WWYD Neighbour’s Parents blocking street parking

[OneCyanHiker]

Street parking has become an issue because two houses recently became 3 car households. We only have one car and next door have 2.

Next door’s parents have started getting involved. We have some bad blood with them already because they were really inconsiderate during their renovation and we were expected to suck it up because their daughter wanted the house done quickly. They knocked on our door a couple of months ago to ask us tell us not to park on the road in front of her house. We ignored them. Twice since, her dad has stood in the road and told us we can’t park there because he’s saving the space. And this week they put cones out and her mum was watching from the front room. I tried moving them and she moved them back. Neighbour is not visibly disabled. We’ve seen her walking dogs and running.

The neighbour is OK when we’ve spoken to her. We’re not friends by any stretch. Only brief ‘how’s it going’s’. I think it’s pointless talking to her directly because she must know they’re doing it (how else would they know when to come to ‘reserve’ the space?).

Her parents have also knocked to ‘give us advice’ on tidying up our garden bushes (because it affects the light in her garden).

I think if they knock on the door again we should just close the door on them. DH can’t do it because he’s too polite.

Can you do that if they’re standing there and refuse to move?

The cones are a violation in themselves record everything upload to police website when they block you from using the public road with them and themselves. Imagine if everyone did this roads would be unusable.

No, the general public cannot use cones to block parking spaces on a public road; placing cones on a public road without proper authorization is considered an obstruction and is generally illegal, as it can disrupt traffic flow and is not a permitted way to reserve a parking space.

Key points to remember:
Legal implications:
Using cones to block parking spaces on a public road without permission from the local authority can result in fines or penalties.

Highway obstruction:
Placing objects like cones on a public road is considered an obstruction under the Highways Act, and only designated personnel can do so for legitimate reasons like roadworks.

Alternative solutions:
If you need to temporarily reserve a parking space, contact your local council to inquire about obtaining a parking suspension permit for legitimate reasons.

Do you have a relationship with either of the 3 car households, could you explain the situation and see if they're willing to park at least one of the cars each elsewhere? If my neighbour asked me this politely I'd be happy to do it. But re the cones agree with others - report them to the local parking enforcement people with a photo and keep doing it (perhaps when you're on your way out for the day so you might have the space free on your way back), hopefully that will teach them a lesson. If the cones are there when you try to park put them in your boot, park, and then hand them back saying 'These are not allowed you know, the parking warden will come and take them away, so thought I'd hand them back now so you don't lose them.' And smile very sweetly. Or say nothing and just do the smile sweetly.

Park your car outside their house, they'll knock and ask you to move and you don't for a few weeks

after that they'll be happy for you to park elsewhere

No, it might be annoying but they have a legal right to park anywhere on the public road, no one has a right to park outside their house. They don't own that part of the road.
The people in the wrong are the people who put cones in the road.

Surely the easiest solution is to talk to the neighbour, say to her what's going on with your parents, the road is free for anyone to park. We can't always park in front of our house either (and do when we can!) is just the nature of not having off street parking.
If she takes the same position as them I'd accidentally keep spilling sharp things on that bit of the road, but I'm petty.

Just to be clear- I am annoyed at the people across the road who own three cars. But I recognize it’s not illegal to own three. It’s not illegal to get your dad to stand in the space, or disturb your neighbours to tell them not to do it. But it is entitled and rude.

Just noticed a BIG error in my OP. I don’t know Next door also have 3, not 2. Daughter and boyfriend have an SUV-type each and a large camper van. But that’s parked on the corner (their house is on the corner) so I don’t really notice it, it’s not used much so sorta lives there. The houses are wide enough that for each pair of houses you could park 3 cars. they try to park two in front but it’s not always possible. It just really irks me that she can’t park down the road. When I’ve asked it’s always ‘because this is her house’ 🙄

I don’t know if the parents have been to the neighbours or if they’re just picking on us because we’re a young couple in our first home together. It’s never the neighbour, it’s always her parents.

Can you turn your front garden into a driveway? That’s what we did. We only had parking for 1/2 cars, we’ve got 4 so we gravelled our lawn and hey presto, parking for 6

Put the cones in your boot while you park

You need to both be there. One moves the cones, the other immediately parks. Even better if there’s a space outside your house, put the cones there! (On reflection don’t do that, it makes you as bad as them!)

What a pair of weirdos. They really should get a life.

Oh yes genius, that’s better than my idea!

I would literally launch the cones down the road and if she came out I would tear her a new one

We can’t always both be there. we both have jobs, and hobbies, and our parents don’t live round the corner. I just don’t understand such a sense of entitlement. That her parents are surprised that we don’t want to look after and consider her above everyone else (including ourselves!)

In which case you could say "in that case, it's the people at no. X that you need to speak with as they're using the space in front of my house."

Personally I would just look at them incredulously and say "you do realise this is a public road and anyone can park here? There's no such thing as reserved parking. As nice as it would be for all of us to be able to park outside our own houses, there are other people on this street that have more than one car, so it's just not possible. It's a first come, first served basis, and any cones you put in the space can and will be removed."

They sound like they will be difficult until you put boundaries in place. Post your neighbour a letter requesting that her parents do not knock on your door any more as it is causing you stress. If the dad stands in the road video it and politely ask him to move, tell him he cannot reserve a space on a public highway. If he continues call the police. If cones are in the road, take photos, put them in your car, park, put them back on the pavement, take a photo. It will just get worse until you show them they can't push you around. Good luck.

And leave them there... or take them to the tip!

Are they cones they've bought, or have they pinched them from somewhere? There'll be a stamp or label on them if they have.

Either way, they're left on the public highway so it's likely classed as littering!

Good point, how did they acquire the cones? are they even theirs?

OP it’s illegal to put cones on the road and block the highway. You don’t want to stand by and watch an offence take place do you? 😉

Do they ever park in front of your house if that space is free?

I agree with the PP who said this is something to talk to your neighbours about. If her parents really feel they need to get involved, they should direct their attention to the people across the road who seem to be the source of the problem.

I think there may be something in thinking that because you’re young you can be pushed around. You need to stand your ground, be pleasant but remind them it’s a public road, you have only one car and you would like to park it outside your own house but can’t do so due to the neighbours opposite. If the parents could persuade them to park with more consideration everyone would be happy. Until then you’d appreciate it if they didn't try to prevent you parking.

It's literally none of the parents business who has what cars or where everyone parks. It's not even their road. If there's a space there when they come they can park in it. If there isn't one, they have to park somewhere else.

It's pretty aggressive to see you moving the cones then they move them back. I would be going round to your neighbours - not talking to their parents - and saying your visitors are behaving very anti socially and blocking the road, please get them to stop it, nobody has a right to a space.

I wouldn't even start a discussion about people parking outside their own houses or anything. It's not the issue. Anyone can park anywhere.

I feel sorry for the neighbour’s boyfriend, her parents sound waaaaaaay too involved. I bet they’re the in-laws from hell. 😂

Haha I wonder about this too! 🤣

If I'd explained that they cannot reserve a space, and anyone can park anywhere and what they are doing is reportable, and they were STILL doing it, I would just drive my car straight through the cones.

Though picking them up and putting them in my boot and then putting them in the garden is probably a better idea!

I would report each and every occasion to the council. They can’t do this. I would also log each case via 101 with the police as harassment