When you have neighbors, there is always the potential for undesirable things happening. Most neighbors just want to live their lives and have common courtesy, but what if situations arise when their actions become an inconvenience, like neighbors parking in front of your house. It isn’t the biggest problem you could have but annoying nonetheless, so how do you handle this?
To keep your neighbors from parking in front of your house, you should talk to them. There is a chance they don’t know that parking wherever bothers others. However, if they refuse to comply, there isn’t anything you can do legally unless they are blocking your car.
In this article, I will discuss how you can prevent your neighbors from parking in front of your house. The solution might be simpler than it seems, and so I encourage you to read on to learn more.
Quick navigation
Why Do Other People’s Cars in Front of Our House Bother Us?
While some people don’t care about this issue, it affects others, but why is this? It’s not like they are parking in your driveway.
The truth is that many people value convenience and aesthetics when living in a home. We expect to park our cars in front of our homes, so the walking distance isn’t far. Additionally, many people enjoy looking out their windows and admiring their cars, not others’.
You might be thinking, why not use the driveway? Unfortunately, not everyone has one and if they do, it might not be very useful. For example, it is a steep slope and your car is too low to clear it.
Furthermore, some cars have seen better days, and if you are good at keeping up on your landscaping and tidiness, a run-down vehicle can take away from the beauty of your home if it is sitting directly in front of it.
There are far worse things that a neighbor could do, but it isn’t exactly pleasant behavior. So, how do you get them to stop doing this?
Talk to Your Neighbor or Leave a Note
I suggest simply talking to your neighbor, but don’t show up on their doorstep, looking annoyed. As we previously stated, they may not know that parking wherever they want on the street might bother some people.
To avoid seeming confrontational, try addressing the issue similarly to this: “Hey, how are you doing? I thought that we could make the parking situation better for both of us by staying close to our homes. Sometimes I’ll have to carry in lots of groceries and would like a more convenient spot, similarly, your vehicle will be closer to your home, making it convenient for you.”
It’s best to approach these conversations with a “we can both benefit with more organized parking” rather than a “move your car” attitude. They are more likely to comply in this case, and both of you can move on with your lives. It is easy for people to become defensive if you instantly jump to blame them which isn’t going to make the initial situation any better.
You can also explain that you don’t want to risk accidental damages to their car. Nobody wants to deal with insurance hassle because a fender bender or the kids accidentally hit the windshield with a baseball. If everyone stays in their “designated areas,” there would be fewer headaches for everyone involved.
Alternatively, you can write a note if you aren’t comfortable with confronting someone in person. The note can contain contents that are similar to the example above, or you can go with a simple “Hi, this X, I’d appreciate it if you would let me park in front of my home. It’s not a big deal, but I’d prefer my car to be close to my home for convenience. Thank you for your understanding.”
Unfortunately, not everyone is sunshine and rainbows, so what do you do if they refuse? Can you get the law involved?
Why the Law Isn’t on Your Side
You might be thinking that since they are parking directly in front of your house, they are technically on your property, and the law can make them move if they are not cooperative. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
The road in your neighborhood is probably classified as a public road, meaning anyone can drive on it or, in this case, park on it as long as they aren’t leaving their car in the middle of the road blocking other cars.
Speaking of blocking cars, if your neighbor blocks your driveway, you can get the law involved if they refuse to stop doing it because that is illegal parking. You are not allowed to block areas where cars enter and exit, much less private property. That’s a towable offense or grounds to call the police.
Park in Your Desired Spot When They Are Out
A temporary solution would be to wait for your neighbors to go out and park your car where they were parked. You could skip talking to them altogether and go straight to this step, but it may keep happening even after making your intentions clear.
This step can be difficult if you and your neighbor happen to have similar schedules, but if you can find the opportunity, don’t be afraid to take it.
If they don’t get the subtle message, you can leave another note stating that you are entitled to park in front of your house and vice-versa. Remember, just because the law says you can park anywhere on the street doesn’t mean that common courtesy is non-existent.
Install a Security Camera
It’s incredibly useful to have a camera to directly view your porch and street in front of your house just if any unsavory actions take place, such as porch theft. In this instance, it can protect you against damages made to your car over parking disputes. If your neighbor reacts negatively to that, you will have any keying or tire slashing evidence.
A decent camera isn’t ludicrously expensive. This Adorbee Wireless Security Camera will do the trick. Here’s a video review of the product so you can see what you are getting into:
Stay Calm
In terms of ethics, the vast majority of people will see that you are in the right to want the parking space outside of your home. It generally isn’t a big deal for everyone to park where it makes the most sense.
There will be different opinions on whether you should keep pressing the issue or drop it, which is ultimately up to you. If you can remain calm and respectfully keep going for the parking space, you don’t have to drop it.
Some people value standing up for themselves, and that’s perfectly fine. Ensure you keep the cameras, so if they retaliate, you have evidence to take legal action. If you feel it’s not worth risking escalating the situation, you don’t have to keep going. Sometimes, it is better to leave things.
But whatever you do, don’t escalate things yourself. Sending angry notes, illegally damaging their property, and banging on their door to scream at them will make things much worse than they already are.
Conclusion
Keeping your neighbors from parking in front of your house can be just as simple as living a little note, but the situation becomes trickier if they are continuing to be difficult. While the law prevents you from getting the police or a tow truck involved, if they are parking in front of your house, you can take such actions if they are blocking your driveway.
