We live on the right hand side of a road only wide enough for 2 cars to pass & traditionally the on-road parking is only on our side of the road. There are no yellow lines or restrictions but parking both sides totally blocks the road.
Opposite is a block of private flats. In the 7 years we have lived here, each time a flat changes hands (& it is often) the new residents start parking on the road opposite our house, in front of their door. Within a few days they stop & start using their car park, on the side of the building. (Our neighbours once used the car park & were told not to, in no uncertain terms).
About 2 months ago this K reg mondeo started parking opposite. He has continued to do so, and now other people are starting to as well. Although he has 2 wheels & most of his undercarriage on the pavement he is blocking the access to 3 drives- including ours. The road is too narrow to manoeuvre with someone parked opposite & I?m having huge problems getting in and out. Next door?s visitors over Xmas couldn?t park in front of their house because of him, so parked behind him, right opposite my drive, and I couldn?t get out at all.
I wrote a note to put on his windscreen but DH wouldn?t let me put it on there because he says he knows of people in similar circumstances & when they?ve complained, the people retaliate by keying their cars. I suggested we ring the police & say he?s blocking the pavement- again no- if he parks all 4 wheels on the road it?ll be worse. I thought I could write to the Residents Association (would they have one?) & say how frustrating it was and would they speak to him. DH feels they may then ask for yellow lines on OUR side of the road.
DD told me that DH has recently been tackled by one of the residents (not mondeo-man) and told not to park opposite their car park because he couldn?t get out. We have parked there (outside our house) for 7 years & the previous owners who had the house from new also parked there for 7 years & we?ve never had a complaint. I have watched people nip in & out of their car park with our car there & even vans don?t have a problem. I?m wondering now if this is behind their inconsiderate parking. It seems odd for it to come up now. DH has noticed that mondeo man uses the car park in the daytime during the week but always parks out there at weekends & evenings when both our cars are home, suggesting he is trying to be awkward.
My feeling is that because we haven?t said anything he will just carry on, & the situation will get worse. DH feels it will get worse if we do, so we are at stalemate. It is causing huge rows between us because I feel he is letting us be pushed around & it is getting to the point where I want to move. If we were in a road where parking was at a premium & he had no choice but to park there that would be different, but there is plenty of space in his car park & further down the road, so there is no excuse.
If you have stayed with me this long, thanks . What do I do to get this solved? Is DH right about the retaliation or do I write to them? I did try to approach this man in the beginning but he always dashed indoors when he saw me coming, suggesting he knows he is in the wrong. (From a purely commonsense POV wouldn't he think that if they were OK parking there, one of the other residents would already have bagged the spot?)