UPDATE on page 4 - I want this to be JAWM, but I'll take opinions.... parking issue.

[clementine]

So, we live in a neighborhood with double or triple garages and good sized yards.  A neighbor added a third car to their family about 2 months ago, and instead of parking it in front of their house (I realize that their 2 other cars are in the garage or driveway), it's parked in front of ours - about 1 foot from our mailbox.  (Our mail carrier travels by car, not on foot.  He has to park, get out of the car, and put mail in the box.) 

 

I'm feisty today, so I parked my car in that spot (after the mail had come  :tongue_smilie:).  

 

I realize it's a bit passive aggressive, but at least I didn't park my car in front of their house....right???  

 

We have had other issues with these neighbors in the past, so talking to them politely about this issue isn't an option yet.  

 

Anyone been there, done that?  Or something similar?

 

 

 

[albeto.]

I don't understand why this bothers you. 

 

I agree parking in a space just to be a stickler is passive aggressive. 

[Annie G]

No suggestions, but yeah, we've got neighbors who pull stunts like this. We share a driveway and when the neighbor has company he has them park in front of our garage.   In the fall we pile leaves in the street and the city comes by to pick them up. We haven't done ours yet but neighbor did his yesterday. He piled his in front of our house, and told dh it's because once we put ours there, it'll be easier for the city because they can pick up both of ours at the same time.   And Tuesday night when he puts his trash out, he puts it in front of the house on the other side of him instead of in front of his house. 

 

He's a special snowflake. 

[Zebra]

Do your neighbors have nowhere else to park?

 

Because otherwise, I don't see why they have to park in front of your house.  

 

 

[SKL]

I dunno, but maybe there is a law against it.  I got a ticket for parking in front of my own house overnight this past summer.  :/

 

Our mail carriers can be temperamental.  If they decide mailbox access is not easy enough, they have been known to just drive by without delivering the mail.  When that has happened, it has been because of other people parking in front of my house.

 

That said, I would not make a fuss about it unless it was actually against a law.  That would not be neighborly IMO.  I do agree it can be frustrating though.

[clementine]

Do your neighbors have nowhere else to park?

 

Because otherwise, I don't see why they have to park in front of your house.  

 

Yes, they have the full yard in front of their own house.   I'm not sure why either.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I would have JAWY several years ago when this type of thing was the worst problem I had going. (I remember it well -- the people next door converted the garage into an apartment for their layabout adult son, who invited all his friends over, probably to do drugs, all hours of the day and night. They parked in front of my house instead of in front of his house.)

 

The people moved away, life went on, and over several years my family was confronted with a series of issues that were of SO much more importance (unemployment, life-threatening illness of a child, etc) that I laugh at my former self who could even be bothered to notice people parking on the street.

 

If they aren't obstructing your mail delivery (IOW, the letter carrier is refusing to deliver the mail) or destroying your property, or making you unable to pull into your driveway, let it go. They're just parking.

[clementine]

I dunno, but maybe there is a law against it.  I got a ticket for parking in front of my own house overnight this past summer.  :/

 

Our mail carriers can be temperamental.  If they decide mailbox access is not easy enough, they have been known to just drive by without delivering the mail.  When that has happened, it has been because of other people parking in front of my house.

 

That said, I would not make a fuss about it unless it was actually against a law.  That would not be neighborly IMO.  I do agree it can be frustrating though.

 

No law against it, unless it is parked there for 48 hours straight.  I think we'll get a warning from the mail carrier before they'll stop delivery.  

[redsquirrel]

Well, I have cars that do not belong to me parked in front of my house all the time, so I don't really get the problem.  The road is public space right?  If the mail carrier has problems with it I am guessing she will let you know?  But, I bet that isn't the only car parked on the street than she deals with in the course of her day. 

 

I do understand that this bothers you. But I am not really sure why. It's a road. Its meant to be driven on and parked on.  They aren't doing anything wrong as long as they follow the rules of the town, right?  But I see that it bothers you.

[clementine]

I would have JAWY several years ago when this type of thing was the worst problem I had going. (I remember it well -- the people next door converted the garage into an apartment for their layabout adult son, who invited all his friends over, probably to do drugs, all hours of the day and night. They parked in front of my house instead of in front of his house.)

 

The people moved away, life went on, and over several years my family was confronted with a series of issues that were of SO much more importance (unemployment, life-threatening illness of a child, etc) that I laugh at my former self who could even be bothered to notice people parking on the street.

 

If they aren't obstructing your mail delivery (IOW, the letter carrier is refusing to deliver the mail) or destroying your property, or making you unable to pull into your driveway, let it go. They're just parking.

 

Oh, believe me, I realize this is a VERY MINOR issue in our life.  It is not life or death, threatening, or damaging.  I didn't mean to imply that.  I'm just bugged.  

[Sun]

OP, I think I understand. It's not that there's a car parked in front of your house; it's that they have a full run of empty curb in front of their house and yet choose to park in front of your house and block access to your mailbox when doing so, right?

 

I think that habitually parking in front of a neighbor's house when your own house has no one parked in front of it is rude. It's not illegal, but, come on, yes, it's rude and annoying. It's a totally different situation if one lives in an area where parking spaces are at a premium and you park where you can, but I'm not getting the sense that's the case in the OP's situation. When parking is scarce, of course you park where you can. However, in neighborhoods where there's lots of empty curb space, does anyone really find it normal to habitually park in front of someone else's house, blocking that person's mailbox access, while leaving the curb space in front of their own house empty? Occasionally, sure, but all the time? Really?

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Rational or not, it would annoy me too. If you don't want to look at a car obstructing your nice view from the front of your house, what makes you think I want to?! Given what you described, though, I wouldn't say anything either. However, are you sure that parking so close to the mailbox isn't against any laws? Here, it's a law that we can't obstruct the mail carrier from pulling up to the mailbox, which includes parking too close to it or leaving snow in front of the curb that prevent the carrier from getting close enough to it to reach it. 

 

If I thought I could do it politely enough, I might go over there one day and tell them that the mail carrier has asked us to park farther from the mailbox so he/she could deliver the mail. If I didn't think I could be polite enough...I'd just seethe at home and make my husband crazy about it :lol: 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I understand why it bothers you, but I don't think you can really do anything about it because as far as I know there is no rule/law regarding whether someone can park on the street in front of someone else's home.

 

 

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

OP, I think I understand. It's not that there's a car parked in front of your house; it's that they have a full run of empty curb in front of their house and yet choose to park in front of your house and block access to your mailbox when doing so, right?

 

I think that habitually parking in front of a neighbor's house when your own house has no one parked in front of it is rude. It's not illegal, but, come on, yes, it's rude and annoying. It's a totally different situation if one lives in an area where parking spaces are at a premium and you park where you can, but I'm not getting the sense that's the case in the OP's situation. When parking is scarce, of course you park where you can. However, in neighborhoods where there's lots of empty curb space, does anyone really find it normal to habitually park in front of someone else's house, blocking that person's mailbox access, while leaving the curb space in front of their own house empty? Occasionally, sure, but all the time? Really?

 

Yeah, that's how I was envisioning it too.

[Jean in Newcastle]

You can park where you want.  So do so.  

[AK_Mom4]

Park where you want.  When they get in the habit of parking somewhere else, then you can move on.

[clementine]

OP, I think I understand. It's not that there's a car parked in front of your house; it's that they have a full run of empty curb in front of their house and yet choose to park in front of your house and block access to your mailbox when doing so, right?

 

I think that habitually parking in front of a neighbor's house when your own house has no one parked in front of it is rude. It's not illegal, but, come on, yes, it's rude and annoying. It's a totally different situation if one lives in an area where parking spaces are at a premium and you park where you can, but I'm not getting the sense that's the case in the OP's situation. When parking is scarce, of course you park where you can. However, in neighborhoods where there's lots of empty curb space, does anyone really find it normal to habitually park in front of someone else's house, blocking that person's mailbox access, while leaving the curb space in front of their own house empty? Occasionally, sure, but all the time? Really?

 

Exactly this ^.  We are a small town, I can count the cars parked on the street in our development on two hands.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

You can do like some around here do.  Stick a cinder block there. 

[clementine]

 If I didn't think I could be polite enough...I'd just seethe at home and make my husband crazy about it :lol:

 

That was next.   :lol:   Just kidding.   :tongue_smilie:

[maize]

I've known mail carriers to request cars not be parked by mailboxes. Perhaps you could suggest that yours leave a note for the neighbors.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I've known mail carriers to request cars not be parked by mailboxes. Perhaps you could suggest that yours leave a note for the neighbors.

 

Oooh, that is good thinking right there! I'll admit that I was entertaining the idea of Clementine paying off the mail carrier to "accidentally" scrape up against the offending car in trying to get to the mailbox, but this is just so much more...um...sane :D

[clementine]

My carrier wont deliver if the access is blocked.

My neighbors are using the lawn for parking. The driveways are only one car wide, so that is reserved for one person. All others park on the lawn. They even plow the lawn when it snows.

 

We do have a law against that in our town.  I grew up with a single garage/driveway.  I remember my parents having to move one car to be able to move the other car. 

[Laura Corin]

It's the public road? They can park where they like.  You don't own the stretch in front of your house.  

 

Park there if you like, but let it go when they park there instead.

[Wildcat]

OP I hear you. Yes, what you did was passive aggressive but I'm sure it helped release some steam! I may have done the same thing, if in your shoes. :tongue_smilie:

 

Yes, it's a public road, and yes, people have the right to park there, but it's 'your space' and it feels invasive since your neighbors have 'their space' and are using yours. I totally get that and it bothers me, too. If it goes on for much longer, you'll have to mention the mail issue (Hi Dear Neighbor, could you park your car in front of your house, please, as the mailman can't get to our box and is saying they won't deliver it if the car is there. Thanks bunches!), but be prepared for them to just scoot up more into your space.

 

And, while there are much bigger things in life to worry about, I totally get how this is merely a venting thing and not intended to trivialize real problems.

 

I may start parking there all the time, though, too, so they can't. Yes, I'm like that.

 

[SKL]

It sounds like maybe you really aren't angry about the parking, but the parking is the tangible thing you can complain about.  Is there something bigger and deeper that you really want to address with them?  Maybe it's time to figure the big issue out.

[Guest]

I would have JAWY several years ago when this type of thing was the worst problem I had going. (I remember it well -- the people next door converted the garage into an apartment for their layabout adult son, who invited all his friends over, probably to do drugs, all hours of the day and night. They parked in front of my house instead of in front of his house.)

 

The people moved away, life went on, and over several years my family was confronted with a series of issues that were of SO much more importance (unemployment, life-threatening illness of a child, etc) that I laugh at my former self who could even be bothered to notice people parking on the street.

 

If they aren't obstructing your mail delivery (IOW, the letter carrier is refusing to deliver the mail) or destroying your property, or making you unable to pull into your driveway, let it go. They're just parking.

But you could say this about any of the thousands of things we vent about here, right?

[hjffkj]

Well that's not as bad a my HOA deciding they don't like that my dh parks in the street on the side of our house so the painted the curb yellow just where he parks. It looks rediculous but dh still parks there.

[clementine]

Oooh, that is good thinking right there! I'll admit that I was entertaining the idea of Clementine paying off the mail carrier to "accidentally" scrape up against the offending car in trying to get to the mailbox, but this is just so much more...um...sane :D

 

 If we do get a warning from the mail carrier, we will have to mention it to the neighbor.  I prefer to stay sane, lol.   ;)

[wendy not in HI]

I'd just keep parking there, in front of your own house for a while, they will get the hint.  I think that is really annoying, that he would park right in front of your house.  I get that silly parking issues are annoying.  Our neighbor's car irritates me and it's parked in front of his own house - he just parks in the exact right spot that makes it hard for me to pull out of my driveway.  I have never said anything to him, and I never will, but I get that parking issues are obnoxious!

 

One more annoying parking story. We had a water main break to our house last year.  It took a week for the workers to dig up, replace, and cover the new pipe.  It was messy and irritating, and I couldn't park in my own driveway or on the road in front of my house.  So I had to park across the street.  I decided to park along the neighbor's sidewalk, it is the long section between two houses.  No one ever parks there, and it is not close to anyone's driveway or garbage spot or anything.  It is a place where no one usually parks unless someone is having a party.  We live on a quiet cul-de-sac where most people park in their garage.

 

Once I started parking there, suddenly, both neighbors needed to park there, too, instead of in their driveway.  And leaf collection bags were set there instead of near the driveway where they had always been placed before (and since then).  I know it was the neighbors being a little passive aggressive toward me.  I probably should have walked over and talked to them about the water main break and ask if I could park in the wide open area where no one before or since has ever parked.  I just assumed they would get why I needed to park there, as there were orange cones and workers and a giant pit in my yard... oh well!  Not a big deal, just a little annoying!

[Lang Syne Boardie]

But you could say this about any of the thousands of things we vent about here, right?

 

There are levels.

 

This one, to me, is actually very silly. I find it silly because I fretted about the exact same thing, myself, when I was a sillier person. So I thought I'd tell the OP my perspective from a few years down the road. Thought it was pertinent...you'll notice I don't always tell people that they've lost their sense of perspective. Doing it once or twice per year, at the most, over silly things is probably not excessive.

[Lara in Colo]

Plus there is the added liability if your child hits it with a ball or a bike or a stick etc..... for that reason alone I wouldn't want it in fron of my house.  People are too soon these days to lay blame on someone else

 

[clementine]

There are levels.

 

This one, to me, is actually very silly. I find it silly because I fretted about the exact same thing, myself, when I was a sillier person. So I thought I'd tell the OP my perspective from a few years down the road. Thought it was pertinent...you'll notice I don't always tell people that they've lost their sense of perspective. Doing it once or twice per year, at the most, over silly things is probably not excessive.

 

Ouch.

[school17777]

Our mail lady won't deliver here, if a car is blocking the mailbox.

 

Our neighbors on the left side of us park their car at the end of their yard, right before our driveway. Not a problem, except when it snows, the snowplow has to go around their car and misses our driveway so we have to shovel about four to six feet into the road to get out. When I ask the night before it snows, they will move it, but it is frustrating to have to ask each time instead of them just moving it on their own.

[Pink and Green Mom]

I get it, OP.  In our first house our neighbor had a daughter who still lived at home but was a flight attendant.  She would be gone for a week or more at a time.  She would park her car in front of our house and just leave it there, leaving the space in front of her parents house clear.  It made me so angry.  It is just plain rude.  Park in front of your own damn house.

[monstermama]

Hah, I get it.  People choose to park next to our driveway when there are closer spaces to their houses because we're on the corner and it's nicely shaded by a tree.  It doesn't usually bother me, but one particular neighbor from several houses down has taken to parking there lately.  She parks very closely to our driveway and it's a pain on garbage night because it means I have to haul the three trash bins down the street instead of just placing them at the end of my driveway.  Not so much fun when you're 8 months pregnant!

 

I'd speak with the mail carrier and see if it bothers them or not.  If they're fine with it, I'd just try to let it go.

[Tess in the Burbs]

I get your frustration.  However, Some of it you just got to let it go.  The street in front of your house is the street...anyone can park there.  

 

i don't get why when people visit other people in the neighborhood they can't park as close as possible to that person's house.  I don't get why my neighbor parks on our side when he could move his car to the front of his house.  I swear if I have plans to do yard work someone is parking in front of my house that day.  Every time.  I really do get your frustration.  

 

Some people are crazy.  I think it is reasonable to ask the neighbor to not block your garage.  I think it is reasonable to ask him not to park so close to the mailbox.  Print out this polite request so you can put papers on the windshields of visitors.  A lot of mail people will NOT get out and deliver mail if the box is blocked by a car.  My mail gal said she can skip the box or leave a note.  She is nice until repeated requests are ignored.  And she skips delivering certain house's mail if they park too close the box ;-)    But one time my dh shoveled snow in a snow storm on our sidewalk area....and the neighbor's.  He was carrying the heavy, wet snow across the street to the natural water area.  he was being nice.  That lady came outside in the snow and told him to be a good neighbor and stop shoveling her sidewalk.  Um, ????????????

 

I would ask nicely they keep from blocking your garage and mailbox.  Be prepared to leave notes for visitors asking nicely.  But after that...park to block them yep :-)

[clementine]

Our mail lady won't deliver here, if a car is blocking the mailbox.

 

Our neighbors on the left side of us park their car at the end of their yard, right before our driveway. Not a problem, except when it snows, the snowplow has to go around their car and misses our driveway so we have to shovel about four to six feet into the road to get out. When I ask the night before it snows, they will move it, but it is frustrating to have to ask each time instead of them just moving it on their own.

 

Yes, we would like it moved before winter because snow will be an issue here too.  Our plows do a wide swing around parked cars, so the street in front of our driveway wouldn't get plowed.  

[kitten18]

I would be annoyed and I would probably park my car there for a few days and see what happens after that.

[helena]

I'm from Laguna Beach, and like many beach towns around here, parking can turn into all out war. Why?? Because... salt water makes you insane?? I don't know! :)

My parents and inlaws always seem to have a battle of some sort going on. Parking is hard to come by and you do get territorial about your wee bit of space. Massively territorial.  :lol: I've seen people freaking out in the street, screaming, notes, cones, chains on cones, parking an inch away from the intruder on a steep hill so they have to come knock and ask you to move... 

 

Hold your ground woman! 

 

[clementine]

I'm from Laguna Beach, and like many beach towns around here, parking can turn into all out war. Why?? Because... salt water makes you insane?? I don't know! :)

My parents and inlaws always seem to have a battle of some sort going on. Parking is hard to come by and you do get territorial about your wee bit of space. Massively territorial.  :lol: I've seen people freaking out in the street, screaming, notes, cones, chains on cones, parking an inch away from the intruder on a steep hill so they have to come knock and ask you to move... 

 

Hold your ground woman! 

 

This reply made my day - and not just because you agreed with me!!   :lol:   I just pictured older people having fits in the street and making a scene & had to laugh.  Thank you!!!

[swellmomma]

Yeah it's not illegal but it is rude.  No you don't own the stretch of road in front of the house but it is still rude.  Common curtesy states that you don't park in front of someone else's home unless there is no other option.  So if they have space in front of their own house, they should use it.  Heck the people across the street have parties sometimes and none of them park in "my spot", they park up and down the whole block but no one parks in the spot right in front of the house.  That is my parking spot typically (though now that I cleaned out the garage I sometimes park in there).  It's called having manners.  It is not about the law in this case, it's about being a decent person.

 

[Guest]

Reason #327 I am glad I don't really have neighbors.

[Guest]

lol

 

Hey you silly goose, I feel you.

 

I always park so that my neighbors can park their two cars side by side on our public street. We only have one car. I get a very slight pang of annoyance when they park in some random spot that means I have to parallel park instead of just pull up. I don't even MIND parallel parking; there's just a more efficient and mutually-beneficial way to do things nd I don't see any reason why they wouldn't do it. Obviously (goes without saying) they have much more interesting lives than I do, and more pressing issues to think about!

[Zebra]

10 years ago I would have told you, "Oh, be nice."  But now that I am older, and have been through a very long story with my neighbors, I say, park in the spot and get your point across.   Because if you let them they will just think you like them parking there.  

 

I guess I am the opposite of some other posters on here.  I used to always take the doormat approach, and now realize that people just walk all over you when you do that :laugh: !

 

It would be wrong to put dog poop next to their car to step in.  It's not wrong to park in front of your own property, when the neighbors have no excuse to be parking there.  I really would call it enforcing your boundaries.

[sassenach]

It would bother me. I would say something, if not in person, then by mail.

 

Other options:

Passive aggressive level 1- what you are doing

PA level 2- start placing cones in that spot

PA level 10- start parking your car in front of their house

 

If it were me, not knowing the history, I would send a certified, typed letter asking them to discontinue parking in front of your home unless the space in front of theirs is taken.

 

If they didn't stop, I would probably go PA 10.

[Okra]

I'll empathize~  Stupid neighbors.  Why can't they park in front of their own yard and not block your mailbox.  

[Catwoman]

No law against it, unless it is parked there for 48 hours straight. I think we'll get a warning from the mail carrier before they'll stop delivery.

Can you tell the mail carrier it isn't your car and suggest that he or she leave a note on it telling them they are obstructing access to your mailbox?

[Annie G]

Reason #327 I am glad I don't really have neighbors.

 

But look at all the entertainment value you're missing. And most of it free...that's frugal!  

[clementine]

Can you tell the mail carrier it isn't your car and suggest that he or she leave a note on it telling them they are obstructing access to your mailbox?

 

Yep, I think we'll do that if things don't change this week.  

[AmandaVT]

I'm from Laguna Beach, and like many beach towns around here, parking can turn into all out war. Why?? Because... salt water makes you insane?? I don't know! :)

My parents and inlaws always seem to have a battle of some sort going on. Parking is hard to come by and you do get territorial about your wee bit of space. Massively territorial.  :lol: I've seen people freaking out in the street, screaming, notes, cones, chains on cones, parking an inch away from the intruder on a steep hill so they have to come knock and ask you to move... 

 

Hold your ground woman! 

 

Yes - this!! Only the strong survive parking wars. (also from a beach/tourist town - possible salt water influence here) 

 

I'd park my car in front of my house where they've been parking and DH's directly in front of their house.  :lol:

 

We had a neighbor growing up who would park in front of her house just so no one else could park there. She has a perfectly nice driveway and garage and only 1 car. Even today when I go visit my dad, she still parks her car right in front of her house instead of the driveway.