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AIBU?

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Original poster

Neighbour complained about DD’s parking

275 replies

soupofthedays · 09/01/2026 13:25

We live in a cul de sac. Our driveway (red) can fit 2 cars, but since DD just got her driving licence, we now have 3 cars. Every house, except for the 2 at the end, has its own driveway. Our neighbour (green) parks her car on the pavement in front of her house. The neighbour across the street doesn’t own a car, so DD (pink) has started parking there. Our other neighbour (yellow) has asked if DD could park somewhere else, presumably on the road across from the cul de sac, because it’s causing her some trouble. She mentioned that she can still get in and out of her driveway, but she has to pull out, reverse, and then drive through. She can’t just swing around DD’s car as the neighbour (green) parks on the opposite side. She won’t ask the other neighbour to move as she’s always parked there. DD is reluctant to park on the other road because she wouldn’t be able to see her car from our house. I can see both sides really. Are we being unreasonable by saying no as she’s not actually blocking the driveway, or should we have DD park somewhere else?

Sorry about the terrible diagram!

Neighbour complained about DD’s parking
OP posts:
LiveToTell · 09/01/2026 14:43

BarnacleBeasley · 09/01/2026 14:40

I think yellow neighbour is reversing on to her drive. But when she comes out, the parked cars have narrowed the road so much that she has to essentially do a three point turn to be able to point her car into the gap to get out.

Show quote history

Yep. In this case, she would find it easier to leave her driveway if she reversed OUT.

PudgeJudy · 09/01/2026 14:44

How narrow is the gap between your daughter’s car and the one parked opposite? If there’s not room for yellow to easily swing out and through then is there enough room for say a lorry delivering something to get through easily? Or a fire engine?

Are they both parked immediately at the junction? What would happen if someone was swinging into your cul de sac just as someone was driving out? Why doesn’t your daughter want to park a few more feet away on the bigger road to ease the tension and be a considerate neighbour?

Holidaytrees · 09/01/2026 14:44

soupofthedays · 09/01/2026 13:25

We live in a cul de sac. Our driveway (red) can fit 2 cars, but since DD just got her driving licence, we now have 3 cars. Every house, except for the 2 at the end, has its own driveway. Our neighbour (green) parks her car on the pavement in front of her house. The neighbour across the street doesn’t own a car, so DD (pink) has started parking there. Our other neighbour (yellow) has asked if DD could park somewhere else, presumably on the road across from the cul de sac, because it’s causing her some trouble. She mentioned that she can still get in and out of her driveway, but she has to pull out, reverse, and then drive through. She can’t just swing around DD’s car as the neighbour (green) parks on the opposite side. She won’t ask the other neighbour to move as she’s always parked there. DD is reluctant to park on the other road because she wouldn’t be able to see her car from our house. I can see both sides really. Are we being unreasonable by saying no as she’s not actually blocking the driveway, or should we have DD park somewhere else?

Sorry about the terrible diagram!

Pink and green are both obstructing driveways and need to move further away. You should be able to pull on and off driveways easily especially with snow and ice on the way. Green and pink are also obstructing fire engines etc from easy access to all of those houses.

Our deeds say you can’t park on the road - we all have driveways.

Fuckoffjanuary · 09/01/2026 14:44

I can see how that would be real a pain for the neighbour and the opposite house. How wide is the street? Surely if a normal sized road this will be causing a pain for bin lorries, emergency services etc and both cars should park elsewhere and walk.

We had a similar issue at our previous house where cars would park at the bottom of their drives, when two cars parked there it blocked the drive of the middle house. Neighbours argued they were parked legally but their cars were effectively dumped in the turning circle blocking driveways. I would hate to live in a cul de sac again.

MeridianB · 09/01/2026 14:45

No one should expect to park three cars close to their house unless they have space, which you don’t.

Why does DD need to see her when parked? If it’s a major issue then park one of yours on the main road and DD gets a driveway space.

Lazydomestic · 09/01/2026 14:45

Would carless neighbour consider renting ur daughter their drive ?

MCR24 · 09/01/2026 14:46

Tiswa · 09/01/2026 13:53

this Parking directly opposite each other isn’t great parking etiquette and can create issues and it is creating issues for your neighbour and can cause an obstruction

Why on earth isn’t the Green neighbour parking on their drive

Show quote history

Because green neighbour doesn't have a drive way.

FollowSpot · 09/01/2026 14:47

I think parking directly opposite another car so that cars can't pass each other or get out without manoeuvring is not good parking if there is an alternative..

Your dd doesn't need to be able to see her car. That is the sort of mentality that leads to people being possessive about the road in front of their house etc. You live in a small cul de sac that clearly wasn't built for households having 3 cars so you should expect some inconvenience.

ThreeSixtyTwo · 09/01/2026 14:53

Is there enough space left for fire fighters or ambulance to easily get through and turn?

Is it too close to a junction anyway?

I'd say she is unreasonable. It doesn't seem to be a good place to park.

Tiddlywinky · 09/01/2026 14:55

Why does you DD need to be able too see her car? that's bonkers. Parking opposite another car isn't great, and can lead to problems with access for emergency services. As a household with 3 cars your DDs should be parking elsewhere IMO.

NemesisInferior · 09/01/2026 15:03

Legally (assuming no double yellows etc) DD can park where she likes.

But.... it wouldn't hurt her to not park somewhere that is clearly causing a problem, would it. The excuse that she wants to be able to see her car is a shit one. Presumably it has, y'know, locks and if it's a first car for a new driver is probably a cheap shitheap anyway.

SalmonOnFinnCrisp · 09/01/2026 15:03

DD is reluctant to park on the other road because she wouldn’t be able to see her car from our house

This is lame.
Your DD not sat in the house looking at her car... If its getting stolen its getting stolen.
spoiler alert:No one is stealing it...

Legally she can park where she likes. But your neighbour is being inconvenienced and its going to totally fuck her off (understandably) for something totally avoidable.

I get the car is novel for your DD but she should park on the other side to be considerate.

disappearingfish · 09/01/2026 15:03

DD doesn't need to see her car. She's not obliged to park as your neighbour is asking but it sounds like it would be nice if she did.

Teenytwo · 09/01/2026 15:04

Is it a poor area that you need to keep an eye on DD's car?

how much money do the locals need to earn to stop their car being at risk of theft?

Pipsquiggle · 09/01/2026 15:04

Couldn't your DD park to the right of the green car (on the picture), on the same side, in between your driveway and the one on the left.

Can emergency vehicles get through?
Why does your DD 'need' to see her car from your house? Is it a high crime area / expensive car?

Basically your DD is technically correct, she can park there.
Do you like this neighbour? I can see why she would be irked by this parking.

Slightyamusedandsilly · 09/01/2026 15:07

One member of your family needs to park elsewhere. You're unreasonable for taking up so much parking as a family in a limited space. Either that or you have more of your front garden paved over to allow more parking.

FuzzyWolf · 09/01/2026 15:08

Do you really live in such a dubious area that your DD needs to be able to see her car out of your house window? Surely she isn’t at home continually watching it and you can’t have CCTV on it due to how much off your own land it would cover.

HeddaGarbled · 09/01/2026 15:10

I think for the sake of pleasant neighbourly relations, your daughter should find a solution.

stayathomegardener · 09/01/2026 15:14

You could continue to let DD park outside her house but I suspect the neighbour will retaliate by taking that space on the road going forward causing more problems for everyone.

Personally I don’t think two cars should park opposite each other on narrow residential roads if at all possible.

MadamCholetsbonnet · 09/01/2026 15:14

I agree DD should park blocking your driveway

Climbingrosexx · 09/01/2026 15:15

ReignOfError · 09/01/2026 13:33

Can she park blocking your drive without impeding your next door neighbours? We do this with visitors; our two cars on our drive, the visitor on the street in front of our drive.

Exactly what I was going to say. If I was in a household which was accumulating multiple cars I would prefer it if my own driveway was blocked so it doesn't interfere with neighbours. In fact we did this over Christmas. Asked visitors to just park over our driveway

HisNotHes · 09/01/2026 15:18

Presumably there’s no legal reason such as dropped kerb/yellow lines/permit space etc why your daughter shouldn’t park there. In which case, she should continue to park there. Yellow neighbour is unreasonable, it’s just slightly more effort to get out of their driveway than it used to be, but your daughter isn’t doing anything wrong.

Balloonhearts · 09/01/2026 15:20

Neither green nor pink should be parking like that but especially not dead opposite each other. It narrows the road too much. How stupid can you get? What if a fire engine needed to get through there? Or an ambulance that needed to turn.

HisNotHes · 09/01/2026 15:21

Slightyamusedandsilly · 09/01/2026 15:07

One member of your family needs to park elsewhere. You're unreasonable for taking up so much parking as a family in a limited space. Either that or you have more of your front garden paved over to allow more parking.

They’re taking up one public space! The other cars are on their private driveway.

Bloozie · 09/01/2026 15:28

Two cars parked on the road opposite each other can be a problem - if a fire engine needed to get to your house and turn round, could they? They look close to the junction too - are they? It doesn't look like ace parking by either green or pink cars.

If I was your neighbour I'd probably be - unreasonably - annoyed at having to look at your daughter's car half the time, never mind not be able to drive forwards out of my own drive any more. However, they don't own the road.

I think to be neighbourly I would move one of your three cars, and consider extending your drive. My best friend lives in a very similar set up to yours and her daughter has just passed her test - they are sacrificing their front garden, because otherwise they will be in the same situation and annoying one of their neighbours constantly parking there.

I think having three cars is wildly vulgar - but we will be in exactly the same situation when my son passes his test. We are lucky in that we can fit 3 cars on our drive, but I'd be really mindful of not turning my road into a car park if we couldn't.