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?

I called bus earlier but OP is ignoring any sensible suggestions.

They might be living in Lilliput.

I mean, this, obviously.

I can see no problem at all unless DH parks there for weeks on end without moving the car. (Or maybe the neighbour will buy a cheap sit-around car as is being talked about on another thread)

Lots of estates near me have parking at such a fine balance that it's almost impossible to fit two cars outside two houses without slightly blocking a driveway.

And the size of the cars on the road now, I don't know where Mnetters live that they don't see big cars!

He drives a Land Rover Defender. We would like to widen the driveway eventually, but financially we’re not in a position to do so just yet.

It's a street where people are entitled to park legally. If people don't like seeing other people's cars on the road outside their house, frankly, too bad.

Rude and cheeky for parking on a public road when there's no room to park on their drive or in front of their own house legally? No. It's not.

FFS Only on Mumsnet.

Yeah….I wouldn’t want that blocking my view. It’s about 2m heigh isnt it. Why does he need such a large car?

There is room if they do a bit of shuffling around. I’d do that to keep in good favour with my neighbours.

Agree with this 100%

Surely there’s enough room outside your own house to park a vehicle without blocking your own driveway or anyone elses property for that matter?!

Why can't you drive this too so ypu don't have to shuffle the cars around? LRD's are big old cars, I wouldn't want my window blocked by a tall car either when you and your DH could simply share the cars.

Have you seen the diagram?

And given OP lives there, I assume “not blocking her own driveway” would have occurred to her as a solution if that was possible.

That would be a bit annoying a really big vehicle constantly parked right outside my house and stopping any of my visitors parking. I would start parking on the road too so my visitors could always park on my drive. It sounds like you bought a house with insufficient parking and expect the neighbours to be happy for you to use the space that they have always had access to in front of their houses. Is DH's large vehicle a work van or such like, that would really annoy me constantly parked outside.

Oh a landrover defender, they are huge, I would hate that parked outside of my house all the time.

Shouldn't have a ridiculous huge car then

Time to either
a. Swap your DH car for a smaller car so either of your cars fit on your driveway.
b. Turn your front garden into a double drive so both cars can fit.

It can’t be beyond your comprehension to realise that not everyone can drive every car?

Perhaps one can only drive automatic.
One vehicle may be a company car/work vehicle.
One car may be more suitable for kids.
etc….

Perhaps if you sold that monstrosity you would be able to afford it?

All on-street parking on public roads is first-come first served, so long as you aren't parking across a dropped kerb (unless it's your own). Your DH isn't doing anything wrong to park in front of neighbours house if the soave is free and it his car doesn't overlap their dropped kerb (it's irrelevant if they " have room to get out" - any part of his car overhanging the dropped kerb is wrong) but also your neighbours aren't doing anything wrong to choose to park there themselves. No one owns the public road. There is no point to "having a conversation" about it - they have no power or right to stop DH from parking on any legal space on the public road and you have no obligation to pay heed if they express a preference that he doesn't. You have no power or right to stop them from parking on any legal space on the public road and they have no obligation to pay heed if you express a preference that they don't. Anything you could possibly say to them would be wrong.

Your DHs choices are not limited to parking to block you in or parking in that one spot. He presumably has functional legs and could park a couple of minutes up the street. Nobody owns the street in front of their house unless it's shown with a little red line around it on the house deeds (but then you are responsible for repairs and maintenance on the road so that's a mixed blessing) so no one has greater right than anyone else in this matter.

They do have more modern Land Rover Ds available. They’re not all old models!

Is your husband car blocking the road visibility at the time of going in and out their drive? I have been there and it is not funny having a car blocking your visibility when going in and out of your drive, specially if they don't reverse parking. If that is the case now you know their reasons for park there too.

Yes, I’ve seen the diagram! The one where the OP clearly indicates her drive, her house, her garden …….. still my question remains……surely there’s room outside her own house for DH to park his car.

Just googled and Defenders are about 16ft long and 6ft high. Brilliant idea to buy a house with no room for it.

So are these neighbours now blocking you in on your drive, like your husband used to ?

I thought you couldn't park across another person's drive or dropped kerb ...

Yes but surely the OP doesn’t want to start a row with her neighbour.

OP, surely you and your husband can both use either car or does he have to have the big car because he is a man?

You can widen your drive quite cheaply. It might not be how you want to do it but you can do that later.

I’m confused. From your diagram, surely if he parks in front of your house, he’s neither blocking your driveway nor in front of neighbours house?