[NBwcs]

Had a minor fall out this morning with a customers neighbour and it got me thinking. I'd parked outside her house to clean next doors windows, wasn't blocking her drive or anything but she wasn't happy and expected me to park on the opposite side of road, to which I said that would mean trailing the hose pipe over the road which I'd rather not (not a problem doing this if there isn't an alternative, but there was). Anyway, she stormed off saying I was unreasonable. This got me thinking about the job in general and  I have a generalised overview that the job is pretty much confrontation free, then started to recall more and more incidents over my 17yrs window cleaning. I've had a couple of hum dingers, one with a fellow shiner and one with a customer but realised all the rest have been with customers neighbours and all  bar the hum dingers have the same root cause.......parking.  Is parking rage a thing in your area? It certainly is round here, so many people seem to think they have a  god given right to the space on the road outside their property, as far as I'm aware they haven't. Even my Mrs gets worked up about other cars outside ours. I know a fellow windy who was even assaulted locally over parking on a shared driveway. Is it the same for you?

[Granny]

Yep especially since Covid with the working from home lark.
I've had some, what I  hate the worst is when they say "I need to get the car out" and then take ages and ages, you finish the job and they still haven't moved!
I had one have us move the van because "It was blocking her drive" I could have got a bus out of the space we had left, it was overhanging her drive by about an inch!

[Ascjim]

Just run your hose over the road!

[NBwcs]

Just run your hose over the road!

There was a post on here a few years ago where a cyclist came a cropper riding over a window cleaners hose, and sustained some minor injuries, bruising, grazes etc by incredible bad luck, it turned out they worked in a solicitors office and the Wc in question got alot of grief. I cant remember the outcome but others may recall the post. Sometimes trailing a hose is the best option time wise particularly down cul de sacs but i'm a bit more wary on a busy road and today there was absolutely no need for me to do it.

[dd]

Just apologize for not realizing she owned that piece of road.

[S.A.J]

Yep had this a few times! I just ignore them but if they keep giving me grief I say to them if I’m breaking any laws please phone the police! To this day police have never shown up 

[S.A.J]

I also ask for proof that they own the land I’m parked on! If they do I’ll happily move my van!

Again to this day I’ve never had to move my van

[Stoots]

 Cant really remember much confrontations

Apart from one chav riding his mountain bike on the path like a 5 year old, he shouted at me for having the hose across it.

I pointed out he should be on the road

Since he was an uneducated scruff he wasnt aware of this and took offence, anyway it all kicked off plenty of verbal exchanges and threats of violence. It was quite fun actually.

[dazmond]

Had it myself a few times....I just smile and laugh at them....I wouldn't  park over their driveway but any other part of the road is fair game.....

Some people are really weird.....why do they get so angry for parking outside their house for 15 mins?they need a check up from the neck up!

[windowswashed]

Unless it's a private road they can whistle

[Splash & dash]

Unless it's a private road they can whistle

Even if it’s a private read you can still park in it as your customer has requested you to do work on their behalf

[james peters]

I have always found that if I am really freindly and nice back to aggresive morons it confuses them , as they expect to have a confontation. 
 If they continue , I just ignore them ....

if they continue to persist , normally , a little  stare at them which says ( you are getting on my nerves )  solves the problem 

[windowswashed]

You can legally block someone out of their drive but you can't block them in their drive

[jk999]

Just tell them you pay your road tax which entitles you to park there

[Ian101]

Had it loads.
I realised most times it wasn't about me or the van but they had stuff going on in their lives that they couldn't control so were transferring their anger over the real problem onto the stuff they could control like me and my vans parking / splashing their windows / etc.
A prime example was a grandmother whose grandchild had leukaemia and was really angry and upset over that (obviously) and "took it out" on me.
Without getting all deep and talking about psychology keep an eye out for it and it happens a lot in day to day life.

or they are just @#nts 

[Slacky]

Just tell them you pay your road tax which entitles you to park there

You still paying road tax? Didn’t anyone tell you Road Tax was abolished in 1937.



Not wishing to be pedantic you understand…..

[Phil J]

You'll only be there for 15 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the house, let em squirm.

[robbo333]

I've never really had a problem, if I think i'm blocking someone's drive, I will go and ask permission....and also...would you like a window cleaner, picked up a few like that.

I think people consider the road area outside their house as 'personal space' which obviously it isn't. But if you're nice and have a laugh it's all good.

[Bungle]

I'll drag my hose over neighbours drives and lawns if it means an easier life for me