to expect my neighbours not to park over my drive way constantly?

[curlygal]

I live in an end terrace house on a housing estate.

The previous owners of the house made part of the garden into a driveway, which has parking for two cars.

I do not have a car, therefore rarely use the driveway. However I do have friends visiting who drive over and woudl like to park, plus my Dad comes round once a week and would like to park on my drive.

The area is really busy for parking, most houses don't have driveway to park on so have to park on the street (or the pavement in many cases!)

My next door neighbours occassionally park over my drive, they gave me a box of chocs at Christmas to apologies for thier parking. I said "Thanks very much for the chocs, most of the time it is fine, but sometimes - usually on Sundays my dad needs to park on my drive", but since they did that they have been constantly parking over my drive. Obviously the other nieghbours have picked up on this and now it is a park over my drive free for all.

Often my Dad does shopping for me or comes to do DIY with his tool kit and has to park miles away and carry all the stuff back in trips.

AIBU to expect people not to park over my drive as a matter of course or should I just get over myself as it is probably only once or twice a week that I actually need to use it?

well it depends, technically it is legal though not very nice morally to block someone out just not block them in, is there a drop curb etc. did previous owners have all the correct permissions for the conversion, as i assume by having a dbl driv you are taking a parking space or two away from others if they cant block you in

I think (but someone will probably correct me!) that if there isn't a dropped kerb then legally they can park there.

But agree it's a bit rude to do so!!

If you have a dropped kerb, they shouldn't be doing it. Have a calm word with them and explain the situation. The fact they have bought you chocolates imply they know they are in the wrong.

cheeky fuckers your neighbours are

why cant they park over their own drive/infront of their house

if there is a drop kerb, you can phone the council and ask them to paint a white dog bone line over your driveway

this is what i did

you are not legally allowed to park on these WITHOUT the owners permision

though not sure what you would do if they did park - maybe leave a note on their car

Yes, there is a dropped kerb. It has parking for two cars one in front of the other up the drive, rather than side by side so only a car width is required for the opening.

It is now ALL the neighbours who block my drive, not just the ones who gave me the chocs - eg my neighbour on the other side who has two vans (one of which is constantly parked right outside my house) has not started parking his other van over my drive way so all I can see out of my windows are his vans - whereas he has a nice view over the car that is parked outside his.....

It is illegal to obstruct your driveway (if you have dropped kerb).

Phone traffic wardens and get them to ticket them, that'll stop them

right as you have a dropped kerb

ring council

get a dog bone line

and if the neighbours do it again ring council and get them ticketed

dont admit you asked for a bone

not your fault if they get one

if you drive you should know you cant park on one

YANBU - I've had similar experiences and it drove me mad (pardon the pun!).

Are they parking with wheels on the dropped kerb? If so, you could be really mean and ring the council - as it's illegal to park with wheels on the footpath (which includes dropped kerbs) - and ask them to send some attendants out to enforce it.

What does the white dog bone line actually mean ?
There lots by our school and DH reckons they aren't enforceable just a please don't park here type of thing.

YANBU - not at all.

However, something you might like to think about is...is it clear that you might use it as a driveway if it wasn't being parked across? If you have a wee fence and plants there etc it might look like (as you don't have a car) that it would never be used so people don't see the problem. If someone is repeatedly parking there, I can see why other people would think you don't mind. It might just not occur to people they are inconveniencing you.

I would put up a sign somewhere to say 'Driveway in use, please do not park here' and print up some polite notices to put through the doors of everyone (thus not targeting anyone) in the street.

Something along the lines of... 'Hi, we live at number (). I just wanted you to know that we do use our driveway and would really appreciate people not parking across it. Thank you so much for your condsideration.

If (when) this doesn't work for some people I would put other notices on their cars, along the lines of, 'Just to let you know I do use my driveway and would appreciate you not parking across it. The council has offered to get cars towed away that park illegally, but didn't want to do that in the first instance. Thanks!'

Next time that car parks there - get it towed away!! Even if you have to pay for it yourself (depends on your council), it would only take one or two to be towed away for them to stop!!

means you shouldnt park there

this might help

this is a better one

call the police and they will issue a fixed penalty

as i said i asked the councilfor one as i was pissed off with people parking over our drive, and blocking my car in

white line appeared 3 days later

But having done a little search those lines aren't enforceable unless say the whole of the driveway is blocked, I only ask because the little hitlers come out and shout at you with your DC's in tow if you've got so much as a tyre on the white lines.

The white line means do not obstruct. I believe that it can only be enforced by the police or police traffic wardens (rather than the council). Would be a good deterrent though.

Thanks everyone. Glad that I am not being unreasonable.

It is clearly a drive way - my friend and my dad park there (when they can!) so neighbours are fully aware that it is a drive.

I will mention to my friendly neighbours that I would like to be able to part in my drive and that they seem to have set a precident for everyone thinking it is ok. To be honest the ones that talk to me and mentioned it to me don;t bother me so much, it;s everyone else just thinking it's fine that is irritating (if only everyone who parked over my drive got me some chocs )

I think that a wee white line may help me out. One of my other neighbours have a drive and once another neighbour parked over it and there was a huge barney over it so perhaps I am just too soft!

It happens to us too. As well as residents parking we have a white line across the drive.

We have a cafe at the end of our road and all the builders who frequent it often partly or completely block our drive. Even had the Community Police officers do it the other day (they looked suitably chastised when I asked them not to do it).

Unfortunately, vans/lorries rarely get ticketed as they are all pally with the parking attendants who also go into the cafe (probably for free tea and snacks).

Whenever I phone the council, the PA's take their time to come and the offending vehicle has usaully gone by then...till the next day.

I would put a note through all your neighbours doors and ask politely if they will refrain from blocking your drive.

Also, if they do block it and you have a visitor, I would make a pointy of getting the vehicle removed so you can use your drive.

people round here put rocks out where they don't want people to park

It's a bit of a funny neighbourhood here - a real mix of people so I am scared of getting on the wrong side of anyone (esp as I am on my own with a young child) so the last thing I want to do is to antagonise anyone. Sigh.

People just seem to park so selfishly. I have a obstable course to get home most nights as so many cars parked on the pavement (some actually fully on the pavement ) as people clearly fell that is fine and easier than parking somewhere and walking a bit. Plus bins blocking pavement so I have to take buggy out onto the road to pass.

The police lettered us to tell everyone to stop parking on the pavement but it made no difference.

I will find out abouot getting a white line painted as surely that would help?

i'm not sure what you can do, can you not put rocks out?

it would really aggrevate me but you have to take a stand somehow.

white lines are fab

• think i need it repainted

I've got some tipex here - think I'll go out undercover of darkness and DIY tonight!

Edinburgh council are pretty hopeless so can;t see them bothering. I've complained about the state of the pavements (probably partly caused by the parking on them) and the litter/dog poo problem and nothing happened.

You can't go putting rocks on the public highway, elf and safety and all that.
White lines do sound the way to go.

i know you can't really but people do and it deters them