Neighbours family blocking my drive.

[Whatdoyouthink65]

So I know this is a first world problem,
there’s much worse things happening but I can’t stop being annoyed non the less.

i live on a ‘ normal 1930 residential street. The house has a dropped kurb a in front of the garage side of the frontage, and we have a small driveway. I have an EV vehicle which lives on the drive ( when not being driven) so that
a) I can get the 2 under 3 year olds out/in easily and
b) it can charge when not being used. We have solar panels on the house and all the time they’re producing and the car is plugged in- it charges the car - essentially for free.

Our next door neighbour is elderly, and her daughter in law comes in a few times a day to care for her. If the space directly outside her house is taken by someone else she parks across my drive whether I am in or out.

usually there is a space outside my house ( not blocking the drop curb) as although literally anyone can use it, when my DH goes out to work it typically doesn’t get filled until evening when he may or may not be able to park there. We 10000% accept that on the on road parking it’s pot luck but I really really think I should be able to park on or get off my drive whenever I want.

i have asked them lots of times to stop doing it, but it falls on deaf ears. The final straw was that yesterday I was 35 minutes late picking DD up from nursery because I had to walk there unexpectedly after not being able to get my car off the drive… and today I’ve come
home with both kids and a full car of shopping and had to park about 800m away because she has parked half in the space outside the house and across the drop curb.

ive tried knocking on to ask them to move , but on both occasions they haven’t answered the door. They stay 90-120 mins per visit ( not a few minutes like just dropping off).

AIBU to be absolutely fuming?

If you have H bar markings in front of the dropped kerb it should deter them from parking there. But it’s not legally enforceable unless the police are present as they are committing the offence, so you’re reliant on them recognising that the H bar means the driveway is in constant use and they shouldn’t park there. Which they obviously don’t. Some people are just entitled twats, so treat them as such. Amazon sell a range of stickers you can place on the drivers’ side of the windscreen which are very difficult to remove. There’s one that says ‘please do not park here, driveway in use 24 hours.’ And you can buy signs there to the same effect to place on gateposts etc.

I also think this is correct

She charges the car with solar panels so can't do it at night.

Op I like the wheel clamp idea a lot! She needs to be inconvenienced as much as you. I can't get over the audacity of this woman

They have some great ones on Amazon.

To block access to the highway is an offence

ypu need to call the police if you’re unable to leave your house.

Report to council traffic wardens every time, if nearby they will ticket for driveway blocking. Do this anytime you see them there even if you're not going out report you have been blocked in.

I live opposite a school and despite an H bar was having a similar issue. When I contacted 101 they advised it’s an offence if there is a car on the drive - you can’t prevent someone from exiting their property. Go on the council website and search nuisance parking. You would be able to make a complaint and upload photos to support what you’re saying - time stamped and clearly showing the number plate of the parked car and your car on the drive.

I think lipstick is a good shout, it’s not vandalism but will cause her hassle, like she’s doing to you. I’d call 1021 too

Someone like this has to be personally inconvenienced to convince them to change their behaviour. That means making such a nuisance at the door that they 'have' to answer, every time, making a mess (stickers or glued notes) that they'll have to clean off, every time, or reporting them so they can be ticketed.

Police when you’re on your drive.
If they carry on id be scratching that car, or sticking lots of things to it and a nail might go under the tyre too!
So rude

I think there's technically a difference between blocking you IN and blocking you OUT. You can't obstruct someone's access to the highway, so the former should be dealt with by the police, probably under some anti-social behaviour policy. The latter is something for the council to deal with.

I think this too.
It is repeated a lot on here, that it is illegal to block in a car, but not illegal to block an empty dropped curb driveway.

But no idea if it is actually true!

I would put a letter through their door saying you've had enough of them blocking your driveway and then refusing to answer the door to move it. Say that it's not only made you late for collecting your child from nursery but it's also costing you money. Threaten that if they persist in doing it you'll be arranging to have their car clamped.

Put a letter through the door and also knock when the elderly ndn is on her own and explain that you were late picking dc up and they were worried.
My dm would never let me park there again if a ndn was knocking when she was on her own.

In fact get your dh to park outside ndn house whenever he’s at home. She will not like it, old people tend to worry.

Tell your neighbour that every time her visitors block your drive way that you will be photographing the offence and calling both the police and the council. How nasty and selfish of this person. Perhaps call social services to check on the welfare of your neighbour. This person sounds selfish and nasty. I hope that your neighbour is ok.

🤯 🤯
Unless you want the police knocking on your door and a conviction for criminal damage I would ignore this advice.

The police will com from someone deliberately blocking you for leaving you drive. I think they won’t for if they are stopping you get in.
Next time find a cork and sellotape it pushing her door bell in and hope it’s one that doesn’t need repeated pressing.
Phone police every time

If you are on your drive and cannot get off you can report them to the police, they will not necessarily get there before they leave but it is an offence to block someone in. The same is not the case in reverse, super annoying but the police won't do anything. I personally would stand continuously ringing the bell until they come to the door

I think at this point I'd be threatening. You've asked nicely, not that you should have to.

Strong letter telling her if it happen again it will be towed and she will be responsible for the cost. Also make her aware you have time stamped image s!

I can't stand people with this level of self importance

Vaseline on the drivers side windscreen works well.

Stick a sticky big label on her car window saying what a pain it is every time she does it. Also I would start parking there just for a while so she can get the message.

Obviously the DIL doesn't give a damn about you. I would knock and talk to the neighbour about her visitor and tell her about being late for your daughter, you all getting drenched and that you have had enough and will get the car towed next time. DIL might pay attention if the neighbour passes on the earful.

Call the police. They then use DVLA information to phone her and ask her to move it. Takes about 30 mins around here (not everyone has a phone number registered)

People dont tend to do it again after that

Yes I would get the reg no. for the dropped kerb and report them every time, hopefully they will start getting tickets and stop. Next time you notice it and have nowhere to be, I would also wait on their doorstep ringing and ringing until she has to leave. Then say you will be sending them the bill for your late fees. She is a cheeky cow.

This is genius