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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how to best handle this car blocking my drive?

902 replies

Parkingdrama00 · 16/02/2025 14:07

I live near to a football stadium and the team are currently playing. Somebody has parked right across my drive and blocked me in. I assume they have gone the match.

You need a residents pass to park round here and it doesn't look like they have one. Looks like I'm trapped until they come back.

What's best to do? Can I report them to the council? Leave a note? Confront them upon their return. Or is all of that pointless?

I wanted to go to the supermarket which will likely be closed by the time they're back.

OP posts:
LoveFridaynight · 17/02/2025 14:00

TouchOfSilverShampoo · 16/02/2025 14:24

I would call 101 and say that you have an elderly relative about to die in hospital and you're blocked in.
Ramp it up by saying it's not just an obstruction to your drive but also the road (that's an additional offense).
Selfish arseholes - really not acceptable.

Please don't say that. I had my mum die in hospital this weekend and it really upsets me to think people could lie about something so heartbreaking.

Justalittlehandhold · 17/02/2025 14:17

Londog · 17/02/2025 13:47

The thing is that all this informing the police and towing away 🛻 has to happen in the space of a 90 minute football match … 🤔

A match is 90 minutes play, it has a 15 break. It has time added on as well.

There is also time to walk to the stadium/time to walk back from the stadium. Time for the ground to clear.

So, your 90 minutes is way off the mark.

If you look at the timeline of the post it was two hours also!

Bogginsthe3rd · 17/02/2025 14:24

Everyone saying OP reacted disproportionately (surely the proportional response to a car blocking a drive is to legally move it away from the drive) are exactly the same people who would say OP was a doormat if she did nothing and took the bus out. Don't try to deny it. As for a waste of resources, what would the tow truck otherwise be doing ? Helping old ladies across the road ?

whatawonderfultime · 17/02/2025 14:28

Bogginsthe3rd · 17/02/2025 14:24

Everyone saying OP reacted disproportionately (surely the proportional response to a car blocking a drive is to legally move it away from the drive) are exactly the same people who would say OP was a doormat if she did nothing and took the bus out. Don't try to deny it. As for a waste of resources, what would the tow truck otherwise be doing ? Helping old ladies across the road ?

Not to mention that there could be an emergency at any time, and then it's going to be really inconvenient for any emergency services like ambulances or fire engines.

Can you imagine someone knocking at your door telling you to move your car in a life or death situation and it's not your car but you couldn't be bothered to do anything so you just left it there

TouchOfSilverShampoo · 17/02/2025 14:28

@LoveFridaynight I'm sorry for your loss but I said an "elderly relative" ie a made up person.

WellsAndThistles · 17/02/2025 14:34

Of course the OP did the right thing, it's good for the economy too as recovery truck driver will get paid very well at a Sunday rate and the tax payers gain as the offender has to pay a pretty large sum to get their vehicle back. 😆

Can't believe the OP wasn't curtain twitching all night though, I would have tried to convince the car owner they must have parked in a different street, they do all look the same afterall 🤭

Morph22010 · 17/02/2025 14:36

Not read full thread but just wanted to add When ive been to football matches ive very often seen tow trucks just waiting around usually its to clear cars left in the restricted area around the stadium but I’d guess it also covers this situation. Often the tow truck staff are just sat in the tow truck waiting and not doing anything so it’s not a waste of resources. Also if the person is the type to do this I’m guessing it’s not a one off so and next time it could be an emergency and someone needed to get to a and e for example, hopefully this will prevent them doing again

PearlClutzsche · 17/02/2025 15:03

Londog · 17/02/2025 13:47

The thing is that all this informing the police and towing away 🛻 has to happen in the space of a 90 minute football match … 🤔

What a silly comment.
The time between parking and returning to a car to watch a "90 minute" football game is a lot longer than 90 minutes. The game itself is 105 minutes at the very least, never mind walking to and from car, queuing up to get in and out etc.

Topsyturvy78 · 17/02/2025 15:21

Londog · 17/02/2025 13:47

The thing is that all this informing the police and towing away 🛻 has to happen in the space of a 90 minute football match … 🤔

Most don't leave straight away. When I went to football matches with ex they would go in the bar after for a drink and talk about the game. The game would usually finish around 4.30-5 but we wouldn't leave until around 7-8pm. He would sometimes take his DD. The only time we left earlier was if he had his DD with him.

ChompandaGrazia · 17/02/2025 16:27

Wombatwilly78 · 17/02/2025 13:53

I honestly couldn't care less what the rules are. Someone blocks my driveway, they're being reported, towed, or failing that, forcibly removed. It's NOT acceptable.

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You don’t get to decide the laws.

DazzlingCuckoos · 17/02/2025 17:07

DaveFromIT · 17/02/2025 13:56

Well yes, because the club pays for the extra policing, traffic control and private tow trucks in the locality.
The tow truck will be on standby, probably already stalking the area ready to be called out, wardens will already be out and about ticketing.

Matchday parking is a huge issue across many grounds, my local one included, and even making surrounding roads permit only here does not stop people parking inconsiderately, blocking roads and driveways. Football clubs don't want to piss off their neighbours so they provide the funds to deal with it. It's a simple call to 101 followed by them passing it to the relevant parking teams on the day. It's a speedy process.

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We had similar when we moved offices too. We paid to have the parking bays outside the office suspended for the day so our removal lorries had somewhere to park and were given a number to call if someone parked there, which of course they did.

In the end, the traffic warden gave the removal guys his direct mobile number to call him back each time someone parked there.

The real kicker for us, however, was that the council didn't actually have any power to force the car owner to move so all it effectively did was earn the council double bubble as they got the money we paid to suspend the bays plus all the parking fines for those that parked in it anyway!

tommyhoundmum · 17/02/2025 17:51

Don't scratch the car or do anything illegal. You've done the right thing. It is very annoying.

Mookie81 · 17/02/2025 17:52

CauseImMrDarkside · 16/02/2025 17:31

Report it to the Police if it stopping you getting onto the public highway (not necessarily onto a private road).
If they stop you coming off your property, which you say, the Police can fine them for "Obstruction", so you could report it via 101.
If they were stopping you getting onto your property, not so helpful, as they'd expect you to park on the road until you can get in.
If the Police handler tries to fob you off with "ring the Council. It's a parking matter", say no, you believe "Obstruction" comes under the Vehicle Construction and Use regs! (Bizarrely not the Road Traffic Act)!
I am not a copper, but worked with some in a previous job and they told me that is what to use.
I have had to report it myself when someone was parked on some double yellow lines across our drive/alleyway, and they attended.

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UK Gold +1 Grin

Mookie81 · 17/02/2025 17:56

Justalittlehandhold · 16/02/2025 17:58

Green even 🤣

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A blue-green le sabre? Grin

Pinkproseccolady · 17/02/2025 18:16

Glad you got it sorted 👍If you hadn't done anything it could become a regular occurance! It's happened in our area and the single lady affected was distraught as she was the sole carer for her mother who she often had to attend to with little notice.

PyongyangKipperbang · 17/02/2025 18:17

Ok so this is probably a daft question but how do they know that their car has been towed? Presumably they only find out when they call the police to report it stolen? Its not like the tow company can leave a note where the car was is it?!

Strangerthanfictions · 17/02/2025 18:24

MyFlightWasAwfulThanksForAsking · 16/02/2025 14:11

What else do you think "this car is blocking my drive" means?! Confused

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Maybe that they couldn't get in to the driveway rather than out

Delphiniumandlupins · 17/02/2025 18:24

I imagine the cost to get your car released after it's been towed is to cover the cost of towing? In fact, the tow companies could be cruising, looking for illegally parked cars, not waiting for reports from the OP and other residents of the close.

aspidernamedfluffy · 17/02/2025 18:30

PyongyangKipperbang · 17/02/2025 18:17

Ok so this is probably a daft question but how do they know that their car has been towed? Presumably they only find out when they call the police to report it stolen? Its not like the tow company can leave a note where the car was is it?!

When the guy rings the police to report it stolen, he will be told, or if he doesn't contact them then (as ExH found out several years ago), he'll get a letter in the post telling him to either pay up in x amount of days or the car will be crushed or sold and the fees deducted from that. Unless it's all changed now, of course

Jenkib · 17/02/2025 18:44

Parkingdrama00 · 16/02/2025 14:07

I live near to a football stadium and the team are currently playing. Somebody has parked right across my drive and blocked me in. I assume they have gone the match.

You need a residents pass to park round here and it doesn't look like they have one. Looks like I'm trapped until they come back.

What's best to do? Can I report them to the council? Leave a note? Confront them upon their return. Or is all of that pointless?

I wanted to go to the supermarket which will likely be closed by the time they're back.

I empathise - the same happens to me when our team play at home. I too have been unable to get out my garage. Parking enforcement officers showed up and ticketed cars on the last game of the season last year !!!!!
Hadn't thought to contact non urgent police - thought they wouldn't be interested !

Edamcheese · 17/02/2025 18:59

You absolutely did the right thing. Glad that the tow truck came. How dare people think that they can park on your property.You
could have been blocked in for days as it could have been an abandoned get away car.😱 I know a bit dramatic 🤣

cutieee · 17/02/2025 19:05

something similar happens (no one as of yet has blocked our driveway) to us i live near a hospital (mixture of patients & staff) the council refer me to the police & the police refer me to the council, it’s awful no one wants to deal with it. number of months ago an elderly woman couldn’t find a place to park and had collapsed!

pestowithwalnuts · 17/02/2025 19:15

SoapySponge · 17/02/2025 10:48

Won't help your immediate problem but when we lived near a premiership football ground we'd take the car out on match days and block our own drive.

Nice one

asrl78 · 17/02/2025 19:19

AltitudeCheck · 16/02/2025 15:12

If the tow truck doesn't get there in time I'd be getting a neighbour or two to park blocking this car in as soon as an opportunity arises! And when CF asks who's car it is, I'd say that they've just left for the airport in a taxi, they're off on a2 week holiday!

Edited

That will inconvenience the OP even more because the longer the offending car is there, the longer the OP won't be able to get their car out of their driveway. When looking for ways to internalise consequenses for thoughtlessness, don't choose one which ends up being even worse for you.

SerafinasGoose · 17/02/2025 19:19

I really hope this story is true.

If it is, I might even do my nice little happy dance. 💃