Its a parking one

[DeathStare]

I live on a street with victorian terraced houses. It's not a main road and is very narrow, so parking is often a nightmare. There is no other parking nearby (we're off a main road with double yellow lines)

My neighbour (next door but one) has started parking one car on their paved front garden. It has no lowered kerb, no white line, nothing official saying nobody can park in front of it.

I came home earlier - with toddler and shopping - and there was no other parking space that would fit my car. So I parked outside their house blocking their car in.

They just came and asked me to move it so they can get the car out - which is fair enough and exactly what i expected. So I went straight out to move the car (with the toddler).

I pulled my car backwards so they could get out, then pulled forward into the same space to park there again. The neighbour pulled up next to me and said I'd have to move it again when he comes back so that he can park there again and basically told me to park somewhere else.

I said no. Im happy to move it if they need to get out but im not leaving a perfectly legal parking space (and then driving round the local area trying to find another one, in the rain with a toddler) when its not an official driveway and Im not moving it again so they can park there again.

Neighbour was really not happy and I half expect him to come and demand i move it when he gets back. AIBU?

100%, call the police.

I've logged it with the police.

They said:
a) its not an official driveway without a lowered kerb
b) even if it was an official driveway he has no right to stop people parking in front of it or ask them to move to let him on it
c) if it was an official driveway he would have the right to get me to move to get his car off it, but it isn't so he doesn't
d)if he can manouver his car on round my car, he can get it off round my car
e) he's the one breaking the law by crossing the pavement with his car.

They asked me if I wanted to take it further and I said I didn't- there have been no major issues for the last 5 years I've lived here. They said that's fine, but if he comes back to phone 999. They said if that if I wanted to move my car tomorrow morning to let him get his off more easily that's at my discretion but I'm under no obligation.

They also said they were passing it onto their neighbourhood team as they dont want this turning into an issue for other people. They said the neighbourhood team will probably have a drive past in the next few days and if they see his car there, they will go and advise him that he has not to drive across the pavement and that if he can get his car into that position by some other means, he has no right to tell anyone they need to move to let him get it off or on - if he wants it there but someone else's parking is stopping it, that's his tough luck.

How awful!!! No wonder you’re shaking.

well done for logging with the police. Just don’t answer the door again to him and call 999 if he becomes abusive.

Edit: just seen you already did, sorry

Awful. Hope you ok. So glad you reported this abuse to the police

Good result so far. Lets hope the drive by results in him being give advice 😉

Also if you are parked overhanging the pavement then you ARE illegally parked

Yes it sounds very dodgy I think neighbour’s car should be clamped and taken away

poor OP

Unlikely.

To have a dropped kerb put in, it would need a distance of 5m from the front of the house and the pavement, then 1.2 m free in front of the door for emergency access.

If he can't even park a small car without overlapping the pavement then there's no way he meets criteria for a dropped kerb!

Log any further aggressive behaviour with the police and do NOT move your car tomorrow as if he got it on the drive he can get it off.

Also get a dash cam for your car!

Many councils won’t give permission for dropped kerbs any more. Mine won’t

@DeathStarehow have things been today?

Thank you for asking. After screaming at me last night that he was going out at 7.30am, he hammerd on my door at about noon telling me to move the car. He wasn't shouting but was pretty rude/brusque/arsey. Just kept telling me how inconsiderate I am.

I'd really love him to explain how hammering on the door of a single woman at night, shouting and screaming, waking up a sleeping toddler, and threatening to damage my car if I didn't move my car ie if I didn't get myself and the toddler dressed and go and park streets away, all so he could park (illegally) exactly where he wants to, makes him the reasonable one. Anyhow I digress...

Today he was fairly arsey and I just stayed calm and cheerful. I very calmly wouldn't move my car until I explained to him what the police had said. He told the police don't know what they are talking about as the council had said it was fine! Just before I moved the car I said I was surprised not to see him at 7.30 and he said because he's a nice neighbour unlike me he cycled to mass to avoid disturbing me (even though i told him I'm up at 6am every day. Which was odd because last night he said he was taking his son out for a driving lesson at 7.30am plus I never saw him out on his bike this morning 🤣 Anyway I don't believe a word of it just like I don't believe the council have told him what he says they've told him.

Last night someone played loud music until really late which is really unusual for round here. Couldn't quite work out which house it was but I suspect it was him. He will be gutted to know loud music doesn't really bother me and toddler sleeps through most things except someone hammering on the door. Today he looked hungover to be honest.

The police rang back and asked if I wanted them to go and give him a warning and I said no - I'd rather he just moves on from the whole incident given how volatile and aggressive he clearly is. They said they will probably flyer the whole street with flyers explaining parking on your front garden isn't legal and that nobody owns the spot outside their house. They also said there is now a log on my address and has address so if he comes back hammering on my door to phone 999 and they will come out, and if anyone else calls about him they will also come out.

I walked past his car this evening and he's clearly reversed it into something since I last walked past the back end of it. Karma 🤣

He won’t “move on“ from that - men like that unless you let the police do their job unfortunately

He didn’t hit your car did he when he managed to get in last night?

id be careful. And like PP said he won’t just stop. He’s been called out and won’t like it. especially when those flyers go out.

gotta say I’m impressed the police called back and seem willing to help.

Agreed. But the space on the road is for everyone. His diy garden with aspirations drive would be just for him, thus preventing others from using the space.

Op you did right. Your neighbour is a twat

Great update btw

Probably would have been easier for you to park elsewhere wouldn't it?

honestly, I know you shouldn't have to but you don't know what and who you are dealing with. Just stop parking there, you've even said you are shaking and he's banging on the door, waking your kid up.

I would report it to the police but after that stop parking there, it seems like a battle you won't win.

Just read your updates after that. Fair play seems like you've stood your ground. Well done, maybe I am just a pushover lol

This is now threatening behaviour as well as him being an arse . I’d ring the police and show them the video footage , he sounds like a bully . Take care

I think you’re being a bit arsey, parking over his house access

What a cock womble. Have you got a ring doorbell?

So glad you’ve stood up for yourself and that you’re getting some back up from the police OP. It’s difficult standing up to bullies but I think you’re doing the right thing.

I was very drawn to this thread because it reminded me of a similar situation I was in years ago. My nemesis was a woman who lived next door to my child’s nursery and had a similar paved/gravelled area outside her house with no dropped kerb. They kept a sports car with a cover over it on the ‘drive’ and liked to use the space in front for the car they actually drove, and confronted me one day when I was getting my toddler into the car. She tried to rely on an ‘H-bar’ painted on the road but she’d clearly painted it herself!

I’m glad most people have agreed with you here. I remember on my thread someone calling me a ‘belligerent twat’ for the mere act of wondering whether I should stand up to the bully and park in the same spot again! I think a couple of those types are starting to drift to this thread actually.

I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this while looking after a toddler on your own, that’s not nice.

It’s not house access. It’s a pavement that cars are not allowed to drive over. The description of a pavement on which cars are not allowed as ‘house access’ couldn’t be more wrong.

I'm amazed how helpful the police are being.

When you pay to have the kerb lowered utility plans check what utilities are under the kerb, and they are moved as neccesary. Someone ramming a car up and down a pavement multiple times a day risks the services to OPs house. Plus OP has said it is a busy road with limited parking, you cannot just claim part of that road for your own personal use.