Another dropped kerb question!

[MulledWhiney]

Inspired by the dropped kerb thread earlier this week, I’d love some opinions on my own situation. I’ve tried to be objective and disguise whether I am House A or House B, and spent my lunch break drawing this diagram to help!

House A has a double drive (side-by-side spaces, picture isn’t wide enough to show all of the drive) behind the house. House A has one car, (yellow) which always parks on the road in front of House A. No cars park on House A’s drive.

House B has a T-shaped drive. You could fit two small cars side-by-side, but not the two cars that belong to House B (red car is a big car). These always park in the configuration on House B’s drive as shown, and it is never used as a double side by side drive.

The orange line indicates a dropped kerb, brown indicates driveway and green is grass/bushes. The road is a cul-de-sac with a wall on the right hand side of the picture.

House B’s occupants regularly ask House A’s occupants to move the yellow car, on grounds of struggling to get in/out of the driveway. House A then move the car closer to the wall/further back (up and right on the picture).

House A thinks House B can get out perfectly fine, and it is closer to park in front of the house than the driveway at the back. It is hard to parallel park by a wall, which is why space is left between the car and the wall. The front of the car is facing down on the picture, so the driver’s side is not against the wall.

House B thinks House A should park on their own driveway, and not block the dropped kerb of House B.

All exchanges have been very friendly and light-hearted, but there is clearly a difference of opinion about where it is/isn’t ok to park (as well as a difference in opinion about how much space is needed to manoeuvre a car out of a drive 😂).

Do you think it is ok for House A to park the yellow car there? It is always blocking some (but not over half) of the dropped kerb, but how close House A can park the yellow car to the wall and how easy/possible it is for House B to get the red car out is a difference of opinion (or driving capability!) It’s a new build estate and we both moved in around 6 months ago.

Adding my voice to the collection saying that House A is a prick. They’re clearly lazy and need to park on their drive. Maybe House B could ask to park one of their cars there if House A don’t want to use it? Clearly they don’t care about using it - might make them change their minds!

You can park across a dropped kerb if it doesn’t block anyone in. You are allowed to block people out.

Honestly OP just park there occasionally.

Or off the edge of your drive enough to stop them while still being mainly on yours.

Why is it petty if you park there, given that they park there. They have decided it’s fine to park there so you can too. Outside their front door if that suits!

Tell them you have to park there so you can always get out when you need to.

I think A is being unreasonable. It seems straightforward. I don't know why you are asking. 🤔🤔🤔🤔

House B should take both cars away then invite some visiting children to play on their drive with paints, sand, dolls prams, skateboards, skipping ropes and balls

So obvious you're House B 😂 but appreciate the effort and the diagram!

A is unreasonable. It’s a dick move to half block someone’s driveway entrance and I can feel my petty-o-meter ramping up to the point where I might accidentally on purpose scrape A’s car whilst driving in. Obviously this would cost me money. Feel like it might be worth it though in my imaginary world.

If drive B doesn’t think A is allowing enough space, A should move.

I think it is a parking offence to park over the flat bit of a dropped kerb. I don't think the police would remove a car that was blocking you out, but the council would be able to issue a penalty charge notice.

@MulledWhiney you gave it away in the 2 minutes 🤣🤣

No cars park on House A’s drive

🤣🤣🤣

I would approach the council & find out what's needed to get some double yellows. As they're impeding on your 'clear view' & entrance.

The council might come out and paint a white bar across it to make it really clear, if you paid them. But it may not make any difference.

You could also report them to your council's enforcement officers (we can do it via a web page) and they'd come out to give them a ticket. That might sour relations more though!

Yep, House A is a dick. If I was House B, I'd just make a habit of parking the largest of my cars in yellow car's spot but far enough away from the wall that they can't park alongside.

Ok I admit I am House B…

It is driving me NUTS that House A is constantly parking there. Like so many of you said, why don’t they park on their own drive???

I was trying to present an objective argument to see if I was being unreasonable by being annoyed at it, but I’m glad that others share my opinion that House A shouldn’t be parking there.

Part of me wants to start parking there, but I also don’t want to start a parking war, especially so soon after moving in. I fear I am already in one though… (also knowing my luck, I’d park there and my car would get broken into and my insurance states my car parks on the drive overnight)

Great colouring by your kids on the diagram.

If House A parks over a dropped curb even partially they are wrong.

The mystery is why house A does not park on their own drive. House A's drive looks narrow on the diagram, but they could widen it if necessary.

Is t because they are lazy and want to park as close to their front door as possible ?

I’m pretty sure it’s ’usually Parked’ on the drive.

This is what they have told me, presumably because they are scared to scrape their car on the wall if they do a bad job of parallel parking 🤷‍♀️

They’d clearly rather me scratch both our cars trying to squeeze past them when they’ve left enough space for wheelie bin between them and the wall.

Now I don’t claim to be the best parallel parker myself, but that’s why I bought a house with a drive…

Why can't House A park on their drive and enter their house via their back garden?

They need to fit a gate and lay a path from the driveway to their back door.

If you have passengers or the driver is on the wall side of the car, then yes, you need some extra space, but why don't people just use their mirrors?

I would contact your council and ask if you can have any double yellows or an H bar painted.

Great picture! Why can't they park a single car in a double space?! I'd be worried about their driving 😳

It’s illegal to park across a dropped curb. As a wheelchair user I can definitely say the owner of the yellow car is being inconsiderate and should get a parking fine too.

If house A is blocking a dropped kerb they're parking illegally.

Technically you're not starting a war, they are.

No you can't. https://www.havering.gov.uk/info/20004/parking/141/apply_for_a_dropped_kerb/2

If you don't have the home owners permission you can't park across a dropped kerb at any time.

House A needs to park on their own drive way. Is it because they have to walk all the way around to get in their house?

Obvious from the start that you are House B, despite your very best and admirable efforts to present a balanced and neutral case. 😅

House A is BU.... what is the reason for not parking on their own drive?

What are the estate rules / bye laws?

Stick a couple of bikes there?