Selfish parking? (See mod warning: Post 373)

wonski

pablo128 wrote: »

When I was living back home there were 6 or 7 cars there, and none of us were fat. Well except for my dad. This crack of only putting a few spots outside outside houses instead of driveways is ridiculous if you ask me, but it seems to be the way nowadays.

I'll never buy a house without a driveway, that's for sure.

My "fat" comment was more related to the fact that all this parking crap is caused by people refusing to walk, rather than actually being fat.

And this crack of lack of space to park cars is down to lack of space rather than bad planning, unless you want estates looking like supermarket carparks.

pablo128

wonski wrote: »

My "fat" comment was more related to the fact that all this parking crap is caused by people refusing to walk, rather than actually being fat.

And this crack of lack of space to park cars is down to lack of space rather than bad planning, unless you want estates looking like supermarket carparks.

I'm not getting at the Op, but there's a big green in front of the houses there. Lack of space is not the issue.

mfceiling

A lot of you aren't reading this properly.

The spaces don't "belong" to any houses. It is public parking and not assigned to any houses.

The simple fact is the opel driver is taking 2 spaces. That is called being a dick.

endacl

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

So came home today to find she's acquired a skip. I initally parked at the bottom of the road but when I woke up.... I took the space.

This'll be interesting.

Seriously. PM me the address. I've loads of stuff to go in a skip! She could hardly complain. If I claimed a part of her skip through parking an old desk in it, well, that'd be ok? Right?

frozenfrozen

why doesn't everyone just take one spot per vehicle as close to the front of their house and when they run out of spaces then start doing mad **** like taking up two spots.

It makes no sense to double park on the off chance someone might call over, for the rest of time, where you'd then have to go out and move your car just as they're arriving, rather than just getting them to park on the opposite side of the road, down the road, or better yet in a free parking space because nobody is being a dick about owning them!

punisher5112

As I suggested see can another spot be added check with councillors or td and council also if a cost agreement between all 6 houses and number spots then.

alias no.9

wonski wrote: »

There always is an informal allocation as everyone gets spots in front of their house.

No happiness to be achieved. People are lazy and want to see their car through their front window.

2 spaces per house is madness, though. Give them one allocated and the rest as first come basis.

I know estates where there are more than two cars per household, you can't plan these things. All fat and refuse to walk...

Take the nearest empty space to your front door when you arrive, not that difficult.
I think a huge part of the problem it that the OP seems to be fixated on staking a permanent claim on a single space and even frames it as a conflict between him and crazylady.
She then clearly sees it as a conflict between the two of them too with him seeming to take something she feels was hers.
If everyone just took the most convenient space available as they arrived with regular shuffling about there'd be no conflict, there's enough spaces.

Gen.Zhukov

Entertaining thread OP, although I'm sure you could do without the issue.

Has crazyOpelwoman purposely gotten a skip in defence of 'her' parking spots or is it just a coincidence and she needs it anyway ? If the former, she's totally nuts.

I hope she loads it better than her green bin in an early pic pg6, coz she made a right balls of that !

humberklog

God I love that skip.

Any new pics KH?

K.Flyer

alias no.9 wrote: »

I think a huge part of the problem it that the OP seems to be fixated on staking a permanent claim on a single space and even frames it as a conflict between him and crazylady.

Earlier posts in the thread from the O.P. shows that this is not the case.

She then clearly sees it as a conflict between the two of them too with him seeming to take something she feels was hers.

She doesn't want O.P. or anyone parking there.

If everyone just took the most convenient space available as they arrived with regular shuffling about there'd be no conflict, there's enough spaces.

Suggested to the O.P. by some earlier already.
Which he has already done, and then the fun started :pac:

jackofalltrades

Hey OP.
Get thread BTW and thanks for keeping it updated.
If I were you I'd continue parking in any available spot, don't pay any head to unofficial rules.

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

It really, at the end of the day is just about us two and there's no need for anyone else to get involved.

This is a bad move.
It's everybodys problem though, all of your neighbours should be involved in this.
You live at the end of the terrace so you should be the least affected by this.
With everyone involved and parking where they want it's also less likely that there will be two adjacent spaces for for the Opel lady to try her carry on.
The Opel driver needs to cop on and the StreetKa owner needs to sell their car.
If things are getting to heated then call the Gardí.
This would be ideal, as they'd give the Opel driver the kick up the arse that they need.
They'd also get on the StreetKa owners case about her declaring a car off the road when it isn't, which could lead to them selling the car.
If they drive a Dacia with the cheapest tax, I can't seem them paying the €385 odd tax for a car that they don't use.

One last things does the Opel lady rent or own her house.
If she rents they it wouldn't be a bad idea to get on to her landlord about her parking.

Kintarō Hattori

Mary63 wrote: »

Opel woman is definitely in the wrong,she can't park improperly for any reason,the spots are delineated and I would take a picture of your car parked taking up two spaces,I would then call in and show her the picture and say you want to discuss the way forward.

If you park behind the cars you would have to make sure to leave spaces for emergency services and bin collection trucks.I wouldn't do this,the main problem is opel woman taking up two spaces and all of the rest of you need to speak to her about this,why should her ex who doesn't even live there have his own reserved parking space.I can see why she is doing what she is doing and its probably partly because of the other car taking up a space permanently but its still ridiculous when there aren't enough spaces to go around.

Either get the council to mark out the spaces with house numbers or else just park wherever there is a free space.

That's the main crux of the problem. I knocked on the door, asked rationally to speak to her about it and all that came out was that it was 'her spot'. It didn't solve anything.
And you're right, parking at the green is a possibility but you need to ensure that there's space for the refuse collection, milk deliveries and everything else.

K.Flyer wrote: »

Whoah there for a minute!
This should not be between You and Opel Lady, its should be between Opel Lady and all her neighbours.
Park where you like and leave it to the rest of them to sort her out.

That's not plausible though. Everyone else on the row has their two spaces so won't get involved as they aren't put out. There's no reason for them to get involved in something which brings hassle as they all have a place to park.

Mary63 wrote: »

Op,do you have a residents association.I would call a meeting of all of you and out this proposal to your neighbours,you have two options,one is to have all the spots on a first come first served basis or else have one space marked per house and the other spaces first come first served.No one is to be allowed to park in anyway except between the delineated lines,I would ask opel car owner is she clear on this.

This has the potential to set you all against each other and its better to live in harmony when you are on top of each other like this.

We don't and as stated above, it's unlikely anyone else would get involved. They all have somewhere to park so there's no reason for them to get mixed up in this.

Augeo wrote: »

Is this a cul de sac?

The road does end in a cul-de-sac as it goes around the green but there's no through road.

alias no.9 wrote: »

+1 on this, in fact making it just between you and her may be part of the problem, she may see it as a permanent 'land grab' for want of a better description.

If all 11 spaces are treated as first come, first served, everyone will be happy almost all of the time. If there's any formal or informal allocation of spaces, you get this kind of crap at a time when there are 11 spaces and 11 cars, imagine what it'll be like if there were 12 or more cars.

Again no-one has any reason to get involved as they all have somewhere to park. No-one will treat it as first come first served as they've all been parking in the same spots for years.

wonski wrote: »

No happiness to be achieved.

I think you've hit the nail on the head wonski, there really can be no positive resolution to this. She won't give up the space and my pressing the issue could very well have consequences. However I'm loathe to let her take two spots for no good reason so I'll continue to randomly park in the spot.

punisher5112 wrote: »

As I suggested see can another spot be added check with councillors or td and council also if a cost agreement between all 6 houses and number spots then.

It's honestly not worth that hassle. It shouldn't be. Two rational people should be able to resolve this between themselves. Worst comes to worst I'll clear off some of the 'flower bed' beside me and fix it up in a non-permanent way to be used as a space.

1.618 wrote: »

Entertaining thread OP, although I'm sure you could do without the issue.

Has crazyOpelwoman purposely gotten a skip in defence of 'her' parking spots or is it just a coincidence and she needs it anyway ? If the former, she's totally nuts.

I hope she loads it better than her green bin in an early pic pg6, coz she made a right balls of that !

Well I thought she had gotten it in for the craic.... especially in light of her saying 'anyone can buy a €100 banger' but no, it's actually full of kids crap as of this evening.

humberklog wrote: »

God I love that skip.

Any new pics KH?

Nothing new HK.... though I'll keep you informed.

the beer revolu

OP, I'm seeing double standards here.
You seem to be accepting the fact that all neighbours apart from Opelbitch "own" the spaces in front of their houses. If that's the case for them, why not her?
You need to start parking in any free space, not just "hers",as is your right.
Also, I'd contact the guards about the Ka.

anewme

You are really treating it like 3 houses have two spaces each and the last three houses have five spaces between three of them. With the ka wasting a space and having a duster then you and Opel Fruit have 3 between you....

But the reality is that 6 houses have eleven spaces between them.

Thats where you are going wrong.

You are taking the problem on yourself when it's everyone's issue. You should just really park where is free when you come home.

I've learned early on to stand my ground with stuff like this. You say you don't want to fall out with anyone as you have to live there. That's fair enough but the rest don't seem bothered about falling out with you.

wonski

I would rather see a red car than a skip full of crap.

Legally you can't park a car that is off a road but can park a skip? It is probably legal but maybe, just maybe there is something illegal about putting a skip in there like that?

I would look into it

jackofalltrades

OP out of interest who came banging on your door at night once?
Did you park in one of the other (non affected)neighbours spots and they came to tell you not to do it?

Teyla Emmagan

That skip is just to 'reserve' the space, I'd say she'll do nothing with it. But other people will fill it with rubbish and then you can report her to the council for dumping.

This is exactly like my street (I would be ashamed to post photos though of what some of them have done to mark out "their" space). And it's always the women who are the worst for some reason. I have a neighbour exactly like this woman, brass neck and doesn't give a t*ss about anyone else. It is astonishing how MENTAL some people can be.

That Skoda yoke should be the one parking on the 'flowerbed' though OP, if you ever get around to doing anything with it.

anewme

I did not see any Skoda yoke?

K.Flyer

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

That's not plausible though. Everyone else on the row has their two spaces so won't get involved as they aren't put out. There's no reason for them to get involved in something which brings hassle as they all have a place to park.

You say that as if they are entitled to park in those same spaces all the time because they have lived there longer than you.
You are entitled to park in any empty space available when you arrive home.
If someone has a problem with it, then thats tough on them and they need to get over it.
I have lived in a very similar situation where certain people felt that they owned certain parking spaces, even going as far as leaving notes on people's car windows. Well notes were soon put on their car windows telling them that they were entitled to park in the parking area, but that none of the spaces were designated to any one property and if they had a problem with it to take it up with the management company. They eventually got the message and the sooner your neighbours get it the better.

Teyla Emmagan

anewme wrote: »

I did not see any Skoda yoke?

The red thing. I'm not really up on my marques.

anewme

It does not matter if they were there first OP. Wait till one off-the-their teenagers get a car - I guarantee you they will start taking 3 spaces!

OP you lost a lot of ground with Opel Fruit when you said you would move if Her partner came back. That was almost like asking as a favour to park in her spot.

This is a pain in the backside for OP as everyone knows, the biggest rows and falling outs are over crap like this.

However, please do not let anyone treat you like a lodger in your own home. You have as much right as any if then to the spaces.

If they knock in to you, just say, ah yeah, you really need to knock into Opel fruit yourself - I've already tried but she's been quite any hostile. Not really much else I can do after that! And leave it at that.

I'd also take photos each day of skip- there must be a limit as to how long it is allowed stay there. And get on to the council.

Jaysus, you would not want me living in that road! There would be killings.

Lia_lia

anewme wrote: »

Opel Fruit

Opel Fruit :pac: That made me laugh.

Kintarō Hattori

the beer revolu wrote: »

OP, I'm seeing double standards here.
You seem to be accepting the fact that all neighbours apart from Opelbitch "own" the spaces in front of their houses. If that's the case for them, why not her?
You need to start parking in any free space, not just "hers",as is your right.
Also, I'd contact the guards about the Ka.

Folks, I'm not saying anyone is entitled to the two spaces outside their front door. They aren't assigned to the houses. What I am saying and this is my issue is that currently, one space is actually free. No-one is parking a car in it.... it's just being double parked on.

jackofalltrades wrote: »

OP out of interest who came banging on your door at night once?
Did you park in one of the other (non affected)neighbours spots and they came to tell you not to do it?

Nope. I parked in Opel womans 'spot' and the Citreon owner came knocking on my door complaining about StreetKa (red car) woman.... while she was heading from her car into her house. You couldn't make this up.

K.Flyer wrote: »

You say that as if they are entitled to park in those same spaces all the time because they have lived there longer than you.
You are entitled to park in any empty space available when you arrive home.
If someone has a problem with it, then thats tough on them and they need to get over it.
I have lived in a very similar situation where certain people felt that they owned certain parking spaces, even going as far as leaving notes on people's car windows. Well notes were soon put on their car windows telling them that they were entitled to park in the parking area, but that none of the spaces were designated to any one property and if they had a problem with it to take it up with the management company. They eventually got the message and the sooner your neighbours get it the better.

You're quite right in that no-one owns the spaces outside their homes. I'm not denying that at all. What I am saying, that rather than being righteous about this which would, invariably, rain hell down on the street, I am pursuing the one space that is currently not used by anyone. In that way none of the other neighbours have their noses put out of joint.

There's one space free, not being parked in by another car. Yes I could waltz into any space that's free but doesn't it make more sense to try and park in the 'unused' one.


Keeping track of how long the skip stays there is a good idea..... I'll be doing that. We've already had kids from the area emptying bits of it and playing with it on the green. I can't see her rushing to tidy up after them.

Raging_Ninja

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

There's one space free, not being parked in by another car. Yes I could waltz into any space that's free but doesn't it make more sense to try and park in the 'unused' one.

No, it doesn't make sense. You need to stop worrying about everyone else and worry about yourself. You seem to be taking this on all on your own when this is in fact all your neighbours' problem, not just yours.

The correct response to this is park in whatever space you can. Get the community involved. If anyone gives you grief, you point out that all parking is unallocated and then point out StreetKa and Opel lady's skip and leave it at that.

Alternatively you can keep on being the nice guy and keep on getting taken advantage of and walked all over by all of your neighbours, as I and others warned you about at the start of the thread.

Kintarō Hattori

Raging_Ninja wrote: »

No, it doesn't make sense. You need to stop worrying about everyone else and worry about yourself. You seem to be taking this on all on your own when this is in fact all your neighbours' problem, not just yours.

The correct response to this is park in whatever space you can. Get the community involved. If anyone gives you grief, you point out that all parking is unallocated and then point out StreetKa and Opel lady's skip and leave it at that.

I hear what you're saying and that's the route I'll do down if I must.

The_Honeybadger

Epic thread OP! I'm in a situation where we've a driveway but I have a couple of neighbours that have 3-4 cars to a house and leave them parked all over the shop. I've been blocked in on my own driveway a couple of times and others I'm left so little room to reverse out it's downright dangerous. Most of them are sound and will move if asked though so it's a minor annoyance.

Your situation would drive me mad. You're trying to keep the peace and stay friendly with everybody but it's hard when two neighbours are being totally unreasonable. That Ka should be moved, but the Opel woman is far worse. Her behaviour is petty and childish. If it was me I'd take a photo every time she does it and knock on the door and ask her to move. If she refuses a couple of times I'd go to the community Garda with it. A quick word from them should get her to cop on. I'd guess that she's do the same to you at the drop of a hat.

savagethegoat

is there anything to be said for another Mass?

pablo128

With regards to the Ka, I have neighbours, a young couple with 2 cars, one of them SORDed. Now they have a driveway so it's not an issue, but the reason one car is not used is the fact that they are saving hard for their wedding and need every penny they can save. The 2nd car will go back on the road after the wedding.

It could be a similar scenario in this case. I would give them a break. It's not an eyesore in fairness.

anewme

pablo128 wrote: »

With regards to the Ka, I have neighbours, a young couple with 2 cars, one of them SORDed. Now they have a driveway so it's not an issue, but the reason one car is not used is the fact that they are saving hard for their wedding and need every penny they can save. The 2nd car will go back on the road after the wedding.

It could be a similar scenario in this case. I would give them a break. It's not an eyesore in fairness.

But it is an issue? There's not enough parking spaces for everyone and they are wasting a space. They still expect a space for their duster as well.

anewme

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

I hear what you're saying and that's the route I'll do down if I must.

I'm not sure why you see that as a challenge. That a really the only way it will stop. You don't need to confront anyone or even speak to anyone just come home from work and park your car in whatever of the 11 spaces is free. End of. If someone else comes later then let them deal with Opel.

If anyone comes to you to give out about Ka, don't entertain them, just say, oh you'll just gave to take it up with them.

You really seem to have drawn the short straw with your neighbours, sorry Op

Esel

Put the Ka in the skip.

wonski

Esel wrote: »

Put the Ka in the skip.

Opel next in line

Cuddlesworth

If the skip ends up just sitting there for over a week, ring the skip company and let them know she is just using it to block a space in a neighbour dispute. Thing will be gone sharpish, its not making money for them sitting there.

kupus

You're on a loser here op. I'm going to have a good guess that you are dealing with an entitlement merchant.... The cradle to grave type. I could be wrong but I rarely am.
You are going to get nowhere being nice. Cos no matter what you do she'll always be entitled in her mind to those spaces.
Only thing really is buy a banger an stick it in the space. And be prepared to wait. Could be a short time or a long time. She will cave in. It just takes time.
Or ask her <snipped by moderator for unhelpfulness and sexism>

kupus

kupus wrote: »

............
Only thing really is buy a banger an stick it in the space. ...........

Than the banger takes a space. How does Opel lady cave in than? Promise to be good or something if the banger is removed?

The only thing to do here is to park anywhere free, as close to your house as possible. The odds are decent that half the time both the OP and their partner will be home before either Opel lady or Duster lady.

The odds are excellent that they will both be home before all of the other 6 car drivers.


Also I'm not surprised a skip turned up, her front garden had a pile of rubble in it, skip should be gone shortly anyway I imagine.

ronn

Ring the skip company and tell them your finished with the skip can they come collect it,
Jobs oxo

humberklog

Feck it KH, order a skip and make sure he plonks it on a dividing line.

sheep?

SKIPS FOR EVERYONE!

Topper Harley

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

I hear what you're saying and that's the route I'll do down if I must.

Please do. All those other neighbours had no interest in helping to resolve the issue (which is everyone on the street's issue) as long as it only affected you and not them.

Well fuck that, if you're being put out and no one's willing to compromise or even help you to persuade the Opel or StreetKa drivers to move, then they're fair game too. Start putting them out (and remember, you're not actually doing anything wrong), make it their problem and only then is there any chance of finding a solution that works for everyone...

...Or maybe there will just be 40 years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanoes, the dead rising from the grave, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria etc.

Voodoomelon

Thread of the year.

After confronting the wagon Opel woman, I would have given it a week for her to come around asking about her mysterious slow punctures.

corglass

shaunr68 wrote: »

I can see what's happened here is that a situation has developed over the years whereby everybody treated the two spaces outside their house as their own, except OP whose household had just one car. This worked well enough until now. Opel woman now only requires one space but is unhappy about relinquishing her "spare" space in case she needs it in future. That's a selfish attitude but I can see how it's come about.

Stupid planning to have 11 spaces for 6 houses, it seems that as the spaces are not owned or allocated in any manner then a free-for-all is the sensible way to treat the parking situation.

I do like the idea suggested above of re-marking the spaces to allow 12 cars to park, won't necessarily resolve anything though if one household buys a third car.!

I think this is the best summary so far. It explains why Opel lady suddenly adopted the new attitude.

She is directly targeting the OP. The OP needs to address the issue above in any conversation with her. I.e. the space cannot be hoarded just because you previously needed it.

Shint0

Esel wrote: »

Put the Ka in the skip.

Hmmph! My first car (baby) was one; the original model. Very misunderstood and underappreciated. Anything that swift and can go like a bullet can't be disregarded or discarded!!

Joking aside it's clear the issue here is as much the OP's wish to avoid conflict as that's probably his natural style as against the car owner's sense of self-entitlement so he really does need to stir things up a bit now if he wants to get a satisfactory outcome.

It's a bit like being on a flight and using a shared armrest. There can be sort of an unspoken social contract. Sometimes one passenger might use it for a while. They put their elbow down and the other passenger might use it for a while or sometimes nobody uses it but there's rarely any dispute or disagreement and it seems to work.

The same thing has been happening here except now the dynamics have changed. There was a voluntary agreement that the various parking spaces 'belonged' or could be used by the residents with their house directly in front.

I think the OP should now involve everybody. He should write a letter to each household and ask if it's possible to convene a meeting; explain that up until now the voluntary agreement of using the parking spaces has worked on the basis of mutual trust and goodwill but regrettably things have now changed and if a satisfactory outcome can't be reached then he will have no choice but to use any available free space. This will naturally pee off everyone else; they will know it's the Opel lady, the finger will be pointed back at her and you are giving them fair warning.

I can see this thread running on and on until the OP adopts one of the suggested methods here but that would bring the thread to an end and there wouod be no fun in that. Epic thread.

anewme

Shint0 wrote: »

Hmmph! My first car (baby) was one; the original model. Very misunderstood and underappreciated. Anything that swift and can go like a bullet can't be disregarded or discarded!!

Joking aside it's clear the issue here is as much the OP's wish to avoid conflict as that's probably his natural style as against the car owner's sense of self-entitlement so he really does need to stir things up a bit now if he wants to get a satisfactory outcome.

It's a bit like being on a flight and using a shared armrest. There can be sort of an unspoken social contract. Sometimes one passenger might use it for a while. They put their elbow down and the other passenger might use it for a while or sometimes nobody uses it but there's rarely any dispute or disagreement and it seems to work.

The same thing has been happening here except now the dynamics have changed. There was a voluntary agreement that the various parking spaces 'belonged' or could be used by the residents with their house directly in front.

I think the OP should now involve everybody. He should write a letter to each household and ask if it's possible to convene a meeting; explain that up until now the voluntary agreement of using the parking spaces has worked on the basis of mutual trust and goodwill but regrettably things have now changed and if a satisfactory outcome can't be reached then he will have no choice but to use any available free space. This will naturally pee off everyone else; they will know it's the Opel lady, the finger will be pointed back at her and you are giving them fair warning.

.

I see where you are coming from but ii'd do the opposite.

I would not write a letter to each house. I would not be assed with the stress of organising a meeting or writing to people just to let them know you intend to excercise what is really his entitlement. (Who does Yer man think he is summoning us to meetings)?He owes none of them any explanation. They can see themselves- 2x 6 is 12 so someone gets one space. Until they are inconvenienced, they won't care.

By writing letters, calling meetings, he is more or less taking ownership of the issue. It's not just his issue, it's an issue for them all.

If I were OP, id just live normally and forget about it - come home, take whatever space is free and if someone approaches him on it, then say what you said above. I'd also say maybe WE need to call a meeting on it.? It's not being aggressive or confrontational, it's just living life as normal.

Shint0

True, anewme, but as the OP doesn't really seem to be one for dealing directly with confrontation and hasn't really adopted any suggestion so far from what I can see even the one you mentioned putting something in writing first might be the least confrontational style for him.

If he is finding it difficult to handle dealing with one person then he might find it even more of a challenge if he suddenly has the rest of the residents to deal with as well as it can all get turned back on him as being the one responsible. Lots of useful suggestions here, anyway, so will be interesting to see how it turns out.

LiamoSail

I don't get the hate for the Ka owner. From my understanding, as with every other resident, Ka owners house has two cars and uses two spaces. It being declared off the road is irrelevant.

The whole situation is pathetic. 11 spaces, 11 cars, there's room for everyone. Opel woman is ****ing over everyone, not just the OP, and the OP should make this everyone V Opel woman rather than just him V Opel woman

ted1

OP, when you arrive home just park in whatever space is free. They are all communal spaces .

the beer revolu

kupus wrote: »

. I could be wrong but I rarely am.
.

:D:D:D
This thread is pure gold.
Above quote is one of the funniest things ever!

joebloggs32

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

In fairness I think a lot of people are under the impression that the space or two directly outside their garden is theirs. I know my missus thought the same initially and used to get annoyed if someone parked where she usually parked her car. I explained that it was actually a public space and in theory anyone can park there... though usually they didn't and she was able to avail of it.
I'd suspect our neighbour probably thought the same.

Did your missus ever hood hook up a chain and padlock to block me in to what she thought was her space?
This is what happened to me one morning. I had to get a taxi to work. Then I got a loan of a bolt cutter and came back and cut the chain.
Never had a problem after that

Topper Harley

Shint0 wrote: »

True, anewme, but as the OP doesn't really seem to be one for dealing directly with confrontation and hasn't really adopted any suggestion so far from what I can see even the one you mentioned putting something in writing first might be the least confrontational style for him.

If he is finding it difficult to handle dealing with one person then he might find it even more of a challenge if he suddenly has the rest of the residents to deal with as well as it can all get turned back on him as being the one responsible. Lots of useful suggestions here, anyway, so will be interesting to see how it turns out.

Trying to avoid confrontation is just making a doormat out of the OP. He's not being unreasonable to park in any available space. I wouldn't see it as the OP having to deal with the rest of the residents, he's just forcing them all to have to deal with other rather than let them away with burying their head in the sand because they are not directly affected.

Mary63

Do you have a residents association OP.

What about asking the residents association if you have one to email every resident pointing out that no one is to park the car in such a way as to hog two spots.The only one doing this is Opel fruit so she will know someone has complained about her.

She is majorly at fault here and she is probably considering buying a banger too and putting it in the second space.