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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

People with driveways parking on the street

232 replies

Hellskitchen24 · 24/01/2025 14:05

I live in a long row of terraces. Most roads are terraced here, as I live in a fairly working class town. This means that the only people with driveways are the end of the terraces. I live a few doors down from the end.

My neighbour has in the last 6 months or so decided to mostly stop using their driveway. It’s a relatively fit retired couple. They probably only use the car a handful of times per week, and instead park it on the road outside our houses. They’ve got this thing now where on the odd occasion they do have it on their drive, as soon as the person moves from the space outside our house, they are up and put their car on it. Even if that’s at the crack of dawn; I’ve seen them peering out at the window at 6:30am, on the rare occasion I’ve got that space and I leave for work. They will be loitering by the door waiting for me to leave.

I don’t quite understand the logic. They are only one of two houses on the street with two dedicated parking spaces, with a perfectly wide accessible drive. I get back quite late at night from work and have to park several streets away when I’m heavily pregnant. So admittedly it does wind me up a bit seeing their empty driveway while all the other residents struggle to park. I know legally they are doing nothing wrong at all. But would I be unreasonable to put a note through their door asking them to possibly use their perfectly accessible driveway to free up more space for the majority who don’t have off road parking?

OP posts:
Inthebleakmidwinter1 · 24/01/2025 15:37

If they weren’t using it Somebody else would so you might not get it anyway

BatchCookBabe · 24/01/2025 15:37

Brightredtulips · 24/01/2025 15:36

For me the problem is getting out of my drive when cars are parked on either side of it. We are on a busy road and we have to turn onto oncoming traffic and its impossible to see anything. The biggest culprit are our next door neighbours who also have a drive and are the first to complain if someone does it to them

Exactly this. Some people are such selfish arseholes though, that they don't give a shit if they inconvenience other people. As long as THEY are OK.

Wwe175 · 24/01/2025 15:38

I’d ask if they would mind you parking on their driveway when you get back at night.

Twinlife2 · 24/01/2025 15:39

We haven't got a drive but both houses either side of us have. One side used to do this and it was annoying. We have had two cars written off because of drunk drivers over the years and now no one opts to park on the road if they've got drives. Coincidence?!

JaninaDuszejko · 24/01/2025 15:40

We live on a street where everyone has a driveway. Our new neighbours have a large white van that they park across their own driveway and a car they park in front of our house, thus making reducing my manoeuvring space and therefore making it harder for me to park in my driveway. If they parked the car on their driveway and the van in fron of the house it would make my life easier. Not sure why they do it. Maybe I should start parking in front of my house to stop them doing it 🤔 . I thought when we had a driveway the way other people parked would annoy me less but I'm not sure it has 😂.

RedRiverShore5 · 24/01/2025 15:43

I don't like parking on the drive in my small car as I can't see to get out very easily so DH parks on the drive in his SUV which is higher, our caravan is on the drive anyway so there is not room for both cars but if it was just my little car I would probably park on the street as it is safer.

BatchCookBabe · 24/01/2025 15:44

JaninaDuszejko · 24/01/2025 15:40

We live on a street where everyone has a driveway. Our new neighbours have a large white van that they park across their own driveway and a car they park in front of our house, thus making reducing my manoeuvring space and therefore making it harder for me to park in my driveway. If they parked the car on their driveway and the van in fron of the house it would make my life easier. Not sure why they do it. Maybe I should start parking in front of my house to stop them doing it 🤔 . I thought when we had a driveway the way other people parked would annoy me less but I'm not sure it has 😂.

THIS is the kind of selfish arsehole I am talking about. Don't give a shit about anyone else, just lump all their cunty vehicles onto the road, (even though they have a driveway,) inconveniencing people, and making it hard to get in and out of your own driveway.

Sounds like a few such people are residing on this thread. I am so glad I don't live near them! (Yeah yeah yeah, you're glad you don't live near me too la la la.....' 🙄)

Pluvia · 24/01/2025 15:44

I'd go round there, heavily pregnant, and say that if they weren't going to use their drive to park in, will they let you park there? Tell them that once you've had the baby you will expect them to move their car to enable you to park outside your home rather than in adjoining streets. I'd shame them into behaving reasonably.

Another2Cats · 24/01/2025 15:44

tachetastic · 24/01/2025 15:20

I would be very wary doing this if it's a dropped kerb, as any passing policeman or traffic warden would give you a ticket and potentially even have you towed away. You can't even park across your own driveway if the kerb is dropped.

"You can't even park across your own driveway if the kerb is dropped."

I'm not so sure about this bit. As long as you have the permission of the occupier of the premises (ie yourself in this situation) then you can block your own driveway.

denhaag · 24/01/2025 15:45

Are they renting it out on ParkMyCar or ParkInMyDrive or whatever it's called?

Bignanna · 24/01/2025 15:45

SarahAndQuack · 24/01/2025 14:21

Why on earth shouldn't they be driving?!

I agree with PP that the OP wouldn't be rude to ask them, given she's pregnant, but they're not doing anything wrong and obviously they're doing it for a reason, aren't they?

What reason co7ld that be? They’re just lazy, and If they’re not capable of getting in and out of their drive then they shouldn’t be driving!

BatchCookBabe · 24/01/2025 15:47

Another2Cats · 24/01/2025 15:44

"You can't even park across your own driveway if the kerb is dropped."

I'm not so sure about this bit. As long as you have the permission of the occupier of the premises (ie yourself in this situation) then you can block your own driveway.

Yep, that poster was wrong. You CAN park across your own dropped kerb. There is no law against it. Although, if it's directly opposite someone else's driveway, it's a bit of a twatty thing to do, as you will make it hard for them to get their car in and out. If you have a driveway that is empty, PARK ON IT!

SarahAndQuack · 24/01/2025 15:47

Bignanna · 24/01/2025 15:45

What reason co7ld that be? They’re just lazy, and If they’re not capable of getting in and out of their drive then they shouldn’t be driving!

Being blocked in, obviously. Several people already pointed this out.

BatchCookBabe · 24/01/2025 15:47

Bignanna · 24/01/2025 15:45

What reason co7ld that be? They’re just lazy, and If they’re not capable of getting in and out of their drive then they shouldn’t be driving!

Jennifer Lopez Applause GIF by NBC World Of Dance

100% this! ^

EmmaMaria · 24/01/2025 15:48

icouldholditwithacobweb · 24/01/2025 14:11

Or you could just ask them if you could use their driveway since you're heavily pregnant and struggling and they deliberately prevent you from parking on the street.

Edited

How are they deliberately preventing the OP from parking on the street? Presumably a lot of people are parking on the street, not just them. I can see it both ways - my last house, if I parked on the drive then I got blocked in by the people on the street who decided they were entitled to park across my drive. Now my drive is narrower, and (a) I cannot open the door wide enough to get in and out due to disability and (b) if I am on my drive I have the move the car every time I go out in the mobility scooter. Whilst I can apprecaite the OP's point, on street parking is not a right.

Showdogworkingdog · 24/01/2025 15:48

This happened to one of DH’s friends. He just parked on their driveway. They never said a word, but he’s a big chap. I wouldn’t be such a cf but it is aggravating. We’ve got a drive but we’re in the centre of town and people are always parking right up to our drive, overhanging it or parking directly opposite which makes it hard to be able to see clearly when you’re backing out so it could be that. I hated it when the kids were little in their car seats, backing out slowly and trying to look in three directions at once.

EmmaMaria · 24/01/2025 15:50

And if you came around with that attitude I'd buy another bloody car and park it outside your house forever.

lateatwork · 24/01/2025 15:52

I don't have a car.

Loads of car owners park their vehicles in my street.

Think I'll drop a little note on all the windscreens asking them to park near their own houses.

CombatBarbie · 24/01/2025 15:52

I wonder what theyd say if you asked if you can use their drive seeings they prefer to park on the road....being heavily pregnant etc.....

denhaag · 24/01/2025 15:52

Pluvia · 24/01/2025 15:44

I'd go round there, heavily pregnant, and say that if they weren't going to use their drive to park in, will they let you park there? Tell them that once you've had the baby you will expect them to move their car to enable you to park outside your home rather than in adjoining streets. I'd shame them into behaving reasonably.

Would you actually knock on the door of someone who is behaving entirely legally (albeit annoyingly) and say "I expect you to move your car"?
If you spoke to me like that, it wouldn't shame me, I'd think you were very rude and make me more likely to behave in a petty way.

Iwantmyoldnameback · 24/01/2025 15:54

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 24/01/2025 14:40

You can't block somebody's driveway, that is really poor advice.

Leaving aggressive notes is also not going to achieve anything but contempt.

Actually you can if there's no car on it.

GreekSun · 24/01/2025 15:54

I can't believe people are suggesting you ask to use their drive. It's annoying but they aren't doing anything wrong and aren't mandated to park on their drive.

CockSpadget · 24/01/2025 15:57

Are they being blocked in by people parking over their drive? Not on the double yellows side, but directly outside the drive

FatLarrysBanned · 24/01/2025 15:57

You can park across your own dropped kerb. See exception 2 of the Traffic Management Act 2004

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/18/section/86/2005-06-30?timeline=true

86Prohibition of parking at dropped footways etc.
(1)In a special enforcement area a vehicle must not be parked on the carriageway adjacent to a footway, cycle track or verge where—
(a)the footway, cycle track or verge has been lowered to meet the level of the carriageway for the purpose of—
(i)assisting pedestrians crossing the carriageway,
(ii)assisting cyclists entering or leaving the carriageway, or
(iii)assisting vehicles entering or leaving the carriageway across the footway, cycle track or verge; or
(b)the carriageway has, for a purpose within paragraph (a)(i) to (iii), been raised to meet the level of the footway, cycle track or verge.
This is subject to the following exceptions.
(2)The first exception is where the vehicle is parked wholly within a designated parking place or any other part of the carriageway where parking is specifically authorised.
A “designated parking place” means a parking place designated by order under section 6, 9, 32(1)(b) or 45 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27).
(3)The second exception is where the vehicle is parked outside residential premises by or with the consent (but not consent given for reward) of the occupier of the premises.
This exception does not apply in the case of a shared driveway.

Traffic Management Act 2004

An Act to make provision for and in connection with the designation of traffic officers and their duties; to make provision in relation to the management of road networks; to make new provision for regulating the carrying out of works and other activit...

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/18/section/86/2005-06-30?timeline=true

denhaag · 24/01/2025 16:00

Iwantmyoldnameback · 24/01/2025 15:54

Actually you can if there's no car on it.

Only if there is not a dropped kerb.

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