So I got a note from my ndn saying they don't like me parking halfway in front of their house and asking me not to park there any more. I'm in a mid terrace and they're an end terrace.
I was a bit disappointed to get this because I hate any sort of confrontation and always try to be quiet and considerate of neighbours. I also struggle with anxiety so this for me is much worse than just coming and asking me nicely.
I don't actually park halfway across their house, the vast majority of my car is across the length of own property but there's a dropped kerb at the very end of where my property stops so I have to park a bit further forward to ensure that is always clear. So this means the nose of my car is about a foot past where my property ends and theirs begins. It is a very small car. I'm in a terrace so have no driveway. Ndn do not drive or own a car. We are also out all day most days unless I'm sick or wfh which is twice a week. Weekends we are always out making the most of it and we're out 7.30-6.30pm the other 3 days of a week when I'm at work. So the car really is not even there that much except overnight.
There are some parking spaces at the back of the houses but there is no footpath the whole way around so in the morning when I'm bringing my toddler out and have my hands full it's very helpful to have the car in front of my house so he can walk beside me and not need to hold hands. It saves me leaving him either alone in the house or alone in the car, and even if I had to leave him, I can still see the car so I feel that's safer, plus its much faster for me to get in and out. Where the parking out the back is, I wouldn't be able to see the car at all if I had to run back into the house and it would take longer as I'd need to walk around the perimeter of the houses on the other side to get there and back again. I do have a back gate but I don't like leaving this unlocked all day which i would need to do if I went out that way.
I automatically went to move the car because I don't want to anger my neighbour but then realised I have nowhere to move it to. I can move it to the same place across the street which I believe will still create the same issues as they said in the note they don't like seeing my car out their window. Plus then my child needs to cross a road in the mornings. Or I need to park away down the street. None of the parking spaces out the back are even available.
I am terrible with confrontation of any sort and am finding it hard to know what to do next. I don't want bad blood with my ndn at all but also I don't really know them as we're not long moved in and I don't want to risk damage to my car by leaving it there incase it escalates. Any advice?
Obviously it's a big enough deal to them to come round with a note so it's clearly bothering them.
So yabu - you need to park somewhere else
Or
Yanbu - keep parking where you are.