Neighbours being funny over parking

[seabrooks1945]

We moved into our new home 3-4 months ago. It’s a beautiful house in a nice, quiet area with good schools. The only issue is the parking situation. We have a driveway that can fit 1 small car. I park my car there, and my husband has to park his bigger car on the street right in front of me, blocking me in. So far, we’ve just been shuffling the cars around to get in and out, but with work, kids, school runs, and all the activities, it’s becoming a hassle. My husband recently started parking on the road outside our neighbours house to make things easier, but every time he moves his car, they park their car there instead. They used to always park in on the driveway until now, so it feels a bit suspicious. Are they sending us hints? Do you think it’s a good idea for us to have a conversation about it? How would you go about it?

Park where you like and where there is a space, if you want to park outside your house, do so. If you want to get a smaller car, then do so and you'll get more cars parked in smaller spaces

I just don't get why people are concerned about others parking in front of their houses, I get people parking in front of my house on both sides, probably about 3 cars - its a public road so none of my business. The only time I park on the road is who both my dd are visits with their children, so they can park not he drive as its easier with toddlers. I sometimes have o do a 20 point turn to get out of my drive as people park right up to the driveway and opposite, which makes it difficult to leave - but such is life and I do this carefully. Most of the time I reverse on the drive, but my roof box opens one way so sometimes if using the roof box I can't do that as I wouldn't have access.

I suspect the husbands’s car is actually a works van, probably in a neon colour with ladders on top! fess up OP!

We have the same issue on our street OP, it really makes me feel uncomfortable around my neighbours. We have a one car drive so visitors have to park on the street. We’re on a corner so can’t park in front of the house, can’t park at the side of our house because a neighbour across the road struggles to get their large van out (fair) but at least 3 neighbours have left passive aggressive messages on our guests cars or knocked on our door and demanded we move the car because it’s in front of their house. It drives me mad. They don’t own the road. We have as much right to park there as they do. And it’s not like we have visitors every week.

We have just made a note not to park in front of their houses and accepted I’ll never be friends with them if they think they can be so rude to people.

Your neighbour doesn’t own the road. But pick your battles. You are in the right but can you be bothered to have the row?

It's not really as simple as 'just buy a house with an extra off-road parking space' for most people. I'm sure she'd have preferred extra parking, doesn't mean she could afford it.

I wouldn't mind a Scooby Doo monster truck blocking my view.
A BMW X7? nah

Is your DH car huge?

I would be mightily pissed off at him taking up two regular size car spaces outside my house rather than blocking his own driveway.

DH should downsize his (stupid) big car which is too big for the house you bought.

Yes it has been asked and answered

@SandyHappy

But he is taking up two spaces by doing that
But it doesn't sound like anyone was using that bit of road anyway, those neighbours have 1 car & 1 drive. They now park on the road and leave the drive empty. Which is nuts!!

Just because your neighbours only have one car each doesn't mean they may not sometimes want the extra space. I assume they sometimes have friends or family visiting, or tradespeople, or district nurses etc, so they won't want your DH making a habit of pinching two parking spaces outside their homes.

If your other neighbour can comfortably park outside their own home then it suggests your DH is driving a huge car. Maybe think about changing it for something smaller. You don't need to be in a bus-sized car if you have kids.

Looking at your front. Could you not create another parking space in front of your house? So you have parking for 2 cars?

Or as a PP said, widen the drive so the big car can go on the drive and then park the smaller car on the road in front of the house. Or speak to neighbour the other side and ask them not to take up both spaces in front of your houses as you also need to park there, they can pull forwards towards their drive and you can pull forwards in front of your house. You can get really close to each other's cars as you will both be able to use the space in the road for your driveways to pull forwards/ reverse to get out.

I imagine your DHs car in front of neighbours houses might be impacting sight lines or make getting out tricky for neighbours. They might also not want to set a precedent of allowing you to park there as it's likely to become a permanent solution for you.

Maybe - but if either neighbour wants to have a visitor and the space outside their house is always full, parking on the road to give the visitor the drive is quite logical. Also, given the tightness of the space, if DH’s car is quite tall as well as long, their view will be less blocked by a Nissan micra than a Range Rover, say.

I think it is the principle of him unnecessarily taking up two whole spaces with one car (van?) that has prompted the neighbours to be petty.

I have no problem with people parking outside others houses on road, but people parking like inconsiderate twats is a bit of a gripe of mine.

Maybe. But why is it OK for OP to park outside their house but not OK for the neighbours to park outside their own house. If people can park where they choose what's the problem. The neighbours are choosing to park outside their own house which they have every right to do.

I seriously wonder what people are on, on Mumsnet sometimes!

It's a public road @seabrooks1945 - as long as you are not obstructing anyone's driveway or access you can park where you like.

Yes, the neighbours have started parking on the road in front of the house because your husband has - but the solution is simple really;

If they are not in and the space is free park there, if they or someone else are parked there, park somewhere else.

No-one is in the wrong here.

It really doesn't need a conversation with the neighbours, you don't need to ask their permission, you don't need undertake self-flagellation for having the audacity to buy a house with off road parking for one car when you have two.

I wouldn't even bring it up with them - I'd just continue to act as I normally would - friendly hello's, occasional chats etc. If they have an issue with it let them bring it up, otherwise just crack on!

If DH's car is a work van. Then it either needs to go on the drive and have the drive widened to suit. Or he needs to park it at work and collect it every day. If he has a giant ass car, then he needs to either widen the drive or downsize cars.

But why is it OK for OP to park outside their house but not OK for the neighbours to park outside their own house

It's fine for anyone to park outside of anyone's house.

The OP is not suggesting that they are not allowed to park there, she is asking;

"Are they sending us hints? Do you think it’s a good idea for us to have a conversation about it?"

It's the length of the car, not the width, that is the issue.

He doesn't 'need' to do any such thing (unless his company vehicle or his own insurance stipulates that the vehicle must be parked off road)

If the drive is wider, a longer car can potentially be parked diagonally

Why would they need a conversation. If it's a public road folk can park where they want. But OP is really saying we've got two cars one which is huge. So you need to park your car on your drive for our convenience so we can park our car where we like that is in front of your house. Stuff that.

This is correct. Your husband could theoretically get a ticket for parking in front of a dropped kerb.
I think you should park wherever there is space as long as it's not blocking or impeding anyone else.
Perhaps a quick chat with the neighbour to explain the problem would smooth the way.

The width would have to be considered if the OP decides to build a cheap but effective solution, which they probably won’t as solutions don’t seem to be a desired option on this shaggy dog type threads.

it's a public road folk can park where they want.

Exactly. Everything else is neighbourhood politics

Then she just has to suck it up and not expect to be able to tell other people where to park.

What is your husband driving? A juggernaut? Maybe get a smaller car.