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.

But that isn’t what drop kerbs are for … they are for driveway access. Drop kerbs on corners are for wheelchairs and buggies when crossing.

The responses probably haven’t covered it because OP covered this issue in the second paragraph of the OP

I didn't have a dropped kerb, so I applied to the council for permission to put one in and I paid for all the work to be done to install it and for the driveway. In my mind, I have every right to park across it because if I hadn't paid for it, it wouldn't be there.

He’s being an ignoramus prick, especially as he’s leaving huge gaps between his cars on purpose, people parking on the streets in town centres like that absolutely rile me, could fit 3 cars in yet someone parks bang in the centre so not enough space in front or behind them unless it’s a smart car 🙄 I would 100% get no parking/ no blocking driveway signs and drill them into your wall both sides of your pillars. Start taking photos every time he blocks your drive with the signs visible in the photos too. I’d say your best bet is to ask the council, doesn’t matter you don’t use it yourself but your visitors do and can so shouldn’t be blocked. Have you anyone with a spare car they’re not using that you could park there so looks like you need access at any time. He absolutely should not be leaving for the day either and leaving his car blocking your driveway.

Troy me is with parking across your own dropped kern is that it muddies the waters. Other people see a car there (whether or not they know it’s the property owner’s) and assume the space is fair game.
And a parking won’t know it’s yours either.

It’s the only thing that’s relevant. There’s no law protecting driveways, only against blocking a car in. That doesn’t apply as she doesn’t use her driveway. There’s no laws against being rude. There is a law against parking across dropped kerbs. Unfortunately for OP, that does also include them.

Their options are:

• hope neighbour complies with their request
• fix their drive
• report neighbour and stop parking their themself
• leave the situation as it is

Just had a look at the Highway Code (prob more reliable than asking randomers!)

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

That's what I need to do, contact my local highways agency and find out if I'm able to park along the dropped kerb or not.

Precisely!

I don't see how you can complain if you don't even use the driveway. Fair game I'd say.

My 'arse has been in gear' very much so actually fyi. I've been working and looking after my seriously ill mum who lives alone, sorry that the tarmac hasn't been on the top of my list of priorities recently . 1

But the parking issue obviously is, you’d be better off sorting the tarmac than contacting highways agency to talk about drop curbs etc. That won’t make any difference to the neighbour parking there anyway. Using your driveway would.

I've not long got home from work and I've been able to park outside my drive tonight as the neighbour is parked in another spot. Either he or his wife must've gone out in the 'blocking' car earlier and chose a different place to park.

My neighbour only tends to park against the dropped kerb when there's no where else near to his house, so this makes me question if I'm making a big deal out of it all. Mind you, he's done it on a number of occasions, and it's pissed me off no end.

It's really not, trust me, I just made a thread about something that annoys me, but I don't spend each and every day thinking about it, I've more important things to worry about.

My sons selling his car as he's bought another one, maybe he can drop it off to mine and leave it on the drive for a while 😁

People who park on the road when they have a drive are like cyclists who ride on the road next to a cycle path

The law isn’t interested in you getting onto your drive, so as long as the drive is empty someone can park there. However, it is illegal to block access to the public highway and so if you used your drive he would need to stop parking across the dropped kerb. Get your drive fixed so you can use it, parking disputes are notorious for exploding into huge neighbour wars which isn’t a good look for when you want to sell.

Can’t get my head around having a private driveway but not using it because of something that could be so very easily resolved

I've just Googled and, I'm assuming Google knows my exact area as it states In (names area) it's illegal to park over a dropped kerb. The home owner can infact contact the local council who will come out and ticket the parked car.

Have a check on your local authorities website.

That makes no sense. Cyclists who can ride on the cycle path but choose not to do sometimes slow the flow of traffic down, but if you use some logic, whether or not I park on my drive or against my dropped kerb, my neighbour isn't any worse off.

Reason being, if I park on the drive then he couldn't park along the dropped kerb anyway as he'd be blocking me in. Some posters understand this, others like yourself clearly don't.

What makes no sense is having a private driveway but not using it because of something that you could get fixed in less than a morning

Reason being, if I park on the drive then he couldn't park along the dropped kerb anyway as he'd be blocking me in

So tell him that

you say you have asked him not to and he pretended he hadn’t heard. How does that work in reality?

What do you mean 'how does that work in reality'?