parking laws.. please help

[therubster]

i have a dropped kerb outside my home so that i have the correct access to my drive. 3 months ago we had new neighbours move in next door, we speak daily and they are nice people, however, their son has just moved back in with them and he has started to park accross my driveway if there is nowhere for him to park. i have asked him to move his car on several occasions so that i can get on and off my drive and he always moves it. i dont have a problem with him parking there as long as he moves his car whenever i need access to my drive.

last week i was working a late shift { i got home at 11.30pm } and he was parked accoss my driveway. i knocked his door and asked him politley if he would move his car so that i could get access to my property. he got realy nasty and abusive and refused. i asked him why and he replied " im not moving my car because im legally parked " he went on to explain that as there are no painted parking restrictions ie; yellow lines etc and that his car was facing the correct way and that the car had a current mot, insurance and was taxed he could legally park there. as i did not want to get into an argument without first getting the facts i parked in the next street.

i spoke to him the next day and he said that it is only out of curtosy that people do not park accross a dropped kerb but you are allowed to park accross a dropped kerb if there are no parking restriction markings.

do i have any rights to make him move or is he allowed to park accross a dropped kerb.

does anyone have any ideas.

[ccfluff]

Get in touch with your local highway department at the council, tell them whats happened. My mother had a similar problem and the council came out and painted a solid white line accross her drive, meaning if anybody parks accross her drive she can contact the police to have it removed.

[Ethel]

That used to be the case but the law has recently changed:

http://www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/Transport/r oads/driveway.htm

[tigwig]

The cheeky b*stard! I would start to park across his drive and see how he likes it. Definitely let his parents know exactly what he said to you. If they are such nice people they will be appalled.

[~Wingnut~]

Same as Tigwig has said I would have a word with the parents, if they have come across as decent folk then they should have a word with him and give him a thick ear at the same time!
Ask them whats the point in having a driveway if you can't use it? Make the son park in another street, little git!

[Dollie]

If all else fails, do like my mom's neighbour did when the same thing happened to her (she lives near hospital and often comes homes to people poorly parked, attending the hosp) She got her two sons and their cars to sandwich the offender in, and when he returned to his car, which was partially blocking her driveway, but enough so she couldn't get her car out, he had to come knocking on the door so he could leave. They left him outside for over an hour. Yaaay

[therubster]

hi all,

thanks for all of your advice.

i had a word with his parents .last night and they were gobsmacked with his attitude. they said that he as an attitude problem and as he is only 19 he thinks that rules do not apply to him or his fellow boy racers!. they have assured me that this wont happen again and if it does they have said that they will cover the cost of having a white line put down across my driveway.

not a bad result but fingers crossed. thanks

[~Wingnut~]

Hi again!

Aww glad to hear they are decent folk and are doing the right thing. Good result for you and hope he changes his attitude a bit! They should make him pay to have the white line put down. Maybe you should look into getting this done anyway just for peace of mind if anyone else decides that it's ok to park there (like one of his mates)

Thanx for the update :o)

[bushbaby_de]

Even painting a white line doesn't legally mean no one can park there. They are only deemed to be causing an obstruction if they stop you getting out of your drive, not back in again, as I understand it.