Oh dear, I’ve upset the neighbours. Another parking thread

[vagges]

I live in a cul de sac where everyone has their own driveways. Luckily, parking isn’t a problem as everyone uses their drives, and visitors do the same if there’s space, or sometimes they park on the street outside. Occasionally, we have delivery drivers or family members picking up or dropping someone off, which can block access, but it’s usually just for a few minutes. However, my neighbours daughter has this annoying habit of stopping in the middle of the cul de sac, blocking everyone’s access. It wouldn’t be a big deal if it was just a few minutes like everyone else, but she’s been known to stay there for 10-15 minutes. Her mum (my neighbour) has an empty driveway, so I really don’t get why she doesn’t just pull in and reverse out when she’s ready instead of sitting in the turning circle and making it difficult for everyone else. I’ve had to ask her a couple of times to move forward so I could get onto my drive, considering I’ve been waiting for her to move first. I can’t tell if she just pretends not to see people? It’s really strange.

Anyway, last night I came home, absolutely desperate for the toilet (sorry TMI), and there she was again. I pulled right up to her car, waited a few seconds, and ended up beeping the horn to let her know I was there. I have no idea how she didn’t see me because it was pitch black, my lights are bright, and the car isn’t super quiet either. I would have gotten out to talk to her, but I really needed to get inside. She finally got out of her car and said, “No need to beep, you just need to ask me to pull forward.” So I replied, “I don’t have time to ask you to move every time, why can’t you just pull onto the drive and wait?” She called me rude and got back in her car. I get that the beeping might have seemed aggressive, but that wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to get her attention so I could get inside and use the bloody toilet. I saw my neighbour (her mum) this morning, said hello, and she just looked at me and carried on. I guess I’ve pissed them both off.

AIBU or would this annoy you too? Would you get out every time to ask her to move? Was I rude?

I don't think you are being unreasonable. But in the interests of good neighbourly relations, I'd pop round and discuss it. I'd apologise that my tone has come across as rude, explain that I'd been in a big rush that day. I'd then try to discuss the issue politely.

But what do you think the police are going to do OP calls? Turn up?

I don't think I would have entertained getting out and asking ever? I'd have just bibbed or flashed the lights. NU.

She's right you shouldn't have had to beep - what did she think you were doing?.

Gosh she sounds either thick as shit or extremely selfish. I would have held my hand on the horn every time she did this until she got the message through her thick skull.
However yesterday would have blocked her in and abandoned my car taking a very long time to answer the door and tell her why.

Meh. I have a neighbour whose house is at the top of the cul de sac. She and her kids must tell every visitor to stop outside and beep when they arrive rather than park properly and ring the doorbell. So DH and I would run out whenever it happened and ring the doorbell, wave and shout “you’re welcome”! Didn’t take many times of me legging it across the road in pyjamas and slippers for them to stop being inconsiderate twats.

Whilst it’s very annoying please don’t waste police time over this when you know the little madam will move if asked

It happens all the time on my estate. I tend to sit there quietly waiting for the driver to come out as there are lots of elderly people who may need help getting to the car & I wouldn't want to rush & stress them & possibly cause a fall. But if I really needed a wee I'd have hooted or knocked saying that I was desperate so either let me use your loo or move your 😡car. However, in your case, the daughter could and should have parked in her mother's drive rather than blocking the street. YANBU.

I would have just pulled up right behind her, and jumped out to go in and go to the toilet.

Then washed my hands for a good long while before sauntering back out.

If she needed you to move do she could get out she can ‘just ask’.

I hope it wasn’t late when you beeped. Not great in a residential road.

Does this affect other residents too? It would have been best to have a word with your neighbour prior to this but it's happened. I would approach your neighbour very calmly and reasonably and explain that her daughter's parking is causing access issues for residents and ask if there is a reason she won't park in her drive. This may be able to resolve the matter.

If she’s blocking other neighbours in she’s committing an offence - blocking entrance to a public highway. Police can issue a fixed penalty notice of up to £200. You can report repeated instances to 101.

Next time park behind her and block her exit. Let her wait till you are ready to move. She will learn 😌

She and her mum are CFers. As a pp said park behind her and block her exit.

This sounds really reasonable.

If you encounter hostility then you know you've done your part.

And your neighbour and daughter can be officially upgraded to CFs. 🤣

When someone blocks our road (sounds similar to how yours is) the car blocked in or out will literally hold the horn down until they move. I don’t think YABU.

Blocking access is rude and dangerous. She should know better, and of course you shouldn't be put in the position of needing to ask her to move. She shouldn't be there in the first place!

I suppose you could go over and discuss it with your neighbour, but I'd probably just ignore her. She and her daughter are probably not very reasonable people, based on their behaviour thus far.

I think tooting on the horn was totally wrong.

You should lean on the horn, select full beam and inch forward onto her bumper!

We have a similar set up, narrow entrance to a wide turning 'circle/parking area' (its square really)..

Person at the 'neck' of the entry has a habit of pulling up, a mile from the fucking kerb so no one can get round then waiting for fuck only knows what. Godot. I assume.

On a couple of occasions my sister has parked up behind her, blocking her from leaving, and come here or gone to do a delivery (she delivers food) - results in a lot of evil glares and swearing but she still doesn't seem to have learned. Next time she is blocking our van I'll tell DP to come in for one of his leisurely shits, they can take a good half hour!

Surely anyone qualified to drive a car can grasp if you're blocking a route, and someone shows up or tries to leave, you move. There should be no need to ask, it is pretty fucking obvious!

Sounds like someone who can otherwise be found standing slackjawed right where you need to get to in a supermarket.

You should have pissed on her car.

Or her mums driveway.

Or both.

Shes a cunt and she knows she is. You did nothing wrong OP.

I used to do this when neighbours inconsiderate visitors constantly blocked my drive. It worked.

I would have beeped too, to grab their attention so they move. Nothing wrong with it.

They sound very entitled.

Sorry OP but you've apparently completed a cardinal sin by tooting your horn if my previous neighbours are anything to go by. Her father used to visit every few days and would completely block the access into my driveway.
Every single time it happened I would have to stop in the road, get out of my car, ring on her doorbell, and ask him to move his car so that I could enter my property.
One evening after a particularly shitty day at work I stayed in the car and tooted the horn until he came out.
The neighbours never spoke to me again which was quite a relief to be honest. Thankfully they moved a few months later.

What a ridiculous idea

She’s really rude. I wouldn’t care one bit if she ignored me for the rest of my days. Don’t spare another thought about it.