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.

I don't think they should be parking opposite your drive. And near a bend.

I had to start reversing onto my drive when all my neighbours (cul-de-sac) had building work done and there were work vans everywhere making it v difficult to reverse out. I feel your pain OP. You'll soon be reversing like a pro in no time 👏 Also its a great skill in car parks. I ALWAYS reverse into a space. I have a friend who won't park unless she can go in front first (she has massive SUV) she'll then drive off and park elsewhere if there isn't a big enough space. bonkers lol 😆

Basically you're crap at driving so want them to block someone else's drive rather than their own? Just so it's a bit easier for you?

The neighbour shouldn't be parking in front of ANY driveway as these have dropped kerbs.

Nobody owns the space outside their property. See Highway Code rule 242 and 243.

I don't think this is unreasonable. Just explain what you said here and say you don't want to risk another accident. We park a little further back than we did because our neighbours said it make it difficult for them to maneuver in and out.

@SilenceInside

of course you can ASK them, you just can't insist IF they're parked legally,

@DinoNuggetsRUs

As others have said, you need to reverse into your driveway so you can drive off it - much safer!

but there's no harm in ASKING them not to park directly opposite your driveway, I'm surprised they haven't started doing this anyway given you've already hit their vehicle!!

It makes much more sense to reverse on to your drive - is something stopping you doing that? TBH you cannot ask folk not to park in a certain way if they're not causing an obstruction. 🤔

The neighbour IS illegally parked as you cannot park in front of ANY driveway, especially as these have dropped kerbs.

See Highway Code rule 242 and 243.

@Fargo79

or the more obvious reason - we need access to the boot to put the shopping in.

I’m amazed that they haven’t changed where they park as a result of you already driving into one of their cars once! That was probably the best way to get your message across after all.

What sort of idiot continually puts their vehicle right in the path of danger?!

@DownNative

you've made it enough times for everyone 🙄🙄

Theres no need to REPORT them, when the OP can simply go & ask the nice neighbours not to park there & IF they argue mention it's illegal.

Regardless of if the neighbour should be parked there or not, OP should be reversing onto the drive.

OP, (making sure the road is clear in both directions!) drive past the van, pull up across your own drive on the right hand side of the road as though you're parking across your drive. Move forwards until your wing mirror is in line with the edge of your drive, then steer sharply left while moving forwards so you're diagonally across the road. The back of your car will now be pointed at the entrance to your drive. Using mostly your driver side wing mirror (while keeping an eye on the others for hazards!) reverse while gently steering to the right so your car lines up straight to the driveway. You're still completely on the road/pavement at this point. Stop. Check both mirrors to see if the gap each side is roughly the same and you're lined up properly. Then you should be able to go straight up the drive with no steering if your drive is straight.

Do it all really slowly, keep stopping and checking mirrors. You can even get out of the car and have a look at where you are on the road if that would help you figure out where you need to steer.

@DownNative

put the bone down.

why are you SO invested in reporting someone that has NO impact on you??

Weird

It's clearly evident quite a few posters have no idea about Highway Code 242 and 243. 🤦‍♂️

OP is not going to speak to their neighbours as they appear to be conflict avoidant as well. 🤷‍♂️

Highway code rule 243 is DO NOT, not MUST NOT

I do know the Highway Code. I just don’t give a shit if someone parks across their own driveway

OP, why not go to an empty car park one evening and have a practice for half an hour reversing in a spot similar to your drive. I am not overly confident and I hate having to do manoeuvres on my road when the neighbours could be watching.

I reverse into spaces but leave a small gap at back to put shopping in. It's fairly easy.

I agree with everything that other people have said about reversing into the driveway and practicing parking, but technically I believe the neighbour is parking illegally if the third car is parked over a crossover, even if it's their own. We were in a similar situation a couple of years ago when clearing out my late mother's house. The driveway was full because I'd ordered a skip, and my husband's car was occupying the rest of the drive. A friend came to help us and parked across the driveway because there were quite a few parked cars on the road (a very small cul de sac). He was only obstructing my mum's driveway but got a parking ticket for parking a dropped kerb.

This, and….

i think best way to approach this in the first instance is to have a polite friendly word with your neighbour and try to keep it amicable

You should also check your house deeds for right of way easements regarding the road your driveway leads off.

You say it’s an unmade gravel road, did I read that right, so it’s a side road? If it is a side road and not a main road, you’re not doing anything illegal reversing out of your driveway and it’s your choice ultimately how you enter and exit your driveway.

If the road you live on is classed as a public highway, you can also approach your local parish or county council to apply parking restrictions. Your council’s website should have guidance on how to do this, Some areas do not allow parking in front of dropped kerbs, some allow it with permission of the property owner I.e. parking in front of your own dropped kerb is fine in many areas depending on other factors ie junctions, bends, hump back bridges and of course specific parking restrictions

Good luck with everything, clearly many of the people responding here are not legally qualified. Perhaps ask the question again in a free professional legal forum such as Legal Beagles.

Exactly. We park a car in front of our drive, as do the vast majority or our neighbours with 2 cars. If we didn’t the houses on the 2 side streets by us that have no parking (not even street parking as it’s only wide enough for one car) would have nowhere nearby to park.

And how do you get the trolley between the cars?

@Werweisswohin

glad it easy for YOU . The carpark spaces around here are tiny, it's bad enough trying to get in/out of the car without dinging other peoples cars, without trying to get shopping through the 'gap' to the boot.

🙄🙄