AIBU to not know the actual rules on parking next to a dropped kerb?

[Kerbie678]

I'm not sure what's allowed and what's not regarding parking over a dropped kerb, as different websites have conflicting advice.

There's a dropped kerb outside my house specifically for my driveway, and there is a wooded area across the road with no footpath, so it's not as if anyone needs to access the dropped kerb in order to cross the road.
I'm unable to use the driveway presently as it's too steep, but I do use the dropped kerb to turn my car around, because otherwise I'd have to drive down the road to turn it as my road isn't the widest.

I tend to park along my dropped kerb, but lately my neighbour has taken to parking his car directly over it if he arrives home before me and there's little car parking space elsewhere for him. When he does this, it means I have to park further down the road and am unable to see my car out the window to check on it. What's more, this leaves me unable to turn my car round easily, as mentioned.

My neighbour has two vehicles for his property, and often parks leaving a large space between them, and even though I've politely asked if he wouldn't mind parking a few metres further along so that I can park outside my own drive, he usually ignores this,

Do I have any rights to park outside my own dropped kerb, as, like I said, some websites say yes, but others say I'm not able to.
Btw, I know I don't own the road, but would just like advice on this, thanks.

Technically you are not allowed to park on a dropped kerb.

However there's only a few instances the authorities will get involved. If it stops you getting on the road e g blocked in it is a police matter as it is obstructing the highway

Some councils allow you to report people parking like this to parking enforcement. ( They won't usually act on it in case the car on the dropped kerb is th homeowners.

how strict they are on how much od the drive is blocked depends on the policy.

I thought it was an offence to block people IN on their drive (with dropped curb) but not block it off empty.

I could be wrong.

I know it's bloody annoying when people park with their car hanging over ours because they've decided, presumably, that because we have a wide drive we have plenty of room and they can park where they like!

But if we are to get all 4 cars on our drive we need the space to swing in and get them next to each other (very narrow lane). If we can't then our cars will be on the road taking up more parking room. The worst offenders for this are staff from the school up the lane.

You have a driveway ? And your neighbour is blocking your driveway?

Get on to the school

They have a drive way that they don't use. They just want to park on the road like everyone else. First come first served.

Or start using your driveway.

He blocks access to it when he wants to, but I'm not sure if I'm being unfair being annoyed by this as I don't currently use the drive to actually park on myself. Although it does prevent any visitors who have larger cars being able to drive up it and park.

Also, if I want to have a skip delivered onto my garden , I'd have to let my neighbour know so that he leaves the dropped kerb free.

My neighbours park alongside their dropped curb outside their house. I don't see anything wrong with this - it is their dropped curb.

Someone else parking alongside a dropped curb is definitely wrong. They are blocking your driveway for a start.

Speak to your neighbour and put a stop to it. He is taking advantage of you.

Forget the dropped kerb issue. It’s irrelevant.

He is blocking access to your driveway. That is what the thread should be about. Ask him to please refrain from blocking access to your driveway. That really is the long and short of it

So what is the actual reason you don't park on your driveway? (I can see you said its too steep, but surely it's still usable?) Neighbour is probably annoyed that you have a driveway, yet take spaces from the road parking. I'm not saying he's not wrong for parking across your dropped curb, but if he's not blocking you in and doesn't have any other parking options then 🤷‍♀️

Your driveway is “too steep” to use?

Your car should be ok on a steep driveway so can’t you just use this? If you’re worried about the brakes then put it in gear / turn the wheels so it goes into something is brake fails

But surely OP isn't taking up any more space on the road, given she is simply parking when others would be unable to park if she were actually on the drive?

Because some of the tarmac has created a bit of a dip when driving up it , and my car is low enough that it can scrape on the bottom of it. Larger cars aren't a problem.

It's not the steepness as such, it's because the bottom of my car can scrape on the tarmac

Our road has a large camber and some neighrbours have issues with the dips making the car scrape so i hear you....

Yanbu
it is not fair and I'd be fucked off.
Ask him not to explain its your drive and you want to park there.
Then Check your local council website re parking enforcement.
And when he does it... report his vehicle.

Any fucker that parks over mine whether my car is on drive or not gets a ticket from local council parking enforcement.
I just call, give them the reg and a nice man on a bike comes and tickets them.
One parked over a weekend and blocked me in and his car was ticketed twice then towed...!

My arsehole neighbours 5 doors up parked over 1m of my drive and "forgot about their car"

They were livid to find out they were ticketed twice once on Friday and again on Saturday and sent an arsehole message to the roads WA group saying we could have asked nicely....😄

We had no idea it was his car but it couldnt have happened to a nicer twat.

Ultimately he doesnt like us now but I dont care and funnily enough he wont be parking in front of my drive again.

Exactly this!

Is there a dropped kerb on the other side of the road for wheelchair access to the woodland? (Do the kerbs have the bobbly/ridged paving in front?). If yes, then both dropped kerbs are more likely to be wheelchair accessible kerbs and shouldn't be blocked - by anyone. If no, then it most likely is just for vehicle access to your drive and you are entitled to block "yourself" (your driveway) in - provided it isn't causing problems to other road users or preventing your neighbour from accessing their drive.

Send a letter telling him not to block access to your driveway and also not to park where the dropped kerb is and that you have asked before nicely and it is not being heeded. Send a formal cease and desist letter and date it and get AI to do it for you and have a paper trail and keep a copy!
droppedkerbhucknall.co.uk/can-i-stop-my-neighbour-using-my-dropped-kerb/#:~:text=Obstructing%20someone's%20driveway%20by%20parking%20in%20front%20of%20their%20dropped,notices%20issued%20by%20the%20council.

No dropped kerb opposite, no bobbles on the paving either

Highway Code states you must not park in front of an entrance to a property.

https://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/parking.html

The dropped kerb doesn’t belong to them. Dropped kerbs are for everyone. People shouldn’t be parking in front of dropped kerbs

Id focus on telling him not to block your driveway, because the on street parking argument sounds silly, you can turn further down the road and the car doesn’t need you to ‘check’ on it out of the window. But parking across someone else’s driveway is bloody rude. Also it’s a good time to get the driveway fixed so you can use it and avoid this issue

What are the chances of you needing a skip? If your visitors can use the driveway why can’t you? If you are allowed over your dropped kerb then unfortunately so is your neighbour

I'd need to find out if I'm legally allowed to park against the dropped kerb myself, or my neighbour would end up reporting me for parking there I'm sure!

This is why I'm so confused with it all, certain websites say that I'm allowed to park there, others say no one is, even the owner of the driveway!

She’s not taking any spaces from road parking when she’s parking in front of her own driveway. No one should be parking there so it doesn’t matter she chooses to.