To want the car to move!

[honeyandbutterontoast]

Looking for honest opinions here because I’m aware this may make me seem like an AH.

I live in a road where the majority of houses don’t have drives. We park on the road. I knew that when I bought the house, it’s not permit parking but there is usually space for two small cars in front of my house. It has never been a problem in the time I’ve lived here, occasionally if there’s a local event I’ve had to park up the road for a few hours if I’ve been out, or for an evening.

Four weeks ago I came home from work to find a big car taking up both spaces outside. So I parked elsewhere. The car is still there.

Nobody has been to it, or moved it in that time and frankly I’m getting annoyed. I have to now park a long way from my house (else I’m in someone else’s space), which has been annoying with heavy bags of food shopping, or if I’m going out with the dog/DC. It’s meant if my mum has visited she’s also had to park elsewhere, again not ideal.

But what can I do? No point leaving a note as nobody has been to the car in that time (it’s right outside my window so I would see). None of the neighbours know who it belongs to either. It seems a stupid thing to get stressed about but I just want to be able to park outside my house!

My Dh says he frequently gets reports of criminal damage to cars parked on the road/non allocated spaces, usually repeatedly punctured tyres. On our neighbourhood app, a poor lady had her car keyed daily, put up a camera and has caught the guy. No idea if it’s because she’s parked where she is, although obviously pretty much outside her house as the camera is on her front door. People are crazy about parking. A neighbour who has 2 vehicles and no drive has whinged about a different neighbour parking in a non allocated space despite having a drive (has a temporary extra car as her ds passed his test and is trying to sell the one not parked on the drive). Bonkers.

Don't be silly: just because somebody has left their property in a legal, appropriate place and not needed/been able to use it for a few weeks, in no way does that equate to 'abandoned'.

It's not burned out, or missing a couple of wheels, or has a tree growing up through it; they just got to a public parking space that OP also wanted before she did.

Has my neighbour 'abandoned' the greenhouse in her garden that she hasn't been into all over the winter?!

It was the preferred option and I was suggesting the OP contact the council, that's why the service exists. Let the Council sort out whether it's a valid complaint or not, they have the experience in these matters.

I live in a one way street with no drives and everyone just parks where we can. There’s no reserving your spot outside your house. Just park in whichever spot near your house is free. It’s ridiculous parking far off just to make sure your neighbours don’t have to. Nobody owns their spot and it’s just a bonus if there’s one nearby that is empty. It’s very rare for us to get to park closer than two blocks away so we’re always thrilled when any spot on our street is empty.

My son’s got your set up. Where I live everyone who lives here avoids parking outside someone else’s house - and has done since we moved in 25 years ago.

@honeyandbutterontoast has the car moved yet?

The person could have gone into hospital or has gone on holiday with people on your street. Yes it is annoying but unless it is stolen or abandoned not much that tou can do OP.

Me too. I'm fully expecting it to be featured in a "this car hasn't moved for weeks" post on our road's FB page at any moment.

Looks as though it has been dumped. Contact your local council.