Blocked Driveways ...

[Gizmos]

Just wanting some advice on this - but need to explain the layout of the street as its not the "usual" blocking

We live in a row of house all in a line and with the road to front and each house has drive off it to the side (all the same one as only houses on one side) - except ours - we are at the end of the street and ours is the one where if you drive straight to end of street you would come onto our drive.

Our neighbours have now started to park at the end of our drive to the side on the road (not the same side as their house) but only 3ft from the end of our drive.

Our drive is a double width so we can still gain access to drive but it does make it harder reversing off (we've just had visitors so had our two cars up front and two behind them - with a bit more space for maneouevere) - however it was a bit awkward as its a dark corner and also the rogue car was dark colored.

Just wondering what space you would deem necessary to leave for someone to manouever car out - personally i would say one and half car lengths (not even taking into account of how long the persons drive is as if all space is taken up by cars that is negated!).

The house in question has a double drive too with just one care on it all the time.

As its a new house / estate we dont want to rock the boat - and have been polite before when people have parked understanding that sometimes it was tradesmen etc.

Hope have described accurately - i would try and do a picture but my artistic licence is lacking

[britchic4]

Are they blocking your driveway at all, am not quite clear? If so that isn't on regardless of how many cars are usually on it. I can understand you don't want to rock the boat though.

[tyroleandancer]

Similar problem here Giz. Our neighbour parks opp our drive. We just live with it as they are not obstructing therefore there is not much we can do:( it makes life difficult though. If we get chance we try and reverse on to the drive as driving off is easier than reversing off iyswim

[Waterfall]

I get the picture now and yes often same happens here too. We just have to be very careful reversing out. I dont think there is anything you can do.

[britchic4]

Oh I see now. I did once see one of our neighbours getting very irate about that happening on quite a regular basis, but she wasn't very well-liked and the way she handled that I can see why. They've moved now. I'm not sure there's really much you can do except reverse in, and if in conversation with said neighbour try to throw it in the conversation that you've had a few near misses with their car!

[MrsSavvy]

Might be worth leaving a polite, well thought out and friendly note under the wipers. We have similar issues too.

[Dominic]

I think a note under the wipers, when you know perfectly well whose car it is, is just going to wind them up because however politely you word it you are avoiding speaking directly to them... which is usually a far better way to deal with it.

It is difficult 'dropping it into conversation' if you don't see or converse with them much (especially these winter days when nobody is out enjoying the garden or chatting over fences) but I'd say you are better going and knocking on the door than leave a note.

How do you feel you want to deal with it Giz?

[VeryTrying]

I'd say:

1. keep car keys very handy and make sure you are dressed and shoes are by door ready
2. watch out for them moving the car
3. grab keys and dash on to your drive
4. shout across to them "Happy New Year" etc. etc. "I'm glad you're moving your car, I'm always worried about hitting it when I drive off". Laugh merrily and drive away.
5. go round estate twice and then come home.
6. repeat as necessary.

[Dominic]

Lol excellent post VT :D

[deb2108]

LOL brilliant idea VT and Giz can also combine that with being the onsite neighbourhood watch by standing at her window all day :D soz no useful advice other than start parking your own car there x

[Gizmos]

thanks guys

if I park my own car there I would then be blocking across the road from their drive .. if you stood on our drive and looked out think of it as a U where the left vertical is theres the curve is our and the right vertical the "problematic edge)

bf has said that we should leave it for now as its only happened since Christmas Eve ....

strange thing is they bought th ehouse in August and although it is furnished only appeared to stay in it a few days before Xmas ... maybe they will go back to working away ...

[holliemon]

We have to drive down a narrow unadopted lane to get to our drive - we then have to reverse out to the main road or reverse out of our drive around a sharp bend and drive up the unadopted lane but with a big car this is difficult. The house is rented next to the unadopted lane and the person who owns the house always parked with consideration.

the tenants do not - but it is a case of say something and they could be ok and park considerately or they could make it even worse for us - they have already put bollards down so other people cant park outside their house which make its even more difficult as people will park on the other side of the lane so then it is reverse dodge

There is a piece of no mans land to the other side of the lane with a few large trees - the man tenant thought it acceptable to throw a ball over the lane so his dog gets some exercise (NOT) and then does not pick up the NO 2 - so I have already reported him for that and I have also had the council pick up rubbish that they deem fit to throw over their wall into the lane - dont know why they cant go to the tip like everyone else so I am wary as to how much more I can do

I feel for you Giz as its really annoying but think hard before acting - he could park even nearer your drive just because he wants to be awkward - but again he may not realise how difficult it is for you to get out

[mhoc]

Our neighbour has 2 cars (at least) plus the caravan, (I think the bike has gone) plus he has regular visitors in an assortment of cars and vans. He has dug his drive out so the parking situation is a bit better.
But if we are expecting visitors etc we take a wheely bin out and park it in front of the hedge (we have no pavements) so whoever we are expecting can park in front of the house.

[Coupon-madder]

Yep, mhoc, that's reminded me. When I want to 'reserve' a space outside our house I park our wheely bin there plus two traffic cones which I somehow purloined at some point I cannot recall last year!

Only once has some idiot - not a neighbour - moved them to park up.

[mhoc]

2 things, firstly I've noticed that if our neighbours has visitors/workmen its ours they park outside, not outside the ladies on the otherside :confused:
Also if neighbour has workmen with vans they park outside our front window, blocking the light and plunging the front room into darness, especially this time of year when its semi dark most of the day. Why do they not realise this :confused:
Mind you if anything does aprk outside the neighbours its starts the dog yapping so we dont win either way :D