neighbours and their cars

[Callie]

Within the last year, we recently had some new people move into the house across the street. They don't have a driveway, and they started out with two trucks.

The problem is....they park the trucks DIRECTLY behind our driveway, making it impossible to get out at times, especially in the bad weather. We've asked them kindly to park them not directly behind the drive. Well then they added a car to the mix, which made parking even worse. Now they park the vehicles on BOTH sides of the street, right across from each other, making it hard to get through, with the snow, like the drive, its impossible. They also park within an inch of my car when its on the street at times (I park is in front of another house that's vacant, and they just decided to park the truck THERE when my car is there, coming CLOSE to hitting it.)

Well today is over the edge, they added a motorcycle. Where do they expect to keep all these cars?!
Also, how else can we try to resolve the driveway, and street situation?

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

If it's legal to park on the street then there is nothing you can do. Let it go. It sounds like they're trying to push your buttons since you complained however nicely to them.

 

[Callie]

If it's legal to park on the street then there is nothing you can do. Let it go. It sounds like they're trying to push your buttons since you complained however nicely to them.

That could be it, but its kind of hard to let it go when it's impossible to back out of your driveway. Every time we've come inches to hitting their trucks.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

That could be it, but its kind of hard to let it go when it's impossible to back out of your driveway. Every time we've come inches to hitting their trucks.

I get where your coming from but you really have no recourse and voicing your concern may cause more problems. Unless you can convince your city/town to put a no parking sign on the side of the street away from your driveway(doubtful).

 

[bettymae1121]

It might be legal to park on the street, but it is NOT legal to block the street or limit access to someone else's driveway. The next time the street is too narrow to get through or you can't get out of your driveway, call the non-emergency number for your police department and explain the situation. Your neighbors may find themselves getting tickets.

Of course if the cops don't feel like the street or your drive is truely blocked, then nothing will happen. But it's worth a try, the worst thing that can happen is the cops do nothing, then you are no worse off than before. If that happens, perhaps see if you can request your town council to change your street to no parking, or only parking on on side of the street.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

It might be legal to park on the street, but it is NOT legal to block the street or limit access to someone else's driveway. The next time the street is too narrow to get through or you can't get out of your driveway, call the non-emergency number for your police department and explain the situation. Your neighbors may find themselves getting tickets.

Where I live t's legal so long as they are not blocking your actual driveway(directly in front same side of the street) but every municipality is different.

 

[agnes!]

Are you *sure* that they are allowed (according to local laws) to impinge on you being able to access your home? I would think being unable to get you cars in and/or out of your driveway might not be exactly legal...

My sympathies on having the neighbors from Heck, but you might want to think about if you want them to turn into the neighbors from Hell before taking this any further.

agnes!

 

[Callie]

It might be legal to park on the street, but it is NOT legal to block the street or limit access to someone else's driveway. The next time the street is too narrow to get through or you can't get out of your driveway, call the non-emergency number for your police department and explain the situation. Your neighbors may find themselves getting tickets.

They've gotten one ticket/warning for not moving their cars for a few days after the plows came.

 

[agnes!]

It might be legal to park on the street, but it is NOT legal to block the street or limit access to someone else's driveway. The next time the street is too narrow to get through or you can't get out of your driveway, call the non-emergency number for your police department and explain the situation. Your neighbors may find themselves getting tickets.

Of course if the cops don't feel like the street or your drive is truely blocked, then nothing will happen. But it's worth a try, the worst thing that can happen is the cops do nothing, then you are no worse off than before. If that happens, perhaps see if you can request your town council to change your street to no parking, or only parking on on side of the street.

And if firetrucks or emergency vehicles couldn't make it through, that also might not be legal... just sayin'.

agnes!

 

[Callie]

Are you *sure* that they are allowed (according to local laws) to impinge on you being able to access your home? I would think being unable to get you cars in and/or out of your driveway might not be exactly legal...

My sympathies on having the neighbors from Heck, but you might want to think about if you want them to turn into the neighbors from Hell before taking this any further.

agnes!

We've already had that happen with some former neighbors because they'd park their car in the front yard which was illegal, along with throwing loud parties, and leaving a bunch of junk in their front yard. Before they moved out, we did make nice with the husband before they moved.

 

[MinnieMe87]

And if firetrucks or emergency vehicles couldn't make it through, that also might not be legal... just sayin'.

agnes!

 

[surfergirl602]

I feel your pain. The people that live across the street from always have around 6 vehicles in their driveway, or parked on the side of the street. The problem... they usually park a truck right behind our driveway, which makes it very hard to get our truck out! We have a narrow driveway with a tree on one side, and a large brick mailbox thing on the other side, plus a curb on each side of the driveway. They also park at least a few feet way from the curb. It's really annoying. We havent said anything yet, but I think my DH is about to here soon. His thoughts: "maybe I should just ram the tow hitch into the side of his truck and he'll get the picture..." yeah, hunny,,, you go ahead and do that and see what happens. Men.

 

[dawson5]

I feel your pain. The people that live across the street from always have around 6 vehicles in their driveway, or parked on the side of the street. The problem... they usually park a truck right behind our driveway, which makes it very hard to get our truck out! We have a narrow driveway with a tree on one side, and a large brick mailbox thing on the other side, plus a curb on each side of the driveway. They also park at least a few feet way from the curb. It's really annoying. We havent said anything yet, but I think my DH is about to here soon. His thoughts: "maybe I should just ram the tow hitch into the side of his truck and he'll get the picture..." yeah, hunny,,, you go ahead and do that and see what happens. Men.

That happened to our old neighbors by the people that bought our house. Old neighbor's daughter had friends over, she parked in front of their house. Went out to move her car 30 min later and the side of her car was dented. It seems the husband who bought our house, backed into her car with his truck and left. Had his kids in the car and the kids were telling him "you hit ____'s car." He never fessed up, his wife was talking to old neighbor and the kid's ratted him out. I'm sure he was thinking he didn't have any damage, no one will know it was him (except his kids great example of a dad). Irony was that before she could get the damage repaired, someone ran a stop light, plowed into her and totaled her car. I don't think they ever claimed the damage on the insurance from him backing into her.

 

[abdmom]

Maybe they had my new neighbors previously? I moved into a new house a few months ago. I'm having renovations done and there's a dumpster in my driveway, so I can't get in. My neighbor came over and complained that I'm NOT parking close enough to people's driveways. His reasoning was that if I parked close enough to someone's driveway, then another car could park behind or in front of me. And here I was thinking I didn't want to impede access to someone's driveway.

 

[WDWBarb]

Ironic that this topic has come up since just recently I had a serious problem with my neighbor and our driveway. We live in a court and our newest neighbors like to park at the end of their driveway, which means that they are blocking ours. I've had to drive through my front yard several times to get out to go to work in the morning.

Well, about a month ago, I was backing out (around 6 a.m. - it was dark), looked over my right shoulder, and backed out of my driveway. It was cold so I didn't open the garage door until I was in my car or I might have been able to see the tail-end of a car blocking the other side of my driveway (which would have been over my left shoulder).

You guessed it - CRUNCH!! I was so upset. There was a scratch on their bumper (it was a much older and sturdier car than mine which had mostly plastic in the back) but $2,000 worth of damage to my car. It was very dark but I had my digital camera with me and I used it (and it's flash) to see the damage to both vehicles. I also got lots of pictures of their car parked across the back of my driveway.

But.... it was deemed as being my fault. So, I guess there must not be laws where I live about blocking access to driveways.

 

[JerseyJanice]

You have my sympathies, OP. We've this problem for the past 15 years and don't see it going away until we move. It doesn't look like they're going anywhere, and I love my neighborhood, so I've gotten good at backing into my driveway. That way, I'm pulling out instead of backing out so it's easier, especially in the morning.