Watch Out: You Won't Believe What This Neighbor Did Over a Controversial Parking Move – Who Really Owns the Street?

Parking woes are a common headache for many, but one Australian's approach to securing a spot outside his home has sparked a fiery debate about street parking etiquette and the law. In a bustling neighborhood just a stone's throw from a popular beach, where construction chaos reigns and parking is as scarce as hen's teeth, one resident's bold move has the community talking.

Aimee Parker, a Melbourne local, found herself at the center of a parking predicament when her neighbor took it upon himself to reserve a public parking space right in front of his house using traffic cones. This unconventional tactic came to light after Parker was asked to move her Jeep Patriot, which was too large for her apartment complex's garage and had been parked on the street.


The neighbor's actions were not only surprising but also quite controversial. After Parker complied and moved her car, she witnessed him placing orange cones on the road, not just at the curb, to ensure ample room for maneuvering his truck and trailer. The neighbor's declaration that no one would park in front of his house anymore, despite it being a public street, added fuel to the fire.


compressed-traffic cone.jpeg
A neighbour placed several orange cones on a public street, implying it is part of his private property. Image Credit: Pexels/Eduardo Soares


Parker's frustration was palpable as she recounted the incident on social media, humorously threatening to toss the cones onto her neighbor's roof. She wasn't alone in her exasperation; another neighbor had resorted to using cones on bin day, and the ongoing construction work had turned parking into a near-impossible mission. Parker herself had even been fined for parking in a 'no stopping zone', a penalty that was later overturned.


The post ignited a debate over the unwritten rules of street parking and the legalities involved. While some sympathized with the desire to have unobstructed access to one's home, others pointed out that the street does not belong to any single individual. The City of Kingston Council weighed in, stating that reserving parking on public roads without a permit is an offense under local laws. They clarified that parking on a public road is permissible as long as it adheres to the area's restrictions.

The council also noted that heavy or long vehicles have specific parking regulations, although there was no indication that the neighbor's truck and trailer fell into this category. The neighbor's makeshift parking reservation was not only divisive but also illegal, creating a traffic hazard that could not prevent others from parking in front of his house unless it was obstructing his driveway.

This incident raises important questions about community living and shared spaces. How do we balance individual needs with collective rights? What are the boundaries of neighborly courtesy versus legal entitlement? And in a world where space is at a premium, how do we navigate the complexities of urban living with fairness and respect for all?

Key Takeaways

  • An Aussie resident used traffic cones to block off a parking space on a public road, sparking debate about street etiquette and legality.
  • A Melbourne woman, Aimee Parker, shared her experience of how her neighbour reserved a public parking spot in front of his house to manoeuvre his truck and trailer.
  • City of Kingston Council stated that reserving parking areas on public roads without a permit is an offence under local laws.
  • The incident ignited mixed reactions online, with some advocating for residential parking courtesy while others insisted that street parking is public space.
Members of the Seniors Discount Club, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this matter. Have you ever encountered similar parking challenges in your neighborhood? What solutions or compromises have you found to be effective? Share your stories and insights in the comments below, and let's discuss the delicate dance of coexisting in our shared spaces.
 
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Mmm, sticky one. Must
admit I get a bit peeved when my neighbours, who always seem to have endless visitors, park all over the verge outside my home, meaning my
visitors have to park on a vacant block up the road.
When I suggested to my neighbour that seeing her visitors had already taken up the parking outside her
property and the vacant block was closer to her place than mine, perhaps she could ask her guests to park there
She very politely told me where to go (won't repeat to what she actually said).
Anyway problem solved when a whole group of my friends
got together and came to my place, three weekends in a row, and parked all over her verge.
Her friends now park on the vacant lot.👍
 
Not enough info. The neighbour may have had a very legitimate reason for needing to 'reserve' a space on that day, presumably because of whatever he needed the trailer for. But if it became an everyday thing instead of a one-off, I would certainly voice an objection.
 
Regardless of the reason for sticking a cone out and expecting it to be honoured, you have to obtain a permit to make it legal. The reason for the permit need only be shared with the governing body. In some cases, there are signs erected by council indicating permit holders only can park there, and if ignored will attract a fine.
It is frustrating to find you cannot park in front of your own home, then, to find the foreign vehicle stays there all day, however, that is not against the law. Same thing applies to the cone person. Sticking a witches hat in front of your house has no power. If you don't want to be accused of stealing someone's cone, pick it up and hang it on their fence post, then plead ignorance.
 
Our neighbours have completely taken over our front. They have a boat and a number of cars so always use the front of ours for their cars. We have only two cars and use our garage so they believe that we do not need the parking outside and they do. Our visitors have to park in the next street. On garbage day their garbage bins (and they have double) sit outside our place. We have to place ours over our drive way and move them to get in and out. Council clean up days their rubbish is placed on our grass as the boat blocks theirs. We feel like we live in the house behind theirs. It is difficult to get our cars in and out as they park right up to the edge and over our drive often. The council representative told me nothing they can do as it is public space and we have to share. When we had some work done on our plumbing we had to pay an additional fee of $150 for access as the plumber had to park a distance away as he could not turn into our drive as it was too tight for their big ute with the cars parked either side. We just have to put up with it. We see so many people complaining about parking because of the 'entitled' people who seem to think they have the right to what ever they want and stuff everyone else. It has become just a fact of life. I do feel for the people in the story with their entitled neighbours - it is so frustrating!!!!!
 
We had trouble with a neighbour at work. He was a very nasty man. He had his garage and an empty driveway but insisted on parking in the comunal parking bay or the road. He even had his daughter park an unregistered car in the parking bay to stop us using it. He abused anyone who parked near his house and almost came to blows with a couple of my co-workers. The council told him he had no rights to the road or the parking bays but he still caused trouble. Our bosses from the office just told us not to park there. It wasn’t ideal as people working late at night were forced to park way down the bottom of the street and felt unsafe walking to their cars. I’m glad I don’t have to put up with him anymore lol
 
Our neighbours have completely taken over our front. They have a boat and a number of cars so always use the front of ours for their cars. We have only two cars and use our garage so they believe that we do not need the parking outside and they do. Our visitors have to park in the next street. On garbage day their garbage bins (and they have double) sit outside our place. We have to place ours over our drive way and move them to get in and out. Council clean up days their rubbish is placed on our grass as the boat blocks theirs. We feel like we live in the house behind theirs. It is difficult to get our cars in and out as they park right up to the edge and over our drive often. The council representative told me nothing they can do as it is public space and we have to share. When we had some work done on our plumbing we had to pay an additional fee of $150 for access as the plumber had to park a distance away as he could not turn into our drive as it was too tight for their big ute with the cars parked either side. We just have to put up with it. We see so many people complaining about parking because of the 'entitled' people who seem to think they have the right to what ever they want and stuff everyone else. It has become just a fact of life. I do feel for the people in the story with their entitled neighbours - it is so frustrating!!!!!
I can't understand why the council allow these people to use the street as a permanent parking spot for their boat.
My brother in-law was told to park his boat on his own property or find alternative parking such as a marina.
 
I can't understand why the council allow these people to use the street as a permanent parking spot for their boat.
My brother in-law was told to park his boat on his own property or find alternative parking such as a marina.
I just googled this. It appears that the law is different in each state.
WA seems to be the strictest hence the reason my brother in law had to move his.
Eastern states apparently a lot slacker. The boat can apparently stay there as long as it is registered, not longer than 7.5 metres and weighs less than 4.5 tonnes. Over these limits they can only stay one hour.
Personally I think if you have a boat that doesn't fit on your property then the least you can do is park it in a boatyard, which is a lot cheaper than a marina.
Sounds like you've got very entitled neighbours.
I'd be parking my cars in the street for a while instead of the garage .
Probably need to get a camera though as these type of people might just decide to do some damage.
 
We had trouble with a neighbour at work. He was a very nasty man. He had his garage and an empty driveway but insisted on parking in the comunal parking bay or the road. He even had his daughter park an unregistered car in the parking bay to stop us using it. He abused anyone who parked near his house and almost came to blows with a couple of my co-workers. The council told him he had no rights to the road or the parking bays but he still caused trouble. Our bosses from the office just told us not to park there. It wasn’t ideal as people working late at night were forced to park way down the bottom of the street and felt unsafe walking to their cars. I’m glad I don’t have to put up with him anymore lol
An unregistered car can be removed by the council if parked in the street. I’m not sure if the parking bays are private or not
 
Not enough info. The neighbour may have had a very legitimate reason for needing to 'reserve' a space on that day, presumably because of whatever he needed the trailer for. But if it became an everyday thing instead of a one-off, I would certainly voice an objection.
I believe that point is covered in the 3rd paragraph, 'The neighbour's declaration that no one would park in front of his house anymore', is stating that this, as far as he is concerned, will be a permanent arrangement.
 
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Our neighbours have completely taken over our front. They have a boat and a number of cars so always use the front of ours for their cars. We have only two cars and use our garage so they believe that we do not need the parking outside and they do. Our visitors have to park in the next street. On garbage day their garbage bins (and they have double) sit outside our place. We have to place ours over our drive way and move them to get in and out. Council clean up days their rubbish is placed on our grass as the boat blocks theirs. We feel like we live in the house behind theirs. It is difficult to get our cars in and out as they park right up to the edge and over our drive often. The council representative told me nothing they can do as it is public space and we have to share. When we had some work done on our plumbing we had to pay an additional fee of $150 for access as the plumber had to park a distance away as he could not turn into our drive as it was too tight for their big ute with the cars parked either side. We just have to put up with it. We see so many people complaining about parking because of the 'entitled' people who seem to think they have the right to what ever they want and stuff everyone else. It has become just a fact of life. I do feel for the people in the story with their entitled neighbours - it is so frustrating!!!!!
Haven't we read this story on a previous occassion, word for word? Just asking.
 
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If his vehicle is long, a truck & trailer, he should be required to park in a yard somewhere away from his home, even if this means driving to & from his vehicle.

I feel he is bullying his neighbours while thumbing his nose at the council. He should be fined by the council & while his truck & trailer are gone during the day neighbours should park there indicating they have had.
 
Ahhhhh, the can of worms just gets bigger as more worms gather together.

Another dilemma which unfortunately affects many residents in many areas.
 
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