Dealing with neighbours inconsiderate parking

[Tooshyshy123]

One particular neighbour keeps parking on the small footpath which runs down the side of our house. In fact he parks on it so fully there have been times we cannot get out of our gate and have had to clamber over our wall to get out. We did speak to him but he still continues to do it even though there's loads of space further down and there's no reason to park on the path.
Anyway we are thinking of putting some planters on the path outside our gate, possibly right on the edge of the pavement close to the road. Obviously this will stop him parking on the path but will we get into trouble? There will still be room to walk down the path though in an estate of only 6 houses, we are pretty muchnthe only ones who uses it.
Already tried speaking to council who refused to consider dropped kerbs, yellow lines etc

I'd change the hinges on your gate so that it opens outwards and "forget" to latch it on a windy day.

Bet he won't park there again in a hurry...

Lol - I posted before I RTFT - great minds think alike!

Could you put some house bricks, end in, right on the edge of your boundary, so if he parks there he might damage his tyres?

I would have thought that if he is obstructing/parking on the pavement then it is a council matter.

Normally they employ contractors who will go around ticketing people who do stuff like this. So someone who parks like this all the time is easy money for them.

I would just take some photos and let the council know exactly when the obstruction is occurring.

Edit : Actually looks like I was wrong.

Google "who enforces pavement obstruction".

What a dick! He knows he’s being unreasonable by parking there. I would definitely change the gate to open outwards. Is there anyway of parking your car by his gate?

Post your exact same problem with diagram on local Facebook discussion group. He'll be named & shamed & stop doing it quick enough.

2nd option: moving a bunch of planters off the path would be all council made you do in response to your Plan A.

Personally I'd be tempted to let my dog with muddy paws climb over the car every time.

Definitely a long low planter. Worse case council asks you to move it or he vandalised it. Set up a ring doorbell covering it a mnd report as criminal damage if he does

Next time you can’t exit your house because of the car call 111 and report that there is a car blocking your exit. Our police force classes it as anti social behaviour.

He is clearly obstructing the pavement which you should report each time as this will build up a picture to the council/police.

If they refuse to take action you could turn email local councillors as he is clearly parking on the pavement which damages it and they ultimately put a bollard up.

My parents had issued living in a pedestrian area and cars +( with permits) driving over the pavement area very close to freezing my doors and the council eventually fitted bollards

Meanwhile hang the gate the other way around and open it a few times with the bolt down so it marks the pavement shows how wide it opens . It may be he tells himself the gap is big enough to squeeze out of as it is ,but opening outwards there is a chance of it blowing into his car in the wind....

Practice a James Bond style slide across his bonnet to get past his car.. Extra points for appropriate tune humming whilst doing it...

Re-hand the gate to open outwards.

It's high time pavement parking was made illegal, with exceptions for roads that are too narrow to park on.

I like the idea of rehanging the gate so it opens the other way, but I think that would make things worse, tbh. I'd report to the council, with pictures showing his number plate clearly. And report regularly.

What happens if you get large items delivered? Delivery men wouldn't be able to get a washing machine or sofa through that gap.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ld3rBxg5hFk

Goodness, it would be such a shame if you sloshed your high sugar soft drink/coffee all over the car by accident whilst vaulting your wall. Even worse if you accidentally managed to spill bird seed over it.

Open gate: bang car loudly every time.

If you're force to clamber over his tin shitbox, make sure you're wearing high heels, with metal reheels.

Annyou put a note through his door saying you need wheelchair access and I’d report to council and police/firebrigade

Agree with PP. I'd say if this is your only access then he's absolutely in the wrong.
It's causing an obstruction and you can call the police and report this behaviour. So I'd do that !

Tell him you are worried about his car getting scratched because it's so close to your gate. Maybe you have seen someone trying to squeeze past with a pram/child on scooter/blind person waving a white stick?

Do you know someone with a wheelchair? I'd borrow it, get an elderly person to sit in it, then either go around or call the police next time he does it.

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So a pram/bike/wheelchsir/zimmer frame couldn’t get through? I’d knock every morning at 8am to get him to move. Every morning. And every evening too.

Yes, and a double buggy; shopping delivery; etc

it is still unclear if he is parking on something that resembles a pavement or not?
is this public highway owned by the council? or private land?
do you have any idea why he chooses to park his car on this 'path' rather than in the roadway? does he park his van on the path too, or in the roadway?
what would he do if someone else parked his car in that bit of roadway, blocking him from getting his car onto the path at that point?
have you considered contacting the fire brigade as well as the police?

It looks like an illegal park. If you’ve been to your council several times and he continues to park there then contact your local councillor who should be able to do a bit more. Ours would be brilliant in this situation.