abuse from neighbours for parking

[shake]

hi
heres the situation.

oposite my house, about 10yrs ago they built a close. the entrance of the close is at least two buses width. ever since the close was built people have parked their cars on the left hand side of the entrance, which is against the side of a house. i've been parking there since i got my car about a year ago.

today i park up, when i walk away i hear someone shouting "OI!" i turned and someone from in the close was calling me. so i went over. he asked where i lived. so i told him, on the road facing the close. he then told me i wasnt allowed to park there. noone apart from people who live in the close could. he didnt word it like that, he actually got aggressive. i stayed calm, and said until they put yellow lines there, im going to continue to park there as theres no parking on my road. he then went to shout at me, saying you live on wyatt road, so you park there! i paid for my house and parking.
fine, u paid for the house, and the parking bay on your property. you dont own the road on the close. i was trying to justify that i could actually park there. we have wardens that walk about. noone has ever gotten a ticket there.
he said he'd seen my car parked there before and it was blocking the entrance. (it doesnt block anything. the rubbish collecting trucks get in and out very easily) when i asked why was that other car parked there (hasnt been moved for about 5 months now) he said it belonged to someone in the close. well how come that car doesnt block the entrance?!?!
he went on and said he'd call the police and get my car clamped. i know the police cant do anything, as im parked legally. as he got back into the house and i was getting into my car, i could hear his wife telling him that i was allowed to park there.
(i hope this isnt racial)
however im now scared that if i do park there, he might damage my car. parking on my road is really bad, and somtimes if there is a space on the side wall of the close im going to park there! (you can fit 3 cars on the side of the close entrance)

what are my options?

thanks for your time!

[wazza]

Welcome to 5-o and what a great question;

In summary you may park your car anywhere you want to. Just as long as you dont cause an obstruction or break any laws.

You can park right outside his house if you want.

No body has a right to park outside there house, they just like too.

It matters not that you dont live in that street, you may park there.

He does not have any rights over any parking on a road. he does not pay for the road outside his house so he has no way of getting you removed , clamped or other wise.

[Hoon Devil]

The only right anyone has on the public highway is to pass and re-pass for the purposes of business or pleasure. Parking is allowed, but no-one has a right to park (anywhere!). As Wazza says though, if there is no traffic regulation order restricting parking, anyone can park on the public highway provided they do not cause an obstruction.

[QBee]

Sounds like he's just picking a fight for the sake of it. I live on a busy residential estate and we all like to park outside our houses, but at the moment, for example, there are 4 cars in my household, and when my boyfriend is here, 5. it would be impossible to cram all those cars on my drive or outside my house, so we park wherever we know it isnt going to upset someone. I wouldnt park directly outside someone's house, so you find somewhere which is fairly neutral, which in my opinion, is availible to anyone. Its silly that people get so wound up about it. I could understand it possibly if he normally parked his car there and you were stopping him from parking or something, but only in a petty kinda annoying way, when it comes down to it, they have no say where you park, so i'd just ignore him. If he touches your car he'll get in trouble for it so i doubt he would bother...

[Smiffyz]

My daughter had a similar problem, she's just bought a house with her fiance (mid garden terrace) and their new neighbour parks his car outside their house and his wife outside my daughters. My daughter comes home from work and parks where he normally does outside her house, he comes home and knocks and gives her abuse, so much that as her fiance was at work she phones me in tears.
I go over to her's and confront the neighbour explaining that nobody has a right to park outside their own house, and ask why he doesnt park on his driveway to be told that the car drips oil everywhere and he's not ruining his drive!
Well, without falling out with him to much, i explained that should he upset and abuse my daughter again over something so petty as parking a car he would regret it.
His wife did apologise for his behaviour and took the advice to get the oil leak fixed as dripping oil everywhere could cause the local council to take action against them.

[Shobhna]

Welcome.:)


what is ''racial'' about your query. I have read and re-read it and can't see anything racial or racist about it.
As for parking, always an issue for street parking. Maybe you should canvass the other residents views, specially the ones on your street directly affected by parking problems and using the Close to park in.

[sultanbrown]

I hope this isn't racial

Assuming you have some form of natural sun tan, I'd let the old Bill know about his threatening behavoir, with some subtle comments about "ethnicity".
Nothing gets the feds out quicker than some good old fashioned race hatred.

Or am I being overtly cynical?

[QBee]

:|
I dont think thats true. People shouldnt just throw that one in for effect, or people will just ignore it when it really does happen.

A lot of people get tarred with the 'racist' brush cos its all too easy to do so and people dont like to contest it in case it incriminates them further.

I would take serious offence to someone calling me a racist, so i think if there's any hope of this ending amicably, then i wouldnt even go down that road unless you know that plays a part.

Sorry if people dont agree, but thats my personal view.

[HIGHLANDER]

Where does the racial aspect come in ?

[stuart30]

, and ask why he doesnt park on his driveway to be told that the car drips oil everywhere and he's not ruining his drive!.


My god...sorry but that sounds so arrogant its almost funny..:eek:



Although not your daughters situation,just the comment.;)

[Sandman]

I think everyone with a car should have the means to park it without effecting others in any way. At worst this means limiting the parking area used to that directly infront of their own house and only on their side of the road and at best having sufficient off-street parking for all vehicles they own. I understand this is harder in inner city areas where terraced houses and flats are coomonplace and 'space' is at a premium. I can see with many people, my opinion going down like a lead balloon, but it's down to common courtesy. Of course there are times when vistors etc may pop round, and the occasional case of parking infront of others houses/land occurs, but this shouldn't become the 'norm'. What I find objectionable is when rows of terraced streets are 'double parked' with only enough room for one direction of traffic to pass, even tho the road is open to two way traffic. If you can't park you car/s in such a way that it doesn't effect the neighbourhood then you shouldn't have one. If you have to park your car on the roadside regularly there should also an additional charge to road tax.
The family home has ample parking for a number of vehicles (we have 4) and I'm currently looking at property with at least a double garage and a driveway in order that my 2 cars and girlfriends car will not obstruct anyone when I finally move out of my parents 'crib'. :)

Im off to hide now ;)

[stuart30]

If you have to park your car on the roadside regularly there should also an additional charge to road tax.

So if i keep my car parked off road more than joe bloggs who parks in a side street does that mean i should have a rebate on my car tax.lol.:D

[Sandman]

So if i keep my car parked off road more than joe bloggs who parks in a side street does that mean i should have a rebate on my car tax.lol.:D

I think possibly a rebate for those who have facilitated thier own off street parking, yer :)