A couple who recently moved to a new home with only on-street parking were left baffled after discovering an eight-word note stuck to their car's windscreen. Parking is a frequent source of tension and ill-feeling between neighbours, whether it stems from people using driveways that aren't theirs, blocking others in, causing damage or a host of other grievances.
There is rarely a shortage of drama when it comes to parking, with many people becoming remarkably territorial about where they leave their vehicle. In the UK, homeowners have no legal right to park on the street directly outside their property. The RAC states: 'It is perfectly legal to park outside someone's house, unless the vehicle is blocking a driveway or a wheel is over a dropped kerb. Where no parking controls exist, drivers do not have an automatic spot for parking outside their homes.'
This does little to deter people from parking outside their own homes, however — and some can become extremely irate when other motorists pull up in what they consider to be 'their' spot. Turning to Reddit, one person expressed their disbelief at their neighbours' reaction after they parked on the street outside the neighbours' house.
The driver titled their post, 'Why are people so territorial about on street parking?', and explained: 'For context my partner has recently moved to a terraced street with only on street parking (only I have a car). I personally don't care about parking exactly outside the house and will just park wherever's easiest, I usually come down the back road and fill up the line from the front.
'Yesterday, as soon as we parked up outside a house across from ours, someone came outside and asked us to move the car as their partner was coming home. Fair enough, if I can just reverse back there and then so I did.'
However, the following morning, they stepped outside to discover a note had been left on their car — which was parked in the very spot the neighbour had requested they move to. The note simply read: 'Do not park outside this house again. Thanks.'
The Reddit user went on to say: 'I really can't be a**ed dealing with the pettiness that is likely to come but I also don't care as there's no restrictions and it's first come first served. I don't understand why some people care so much?'
They did acknowledge the other side of the argument, however, adding: 'In all fairness, people do leave a spot outside our house that I don't use (so I don't care when other people have used it) because my car can barely handle reversing on the 10+% gradient and I don't want to risk bumping anybody.'
In the comments section, readers were eager to voice their opinions. One person said: 'Same down my road. One neighbour has two cars but only one fits on the driveway so when their partner goes out, they'll move their car off the drive to reserve a space. Another neighbour puts his wheelie bins out on the road (illegal) just to save a space or he'll ask his mate to park in the middle of two spaces then ring him up when he's nearly home so he can move his car.'
They went on to say: 'I just park where there's a gap and walk, I don't know why the neighbours find that so difficult.' A second agreed: 'My neighbour does the bin thing and I just move the bin. Right in front of her Ringo camera too, makes it even more awkward'.
However, a third offered a different perspective: 'I'm no fan of weirdos that think they own the road but I do admit I'd roll my eyes if someone was routinely parking down the street in front of my house when the space in front of their own house was available. Just seems like you're causing a load of completely unnecessary inconvenience to everyone.' While another questioned: 'Why are you parking outside other houses if there's a space outside your house that you don't use?'
