AIBU to ask neighbour to park car elsewhere? Diagram!

[DinoNuggetsRUs]

So I have never had a drive before and idk whether I'm being unreasonable.
My house is on a residential road - there's no through road, I'm not sure whether this would be classed as a cul de sac?
Anyway, my house and drive is right on the corner of where the road angles off and the neighbours been parking their van directly opposite my drive, blocking their own drive in. They have 3 cars/vans and we have 2. So they park 2 on their drive and one on the road opposite my drive.
While not impossible, it makes it really awkward for me to reverse out in the morning. I'm a bit of a crap driver and I've already accidentally reversed into one of their cars and we've only lived here 3 months. It cost me a fortune to fix but they were really great about it.
I'm not sure whether it would be unreasonable to ask them to park a little further up? They seem like really reasonable and kind people but I guess it's not their fault I'm shit at reversing. I essentially have to do a ten point turn to get out.

Reverse on, drive off. Make use of your wing mirrors, don't bother with the rear view mirror. My parents aren't very good at reversing but they don't use their wing mirrors (I've never understood why not!).

I'd also politely ask for them to move their van so you can more easily manoeuvre. They've already been hit once before so it's in their best interest.

Im a good driver but absolutely shit at parking and particularly reverse parking. This is solved by a car with cameras, and a built in park assist using the cameras and the sensors. Mine lines itself up on the camera view by giving physical guidelines on the screen that I need to drive within when parking which makes it doable for me. I can’t believe there was a time when cars didn’t come with this (well I can, as I suffered with shit parking syndrome for decades). My cars always come with it but if yours doesn’t have it I’m guessing it’s stuff you can have installed after market? Well worth whatever that would cost.

I currently have a car parked at the end of my drive and its been there for months (probably nearly a year). barely moves but it does on the odd occasion. The neighbour 2 doors down has 3 cars and is on the bend so can't park his 3 car at the end of his drive. I think he is keeping it for his eldest as they are nearly 17 so it would be an issue soon anyway when the kids start to get cars.

I reverse onto my drive now to stop the issue of getting in and out. It's not worth the hassle with our neighbour as legally there isn't anything we can do about it.
It is annoying as hell and I swear every week when it gets in my way I'm going to say something but I don't. Sometimes its not worth the argument.

If you're not good at reversing it is even more dangerous to reverse off your drive.

It is known good practice to reverse onto the drive to allow good visibility when entering the highway.

Find a good instructor and pay for reversing lessons. Try and reverse into spaces every chance you get. Soon it will be 2nd nature.

Lots of places require reverse parking for safety reasons

Biggest question is....are you going to do something about your neighbour's van being illegally parked?

If not, why not?

It's illegal for good reason, after all.

Just ask them to move it a wee bit, what's the harm

I know everyone has jumped on you and told you to reverse in (which actually is a tonne easier, so I agree in a way!) However ….I do not think people should park on bends like that! Can’t they park more in front of their house, on the straight bit?

Definitely do this!! It will build your confidence and skill. I've been driving for years and I can still muck up parking on occasion whether its outside my house or in Asda car park. It's just an off day!! lol!! You'll get there.

When I moved to my current house I was absolutely bricking it about reversing onto the drive - it's narrow with a fence one side and a low wall the other, plus I was reversing down a slope! Honestly, it really didn't take me long to get used to it. Just practice, practice, practice!

If you know somebody who is good at reversing ask them to sit with you (or stand outside the car) while you practice

I agree that they should not be parking on a bend but you might find watching some parking videos useful, I like this instructor https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RzK41fKwA7k&pp=ygUfZ2V0IGRyaXZpbmcgcmV2ZXJzZSBiYXkgcGFya2luZw%3D%3D and practicing lots in car parks. Then practice slowly in your driveway, perhaps without the kids in the car. Maybe ask the neighbour to move the van for the practice but put a box or something there. Once you get used to the landmarks on your road you will find it much easier. It also gives you much greater visibility when driving off which is when you say you are in a rush. If you think about it you are currently reversing one direction anyway, so it is not that you are avoiding reversing altogether. Additionally in car parks it means you are less affected if someone parks close to you although I agree with pp it is tricky getting shopping into the boot.

Correct - can't park on a bend obstructing the view AND you absolutely cannot park in front of your own driveway since you do not own it.

Speaks volumes too many people have focused on the OP's reversing skills and are 🤐 on the neighbour's clear illegal parking.

Our neighbours opposite us are running a driving school, and apparently teaching people how to drive a trailer - with the trailer in question always parked right opposite our drive. In the beginning I was majorly frustrated as I recognized he wasn't technically breaking any laws as he wasn't blocking us in. I just wasn't able to reverse into the drive, especially with that giant thing parked right there, and reversing out obviously wasn't viable, either. I took it upon myself to learn how to reverse into my drive with the trailer parked across from the drive (and trust me, you can't possibly be any worse at it than I was in the beginning!). Now that I've gotten used to it, I barely give the trailer a second thought, and I get on fine with our neighbour.

Sounds like YOUR neighbour parked legally, but the OP's neighbour has parked illegally.

Very different situations.

Of course, reversing is a good skill to have, but neighbours cannot park illegally either. Its not a one or the other scenario.

@DinoNuggetsRUs honestly you will be fine. When I first learned, my parents lived in a cul de sac that was almost impossible to manouevre in. As a result, I am now really confident reversing - and once you get the hang of it, so will you be. Lots of things on youtube (like where the wheels track when turning backwards) - it really helps to understand the details. You could ask neighbour to move a bit anyway but definitely give it a shot. It is safer to be driving forwards onto the road or out of a space so worth learning. And don’t worry if the first few goes are crap!

That's absolutely shocking if you can't get your vehicle out easily.

Have a driving lesson that concentrates solely on parking.

Highway Code

Rule 201
Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.

I'm surprised people are struggling to think of a scenario where you tend to drive in and reverse out. Fairly common round here for alternate semi-detached with narrow driveways as the driver needs room to get out. I'm fine at reversing, but always drive forward into my parents' drive - the alternative is parking on the road which would cause even more of a problem!

4 vehicles for one house seems a lot. Maybe ask the council to introduce permit parking to discourage this behaviour.

Reverse cameras are an absolute game changer. I find reversing a breeze now.

This isn't always possible though - where there is a hedge on the side you would then be getting out of, for example.

Thats like saying you're a really great chef as long as you're making a ready meal 🤣

My neighbours do the same and park over their drive, right opposite my drive, also on a bend. It sends me up the wall. You'll have to practise but reverse onto your drive. It'll take a bit of getting used to as the car opposite makes it slightly trickier to manoeuvre but you'll get there! Just keep your eyes moving between all your mirrors and keep one eye on your bonnet so you're not catching their van with the front of your car! Good luck!

We had this where we used to live. If you ask him not to, be prepared for them to continue to park there and not give a toss, which is what happened to us 😩