AITA for losing my marbles at my neighbours for parking across my driveway?
A Reddit user finds themselves in a frustrating situation with their neighbors, who repeatedly park across their driveway, despite it being illegal. After a series of incidents, including missing an important surgery due to blocked access, the user finally snaps when they find a familiar car blocking their driveway again.
Their response to the situation leads to an escalation, with the neighbor calling them a “mean person” and the user filing a complaint with the police and the business’s CEO. Read the original story below to delve into the complexities of neighborhood relations and boundary respect.
‘ AITA for losing my marbles at my neighbours for parking across my driveway?’
I live next door to a business and the workers keep parking across my driveway even though it is illegal. Once someone was parked across my driveway for 3 hours and another time I was late for surgery because I couldn’t get out of my house.
The workers keep making noise at 4.30am and midnight even though they have noise restrictions between 5pm and 7am. Today when I got home I noticed someone (who has done this before) was parked across my driveway so I simply parked behind them and walked inside.
About half an hour later they came back to their car and were in parked in and didn’t like it. I completely lost it at them and they told me I was a mean person and the nastiest homeowner on the street. I proceeded to call the police and formally complained to their CEO. Is this a normal reaction?
Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:
SerWrong − Info: why didn’t you complain to the CEO in the first place? NTA. Keep calling the police every time they block your driveway.
JazzyCher − NTA I’d be calling the police to have them towed every time they block the driveway. Call in noise complaints when they’re making excessive noise at night.
Fuzzy_Battle − I should mention here I have been complaining for many years, but it seems in my country this is a “grey area” — you can’t call a tow on someone parked illegally on public land even if blocking your driveway.
The local council can only really police vehicles parked in designated parking spots and inspectors come out 1-7 days after you have lodged a complaint, the police never turn up, the company refuses to respond, so today I chose to totally lose it.
The person in question threatened me and said they would “come back and make you pay”. So that’s what finally triggered a response from police and CEO. I am somewhat jealous of everyone in the US who can call a tow and easily move to litigation!
ALPHA01101978 − NTA. Losing your marbles was basically a public service announcement. If parking across your driveway were an Olympic sport, these neighbors would take home the gold!
You tried the polite route, but when your driveway becomes a parking lot, it’s time to call in the big guns. At least you gave them a taste of their own medicine!
hez_lea − NTA and I think you just found the way to deal with it. Park them in every single time you come home to them in your driveway. Then go for a walk. Also set up a camera to capture any retaliation as well as consider a motion activated sprinkler….
Shardbladekeeper − Nta but way late on getting it fixed. If your in the USA you could just have the car towed and even call the cops about the situation to inform the owners so they know to stop it generally that type of stuff gets the point across if telling them to stop doesn’t.
Your blocking them in not bad at all your driveway not there’s. Letting there boss know is definitely not an overreaction in this case as it tells the company to back off your not a parking lot.
Useful_Context_2602 − NTA and truthfully you’re under reacting. Keep at the CEO, contact local politicians, local media. Anti social behaviour should never be tolerated. Also look at getting a removable (by you) barrier to put in place to prevent people parking there
CuriousKiris − That sounds wildly frustrating and like you’d finally had enough. NTA for being mad, it’s and ongoing issues. However, because it’s an ongoing issue, I wonder if someone isn’t telling the workers that it’s okay to park there. Perhaps post a PRIVATE DRIVE sign and then have a few tow companies on speed dial.
One_Dog_Two_Tricks − Hey OP, I know the council and cops won’t do jack s**t here in Aus – just keep complaining and to the company as well. Gets some signs that say driveway in use 24 hours no parking. Otherwise I suggest some dollies for the car and wheel it to the middle of the street where it’ll get moved elsewhere quick smart
LaalaahLisa − NTA I’d have gone off my nut the first time it happened. I’d also continue to park them in and not move or respond when approached. I’d take photos every time and bombard their ceo, the police, the council and who ever else I could until something is done…
Keep going off friend, this is not arsehole behaviour
Do you think the user’s reaction was warranted given the ongoing issues with their neighbors, or did they overreact in the heat of the moment? How would you handle a similar situation with inconsiderate neighbors? Share your thoughts below!
