Insane parking behaviour - intentionally blocked in

[sadkittymum]

I was coming back to my car last night after a shift at work (I’m a vet). The branch I was at does not have a car park, so I was parked on the road next to the practice. I’ve been parking on this road for over a year with no issues, but it is busy as it is also next to a school. I parked my car in front of someone’s house, however no part of my car was over the dropped kerb, and I was in no way restricting access onto their drive. I was behind another car.

Upon my return, the owner of the house that I was in front of had moved their car so it was directly behind mine (the bumper was, and I am not at all exaggerating, 5cm from the back of my car). She had specifically moved her car (leaving her own drive clear of a car, and now parking her car to block her own drive), to do this. This left me completely blocked in as there was also a car in front of me.

Not knowing what to do, I went to knock on the door and I could see that the woman had gone upstairs and was not responding to me at the door. I even knocked on neighbours doors to try to get some help! After about 15 minutes of this, another member of the house arrived home in his car, so I approached him and said the car blocking me needed to be moved. It was also preventing him from getting on his own drive! The woman came out, and said nothing at all other than ‘I’m only moving this to allow him on the drive’.

I really really regret not saying anything but I just was so glad to get in my car and drive away from there. I’m only 25 and very non confrontational and this was a middle aged couple! Surely it cannot be legal to do this - what if I had had an emergency and I was stuck? I was parked on a public road not obstructing them!

Pretty sure I am not being unreasonable, but is this something that people do???

This would have upset me too OP.
Call the police next time.

YANBU. Some people are just dicks and think they own the (public) road outside their house.

I would also call the police on them in this circumstance. It encourages them not to play silly buggers in future

Did the husband say anything? Next time, call the police and explain what has happened and that they’re ignoring you at the door etc.

The police would have towed the car if she refused to open the door, unfortunately that may have taken an hour or more to arrange . As hard as it is I would try to rotate where you park as parking for work is particularly annoying for residents

YANBU, it’s a shame you couldn’t have got someone to pick you up and leave your car there for a week.

I think this was actually the first time I had parked in front of this specific house I usually go a bit further up the road! Would understand it a little more if my car was there every day. I also only work at this branch once a week!

Call the police???? Don’t they have more pressing squabbles to deal with?

Doesn’t matter. This is their job. We need to call them for these things so it at least goes on the books as a call they couldn’t respond to, which can help increase funding the following year.

He didn’t, I thought he had ignored me too! I honestly think she only came out to move hers because she was preventing him pulling onto the drive, otherwise I think that she would have held out!

She sounds like a total freak.

Maybe put a note through her door advising that you were parked legally on a PUBLIC road and that if she blocks you in again you will report her to the police without hesitation.

I live on a road next to a school and get annoyed with all the parents parking but understand I’ve no right to control where someone parks on a public road.

I would be tempted to drop a note through their door tomorrow and say you are confused why they deliberately parked to block you in given that you were legally parked on a public road and pay tax like everyone else. I’d also add that you are a vet who was finishing a late shift and were upset by their behaviour. You never know it might make them feel bad if they have a conscience (or pets)

Urgh, those types think they own the road outside of their house. They're pathetic.

Don’t use the hateful Karen insult again. It is offensive
Thought we had managed to get past this , but there is always one

I once had to inch out of a space like that. I was parked in Glasgow and the person behind me was practically touching my car as they had squeezed in. As it wasn’t a residential area I had no idea who the car belonged to. It took about 30 minutes of inching the car back and toward whimsy spinning the wheel as much as I could. I did eventually get out so it is possible but is a pain as you can only move a tiny fraction of an inch at a time,

A free space is a free space. She doesn’t need or have to rotate

I’m sure i read that it is illegal to park across a dropped kerb, even if it’s the entrance to your own drive.
I’m not sure if that is accurate, but if it is, the police would attend.

I would just press my horn until it got their attention and embarrass them.

This happened to me once except the houses had no drives so I was parked alongside a continuous pavement. I’d parked there a couple of times to walk my dog. When I got back to my car a chap had parked his works van butt up to my boot and moved the car in front so it was up to my front bumper. He came out and remonstrated with me about parking in front of their house. I’m normally a bit kickass but I’d fallen whilst walking and was covered in mud, including all over my face so felt a bit teary. Tears worked. Annoyingly.

People can be absolutely batshit about the road outside their homes.

I once parked (for the first time) on a road for the day. Not any restricted parking, not causing any issues with anyone’s driveway access, actually not even directly outside anyone’s house, I was next to a pavement which just had a fence to someone’s back garden. And some absolute loon scrawled “don’t park here” across my whole windscreen in lipstick. It was a complete nightmare to get off. And a waste of lipstick.

You can park across your own dropped kerb as long as it's not a shared driveway.

I live on a road near a school. I don't care if people park outside, as long as they don't block anyone's driveways and they're not parked illegally.
I've seen a house around the corner that's got a couple of cones outside (stolen from the ones put out when we have local firework display), that they put on the road every morning and afternoon at school drop off and pickup time.

How little room did you leave between you and the car in front? There's always room to squeeze out by inching back and forth a zillion times.