Legal advice on neighbour parking problem?

[Hogweed]

I'd be very grateful if anyone with actual knowledge of the law can help with this one. My elderly parents have new neighbours who have started parking in a way which makes it difficult for the parents to get in and out. I'll try to explain:

The short driveways of the two houses converge as they approach the road, ie come towards each other rather than running parallel (there's a bit of grass in between). This means that my folks have to reverse out then back round across their neighbours' drive to turn before driving away.

This has never been a problem in all the years they've lived there. But the new people have two cars, and are unwilling to move one out of their driveway when the one behind wants out. So they've taken to parking one of their cars perpendicular to the kerb between the two driveways.

Because of the angles involved, my folks now find it difficult to get in and out. The guy next door isn't actually blocking their drive, just making it a difficult manoeuvre for elderly drivers. They asked him in a friendly way if he'd consider parking both cars in his drive (there's loads of space), but got an abusive reply.

Is it legal to park at right angles to the kerb?

Thanks

[Centurion07]

If it's on his property he can park how he likes.

This needs an MSPaint diagram with corresponding colour coordination before anyone can help.

[ED209]

sounds a bit like my street, everyone has a drive which will fit 2 or 3 cars in, As is normal most households have 2 cars however nearly all of them are too lazy to shuffle cars and park properly so they all park one car blocking the pavement.

[oldcynic]

What would happen if you folks took to parking on street instead - ideally in a more considerate manner but still preventing the neighbour's stupidity/selfishness?

As usual, pictures needed - google map links, mspaint, unrelated memes - the full works.

[calibrax]

Hogweed said:

They asked him in a friendly way if he'd consider parking both cars in his drive (there's loads of space), but got an abusive reply.

Can your parents park in a way that would cause him problems getting out? And then he will have to ask them nicely... they can abuse him back if they want to

[Hogweed]

Centurion07 said:

If it's on his property he can park how he likes.

This needs an MSPaint diagram with corresponding colour coordination before anyone can help.

Yeah, sorry, I'm on my phone. Will try and post a pic later. But just to clarify, he's parking on the public road, perpendicular to the kerb. THAT'S what I'm asking about; is it illegal?

It's in a cul de sac of a housing estate, but it's a public road.

[10 Pence Short]

Have your folks considered talking to their neighbours about this?

[dacouch]

10 Pence Short said:

Have your folks considered talking to their neighbours about this?

Or reversing onto the drive so they can drive forwards out

[anonymous-user]

Hogweed said:

Is it legal to park at right angles to the kerb?

Centurion07 said:

If it's on his property he can park how he likes.

Hogweed said:

They asked him in a friendly way if he'd consider parking both cars in his drive (there's loads of space), but got an abusive reply.

10 Pence Short said:

Have your folks considered talking to their neighbours about this?

This could be a long thread.

[elanfan]

10 Pence Short said:

Have your folks considered talking to their neighbours about this?

You've read the initial post then?

[Corpulent Tosser]

dacouch said:

10 Pence Short said:

Have your folks considered talking to their neighbours about this?

Or reversing onto the drive so they can drive forwards out

This seems to be the best idea, though without knowing the layout its difficult to be sure, but reversing into and driving forward out of a drive is surely safer all round.

[Jon1967x]

"perpendicular to the kerb" - do you mean so the wheels aren't alongside the curb? I'd have thought that this was not legal unless there were white lines coming from the curb to indicate parking spaces like here.. north side of the road cars park one way, south side they park a different way

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7255865,-2.11551...

[anonymous-user]

Hogweed said:

So they've taken to parking one of their cars perpendicular to the kerb
...
Is it legal to park at right angles to the kerb?

Jon1967x said:

"perpendicular to the kerb" - do you mean so the wheels aren't alongside the curb?

Is there some comprehension joke going on that I don't get? Do I need a whoosh parrot?

[SV8Predator]

Hogweed said:

They asked him in a friendly way if he'd consider parking both cars in his drive (there's loads of space), but got an abusive reply.

10 Pence Short said:

Have your folks considered talking to their neighbours about this?

Usual smugness from 10 pence.

[10 Pence Short]

elanfan said:

You've read the initial post then?

Sorry OP, skim read the post and didn't see that part.

If the cars are on private property then it's going to be difficult to solve. If the neighbour's cars are encroaching onto the Highway, they might be obstructing it, which would be an offence.

It's vey difficult to mend broken neighbourly relations so I'd tread carefully whichever way you go.

[Chrisgr31]

This may or may not work however this layby https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=london+road,+crow... used to have cars parking in it at 45 degrees as you can see. This was ideal as it meant the you could get more cars in, and the road was still passable.

However someone somewhere complained and it has been made very clear that it is an offence to park in any way other than parallel to the kerb. It would seem likely that this would apply anywhere else as well.

Parking at right angles to the kerb in a cul de sac and especially in the turning circle, does of course create more parking space, and people occasionally do it outside our house, but it is a daft way of parking as it means the turning circle cant be used for its purpose and makes it difficult to reverse on or off a drive.

[barker22]

Hogweed said:

Because of the angles involved, my folks now find it difficult to get in and out. The guy next door isn't actually blocking their drive, just making it a difficult manoeuvre for elderly drivers.
Thanks

If the issue is that your parents are elderly then I'm afraid your parents should perhaps be the ones to consider the way they park.
If everyone else is parking legally and it is only because your parents are elderly and perhaps have issues with visibility, checking blind spots etc then I really think they should consider parking more conveniently for themselves.
It is polite to give the elderly more space(for the neighbours own benefit perhaps if it saves a bump) but not legally required.

[750turbo]

barker22 said:

If the issue is that your parents are elderly then I'm afraid your parents should perhaps be the ones to consider the way they park.
If everyone else is parking legally and it is only because your parents are elderly and perhaps have issues with visibility, checking blind spots etc then I really think they should consider parking more conveniently for themselves.
It is polite to give the elderly more space(for the neighbours own benefit perhaps if it saves a bump) but not legally required.

Sorry, I disagree.

Why not show the elderly some consideration? Remember, hopefully, in the future, we will all be part of that community.

We, in this country are very quickly becoming a bunch of utterly selfish fkers, who do not give one st about anyone else!

I am doing my best NOT to join them - but getting old and grumpy I am struggling at times

[Jon1967x]

Tell you parents to park on the road where they are parking. If the neighbours query it your parents can answer it's more convenient for them as it's difficult to back out if there's something parked there. They're not trying to be awkward and it's no more inconsiderate than what the neighbours are doing. I imagine the neighbours won't see the funny side but there's rarely an easy answer to neighbour disputes if the initial conversation doesn't go well.

[Hogweed]

Hogweed said:

I'd be very grateful if anyone with actual knowledge of the law can help with this one.

Funny how so few who replied read the first sentence.

Thanks to the one or two who did