Neighbor problem

[Schmeck]

I don't understand why you wouldn't park in your driveway. That is what driveways are for.

Some of the driveways in the town I live in are very hard to pull out of at certain times of the day. When I go to my friend's house (who has one of those tricky driveways) we all park out on the street during the day, even the home owner! Backing in or backing out of the driveway during the day is just too crazy. Same at my inlaws' house. We all park out on the street, because the driveway is on a blind curve and it gets busy during commuter hours.

 

[luvsJack]

Have you looked around to see if there is a reason why she is blocking your driveway? Like, maybe you are parking in the street and not leaving her anywhere else to park? Or maybe if you aren't parking in your driveway, she doesn't see the issue?

Seems to me that you parking in your driveway would solve the problem. And if you just are NOT going to use it, why stress over it?

As for the car alarm, I think I would simply walk over and knock on her door when it goes off. Maybe she doesn't know what to do about it? Maybe she really isn't hearing it? You are up anyway, go over and tell her so that you know its a problem. You don't have to go over and start accusing. Just knock on the door, and say "your car alarm is going off, we came to make sure everything is ok". And be sure to mention its being doing that a lot.

Most people are not just trying to make problems, they just don't seem to realize how what they are doing is effecting someone else.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

OP here. I park in the street because I don't want to have to back in and out all day. My kids have activities and during the day my street is busy. There is parking on the street.Many times she will be blocking our driveway when there is an open spot in front of our 2 cars. There are usually spots across the street too. I should also say her landlord's family likes to block our driveway when they visit him too. One day our block was full and his DS's GF was blocking my driveway. I had DD ring their bell and she moved the car. This was a couple of months ago and they haven't done it again. So basically I should charge for using my driveway. Seriously, we will be speaking to the neighbor.

 

[ajk912]

Have you looked around to see if there is a reason why she is blocking your driveway? Like, maybe you are parking in the street and not leaving her anywhere else to park? Or maybe if you aren't parking in your driveway, she doesn't see the issue?

Seems to me that you parking in your driveway would solve the problem. And if you just are NOT going to use it, why stress over it?

As for the car alarm, I think I would simply walk over and knock on her door when it goes off. Maybe she doesn't know what to do about it? Maybe she really isn't hearing it? You are up anyway, go over and tell her so that you know its a problem. You don't have to go over and start accusing. Just knock on the door, and say "your car alarm is going off, we came to make sure everything is ok". And be sure to mention its being doing that a lot.

Most people are not just trying to make problems, they just don't seem to realize how what they are doing is effecting someone else.

I agree! I don't know what "blocking a driveway" means anyway. Are you talking about parking at the end of the driveway so there is no way to get in the driveway? Or parking on the opposite side of the street that the driveway empties out of, so when you are backing out or pulling out you have to be careful because that car is there?

I agree it's nice neighbor politics that if you are going to park on the street anyway, it's fine if she parks there. If you have something going on where you will need your driveway, just let her know. I agree the alarm is annoying but the parking arrangements aren't anything I'd get upset over. You are being creative with parking (not using your driveway) so she is too. Is there limited parking maybe?

 

[declansdad]

OP here. I park in the street because I don't want to have to back in and out all day. My kids have activities and during the day my street is busy. There is parking on the street.Many times she will be blocking our driveway when there is an open spot in front of our 2 cars. There are usually spots across the street too. I should also say her landlord's family likes to block our driveway when they visit him too. One day our block was full and his DS's GF was blocking my driveway. I had DD ring their bell and she moved the car. This was a couple of months ago and they haven't done it again. So basically I should charge for using my driveway. Seriously, we will be speaking to the neighbor.

Maybe they block your driveway because you never use it.

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

If you are parking in the street and taking up spots for her to park, aren't YOU kind of the un-neighborly neighbor? Is is cramped? If she doesn't park in front of your driveway, will she have to park far away? Because your 2-3 cars are in the street instead of in your driveway?

Yes, it's rude to park in front of someone's driveway, but it's kinda rude to take up the street parking (if it's a crowded street) when you have a driveway you could be parking in too.

 

[DawnM]

Have you spoken to any other neighbors? I can't imagine you are the only one affected by this (parking or the alarm going off at 3am.)

 

[Allison]

Speak to the neighbor. I have seen so many threads here where people are asking how to deal with someone and the answer is really basic-talk to the person. I certainly would not be calling the police before trying to speak directly to someone.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Maybe they block your driveway because you never use it.

MTE. New neighbor sees you have a driveway, but also sees it is never used, so she presumes you don't use it, ergo the rules about allowing cars in and out of a driveway by not parking in front of them do not apply.

If you're being blocked in or out by the neighbor, that's one thing. If you want it free merely because it's a driveway, not because you're using it, that's another thing.

Also, OP you said there's parking across the street and then say YOU won't park in your driveway because the street is too busy, which indicates to me that it isn't a quiet neighborhood street that's easy to cross on foot for parking or easy to cross in a car for parking. Also, OP notes there are spaces in front of her spaces. . .why not park in those, OP, and leave the spaces closer to the new neighbor open?

 

[Tozzie]

Maybe they block your driveway because you never use it.

SO that does not gie someone the right to block it. I have a driveway and most of the time I park in it there are sometimes I don't for various reasons, weather I choose to use my driveway or not does not mean someone can block it and if they have to walk a block so be it. Sorry it isn't rude nor un neighborly it is life. Growing up I was always taught by my parents to park leagally and walk if I have to, my parents always did I never thought about weather or not someone was using their driveway or not, never blocked someones driveway either.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I think you should ask the tenant to stop blocking your driveway and and to have the alarm checked. I am not sure why talking to them is not the obvious first step to resolve this situation.

 

[declansdad]

SO that does not gie someone the right to block it. I have a driveway and most of the time I park in it there are sometimes I don't for various reasons, weather I choose to use my driveway or not does not mean someone can block it and if they have to walk a block so be it. Sorry it isn't rude nor un neighborly it is life. Growing up I was always taught by my parents to park leagally and walk if I have to, my parents always did I never thought about weather or not someone was using their driveway or not, never blocked someones driveway either.

Never said it gave them the right, maybe it is common in the neighbourhood. It also wouldn't be neighbourly to take up one or two spots on the street from people who need to park there when you could park in your driveway.

 

[luvsJack]

Never said it gave them the right, maybe it is common in the neighbourhood. It also wouldn't be neighbourly to take up one or two spots on the street from people who need to park there when you could park in your driveway.

I agree! It just sounds like "you can't park there because I MIGHT want to use the driveway, but I can park where ever I want to"

I mean, just using the driveway would completely solve the problem and do away with the stress.

 

[JimmyPicker]

OP, why don't *you* park in front of your driveway? You'll be on the street, so no difficulties with traffic or weird turns to get in or out. Also, you won't have anyone else blocking your driveway, so if you needed to get in or out of your own driveway, you could simply move your car. You'd free up a space for the neighbor to park, which may no longer be in front of your house, therefore making it possible that you won't be awakened by their car alarm at 3 in the morning.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

OP, why don't *you* park in front of your driveway? You'll be on the street, so no difficulties with traffic or weird turns to get in or out. Also, you won't have anyone else blocking your driveway, so if you needed to get in or out of your own driveway, you could simply move your car. You'd free up a space for the neighbor to park, which may no longer be in front of your house, therefore making it possible that you won't be awakened by their car alarm at 3 in the morning.

That would work perfectly!

 

[aprilgail2]

OP, why don't *you* park in front of your driveway? You'll be on the street, so no difficulties with traffic or weird turns to get in or out. Also, you won't have anyone else blocking your driveway, so if you needed to get in or out of your own driveway, you could simply move your car. You'd free up a space for the neighbor to park, which may no longer be in front of your house, therefore making it possible that you won't be awakened by their car alarm at 3 in the morning.

You would get a ticket and towed here if you blocked a driveway--doesn't matter if its yours or not its still illegal.
I would be calling the town if my neighbor had a renter that was parking their car in the street- town code here is that if its a legal rental they must have off street parking for the renters-so if they were parking in the street that would most likely mean it was an illegal rental.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You would get a ticket and towed here if you blocked a driveway--doesn't matter if its yours or not its still illegal.

Where you are, understood. But it doesn't appear that's the case where the OP lives (haven't the police responded several times to calls about the alarm, without towing the car, and wouldn't it be a genuinely amazing coincidence if the tenant's alarm goes off at 3AM only when her car's not blocking a driveway?)

 

[Tozzie]

You would get a ticket and towed here if you blocked a driveway--doesn't matter if its yours or not its still illegal.
I would be calling the town if my neighbor had a renter that was parking their car in the street- town code here is that if its a legal rental they must have off street parking for the renters-so if they were parking in the street that would most likely mean it was an illegal rental.

Where I live, you can block your own driveway all you want and the police can't ticket a car that is blocking the driveway unless you are home so you can tell them the car doesn't belong there. Where my friend lives about 1/2 hour away. Blocking your own driveway isn't illegal persay but there is no parking on the street between 1am and 6 am so effectively you have to have an off street location to park your car at night

 

[kaytieeldr]

SO that does not give someone the right to block it. I have a driveway and most of the time I park in it there are sometimes I don't for various reasons, whether I choose to use my driveway or not does not mean someone can block it and if they have to walk a block so be it. Sorry it isn't rude nor un neighborly it is life.

There's a big difference between being neighbors (merely geographic) and being neighborly - an attitude. Having a driveway one doesn't use because it's inconvenient AND expecting to be able to park directly in front of one's own domicile when other nearby but just slightly less convenient options (spot on street in front of where poster/homeowner chooses to park; spaces across the street...) exist isn't neighborly.

You catch more flies with honey...

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Yes, it's rude to park in front of someone's driveway, but it's kinda rude to take up the street parking (if it's a crowded street) when you have a driveway you could be parking in too.

Blocking someone's driveway goes beyond rude. It's a ticketable & towable offense.