Gather in for real-time parking wars

[CatHugger]

A house down the road is having some work done and the workmen have parked their van blocking the access road to 40-odd garages. I nicely asked them to move it this morning so I could get out, which they did without and hassle. I came back and they were there again! On-street parking is a nightmare and there were no other spaces so I've blocked them in. I'm several houses down and am in now until 2-ish. There is technically another exit but it's a right pain to get to, so they can try doing a 100-point turn if they like...

Diagram to follow.

I have returned (2037 Zulu for those interested in the exact timing of my movements) and bring with me a photo of the nasty metal sticky-out thing. You're welcome. It doesn't look like much but it opened up the side of my car before last like a tin opener when I misjudged the turn one night.

I now consider myself an expert at the 100-point turn and can do it in 5, or 7 if I 🦆 it up. It's very tight and extremely unforgiving.

This is exactly what happened. I hope the driver enjoyed the 100-point turn and the kinky chains.

How long is this building work likely to go on for?

Will they park there again!??

Very disrespectful of you OP to not name the cats, tortoise and rabbit.

I doubt it, can driver is a better driver so won't need to

Ah, you warm the bitter cockles of my heart with such faith.

The cats are mostly known as my cat, NDN cat, my cat's girlfriend, that big fluffy one, the ginger one, the thieving one and other such non-specific names. The rabbit is called Coco. It's supposed to be a house rabbit but doesn't know that and escapes to nibble everyone's front lawns. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to have come across the cats yet. I can't remember the tortoise's name but the WhatsApp group is sometimes rallied to go and turn it back over when its owners are out and spot it waving its legs helplessly on the tortoise cam.

It's a kitchen refurb I think, so a week or two. If they park there again I'll have to order some fake parking tickets from t'internet.

Thanks OP - I have enjoyed this thread today - especially the bit about the tortoise cam ! I hope van driver(?VD- maybe not!) parks more considerately going forwards…but am not optimistic 😉

So the driver was already gone when you went to move your car yesterday at 2.45pm?

Just partaken of this delightful thread.
Observations; you say your drawing skills do not extend to dogs, but I respectfully suggest they don't really extend to tortoises (looks like a VW Beetle) or rabbits (thought it was a butterfly!) either. The cats, though, are top notch. 👌

There are some argumentative cunts with stop watches on this thread.

If the nasty pointy metal thing is the heavy looking thing at the bottom of the wall, what's the thin sticky out thing that casts a shadow above it? Can't make it out. Or am I wrong and that's the sticky out metal thing? Confused.

I'd like the ongoing saga. Van man is definitely a pain in the buttocks. As @CatHugger says, he can just park like everyone else.

Cheering you on OP! Guessing there won't be any action today, being Sunday. An opportunity to practice drawing various pets, perhaps? Any neighbours with parrots, chickens, reptiles? 😂

Cheering you on OP for taking a stand! I live in a similar set up. The difference in mine is there are shops at the front, and houses at the back (one of which is mine) and our access road is blocked all the time by thoughtless arseholes nipping in to get something even though there are double yellows across the entrance. We don’t have any other entrance/exit we can use in these instances. The people taking issue with you on this thread and making it out it’s no big deal - if this was your set up I bet you wouldn’t be quick to judge the OP. Access roads should be kept clear at all times. They are not parking spots. I dread the day there is an emergency in one of the houses at the back of ours and the emergency services can’t get down the access road because Pete has popped in to the shops to pick up his 4 pack of Stella. One of my neighbours takes no shit if she can’t get in or out of the road. She sits on her horn until someone comes scurrying. If she can’t get in she will block the blocker and casually saunter off inside. You don’t mess with her!

We have stickers @CatHugger !!!
DC orders them off Etsy for me. They're about 7cm in diameter and circular and fit on a car's maker badge nicely. They say "I park like a knob/twat/c*t". I always start with the knob one if doing a vehicle in my neighbourhood and work upwards to c*t if they're a bit slow to get the idea that parking in our road (and blocking it) rather than on their own driveway two roads away isn't appreciated.
I'm disabled so use the drop off/pick up only area at our local supermarket a lot but it's always being used by the I'm only taking 5 minutes/getting lunch/getting fags/using the atm types who can't be arsed to use a proper parking space because it takes longer. So while I'm waiting for DP to collect me from shopping I sticker cars!
They never notice so I always wonder how long they drive around before they notice. DP has seen a few when stopped in traffic locally. This week I've stickered 3 vehicles including a Deliveroo moped parked at a jaunty angle in the middle of the pick up area at the supermarket about 6' from the actual motorcycle parking area.

There’s something a bit…. Tragic about this post

So you weren't blocked in. The van man exited perfectly fine using the other exit. Blocked in means no way out, when actually there was this whole time. Pointless post. A van would be bigger than your car yet van man used the other exit perfectly fine 🤣 check your driving skills

I’m with you OP. Inconsiderate arseholes need to be inconvenienced as much as possible.

Exactly
I imagine the van driver really gave this very little thought. Just unwrapped the chains and left. No biggie

The exit closest to the garages wasn't blocked. There's an exit right there. Most people would use the exit right next to the garages, OP was just being inconsiderate. She's already said the on street parking was full, where else was the van supposed to go? And like i said before the exit near the garages was useable, the van guy proved that.

And it wasnt a parking war. The van guy had no idea, he just used an exit. All that happened was op getting all huffy over nothing

I've long given up on my drawing skills so imaginary dogs are the best it's going to get.

The shadowy thing in the photo is just a stick.

There are some right miserable people on this thread (apart from me, of course) so I'm glad you found it delightful 💐 Waves and flowers also to the fellow cat/Cat person.

I am not going to explain again why blocking that entrance/exit is more of a PITA than blocking the chained up one. RTFT.

Had he already moved by the time you left at 2.45?

As long as you realise all your immediate neighbours are quietly seething at ten weeks of noise and disruption, although being British they'll never admit it.

Well they need to park somewhere surely. If they moved it before, just ask them to move it again.

It’s pathetic the whole street community being excited about ‘wars’ when you could just ask them to move. They’re just doing a job.

Waiting for the AIBU about how long builders have taken cos they had to keep moving their van 🤦🏻‍♂️

I just needed to say a ‘hooray!’ For the marvellous diagrams!