New research has revealed that neighbours with cars are waging secret parking wars against one another.
A recent survey by the RAC asked more than 2,000 drivers their opinions on their neighbours’ parking habits. While the vast majority were satisfied with their neighbours’ parking, 14 per cent of respondents described their neighbours’ parking as ‘poor’ or ‘appalling’.
When those critical of their neighbours’ parking were asked in what way they considered it to be bad, the majority (62 per cent) explained they were parking in a selfish way. The second and third most common gripes from motorists were neighbours not parking on their own drive despite having the space to do so (41 per cent) and neighbours blocking their drive so they couldn’t get out (31 per cent).
Even worse, nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) unhappy with their neighbours’ parking say that ‘poor’ and ‘appalling’ parking behaviour takes place every day from said neighbours’. 26 per cent said that they have fallen out and stop speaking to their neighbours over their poor parking habits.
Six per cent of those dissatisfied with neighbours’ parking reveal they have applied a ‘taste of their own medicine’ approach by deliberately parking their car badly to annoy their neighbour.
The most common tactic used in these ‘parking wars’ involves motorists parking their car right up against the bumper of their neighbour’s car so it’s difficult to get out. Almost as popular is motorists parking their car right outside their neighbours’ house in a spot where they would normally park.
An RAC Insurance spokesman, Simon Williams, said that to avoid such parking wars motorists should “take a little bit of extra time to think about how their parking might affect their neighbours and fellow drivers.”
