How to stop this guy from parking across our drive

I might seem thick, but why does he not just park on his own drive? Or are there other cars at his house and he is short of space?

Either way, he shouldn’t block you in.

www.newparkinglaws.co.uk/post/Parking-Next-to-a-Drop-Kerb

ask him nicely to move his car first though

What geekesse said.

Do not hesitate to go to the police if necessary.

My uncle had a narrow and short drive to a garage, which needed to be kept unblocked as his wife was ill and he might need to rush her to hospital at any time.

The drive was constantly blocked. So every time this happened, he rang the police, who came round and slapped a parking ticket on the offending car.

After that happened regularly for a few months people got the message and for the next decade it was only on a few occasionsthat the police had to be rung.

Is your car actually visibly in the drive when he parks or is it hidden in a garage? If he can see it then he is being purposely obtuse. If you have to take the matter up with him and he doesn't respond politely then I would park across the drive myself for a while in the hope that he will park elsewhere regularly. Not pleasant but doable. Did it myself recently and neighbours queried my practice and improved theirs accordingly. I was, after all, taking up precious and scarce space somewhat unnecessarily.

You mentioned in one of your other posts that you drive to work. How has this worked ?

I have to agree with M0nica park your car across your own drive way,
but PLEASE don't park across his.

This sort of thing is horrible isn't it, I've got a drive and I worry someone might block me in.

I hope you can knock and say hello, and can you move your car so I can get out please.

I think in life we all have to be in the situation that you can get out in an emergency. If you can't you have the right to explain that to him. When I was training years ago I was told that you have to have exits clear at all times in case you have to move quickly. Just say to him that if one of you is taken ill youwould not be able to get your car out.

You have probably given yourself more grief worrying about it than he will when you get round there. Just do it! Plan what you are going to say and it rarely goes as badly as you imagine. And I don't see why you would need to park across your own driveway if you let him know it is in constant use.
You could also play the super-nice innocent card if needed: 'you probably haven't noticed we've moved in, so nice to meet you. My name is [****] , my husband is [****] and you are ...?' If you do have to report him to the police eventually you will need to know that.

Geekesse Brilliantly and succinctly put. It really is as simple as that.

It just occurs to me, there are two other options. Park your car either across your drive so he can't park his there, or park your car across his drive and negotiate a trade off, if he doesn't park across your drive, you will not park across his.

Please come back and tell us how it went!

I think it is illegal to park across anyone’s drive - you are entitled to have free access to the road, at all times . What if there’s an emergency and you need to leave your house? I had this problem in my previous house. It only stopped after I had the police involved.
Your first step should be to talk to him. Good luck

I have had this problem from time to time. I live in an end terrace house with a dropped kerb across the entry. If someone parks there, I can't get in or out. On one occasion, I contacted the police who came (amazingly), photographed the offending vehicle and left a ticket on the windscreen. I usually leave a message under an offender's windscreen wiper, reminding them that parking over a dropped kerb causes an obstruction and that the police will be informed.

You cannot judge him just on his appearance and it would be inappropriate to report him before asking him to move the car. If you speak to him with a smile on your face, is unlikely to refuse your request. And in for a penny, in for a pound, say you don’t like being blocked in so would he not park across your drive again. You might open up the conversation by saying he may not be aware but you are living at the house now and need access to the road at all times.

It isn’t really a problem unless the man in question refuses to move his car. I very often need to deal with people who have a reputation for being ‘awkward’ and the trick - as has been said up thread - is to simply be polite, smile and expect that the chap in question will be reasonable.

Give it a go and then come and tell us how you got on. ?

Might it help if you put yourself in the charming, suave character of Sgt Wilson in Dad's Army, welsh ? He could charm the birds off the trees.
Knock on the door, introduce yourself, "I've just moved in to No 3 and I need to get my car out. Could you just move your car a little ... would you mind awfully?" Smile as though you expect him to be just as pleasant and hope he should get the message. Repeat this polite request every time and if he has any sense he'll park elsewhere in future.

keepingquiet

I had a problem regarding parking with my neighbour when I first moved in. She was uber aggressive and nasty but since we get on, say hello and have a little chat sometimes.
I stood up to her calmly and firmly.
It is not illegal to park across and empty driveways but it is illegal to prevent someone leaving their property. I used to have this problem when I lived near a primary school.
First, knock on the door and tell him you need to get out and his car is blocking your drive. If he refuses take photos and call the police.
If he moves it then job done.
You will have to decide whether you want to do this every time or stop him doing it by parking there yourself and stopping him from doing so.
Having neighbours like this can be distressing and hurtful but very often are solved quite simply.
His size shouldn't come into it- not all big men are aggressive. However, if he does become threatening inform the police and also have a word with your other neighbours if you have any.

also once he has moved his car, park across your own drive to stop it happening again.
Actually it IS illegal to obstruct a legal driveway that has a dropped kerb. If you just pave over a front garden then access is not protected unless you apply to the council to drop the kerb. www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q440.htm

DiscoDancer1975 is correct about the previous occupants of your house. They should have informed the agent selling the house if there was a dispute with the neighbour. However that's history now you should both knock on the neighbours door as suggested. Ask who the car belongs to and just request that you have access to your driveway. Let us know how you get on.

Why would anyone park across someone else’s drive ! Just go and knock and say can you please move your car and that your drive is in constant use so don’t do it again.
How unreasonable.

I had a problem regarding parking with my neighbour when I first moved in. She was uber aggressive and nasty but since we get on, say hello and have a little chat sometimes.
I stood up to her calmly and firmly.
It is not illegal to park across and empty driveways but it is illegal to prevent someone leaving their property. I used to have this problem when I lived near a primary school.
First, knock on the door and tell him you need to get out and his car is blocking your drive. If he refuses take photos and call the police.
If he moves it then job done.
You will have to decide whether you want to do this every time or stop him doing it by parking there yourself and stopping him from doing so.
Having neighbours like this can be distressing and hurtful but very often are solved quite simply.
His size shouldn't come into it- not all big men are aggressive. However, if he does become threatening inform the police and also have a word with your other neighbours if you have any.

I would knock the door and tell him you need to go shopping so would you kindy move your car.
If he is awkward i would start parking in the same spot, that will stop him.

I’m presuming you’ve not met your neighbours yet? Just go round, introduce yourselves, explain you’ve just moved in etc.

Then politely ask if they know who that car belongs to. (It’s possible, only being in the house a week, you wouldn’t have noticed who was putting it there). He will say it’s his, and hopefully will realise it’s blocking you. It’s possible he had an agreement with the previous neighbours, but at least then, you can get the conversation going, and get a feel for the type of people they are.

That should put an end to it. If they are difficult with you, could you contact the previous owners? They should have informed you of any acrimony. It’s law now I think.

Hopefully, it won’t come to that, they’ll just apologise and move it. All the best to you.

Send your Husband to ask him to move ?

Have you actually had something happen that worries you about this person or is it that he looks awkward?

I would definitely nip over to speak to him about it. Just be polite!

Good luck.