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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Aibu and was I just mean?

43 replies

Canwegobacktobegin · 04/09/2025 17:37

My patience is very thin regarding people blocking my driveway. It happens most days. I went out twice on Monday and both times I came back a car had parked across it (yes it is very obviously a driveway).

Today one van was parked blocking me in completely. He was there for an hour and I needed to go out, I rang the number on the van and he said he’d be like in a minute. I came outside to get in my car and he made some joke about the rain, pissed off I didn’t react and said why are you even blocking my driveway, you didn’t even come and knock on the door to ask if it was ok.

Then he gave a speech about how he thought he wouldn’t have been there as long as he had and could he stay for 5 more minutes. I said absolutely not, I’m going out and he needs to move his van immediately/

I now feel I was maybe a bit mean. But it happens to me all the time and never has anyone had the decency to knock on my door and say “would you mind”

OP posts:
AgnesX · 04/09/2025 17:39

My tolerance level for selfishness has gone down as I've got older.

Not that it really helps!

Hairshare · 04/09/2025 17:39

Perfectly reasonable. Don't give it another thought.

BIWI · 04/09/2025 17:40

Why on earth would you think you were being mean?!

Naws · 04/09/2025 17:49

Sorry I don't believe you thought you were a bit mean.

I think you just want to vent, which is fine but why ask if you were being unreasonable?

Hollowvoice · 04/09/2025 17:51

I have double yellow lines in front of my driveway and people still park across it. YANBU

Canwegobacktobegin · 04/09/2025 17:52

Naws · 04/09/2025 17:49

Sorry I don't believe you thought you were a bit mean.

I think you just want to vent, which is fine but why ask if you were being unreasonable?

I think because he tried to be nice by making a joke about the rain and then I was just not having it.

OP posts:
Crazycatladywithnocats · 04/09/2025 18:24

No, not mean at all OP. Those 5 minutes would have turned into 20 or 30 minutes. People always say that don’t they?

I’m not lucky enough to have a driveway. Sometimes I read comments on here about blocking issues and cheeky parking and I think I’m not missing out!

BallerinaRadio · 04/09/2025 18:35

Nah if you're parked blocking my drive I'm not going to have a laugh with you when I tell you to move it. I shouldn't have to tell you to move it because common decency should stop you parking there in the first place.

Rustymoo · 04/09/2025 19:20

Definitely not mean. I’d have said something too.

ofcoursethatsnormal · 04/09/2025 20:11

Mean would have been to tell him to let you out and let him park on your drive to then block him in. You were fine.

EggsBen · 04/09/2025 20:12

I moved into a house which was previously inhabited by a hermit who rarely ventured outside, and didn’t have a car. Subsequently, the next door neighbours family had parked across the driveway for years without issue. Obviously when I moved in I had a car and used the drive. They continued to park across it even after polite requests to stop. In the end I had to tell them to move their fucking van, and stop parking like a dick - which has solved the problem.

Givenupshopping · 04/09/2025 20:20

I used to suffer the same problem OP, it got to a point where I totally lost it when a lorry driver pulled up and wanted to offload building materials to one of my neighbours, while blocking my drive when I needed to go out. In the end I phoned the number on his truck, spoke to his boss, and told him that if the truck wasn't moved immediately I was going to call the police. I actually heard the driver's phone go, and it was obvious by his reaction when he finished the call, that he'd had a right bollocking from his boss, as he gave me a filthy look and said that there was no need to call his boss. I told him that there was every need, as I needed to get out, and he was ignoring my request to move. He moved!! So sick of people like this thinking that they can inconvenience others, just because it makes it more convenient for them.

Justthethingsthatyoudointhisgarden · 04/09/2025 21:08

Canwegobacktobegin · 04/09/2025 17:52

I think because he tried to be nice by making a joke about the rain and then I was just not having it.

He knew damn well he was in the wrong. He was trying to charm you because you're a woman. Don't take that shit

UnhappyHobbit · 04/09/2025 21:15

Canwegobacktobegin · 04/09/2025 17:52

I think because he tried to be nice by making a joke about the rain and then I was just not having it.

He could start trying to be nice in another way and not block your driveway. Don’t feel bad at all!

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 04/09/2025 21:41

Id love to know why the 3% who voted so think that YABU.

Emmz1510 · 04/09/2025 22:04

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 04/09/2025 21:41

Id love to know why the 3% who voted so think that YABU.

Probably people who block others in themselves ….

MrBlobbyScaresMe · 04/09/2025 22:25

Yanbu people always park across my drive and it pisses me right off.
What can you actually do about it? Does anyone know?
Apart from asking them to move, say they've left their car there, what can you do about it?
I'm intrigued because I'm getting sick of it myself op.

SweatyBettyAgain · 04/09/2025 22:30

Do all of you who experience people parking across your driveways have drop kerbs? I can understand people parking across driveways when they haven't actually got a drop kerb?

FormidableMizzP · 04/09/2025 22:33

AnAlpacaForChristmasPleaseSanta · 04/09/2025 21:41

Id love to know why the 3% who voted so think that YABU.

THIS!!! I'm hoping they pressed the wrong one by mistake . . .

Good for you!! YANBU at all. That van driver was trying his luck - what is it with these people? Their brains are in their pants. It's infuriating and in the UK it's a traffic offence to cause an obstruction.

I had a guy block my drive, but go to a house 150yds away, there were no other cars parked on the street including the house he visited!?! (we're on a main road where everyone has offstreet parking). I wanted to get a white line painted to stop this BUT if you have that even you can't park on it in front of your own house 🙄

This country has become insane.

SarahT1234 · 04/09/2025 22:35

No we’ve all just been far too conditioned to be nice to people in these situations. No need to feel guilty at all ❤️

FormidableMizzP · 04/09/2025 22:40

SweatyBettyAgain · 04/09/2025 22:30

Do all of you who experience people parking across your driveways have drop kerbs? I can understand people parking across driveways when they haven't actually got a drop kerb?

Hmmmm. It's part of the planning process and you don't have 'permission' to cross the pavement in a vehicle to access the road, without paying for the relevant approvals and to have a dropped kerb installed.

SweatyBettyAgain · 04/09/2025 22:43

FormidableMizzP · 04/09/2025 22:40

Hmmmm. It's part of the planning process and you don't have 'permission' to cross the pavement in a vehicle to access the road, without paying for the relevant approvals and to have a dropped kerb installed.

Indeed. I wonder if that's why so many people get their "driveways" blocked... because they aren't actually proper driveways to begin with? They're perhaps just front gardens with a paved or gravelled front of house!

Movingonup313 · 04/09/2025 22:43

He was only being nice to butter you up. Is there space for you to not park in your driveway, let someone block you in then you park so as to block them in? Not sure if that would work. I suppose would only be effective if same people parking across your drive

MrBlobbyScaresMe · 04/09/2025 22:44

SweatyBettyAgain · 04/09/2025 22:30

Do all of you who experience people parking across your driveways have drop kerbs? I can understand people parking across driveways when they haven't actually got a drop kerb?

Yes I have a dropped curb, so that makes it illegal to park across it right..? What can you actually do in this situation?

Movingonup313 · 04/09/2025 22:46

He was only being nice to butter you up. Is there space for you to not park in your driveway, let someone block you in then you park so as to block them in? Not sure if that would work. I suppose would only be effective if same people parking across your drive