What to do about neighbours parking

MikeL93

The people who live two doors down from me whenever they have visitors, the visitors don’t park outside their house they park outside my next door neighbours house.

My next door neighbour is an elderly man and because his driveway is narrow he parks his car on the road outside his house so that 1. He can get out of the car easily and 2. He doesn’t damage his car. However, when the people two doors down have visitors he can’t park fully outside his house so he partially parks outside his house but the issue is he is then partially blocking my drive meaning that I have to bump down an undropped section of the kerb when I am leaving my house or if I am coming home because the street is so narrow I can’t manoeuvre my car onto my drive and I too have to park it on the road until the visitors from two doors down leave and then we all move our cars.

My next door neighbour is really apologetic whenever it happens but ultimately it’s not his fault, it’s the fault of the people visiting the house two doors down. Is there anything I can do? My next door neighbour tried talking to the people who’s visitors keep parking outside his house causing all this hassle but they basically told him to mind his own business. 

Schwarzwald

Are the visitors parking correctly or incorrectly?

MikeL93

Schwarzwald said:

Are the visitors parking correctly or incorrectly?

They are half on the kerb and half off which everyone does on the street as it’s very narrow. I wouldn’t say they’re parking incorrectly, it’s more they’re not being very courteous to people who live on the street.

The people they are visiting know the reasons why my neighbour has to park on the road outside his house. It’s sort of an unwritten agreement that no one on the street will park outside his house because he’s elderly and has issues etc. 

ThisIsWeird

I guess all that is left is peer pressure.

Your elderly neighbour has explained the situation to them, and they clearly aren't bothered. 

Do you feel up to having a polite chat yourself? Try every honest emotive angle; tell them that the guy is upset that he's putting you at inconvenience by partly blocking your drive, and feels helpless about it - it's making him very unhappy. Really - how many more seconds of walking would it take your visitors to park 20 yards further up the road? Explain it would be the decent thing to do, and that - one day - they'll be elderly too, and will undoubtedly hope that younger folk will treat them with more consideration and respect than they are doing.

Does this elderly fellow have any armed forces background - that could be a great persuader, as these sorts of thoughtless entitled arrisols bizarrely often tend to also have an over-keen appreciation of our 'guys', as tho' basking in reflected glory and machoism. You know the type - complete t'seaurs - so use it against them.

And, if any other neighbour who understands this same 'unwritten agreement' could also try having a word, then they might just crumble.

theoretica

Does your neighbour have trouble walking?  If a blue badge is an option for him, he could then apply for a marked space outside his home.  If he does not have that much trouble walking, he should park further down the road himself or outside the neighbours with visitors and not block your drive.

If he just refuses to do that, then talking to the neighbours - not that their visitors shouldn't park there because it is his space - but as a kindness to you as he keeps affecting you by parking poorly.

Flugelhorn

I was thinking whether he could get a marked space outside the house but I note he has a driveway instead - sounds like this needs to be used instead - can anything be done to widen it a bit??

Bigphil1474

To be fair, if the elderly neighbour has a drive that he isn't using as it causes him some minor issues, then it's a bit harsh to criticise the people down the street for parking near his house on occasion when they have visitors. Sounds like the best solution would be to deal with the narrow drive parking - either look at widening in part if possible, or getting a smaller car. Trying to convince other people to change is harder, and you'd have to start again if they move out and somebody else does the same. 

BungalowBel

AFAIAA, if it is a public highway, as long as people are parked legally, then they can park outside your neighbour's house.  It's really him that is being inconsiderate, by blocking your drive.

user1977

MikeL93 said:

My next door neighbour is really apologetic whenever it happens but ultimately it’s not his fault

But it is though. He's the one opting to park neither on his own driveway or a bit further down the road. Being "elderly" doesn't give him an excuse. Or are you saying he's actually disabled?

m0bov

If he is blocking you in, he needs to stop or call up the council to get a ticket. Let him deal with HIS neighbour.

tooldle

Is there a sign permitting pavement parking? If not you can report those who are on, or partially on the pavement. It might be enough to make all parties rethink their actions.