Neighbour Parking in Front of House, Partially Impeding Driveway Access

LWill Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:21
Last edited 06/03/2018 - 19:39

So this is a long story that i will summarise as quickly as possible. Within our street, the current housing price situation has forced my neighbours kids to stay at home and live. Nothing wrong with that. However, they all have cars parked on a narrow street which can only fit 3 cars width wise across it
. It gets pretty crowded quickly in the evenings. So our issues lie with getting into our driveway because of all the cars. So 2 years ago we decided to build an additional slab on are property so we could park an additional 2 cars on are front property lot. This helped greatly as it allowed us to enter our driveway freely. Recently are next door neighbour has been consistently parking in front of our house near the driveway because he doesn't want to park on his driveway and his two garages are full. So currently the neighbour has a boat, a cavaran, a 4wd, a van and a ute. The boat, cavaran and 4wd are all parked on the road and take up some considerable real estate on the narrow road. I have confronted him about it and hes arrogantly said its a free public road "ill park where ever i want". What i'm looking for is a way that i can block him from parking right in front of house near my driveway, so i can have free access to my drive in and out. Any suggestions or ideas would be great. The best way to describe us and my neighbours is, we work full time and are never home. While my neighbour lives at home with his parents, hes about 40 years old, hes got a few cats and a large garden in his backyard that he tends to. This keeps him at home pretty at home all year round. Other times he leaves home is to go fishing in his boat.

These are photos of how he is currently parked https://imgur.com/a/lgUIq and https://imgur.com/XwC1Ahd and aerial shot https://imgur.com/a/cyspO

THANKS FOR THE HELP GUYS, heres the update of what has been done -> Trailer Purchased, Cameras Installed & Maneuvering diagram (AS2890.1 AUS standards)
https://imgur.com/a/78PMB

Home & Garden

Comments

  • coco1458 on 03/03/2018 - 10:24
    +17

    Just call the council to send out a parking inspector, it's anonymous.

    • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:57
      +1

      we did and he knew it was us because of how he parked. this is a photo of him and how he is currently parked https://imgur.com/a/lgUIq

      • coco1458 on 03/03/2018 - 11:19
        +17

        At the moment he's still legally parked but if he does block your driveway in any way just report again

        • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 14:10
          +3

          Yeh the only solution whenever it occurs. It's frustrating to do that everytime when you just need to leave or enter your driveway though.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 03/03/2018 - 18:26
          +24

          @Will Mcdonald:

          are… are… are…

          Is it Talk Like a Pirate Day already?

        • Xenocaust on 04/03/2018 - 22:00
          +2

          @Scrooge McDuck:

          No - that's 19th September. I have it memorised.

          My wife didn't appreciate me celebrating it on our anniversary.

        • ronnknee on 05/03/2018 - 18:49
          +1

          @Scrooge McDuck:

          Free Krispy Kremes!

        • deal seeking missile on 06/03/2018 - 09:52
          +1

          @ronnknee:
          Give him a free Krispy Kremes and politely ask him, if he doesnt respond well just part in front of your house yourself so that he's forced to park elsewhere. If he still persists: park close to his driveway for a few months till he gets the picture that its annoying. or just widen you driveway by half a meter

      • TheCutter on 03/03/2018 - 17:37
        +6

        Thats nothing
        I get the neighbours dumping their vans on friday arvo all weekend for us reversing out of the driveway on the brow of a hill

        https://imgur.com/gt4OnTm

        live and let live i say

        • terrys on 04/03/2018 - 09:52
          +3

          That one, unlike the OP's is clearly illegally parked. The one in the OP's photo could be a bit closer to the kerb - and the OP could buy vehicles they can drive.

        • itsdougie on 04/03/2018 - 16:59
          +7

          I would have taken a hacksaw to the pvc pipe. You are too polite

        • Will Mcdonald on 06/03/2018 - 11:12

          on the positive your road is 4 car lengths wide at least.

      • BEPS13 on 05/03/2018 - 17:09
        +2

        Mate, i can't see what the issue is here? there is nothing wrong with how is parked and you can freely access the driveway. If you can't drive in and out of that, i really don't think you should be driving at all….

        • Will Mcdonald on 05/03/2018 - 17:13
          +1

          Ok mate, heres a summary. Hes parked not 5 metres back, but right there because he knows it impedes my driveway and he ain't illegally parked. It definitely ain't convenient for him so why else would he be parking there?

        • BEPS13 on 05/03/2018 - 17:30

          @Will Mcdonald: yeah i get the frustration, right now though you are giving him what he wants. Let it go, every time he blocks it get him fined. Eventually old mate will loose interest, it might take a year or so, but if you just leave it he will eventually get over it.

          you keep trying to bite you are giving him something to do. you mentioned he doesn't seem to get out much, this little war is probably a great source of entertainment. Stop biting back and that goes away, he will move onto something else.

        • Will Mcdonald on 05/03/2018 - 19:15

          @BEPS13: Yeh mate, i tried that for 6 months and i gave up waiting for him to grow up. He continued doing it on and off for 6 months straight.

      • ronnknee on 05/03/2018 - 18:48

        There's nothing wrong with that…

      • Stivo on 06/03/2018 - 10:03

        Did he get a fine? Cos if he did then you were in the right. He cant just leave his car wherever he wants.

      • tanastra on 07/04/2018 - 12:07

        Just wondering if the owner of the blue car across the road ever get annoyed for having to back up or manoeuvre nervously all the time ? He / she must be having more trouble than you ?

  • foxmulder on 03/03/2018 - 10:25
    +7

    Call out local council and let them decide whether those cars are parked within the law.

  • whooah1979 on 03/03/2018 - 10:30
    +3

    neighbour has been consistently parking in front of our house near our driveway

    is the vehicle registered and legally parked on the road?

    • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:56
      +1

      Yes completely legal

      • cameldownunder on 05/03/2018 - 12:06
        +20

        Many people think the road in front of their house belongs to them. It doesn't.
        It might be annoying, arrogant, and upsetting ( since he has so many vehicles ), but if he does not park in your driveway,
        there's nothing anyone can do about it.
        ( for the boat, maybe ask your council to adopt the 1 Month parking limit for boats )

  • DarkOz on 03/03/2018 - 10:31

    Parking on the street and even their own driveway is legal but parking on someone else's driveway is not. Call the council and they will send a ranger over to fine the vehicle. It will probably take them an hour or two to come though.

    • whooah1979 on 03/03/2018 - 10:35
      +4

      parking on someone else's driveway is not.

      is the neighbour's vehicle parked on op's driveway or on the road in close proximity to op's driveway?

      op, please link an image.

      • DarkOz on 03/03/2018 - 10:38

        "Partially Impeding Driveway Access"

        I am assuming that it's parked across park of the drive way unless the OP means there are so many cars and it's too narrow for the OP to turn into the driveway.

        If the former then the council can fine the car. If the latter then there is nothing the OP or council could do.

        • whooah1979 on 03/03/2018 - 10:40
          +1

          op goes on to say>

          parking in front of our house near our driveway

        • DarkOz on 03/03/2018 - 10:44
          +2

          @whooah1979: Yes, that's how I read it too but it just didn't make sense to me that the OP is complaining about that if that's really what happened. It's a perfectly legal way to park on the street and I don't know why the OP is complaining about it then. So I am assuming that the car could be slightly across the OP's driveway.

        • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:46

          @whooah1979: i have uploaded a photo to show you what hes doing. So when my neighbours park in front of their house (where their bins are currently). We end up going down to the end of the culdesac making a loop and than turning into our driveway. https://imgur.com/a/SLAnO

        • ajh on 03/03/2018 - 10:49
          +25

          @Will Mcdonald: I can't really see anything illegal with that?

        • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:56

          @ajh: Thats the problem i got, theres nothing illegal whatsoever with what hes doing. Only if he just parked close to his driveway there would be no problem for me whatsoever. The problem is he is upset with us giving calling the council and giving him an infringement notice 6 months ago. I though he would get over it after 6 months, but it doesn't look like its changing anything.

        • mskeggs on 03/03/2018 - 11:36
          +29

          @Will Mcdonald:

          So maybe apologise for calling out the infringement, admit you should have not escalated to the authorities without trying to have a sensible discussion first, and ask if he could park a little further back.

    • gravel on 04/03/2018 - 09:22
      +6

      You are not permitted to park over your own driveway anywhere in Australia. You can stop for up to two minutes over your driveway if you are dropping or picking someone/something up.

      • cameldownunder on 05/03/2018 - 12:07

        Common misconception.

      • XanderYuan on 06/03/2018 - 07:47

        I think you can park in your driveway if it is within the boundary of your property, if it exceeds the boundary, then you can not

        • tango mango on 31/01/2020 - 13:16

          By law you are prohibited in parking in or across your own driveways it is illegal.

    • Hank Scorpion on 04/03/2018 - 11:12
      +4

      I got booked for obstructing my own driveway, long story short neighbours across the road had a running battle one parked across the others drive way then moved before the ranger turned up who then booked me.

      So you cannot obstruct even your own driveway in NSW.

  • Ss-ss on 03/03/2018 - 10:34
    +3

    Yes nothing more annoying than people parking in front of your house obstructing your access. He should be looking for a clearer/larger spot further down the road. If you asked him nicely & that didn’t help you can park your own car there for a few weeks or get a trailer. Maybe police/ranger can help as I think there’s a law on how many metres u can park from a driveway.

      • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 14:12
        +4

        he can park near his driveway or in his driveway. He has plenty of space there. He just prefers to keep his driveways clear of his own cars.

        • chumlee on 03/03/2018 - 20:40
          +20

          Why don't you just park near his driveway then?

          2nd option is to buy a cheap crappy car and leave it permanently on the street where your neighbour is currently parking. As long as you keep it registered it can stay there forever

        • spurf on 04/03/2018 - 08:34
          +17

          @chumlee:A trailer would be cheaper and probably more useful.

        • ozzpete on 05/03/2018 - 04:27
          +2

          @spurf:
          Park a boat there, to match the neighborhood aesthetics :)

        • kewlaz on 05/03/2018 - 14:58

          @spurf: Problem with a trailer people can throw rubbish in there.

    • GregMonarch on 03/03/2018 - 15:32
      +34

      Looks like there's plenty of access to me. If the only complaint is the OP can't turn into his driveway initially, so has to drive past, use the loop, then come back and enter from the other direction - so what. I really have to wonder about people's driving ability though, if he can't get in with the way that 4WD currently is currently parked. (Unless he usually moves it closer.) Obviously you would just move to the extreme right, then sweep in to left while your car is half past the 4WD - so you miss the front driver side corner of the 4WD. (In other words, the only way that 4WD could hindering entering, is if the OP is sticking to the left side of the road for some strange reason.

      That said, he could:

      • Apply to council to widen the other side of his driveway by about 1m, but not all the way up - just a triangle shape of concrete that's say 1m wide at the bottom, forming into a point about 2m toward the house. Don't change the entire driveway by reducing moving the original left side though, or he'll just park closer.

      • Get someone to weld something up that sits in the gutter say 1m (or less) wide - a narrow ramp - and hollow so the rain can still run through. Or weld a few 1m lengths of hollow and different diameter pipe together in a triangular shape. Maybe drill some dynabolts into the gutter concrete to secure it, or, just ask at Bunnings for some kind of concrete glue - so it can still be removed with a pry bar if council whinges, but someone else would have to make too much noise to steal it.

      • Like the neighbour said, it's it's a public road. So if that top red dot is where he's parking the 4WD… i.e. So it's out the front of YOUR house, you could buy a cheap (registered) box trailer or a caravan. Park it in your yard or nearby in the street, wait til he goes out, then put it in the same spot, only a little further back to leave room - and with a decent wheel lock fitted, so he doesn't steal it or shove it out of the way just to be a jerk. Be prepared for him to park on the OTHER side of your driveway then, though.

      • Start parking your own cars there. Or ask another neighbour (with a smaller car) to.

      • Pour a can of tar/vegemite/honey along where he'd have to step to get into his car. Renew it every week. He'll get sick of walking tar into his car/house carpet.

      I'd just do the second one. Or keep using the loop.

      • decr on 03/03/2018 - 17:43
        +3

        Wow, bookmarked for reference in case this ever happens to me.

      • Cheemeister on 04/03/2018 - 20:58
        +3

        I agree I think the neighbor is parking legally and it isn't that much of a pain to do the loop, but it seems like the neighbor is intentionally parking there to be annoying.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 05/03/2018 - 16:42
        +2

        you could buy a cheap (registered) box trailer or a caravan.

        A more OzBargainly solution would be to acquire and park, or invite someone to leave, a junk car there and cover it with a cheap car cover so the council doesn't tow it away.

      • goraygo on 05/03/2018 - 19:44

        I love the vegemite option. May I suggest you mix it with Fish Sauce please? :p

  • afoveht on 03/03/2018 - 10:34
    +4

    I have confronted him about it

    Is the douchebaggery in his response commensurate with that in your initial confrontation? That's an important consideration.

  • barbarella on 03/03/2018 - 10:34
    +9

    cats hey? - totally irrelevant to your post :/

    • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:44
      -3

      Yep completely true. Though having so many cats forces him to be at home to care for them.

      • [Deactivated] on 04/03/2018 - 21:03
        +6

        Whats that got to do with anything. The only issue i see is that he isnt closer to the kerb.

    • ozzpete on 05/03/2018 - 04:37

      True , I think OP is just making fun of the neighbor. Maybe if OP was more friendly and polite, this could be sorted out amicably. I consider myself a polite and reasonable person, but I had somewhat similar situation where neighbor hated seeing my boat (because she cant go in water due to phobia), she complained to housing about it being in 1 spot for too long (claimed it was 'permanent') . Then I just moved it over so it was right in her view more (then housing couldn't take more photos claiming permanence) .
      Mind you, in my instance we had about 12 carparks, and only 1 person with a car there, so her complaints was petty.
      But certainly if you ask someone with respect and manners, issues can often be resolved amicably

  • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:38
    +1

    i did call the council once and they came out and gave him an infringement notice. i think he got pissed off by that and now he does something really clever by parking exactly one metre from my driveway. What i'll do is upload a photo to show you guys exactly what he is doing. https://imgur.com/XwC1Ahd (So his driveway is on the right).

  • whooah1979 on 03/03/2018 - 10:39
    +17

    What i'm looking for is a way that i can block him from parking right in front of house near my driveway,

    you can't stop a registered vehicle from parking in front of your property. the driver can park there as long as its parked legally.

  • itsdougie on 03/03/2018 - 10:40
    +10

    40years old living at home and goes fishing all the time? Where can i get a gig like that?

    • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:43
      +2

      when his parents bought the land and house 35 years ago. They paid a total of $140,000, so they have no debt whatsoever. And he brings in a reasonable salary as a electrician.

      • ItsMeAgro on 05/03/2018 - 09:38
        +3

        he brings in a reasonable salary as a electrician.

        Can confirm; it costs min $150 to move a power point in NSW.

        • MetaphorOZB on 05/03/2018 - 13:14
          +5

          I was quoted $330 the other week (QLD).

      • Boomstick on 19/06/2021 - 10:26

        To add to it, 40y/o and a P player? Yep something wrong with that person.

  • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 10:52
    -3

    Hey guys thanks for the response. I have got another photo to show you https://imgur.com/a/lgUIq. Hope this helps. In the corner of the picture his caravan is there.

    • whooah1979 on 03/03/2018 - 10:58

      we used to park like that next to a complex on a busy road. there was a collision late at night and someone called the lac. the people that called the lac complained that we weren't allowed to park there. the lac told them differently.

  • ShannonN on 03/03/2018 - 11:03
    +13

    So the white truck is your neighbours? a 40 yr old on P plates? Can't you drive past and reverse into driveway? or u turn and approach from other direction?

    In your photo I'd say a ranger or parking guy would book him for being too far away from the curb, that is creating a passing hazard as he is closer to the middle of the road.

    If you have a second car etc I'd park there when he is absent and never move it solution, buy 200 dollar registered bomb park where you can get in etc

    • whooah1979 on 03/03/2018 - 11:13
      -4

      he is closer to the middle of the road.

      It’s a narrow road. One can’t expect a p plater to park on the gutter like other experienced drivers.

      • ShannonN on 03/03/2018 - 11:20
        +1

        I would, if a 40 yr sparky is on P plates he maybe cause of loss of license and such, doesn't mean he's inexperienced, just being difficult, there still is the option that you as an experienced driver can drive past a car length and reverse in making it easier to go out and around him.

        Seems to me you are not really prepared to do this (reverse in) but focused on making him redress the issue

      • THICKnSLOW on 04/03/2018 - 09:12
        -4

        The vehicle is a 4x4 cab, and there's not pedestrian footpath just a naturestrip. The guy should be parking half on/half off the naturestrip to allow other cars access to the narrow road.

        The dude needs an intervention.

        • whooah1979 on 04/03/2018 - 09:50
          +8

          The guy should be parking half on/half off the naturestrip

          Only if he wants an infringement. Drivers aren’t allowed to park on the naturestips unless permitted by signage.

  • DarkOz on 03/03/2018 - 11:05
    +4

    OP, there is nothing wrong with your neighbour parking like that. The problem would have been resolved if it had parked just 1 metre further back.

    We have a big Hilux ute parked next to our driveway just the same way and I do agree with you that it's dangerous especially when we are trying to reverse out.

  • djkelly69 on 03/03/2018 - 11:06
    +21

    Buy a $200-500 (registered?) beater and leave it parked there permanently (but giving yourself enough room to turn in or whatever the issue is). Or next to his driveway.

    • SPCTRE on 03/03/2018 - 11:20
      +10

      Yep I would of suggested the same. Neighbor is parked legally so can’t do anything about that.
      Buy a $200 shitbox but rego.
      Use some one way screws so plates can’t get stolen and car reported as Abandon.
      Then get some kind of stick and jam it into the brake pedal so it can’t be easily towed away.
      Might also be a good idea to buy a cheap alarm system and have it on the most sensitive setting so he can’t touch the car without it going off.
      Then either park it where he is now to make it easier for yourself or park it on his house side to give him the same issue as you.

      With house prices asking for stupid money more and more kids will choose to stay home with parents longer so more cars per household, more cars parked on the streets.

      • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 12:10
        +1

        Funny story to that. I got my cousin to park his old nissan pulsar there 2 months ago and within one week of the registration expiring someone called the rta and told my cousin the car had to be moved on to private property. Is there any rules behind me leaving an unregistered car in front of my house?

        • SPCTRE on 03/03/2018 - 12:26
          +1

          Yes it’s illegal to park or drive an unregestirerd car on public property. Same applies to cars with no number plates. Heavy fines as much as the rego itself.
          You need to keep it rego or else people can report it as abandon or illegally parked. Police and inspector have the power to fine.
          Best to get a pre-1994 car, club reg it and enjoy the cheap rego for life.

        • Will Mcdonald on 03/03/2018 - 14:38
          +2

          @SPCTRE: Do you mind me asking whats club registering it?

        • GregMonarch on 03/03/2018 - 15:51
          +6

          There's a type of rego now, where you don't pay $$$ registration, but the car must be roadworthy and can only be driven for a certain number of days per year. When you want to drive it, you have to fill in the date in a book. So if you get pulled over, that date has to already be written in the book. You just have to find a car club in NSW, and see what kind of cars they accept into the scheme. Some clubs are model-specific. Others aren't and will accept all types of cars. You might have to attend a certain number of meetings, etc.

          As I said above, a box trailer is much easier and costs a minor amount in NSW. If you get something galvanised so it doesn't rust out and if you sell it later you'll get most of the value back. Use a wheel lock so he can't push it out of the way or easily steal it.

        • SPCTRE on 03/03/2018 - 16:47
          +4

          @Will Mcdonald:
          I’m from vic so club rego is easier to get then NsW. Just had a read for your state requirement.
          Dw about it, the commitment and cost probably not worth doing for your cause.
          Buy a trailer instead, clamp all wheels and chain it to that big tree.
          Rego is also a lot cheaper.

        • Baghern on 04/03/2018 - 12:14
          +4

          @GregMonarch:

          This perfectly explain the trailer with a wheel lock on my street

        • Baghern on 05/03/2018 - 14:46

          @Baghern:

          hmmm, checked yesterday, its not near an entrance or anything just there on the street, annoying everyone, being a trailor its tall, so it obstructs the view of anyone/thing beyond it

        • kewlaz on 05/03/2018 - 15:08

          Don't go a trailer or anything else that rubbish can be dumped in unless you cover it.

        • GregMonarch on 05/03/2018 - 20:24

          @Baghern: LOL

        • lime111 on 06/03/2018 - 08:55

          Agree with comments re a trailer. We have issues with parking etc in our street, and when vehicles are legally parked council can't do anything. Keeping a registered trailer on the street to allow access has been a plan of mine once the renno's are done. A small price to pay for regular and convenient access to your own property.

    • Stewardo on 03/03/2018 - 14:52
      +1

      I like this idea, or an old horse float

      • elgrande on 04/03/2018 - 20:22
        +1

        Or an ice cream van. Mr Whippy!

        • GregMonarch on 05/03/2018 - 20:25

          A 40 foot bus motorhome. ;-p

    • Zilch on 03/03/2018 - 17:33
      +1

      Brilliant

    • cdaddy on 04/03/2018 - 10:43
      +3

      Get a security cam aimed at it. Guaranteed to catch him messing with the car

  • oscargamer on 03/03/2018 - 11:06
    +9

    Ute is parked legally

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