gone.

I have no idea if there is accreditation for driving instructors such that a complaint say to the DVLA could be made.

MargotBamborough · 14/10/2023 10:10

Next time take a picture of the instructor's car and tell him you will be reporting him to the DVLA.

AnSolas · 14/10/2023 10:11

10 min while the instructor tells the learner driver to be a road rager???

The calm option
I would be making a complaint to the police because you can bet that he is at the same agressive crap elsewhere and that is bad teaching.

The instructor was such an asshole i would opt for the OTT reaction.
I would be out standing in the middle of the road each and everytime you see his car appear and blocking any lesson from happening on the road at all. If you stop the learner for 15 min or half hour and explain to the learner (not the instructor) that you will continue to do this every time they appear on your road they are likely to refuse to come back. And the instructer will eventually have to stop using your road.

electriclight · 14/10/2023 10:12

It is really hard to believe that you asked them to let you out with a sick child and they refused. Why on Earth did they get so defensive and launch into explaining that it is a public road and they're allowed to be there?

I'm also confused about why they practise parking across someone's drive. It seems like a strange thing to teach a learner driver. There must be far better places to practise.

Either way, I don't think there's much you can do really except contact the driving school and ask them not to block your drive. Or make it impossible for them to do so by parking there yourself.

Anyfeckinusername · 14/10/2023 10:13

Were they parked and blocking or reversing the car? Did it take an actual ten minutes or did it just feel like ten minutes?

electriclight · 14/10/2023 10:14

AnSolas · 14/10/2023 10:11

10 min while the instructor tells the learner driver to be a road rager???

The calm option
I would be making a complaint to the police because you can bet that he is at the same agressive crap elsewhere and that is bad teaching.

The instructor was such an asshole i would opt for the OTT reaction.
I would be out standing in the middle of the road each and everytime you see his car appear and blocking any lesson from happening on the road at all. If you stop the learner for 15 min or half hour and explain to the learner (not the instructor) that you will continue to do this every time they appear on your road they are likely to refuse to come back. And the instructer will eventually have to stop using your road.

Oh please don't do this. It doesn't meet the benchmark for any sort of police involvement and I'm sure they're busy enough.

And the other suggestion is batshit.

falalalalal · 14/10/2023 10:15

10 minutes ?

Idratherbepaddleboarding · 14/10/2023 10:19

Well, I’d have done something at the time, like bang on the windows or stand in the space that they wanted to use, it was an emergency! The driving instructor was also setting a terrible example to their student by teaching them to be inconsiderate.

eveoha · 14/10/2023 10:21

Public road it may be but legally no one can unjustifiably prevent entry and exit to a property nor block the King’s highway without good reason/cause

Dhilezzz · 14/10/2023 10:24

It’s very hard to believe we’re getting the full story here.

Original poster
Limyleek476 · 14/10/2023 10:28

Thanks for the advise everyone, it didn’t look like a franchised learner company it was more like a self employed learner so any complaints to the business would probably go straight to the guy I was talking to anyway, luckily as we have a short drive I managed to get his reg plate on the cctv so I can try and upload the footage to the dvla etc somewhere.

our drive is at an angle so when a car starts to reverse there’s essentially no room to get around it, this usually isn’t an issue as most learners won’t park in front of the drive at school times etc so we haven’t had many problems until now.

we live on quite a busy road so whenever a car/cyclist/pedestrian appears they stop manoeuvres for a good few seconds before starting again, looking back on the cctv, from the moment we got into the car we were stopped for 9minutes 28 seconds it felt more like 30 to be honest. It was all a bit surreal as most people would simply understand and move on but I must just of got really unlucky with the driver on the day. All I can imagine is that he thinks we were trying to have him on or had been through a few arguments that day and he decided to prove his point with us.

our child is okay luckily enough, he was born at 27weeks and has had a few problems over his first few years so is generally okay now, I’ve read everyone’s comments and will follow them up and see what I can do, Thankyou!🙂

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/10/2023 10:29

Dhilezzz · 14/10/2023 10:24

It’s very hard to believe we’re getting the full story here.

"Can you shift your car a bit , I need to get my son to A&E"

"It's a Public Road , my pupil has every right to drive here and block your drive , as we're not actually parked . Carry on Brian, Mirror Signal Manouvre"

If you got in, settled your chil , drove fotwards and beeped your horn and gestured them to shift , they'd have moved Hmm

DisforDarkChocolate · 14/10/2023 10:32

I'd be posting that on the local Facebook page, what a twat.

LakeTiticaca · 14/10/2023 10:35

I used to live on one of the driving test routes so used to get quite a few drivers learning manoeuvres. Didn't bother me back then as I didn't drive.
This is a different kettle of fish though. All that was needed was the car to pull forward or reverse and let you out.
I would certainly be finding this knobheads Google page and leaving a stinking comment

SinnerBoy · 14/10/2023 10:38

greenacrylicpaint · Today 10:04

if the drive is not legal (no dropped kerb) then it's not illegal to block it.

If you read the first post, the OP says that she has a dropped kerb.

Limyleek476

You can complain to the DVSA, who will definitely take it seriously.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/driver-and-vehicle-standards-agency/about/complaints-procedure

Complaints procedure

You can complain to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you're not happy with the quality of service you got from us.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/driver-and-vehicle-standards-agency/about/complaints-procedure

ScoobyBooby · 14/10/2023 10:39

What a twat !

Id have been livid and would have been right in the car and proceeding out my drive to make them move their arses ! Feel sorry for that leaner though

pizzaHeart · 14/10/2023 10:42

So did you tell him that you have to go to A&E or did you just tell him to clear the way?

Floralnomad · 14/10/2023 10:42

Your issue is really that one knobhead driving instructor so I’d find someone to complain to about him .

EvilElsa · 14/10/2023 10:42

The driving instructor was a cunt. I'd put in a complaint about him for a start. Who blocks in someone whose child needs to go to a&e?!

itsalongwaybackfromsorry · 14/10/2023 10:50

Social media is your friend here. Name and shame the driving instructor on all the local pages that he advertises on. Take a picture of his car blocking your drive. Explain what happened.

He was utterly in the wrong and his response was appalling.

CherryCokeFanatic · 14/10/2023 10:55

Need a diagram. You mean they are practising parallel parking? With the end position being their car is parked alongside your dropped curb? Using your neighbours car parked against regular kerb as the car to park behind and maneuver around?