AIBU to be irritated at new neighbour (parking)

[FrozenLimeMargarita]

Visualise a London road of the slightly wider villa-style Victorian terrace houses. The road is single track, one way. Parking is in this parallel to the road format:

/|-@-/|-@-/|\

They are little bays marked up for two cars lengthways, then the bay terminates in a traffic-calming outcrop with a big oak tree before dipping back in as the next bay starts then pops back out with another tree and so on. These bays are on either side of the road. There are 10 bays in total and 10 houses. So spaces for 20 cars. There is little to no other parking locally as it is more of the same style streets on either side.

However, these bays do not belong to each house they are just a version of on-road parking. Whilst we all have never agreed to just use the two nearest your house, the road has a consensus that there are 20 spaces for 10 houses so that's has been what has happened over the years. Each house has two spaces and it's the two spaces nearest your door. We knock and ask, or trade off places if there are visitors or a household has an extra car. For example Vera* down the end only has one car but Betty uses the other space on an agreement for when her granddaughter stays, which is most days and so on.

A new neighbour moved in 6 weeks ago and has......

One VW camper (takes up a two bay)
One works van (takes up a two bay)
A tonka toy type truck (takes up a two bay)
and a family of 5 each with a car

So while I understand none of us own the road but buying a house with the knowledge that you have enough vehicles to wipe out over half the whole roads parking is just straight-up CF behaviour.

AIBU

I am dearly hoping one of your nice neighbours has doorbell footage of the bins going missing!

I'd be reporting the bin thefts to the police at £75 per bin that's £750 to replace all 10 outrageous. I'm sure the police questioning bcf and why only their bins were left will result in everyone else's bins mysteriously returning.

Petition the council for permit parking so each house can get permits for 2 spaces- might cost but they would need to find alternative parking for their big vehicles and 3 extra cars

Well, BCF keep their bins around the back as they have a snicket between them and the road behind and said they were just 'lucky' as they put their bins out on the road behind (which is true, the people who lived there before did the same thing - its easier as the bin lorry goes up that road and doesn't come up ours)

So to clear it was 9 curbside bins and Lois* glass bin as she had put that out - so 10 bins in total.

No doorbell footage as the corral point for the bins is on the pavement right out beyond the end of the road.

BCF could be totally innocent in this but the smug amused face when they were asked if their bin had vanished (I was there and met them on this occasion) seems a little to self-congratulatory for my liking.

They really are BCF- bin cheeky fuckers

good grief! where on earth are they going to put 10 bins? in one of their huge vehicles? they are crazy and this will guarantee that every one of their new neighbours despises them

perhaps inform the police for it is theft...? might entertain the police person that takes the call

Yep, police. I'd put a note through everyone's doors.... "we're just collating the video footage plus other evidence to take to the police, if anyone else has anything to add, please let me know by xx date. Helpfully, Bob's cleaner has some dashcam footage".

Even if the last bit is made up.

If you all report the bins to the police and get a crime reference number, perhaps the council will cover them? Just a thought.

I like this idea. :D

As it is Gwyn* is leading the charge with the Council. I will mention the Police. I believe some councils cover theft for free, but I don't think ours is one that does.

It is being treated like the heist of the century here and at this rate Uni Lass is going to start a true-crime podcasts on it. I have been trying to think up witty bin/crime puns but they have all been rubbish.

maybe you could get your local paper to cover it, it is so mad that they might be interested

I don't know about a specific law, but my ex had to write a letter to the council for one of his staff verifying that the worker was on call-out for emergencies (water supply industry) and had to have his van accessible nearby 24/7.

😂😂

Cheeky bin thief fuckers!

That's really awful, and at £75 each, bloody expensive. As the whole street is affected, I think the council should let you all off the £75 OP, especially as it's not practical to put your bins out where you can keep an eye on them.

Oh, OP, I know this is real life to you, but we've been missing a decent parking thread (and now BIN thread) for ages.

What arseholes they are!

I'd definitely be posting in a local facebook group:

"Bit of a strange one, but could everyone be on the lookout for 10 blue wheelie bins that seem to have been stolen from the end of our road on bin day please?!

There's so many of them that have disappeared, they could only have fitted in a Tonka Truck sized lorry, so I'm hoping someone might have seen them being dropped off somewhere. Or if your local road's wheelie bins seem to have bred overnight, please let me know!

The police are aware and we're gathering up the various CCTV videos from that day, but if anyone happens upon them, it would just be easier to get the originals back. The council is saying we all to pay £75 for each bin to replace them and there are a lot of elderly people in the street that just can't afford it."

Morning everyone.

I am not there at the mo but on the group chat it has been announced that the bins have reappeared overnight at the other end of the road by the park. (it is less well lit and unlike the area the bins are normally corralled not next to a main road)

I personally think it was a petty flex by BCF, but unless it has been picked up on a doorbell cam its unlikely we are ever going to know. Uni lass jokingly mentioned fingerprinting them and tracking down the culprit.

I am just relived I don't have to fork out £75 and wait two weeks for a new one!

I was dayderaming this will be for a big reveal in 10 years time at a summer street BBQ when too much has been drunk and then Vera admits after having one too many sherrys that she let the tyres down and the BCF who has now been in the street for years cop to the great bin heist and we have a big laugh about the whole thing.

This is the best parking thread for a while. I really think Uni Lass should start that podcast!

@FrozenLimeMargarita is it worth just one big last try at this, you and a couple of others flagging this guy down, be friendly but not a walk over, loud and matter of fact, you can work out which of you has these traits, but do it in a group of 2 or 3. You say look we are all pissing each other off and it needs to stop, no fucking clue who let your tyres down, but we are against whoever that twat was, but ask why they moved somewhere with limited shared parking and basically take it all and announce that don’t care, do you not want to try and share this with us like we have done, so can we work this out so we all get what we need and get the fuck on?

Then wait for the answer, he will either agree or maintain that they don’t give a shit. If he’s wanting to work together then you can go from there, if not it’s war I’m afraid.

The last place we lived was a narrow street but everyone had drives, new neighbours parked 5 or 6 cars on one side of it, once even blocking the road because my neighbour had parked his car the other side. We all tried, and all actually had the front door slammed in our faces when we went to talk. Some people are just assholes, but try one last time to find out where you stand. It’s terrifying how one family can alter a whole street!

Glad the bins are back.

If it happens again I'd be tempted to duct tape an air tag to one of them!