Neighbours car parking.

S

SlurrySlump

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We have a neighbour that lives a few houses away on the opposite side of the road. We are having a constant problem with this neighbour parking her car outside our house or our immediate neighbours house. I am not so worried about the occassional parking but this car is often left for anything up to 3 weeks while this person is away travelling. Immediately outside our house there is room to just about park two cars, however this person insists on parking her car right between the two parking spaces as a result nobody else can park there. The annoying thing is that outside this persons house on her side of the road there is parking for 7 or 8 cars but she nevers uses this space because, it has a narrower footpath and is darker at night. She can park with two of her wheels up on our wider footpath. Last year she had a relative who also did this for two separate months with her car. On one of the occassions both cars were left for long periods of time. I am looking for advice as to what I should do. I don't really want to speak with this person as they are so selfish in what they are doing that they don't deserve to be spoken too.
 
SlurrySlump said:
We have a neighbour that lives a few houses away on the opposite side of the road. We are having a constant problem with this neighbour parking her car outside our house or our immediate neighbours house. I am not so worried about the occassional parking but this car is often left for anything up to 3 weeks while this person is away travelling. Immediately outside our house there is room to just about park two cars, however this person insists on parking her car right between the two parking spaces as a result nobody else can park there. The annoying thing is that outside this persons house on her side of the road there is parking for 7 or 8 cars but she nevers uses this space because, it has a narrower footpath and is darker at night. She can park with two of her wheels up on our wider footpath. Last year she had a relative who also did this for two separate months with her car. On one of the occassions both cars were left for long periods of time. I am looking for advice as to what I should do. I don't really want to speak with this person as they are so selfish in what they are doing that they don't deserve to be spoken too.
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Well then the advice you're looking for is the wrong advice. You need to go and speak to the person in a non-confrontational way. It's not as hard as you might think. Do you know this person? If not go across and introduce yourself...They know you're there for a reason so come out with it straight away. In my opinion the best way to be non-confrontational about something is to at least look a little embarrassed about bringing something up. Yes...I realise this will go against what some people think you should do...but....apologise and say you aren't trying to make a big deal about it!! This puts the ball firmly in their court. Decent people will realise very quickly that it's them that should be embarrassed.

That's how I'd approach it...by giving them the benefit of the doubt to start with. If that doesn't work you can adopt the tyre slashing approach you so desperately want to ;)
 
I agree, talking to them is the only way to resolve this amicably. if nothing else you will be able to gauge what sort of person they are, as in if they tell you to F Off and slam door in your face you know its time to move to plan B. Most people would apologise if a neighbour called to their door with a similar request. Let us know how you get on.
 
Funny, we have a similar issue, although nowhere near as bad as bad as your one!

We resort to parking one of our cars outside our house occasionally, and leave it there, so they get the hint, or just obstructs them!
 
The apologising thing ought to work on Irish people but be wary of trying it with non-Irish people. This is a cultural observation, by the way, not a racist rant.

I have noticed (when in other countries) that approaching people and starting with "I'm sorry, but it looks like I can't . . . " tends to result in people apportioning the blame/cause on your side, where as "You are doing X and this means I can't . . ." immediately puts them in the frame of mind that their behaviour is contributing to the problem.

Note that parking on a public street is not regulated so your neighbour is doing nothing legally wrong. Leaving their car there for months on end is also not legally wrong. Leaving a car there with no plates is a different story. Your neighbour might simply point out that you can use the spaces in front of her house and she doesn't see the problem since she is just trying to increase the security of her car when it is left unattented for long periods. You could at least ask her to park clearly in one of the spaces and not across both.

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The lady in question is French but has lived in this house for many years whilst we are still blow inns having only lived here for 12 years. I think she is well aware what she is doing because she parks outside one house for one holiday then the next house for the next holiday etc. As I originally said I do not mind the occassional park, it's the 24/7 parking for 2/3 weeks that is getting to me. Most of my neighbours have adult children living at home, who also own cars. There is a certain amount of musical cars every day as cars are shunted to make room for other cars etc so the space outside our door is needed. This St. Patricks weekend visitors to our house had to park outside other neighbours houses causing a domino effect.
 
We have an even bigger problem with 2 rented houses crammed with single people who all own cars. The tenants seem to change almost by the month & our narrow cul de sac will barely allow for a car to pass a parked vehicle. Both houses are owned by an absentee landlord. These people taking the spaces near & right outside our house as soon as we move off.
Wors't of all the binnies are unable to get up the road if even one car is parked overnight. The council say the cars are parked legally & because their truck is a small bit too wide they only suggest that the residents deal with the problem themselves. We still get charged for waste removal even if we only get a service every 4 or 5 weeks. If a fire engine was ever required in an emergency it would have to stop at least 250 yards from our house.
The full time houseowners all move their cars & yes we have tried talking to the offenders & Gardai. It's a waste of time.
 
In respect of the original posters problem, I note you said the person parked partly on a footpath. Is this not illegal? Going back to when I was learning the rules of the road for driving lessons, I thought it was "illegal to park wholly or partly on a footpath" Does that still stand.
 
Yes ! parking on a footpath is illegal but never seems to be imposed except in busy downtwn areas.
 
there was another posting something like this a few months ago. in that previous post, someone made a suggestion regarding the problem of a car being parked in front of their house for 3 weeks at a time and wanted to know what they could do. A respondent said to take the number plates off and even better if you can set the alarm off too.
I have tried this idea (in London nevertheless) and removed the plates. I then called the local council and told them someone had dumped a car outside my house with no plates on it and it had been there for 3 weeks now. It is then considered illegal. The car was gone within 7 hours, removed by the council !! - worked a treat. beware parking in front of my house for any period longer than a week at a time !
 
Teach her a lesson like I had to before and block her in , no point talking to this type of person, she knows what she does is rude but does not give a xxxx , so block her in and dont be home when she comes a calling , it will work make it look like it was an accident but she will get the message,
 
To be fair it is a big problem for you and as much as I tend to agree with removing the plates etc... you could be in bigger trouble if you get caught, Try leaving a note on the car (in English and French :) ). There is nothing to stop you ringing the local council and saying this vehicle "seems" to be dumped outside you house for the last number of weeks and try to see will they take it.
 
Irish Fire said:
To be fair it is a big problem for you and as much as I tend to agree with removing the plates etc... you could be in bigger trouble if you get caught, Try leaving a note on the car (in English and French :) ). There is nothing to stop you ringing the local council and saying this vehicle "seems" to be dumped outside you house for the last number of weeks and try to see will they take it.
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Leaving a note makes it worse, if you are going to say it, say it to their face. Pick someone who is very diplomatic to do the deed. Also, if she has a pulse, get a good looking guy to do it....... Remember that in many cases it is not so much the message, but how you deliver it.
 
Try talking to her, and see what her response is. If she's unpleasant, you can always get petty, and do things like
- letting down the tyres.
- have the local kids play football on your side of the road, and accidentally ping the ball off her car.
- If she's leaving it there for an extended period, establish where the outside openings for the air vents are, and apply strategically placed fish.
 
That won't work...the French love their fish!

I'd block her in and make sure she knows you're home but don't answer the door for ages!
 
blinkbelle said:
Why a large S?
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I think this is a joke for 10 year olds, although it was originally about a snail who wanted an S painted on his car, so that people would say
"Look at that S car go".

Do I win a prize if I'm right? :)
 
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