Neighbour etiquette

MrsLimerick

My husband , 11month old son and I moved into our rented house in October 2012 and we have never had any problems with our neighbours until the last week .

We live at the end of a cul-de-sac and we have one car and only room for one car in our driveway.
The house across the way have two spaces in there drive way for there two cars yet they insist on parking both there cars outside there driveway roughly 10 inches away from there drive and at an angle .

My husband drives into our drive when he comes home and reverses out in the morning going to work , lately its been very awkward for him to reverse he has to make more of an effort insted of going straight back like he used to.

The new neighbours moved in just over a week ago and everything was fine they were parking in there own drive way but then one day they just stopped and i wouldn't mind if they were doing work in there lawn or driveway and it was only temporary but there not they seem to be just doing it out of ignorance. they have no consideration for any of the other neighbours who have to turn at the bottom of the cul-de-sac or us.

Its impossible to try and talk to them as they don't stay long outside for you to talk to them eg they were home one day and the postman went to the door and rang the doorbell and knocked on the door and they wouldn't answer it.

I get awfully stressed as i don't understand how people can be so ignorant and just cant be neighbourly and polite it would make life so much easier.
Has anyone had similar issues as mine and how did you deal with them?

Victor

Talk to them. If they don't get he point, have your husband head out at 6am one morning that the cars are blocking the road and wake them up to move the car.

ABajaninCork

I feel your pain. We have a driveway too which is good for our one car. One of our neighbours have three cars and a double driveway, so often the third car's outside our house. The other neighbour has two cars, but just a single driveway. It's not often we have guests, but frequently there's nowhere for our guests to park!

Double driveway neighbour's generally pretty considerate. On the odd occasion they've asked if their guests can park across our drive for a sec whilst they pop in & out. No problem. The other neighbour? They and their guests frequently park across out drive without care or consideration for us!! I've often had to ask them to move their cars.

I nearly lost it last weekend. Two car neighbour had guests. The guests didn't park across their drive. Oh no!! Far be it for them to park somewhere else. They didn't even ask!! And my heavily pregnant friend was coming for coffee. Nowhere for her to park. Neither would my husband let me go into the neighbour to ask their guests to move their fcuking car as he didn't want to upset them....

I hate ignorant neighbours!!!

pwurple

Call to the door and have a chat. If you can't actually catch them when they are in, then maybe a note on the offending car. Nothing agressive obviously. Chat is always best. We had neighbours before who were plagued by the people next to them. Teenage kids, each with a car, and parents each with a car. They couldn't get in or out. A cross note was left in anger... Followed by them having their living room window smashed by a rock a week later. You can imagine how neighbourly relations went from there.

doubleglaze

Generally speaking, unless it's a matter of life and death, my recommendation is to avoid complaining to neighbours!

bbam

doubleglaze wrote: »

Generally speaking, unless it's a matter of life and death, my recommendation is to avoid complaining to neighbours!

THis is great advice.
You'll immediately be the one with the problem and god knows how Long you'll be Living beside these people.
So it's a bit Hard to get the Car out sometimes, on the scale of things it's not a problem. If they're ignorant, fine, let them be. Don't draw them on you.

the_syco

doubleglaze wrote: »

Generally speaking, unless it's a matter of life and death, my recommendation is to avoid complaining to neighbours!

When it's an issue of life or death, their cars will be blocking your driveway, and they won't be home.

Kosseegan

MrsLimerick wrote: »

My husband drives into our drive when he comes home and reverses out in the morning going to work , lately its been very awkward for him to reverse he has to make more of an effort insted of going straight back like he used to.

You husband should reverse into the driveway and drive out. What is it with people who drive head first into their driveway? It is dangerous and illegal.

Duiske

Kosseegan wrote: »

You husband should reverse into the driveway and drive out. What is it with people who drive head first into their driveway? It is dangerous and illegal.

Can't say I've ever heard that one before. Have you a link to that legislation ?

FaganJr

Kosseegan wrote: »

It is dangerous and illegal.

That is SO Hilarious & Wrong! WOW!

Mr.Fred

Kosseegan wrote: »

What is it with people who drive head first into their driveway? It is dangerous and illegal.

where did you pull that one out of... Would you mind posting a link to the actual law that prohibits you from driving into your drive way :rolleyes:

Besides why should the op's husband have to drive around a car to access his drive. I hate ignorant neighbours.

Also it is illegal to block access to another persons land without their permission.

Victor

Duiske wrote: »

Can't say I've ever heard that one before. Have you a link to that legislation ?

It is illegal to reverse from a minor road (the driveway) to a main one (the public road).

Joined with that is the matter of having a limited line of site from most driveways.

FaganJr

Victor wrote: »

It is illegal to reverse from a minor road (the driveway) to a main one (the public road).

Joined with that is the matter of having a limited line of site from most driveways.

Cul De Sac is NOT a MAIN Road! Nor is any housing estate Road a Main Road!

And most importantly a "Driveway" is NOT a ROAD, FFS!

Duiske

Victor wrote: »

It is illegal to reverse from a minor road (the driveway) to a main one (the public road).

Joined with that is the matter of having a limited line of site from most driveways.

The wording is actually "from another road onto a major road". You can't just decide to upgrade a driveway to the status of a public road and a cul-de-sac in an estate to the status of a major road and then claim it illegal to reverse out of your driveway.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1997/...zsi182y1997a12

Reversing


12. (1) Before reversing, a driver shall ensure that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.


(2) A driver shall not reverse onto a major road from another road.


(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a public road onto a public road save where it is clear to the driver that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.

MrsLimerick

I don't live next to a major road were a good bit away from a major road thanks for your comments =]

digzy

op, i feel your pain. I live on a street in a town centre with pre-paid or permit parking. the useless warden turns a blind eye to people who know him resulting in my wife finding it bloody awkward with our 2 month old son and all his stuff!

You've a few options
1. accept you live in an estate and anyone else has just as much right to park there as you.
2. approach the neighbour and in the nicest possible wording ask the neighbour to change their ways
3. if 2 above doesn't work, you can revert to 1 or things can escalate. if you're dealing with an ignoramous it'll really get in on you or even blows

you dont want to move cos of it but at least you've the option unlike apes like me who bought during the boom:o

RATM

Victor wrote: »

It is illegal to reverse from a minor road (the driveway) to a main one (the public road).

Joined with that is the matter of having a limited line of site from most driveways.

Round my way everyone parks by driving into their space and departs by reversing out of it. One day I was about to reverse out of mine and just at the last second before I was about to accelerate a 5 year old kid came running after a football behind the car. I was dam lucky I saw him at the last moment. Since that day I always reverse into the parking space so I have a full front on view when exiting, to do otherwise is just asking to knock over a kid.

ABajaninCork

That is one of the reasons why I always reverse into a space. The amount of times I've narrowly avoided either having my car hit or getting run over by drivers too stupid or too careless to look properly drives me mad...

K.Flyer

Generally speaking from experience and from the experience of other posters on similar threads before, ( http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056844849/1 ) it is going to take several "chats" for them to cop on to the trouble they are causing.
Simple solution might be for you to park across your own driveway, which may encourage them to use their own space properly.

Mr.Fred

RATM wrote: »

Round my way everyone parks by driving into their space and departs by reversing out of it. One day I was about to reverse out of mine and just at the last second before I was about to accelerate a 5 year old kid came running after a football behind the car. I was dam lucky I saw him at the last moment. Since that day I always reverse into the parking space so I have a full front on view when exiting, to do otherwise is just asking to knock over a kid.

Isn't it amazing what you can see when you use your mirrors..

A kid running out in front of a car can happen as you're driving along the road so should we all walk so as to avoid this?

Yawns

Ah just park the car where they normally park. They'll get the hint soon enough. In my apartment block, my neighbours have 2 cars but each apartment has only one assigned spot. There are visitor spots as well. For a few days, they decided to take my spot as it was beside their spot rather than park 2 spaces down in the empty visitor spot.

One day the timing was perfect and we managed to be driving into the estate together. One of them driving in front, me and then one behind. The one in front pulls into my spot so I pulled into their spot. Cue the confused looks and he actually then has the cheek to say, 'that's my spot'. I told him he was in mine and he just said ah she didn't want to park further away. I was off work so left my car in their spot for a few days. They've left my space free now.

stevedublin

Kosseegan wrote: »

You husband should reverse into the driveway and drive out. What is it with people who drive head first into their driveway? It is dangerous and illegal.

Troll methinks

Victor

stevedublin wrote: »

Troll methinks

If you have a problem with a post, report it. Do not discuss it on thread.

Moderator

Kosseegan

FaganJr wrote: »

That is SO Hilarious & Wrong! WOW!

Road Traffic (Traffic And Parking) Regulations 1997 (Consolidated)
S.I. No. 182 of 1997
up-to-date to January 20, 2013
reg. 12 Reversing

B–762
12. Reversing
(1) Before reversing, a driver shall ensure that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.
(2) A driver shall not reverse onto a major road from another road.
(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a  public  road onto a  public  road save where it is clear to the driver that to so  reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.

Grolschevik

Kosseegan wrote: »

Road Traffic (Traffic And Parking) Regulations 1997 (Consolidated)
S.I. No. 182 of 1997
up-to-date to January 20, 2013
reg. 12 Reversing

B–762
12. Reversing
(1) Before reversing, a driver shall ensure that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.
(2) A driver shall not reverse onto a major road from another road.
(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a  public  road onto a  public  road save where it is clear to the driver that to so  reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.

A driveway would be "a place adjacent" rather than "another road".

Mr.Fred

Kosseegan wrote: »

Road Traffic (Traffic And Parking) Regulations 1997 (Consolidated)
S.I. No. 182 of 1997
up-to-date to January 20, 2013
reg. 12 Reversing

B–762
12. Reversing
(1) Before reversing, a driver shall ensure that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.
(2) A driver shall not reverse onto a major road from another road.
(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a  public  road onto a  public  road save where it is clear to the driver that to so  reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.

That's a poor defense you're just proving the opposite to your statement.

Kosseegan

Mr.Fred wrote: »

That's a poor defense you're just proving the opposite to your statement.

Far from it. What have I proven? In most cases it is impossible to know that it is safe to reverse. There are garden walls or hedges and gate piers adjacent to most driveways. Mirrors offer little help given the viewing angles. Best practice is to reverse in and drive out.

Mr.Fred

Kosseegan wrote: »

Far from it. What have I proven? In most cases it is impossible to know that it is safe to reverse. There are garden walls or hedges and gate piers adjacent to most driveways. Mirrors offer little help given the viewing angles. Best practice is to reverse in and drive out.

Yes best practice. Massive difference from your previous post about it being illegal which clearly it isn't.

pwurple

We reverse into driveway and drive out. We live on a busy road, reversing out would be difficult and possibly lethal. Point for Escape as my dad says.

I think point three above applies in the legislation also.

Mirrors still give you blind spots. Think of that binman who reversed over the three year old.

Mr.Fred

pwurple wrote: »

Mirrors still give you blind spots. Think of that binman who reversed over the three year old.

Which was an unfortunate accident and not really related to this thread. We're talking about parking your car in a drive way not reversing a 20 ton lorry up a narrow lane.

Perhaps if a bit more attention was paid to driver education at an earlier age we wouldn't have so many careless drivers over here.

Kosseegan

Mr.Fred wrote: »

Yes best practice. Massive difference from your previous post about it being illegal which clearly it isn't.

It is illegal. There is a saver if the driver clearly knows it is safe. That can really only happen when there is someone directing the driver from the road. Sitting in a car with your back to the public road and reversing out is not safe other than in very limited circumstances. Those limited circumstance do not amount to a "massive difference".

Kosseegan

Mr.Fred wrote: »

Which was an unfortunate accident and not really related to this thread. We're talking about parking your car in a drive way not reversing a 20 ton lorry up a narrow lane.

Perhaps if a bit more attention was paid to driver education at an earlier age we wouldn't have so many careless drivers over here.

It doesn't matter what age a driver is when they are educated. Many people of all ages are clearly ignorant of the law relating to parking and reversing.

FaganJr

Kosseegan wrote: »

It doesn't matter what age a driver is when they are educated. Many people of all ages are clearly ignorant of the law relating to parking and reversing.

And you sir are clearly ignorant to the FACT that reversing out of your driveway in an estate is in NO Way illegal.

now go away!

Mr.Fred

Kosseegan wrote: »

It is illegal. There is a saver if the driver clearly knows it is safe. That can really only happen when there is someone directing the driver from the road. Sitting in a car with your back to the public road and reversing out is not safe other than in very limited circumstances. Those limited circumstance do not amount to a "massive difference".

It clearly isn't illegal. Jesus you're like a dog with a bone.

Mr.Fred

Kosseegan wrote: »

It doesn't matter what age a driver is when they are educated. Many people of all ages are clearly ignorant of the law relating to parking and reversing.

There are also many who have no idea of the laws. You may include yourself in that category. :eek:

Mr.Fred

FaganJr wrote: »

And you sir are clearly ignorant to the FACT that reversing out of your driveway in an estate is in NO Way illegal.

now go away!

+1

Kosseegan

Mr.Fred wrote: »

+1

(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a  public  road onto a  public  road

What part of SHALL NOT do you not understand?
When a law states SHALL NOT it is mandatory and to do it is an offence.

FaganJr

Kosseegan wrote: »

(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a  public  road onto a  public  road

What part of SHALL NOT do you not understand?
When a law states SHALL NOT it is mandatory and to do it is an offence.

A place adjacent still is not and never will be a driveway. If anything a driveway. is perpendicular to its access road. Now for the last time. STOP!

Whatever_fools

Getting back to the OP, we'd a similar issue. We have a single driveway and 2 cars and our neighbours have a double driveway and at the time had 4 cars! When we moved in they used to park outside our house (because the people who used to live in our house only had one car) which meant that we have to park our second car across the road. My husband popped in and had a quick chat with them and it was all sorted in a flash. Now we only have one car but they still don't park outside our house so we're still happy. An informal chat would be my recommendation and try to stay calm at the same time!

Kosseegan

FaganJr wrote: »

A place adjacent still is not and never will be a driveway. If anything a driveway. is perpendicular to its access road. Now for the last time. STOP!

A driveway is adjacent to the public road. The fact that it is perpendicular does not mean it is not adjacent. English is the language of this forum not the language of Euclidean geometry. The driveway touches the road, it is adjacent to it.

The_Conductor

Kosseegan wrote: »

(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a  public  road onto a  public  road

What part of SHALL NOT do you not understand?
When a law states SHALL NOT it is mandatory and to do it is an offence.

Perhaps, had you quoted the entire sentence, and not just the part of it that supports your hypothesis, it would make a lot more sense.

The road traffic act states:

Reversing


12. (1) Before reversing, a driver shall ensure that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.


(2) A driver shall not reverse onto a major road from another road.


(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a public road onto a public road save where it is clear to the driver that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.

It most certainly does not state that you cannot reverse from your driveway onto the road in an estate. Even the rules of the road simply says to give way to pedestrians or other traffic (see page 46). Aka- exercise due caution, and don't endanger other traffic or pedestrians- and off you go.

You are explicitly told not to reverse from a minor road to a major road (quite rightly so, given how dangerous it is).

From an insurance perspective- if you're involved in an accident while reversing- you are automatically considered to be in the wrong. Legally- its another matter.

Honey-ec

Unless they're physically blocking your drive you've very little recourse, OP. On a public road, they've as much right to park outside your house as you do.

A friendly chat might achieve the outcome you want, but they're perfectly entitled to tell you to sod off.

No-one has an automatic right to park outside their house unless they legally own the road outside, which is very rarely the case in most urban/suburban areas.

My brother lives in a managed estate and doesn't even own his driveway.

Whatever_fools

I think its more about doing the decent thing as opposed to whether they are 'entitled' to or not. People are 'entitled' to do a lot of things and thank god they don't always do them!

Honey-ec

Whatever_fools wrote: »

I think its more about doing the decent thing as opposed to whether they are 'entitled' to or not. People are 'entitled' to do a lot of things and thank god they don't always do them!

I know that, I'm just saying the OP shouldn't be surprised if they tell her to feck off. In my experience, nothing sours neighbourly relations quicker than car-parking issues.

athtrasna

On the driveway/reversing thing - my driving instructor at the time explained it to me as ok to reverse from a driveway within a housing estate but if your house was off a public road (ie one used by traffic other than residents), then it was illegal to reverse out. Still I drive down the Navan Road almost every day (N3) and see cars reversing from driveways into heavy traffic.

Kosseegan

smccarrick wrote: »

Perhaps, had you quoted the entire sentence, and not just the part of it that supports your hypothesis, it would make a lot more sense.

The road traffic act states:

Reversing


12. (1) Before reversing, a driver shall ensure that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.


(2) A driver shall not reverse onto a major road from another road.


(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a public road onto a public road save where it is clear to the driver that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.

It most certainly does not state that you cannot reverse from your driveway onto the road in an estate. Even the rules of the road simply says to give way to pedestrians or other traffic (see page 46). Aka- exercise due caution, and don't endanger other traffic or pedestrians- and off you go.

You are explicitly told not to reverse from a minor road to a major road (quite rightly so, given how dangerous it is).

You are expressly told not to reverse from a place adjacent to a public road onto a public road. What do you think a driveway is? Something on another planet!


The Firearms and Offensive Weapons ACt has similar type provisions.
9.—(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), where a person has with him in any public place any knife or any other article which has a blade or which is sharply pointed, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) to prove that he had good reason or lawful authority for having the article with him in a public place.


There is an offence of carrying a sharply pointed knife in a public place. people are frequently convicted of it. There is a defence to show that there is a good reason.
In general it is illegal to carry a carpet knife around the streets. A person doing so may be able to avail of a defence but the starting point is that it is illegal.
Similarly with reversing from a driveway. With regard to reversing from a driveway the driver will only know it is safe in a very small number of cases usually where he is assisted by a person outside the car.

Honey-ec

athtrasna wrote: »

On the driveway/reversing thing - my driving instructor at the time explained it to me as ok to reverse from a driveway within a housing estate but if your house was off a public road (ie one used by traffic other than residents), then it was illegal to reverse out. Still I drive down the Navan Road almost every day (N3) and see cars reversing from driveways into heavy traffic.

Regardless of the legalities in housing estates, the fact of the matter is that it's just good practice to reverse into any parking space that isn't a slant one.

Kosseegan

Honey-ec wrote: »

Regardless of the legalities in housing estates, the fact of the matter is that it's just good practice to reverse into any parking space that isn't a slant one.

The housing estates issue is concerned with public roads. Some housing estate have management companies and the road is not a public road. The vast majority of houses adjoin a public road whether in a housing estate or not.

Boskowski

Well, while not exactly examplary etiquette it's not exactly the crime of the century is it? So your husband can't pull out in a straight line, doesn't sound like a life or death situation to me.

handlemaster

MrsLimerick wrote: »

My husband , 11month old son and I moved into our rented house in October 2012 and we have never had any problems with our neighbours until the last week .

We live at the end of a cul-de-sac and we have one car and only room for one car in our driveway.
The house across the way have two spaces in there drive way for there two cars yet they insist on parking both there cars outside there driveway roughly 10 inches away from there drive and at an angle .

My husband drives into our drive when he comes home and reverses out in the morning going to work , lately its been very awkward for him to reverse he has to make more of an effort insted of going straight back like he used to.

The new neighbours moved in just over a week ago and everything was fine they were parking in there own drive way but then one day they just stopped and i wouldn't mind if they were doing work in there lawn or driveway and it was only temporary but there not they seem to be just doing it out of ignorance. they have no consideration for any of the other neighbours who have to turn at the bottom of the cul-de-sac or us.

Its impossible to try and talk to them as they don't stay long outside for you to talk to them eg they were home one day and the postman went to the door and rang the doorbell and knocked on the door and they wouldn't answer it.

I get awfully stressed as i don't understand how people can be so ignorant and just cant be neighbourly and polite it would make life so much easier.
Has anyone had similar issues as mine and how did you deal with them?

I had something similar before so I just parked like they were parking outside their house. Didnt have to do it long. All sorted no words exchanged.

Duiske

Kosseegan wrote: »

(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a  public  road onto a  public  road

What part of SHALL NOT do you not understand?
When a law states SHALL NOT it is mandatory and to do it is an offence.

Here's the full sentence.

(3) A driver shall not reverse from a place adjacent to a  public  road onto a  public  road, save where it is clear to the driver that to so reverse would not endanger other traffic or pedestrians.

Why did you leave the bolded part out ? Could it be because it invalidates your argument and makes it clear that reversing from a driveway onto a road, in a safe manner that does not endanger other traffic or pedestrians, is NOT ILLEGAL ?