Is Rude the New Normal?

[Big Fitz]

I'd say the solution is for your daughter to park her car in the space in front of the neighbor's house. If he is going to use up your space, his is fair game. It might be passive aggressive, but at this point, he's asked to be treated the way he is treating you. Being nice about it hasn't worked.

It's not really stooping to his level. If that's the space on the public street which is available, then you have a right to use it.

Make sure her car blocks his direct path too so he must walk into the street like a normal person. Since he's shown a propensity for vandalizing your property, get an infra red security camera aimed out there too. That way, if something DOES happen to the car, you have it on tape and grounds to sue or press charges.

Till he decides to be a rational, good neighbor, fight fire with marshmallows.

Good advice.

The funny thing is, this whole thing has been bugging the hell out of me since last summer (since my daughter got a car) and over the winter (with the whole snow thing). But ever since I asked him to move his car last Saturday . . . . I feel sooo much less annoyed. And the more he does the 'shoving of cone' or 'driving over the cone' thing, the calmer and more logical I'm approaching the whole thing. I just feel like I have a pretty valid point, he's being a jackass, and the calmer I remain and the nicer I am . . . the more it's going to piss him off. I'm not looking to piss him off, mind you . . . A very nice letter better explaining our POV might just be the thing to get him to move his car. I'll play it by ear the next week or two and see what happens.

Make sure to include pictures of him behaving badly when you do.

 

[Zoom-boing]

Make sure her car blocks his direct path too so he must walk into the street like a normal person. Since he's shown a propensity for vandalizing your property, get an infra red security camera aimed out there too. That way, if something DOES happen to the car, you have it on tape and grounds to sue or press charges.

Till he decides to be a rational, good neighbor, fight fire with marshmallows.

Good advice.

The funny thing is, this whole thing has been bugging the hell out of me since last summer (since my daughter got a car) and over the winter (with the whole snow thing). But ever since I asked him to move his car last Saturday . . . . I feel sooo much less annoyed. And the more he does the 'shoving of cone' or 'driving over the cone' thing, the calmer and more logical I'm approaching the whole thing. I just feel like I have a pretty valid point, he's being a jackass, and the calmer I remain and the nicer I am . . . the more it's going to piss him off. I'm not looking to piss him off, mind you . . . A very nice letter better explaining our POV might just be the thing to get him to move his car. I'll play it by ear the next week or two and see what happens.

Make sure to include pictures of him behaving badly when you do.

I'll get my tv/film major college kid to film/photo him from our living room window! What kind of lens should she use? Why, a ZOOM lens . . . of course!

 

[Baruch Menachem]

Start with one, and a great big smiley face.

 

[JenyEliza]

WHY are you people not parking in your GARAGES? That leaves space in your driveway AND in the street.

Get rid of all that great "junk" taking up space in your garage. Are you really using all the stuff you're hoarding in there? If not, toss it and make room to put vehicles in the place designed for VEHICLES not storage.

Hence, several probs solved.

 

[Zoom-boing]

WHY are you people not parking in your GARAGES? That leaves space in your driveway AND in the street.

Get rid of all that great "junk" taking up space in your garage. Are you really using all the stuff you're hoarding in there? If not, toss it and make room to put vehicles in the place designed for VEHICLES not storage.

Hence, several probs solved.

We do. My car goes in the garage, hubs parks in the driveway, college kid usually parks in the street. But there are many times when we need to park in the street -- mulch in the drive, various projects that require the use of the garage, company (my parents fell in our driveway last Christmas because it's on a slight slant) so we put all the cars in the street and let (um, MAKE) them park in the garage. It would just be nice to have the choice of parking all our cars in front of our house . . .

I totally agree about the garage thing . . . I cleaned it out the other week and think we can fit both cars in there but . . . we haven't tried yet. Stupid, huh?

Still . . . I wish the neighbor would just show some common consideration.

 

[froggy]

.Is Rude the New Normal?

Go ask Jillian.

 

[Truthmatters]

I would gather together your better angels and ask the nieghbor if there is any reason that he may be angry with you.

He may see it as a tit for tat situation.

Bake a cake and take it too them asking for a clear understanding and a truce.


There are plants you can plant that drop nasty things on any car parked near them. Buy a beater and leave it in "his" spot permenantly. Edge with a wacker that shoots pebbles at his car. "Fix" your sprinkler to catch his car just right. spread peanut butter on the curb where he parks to attract all kinds of vermon to hang out under his car.

There are many ways to get creative without touching his car. I would suggest the cake as the best solution.

 

[Zoom-boing]

I would gather together your better angels and ask the nieghbor if there is any reason that he may be angry with you.

He may see it as a tit for tat situation.

Bake a cake and take it too them asking for a clear understanding and a truce.


There are plants you can plant that drop nasty things on any car parked near them. Buy a beater and leave it in "his" spot permenantly. Edge with a wacker that shoots pebbles at his car. "Fix" your sprinkler to catch his car just right. spread peanut butter on the curb where he parks to attract all kinds of vermon to hang out under his car.

There are many ways to get creative without touching his car. I would suggest the cake as the best solution.

Oh hell no, he's not getting any of my fantastic baking! Not no way, not no how . . . especially after he ran over me cone!

I did do something to piss him off . . . I asked him to park his car in front of his house and when he said he didn't really want to do that, I didn't shut up and go away . . . I pushed back.

I will play it by ear for the next week or two and if need be, write him a letter. That way I can think through what I want to say instead of getting annoyed at him while talking to him and forgetting stuff. My guess is that he (they) are going to do the whole 'ignore' thing . . . which will only make me wave hi to them all the more. I will kill them with kindness that has a definite background of smart ass and sarcasm.

 

[froggy]

I live in a cookie cutter house neighborhood, the houses all have a driveway (about the length of a Mercury Grand Marquis) with enough room to park two cars side by side . . . barely. All the houses have garages, property size is just under 1/4 acre. From my driveway to the neighbor's driveway is considered parking for my house (yes, it's a public street and anyone can park anywhere but common courtesy has always stood and everyone respects the other guy's space) with the exception of about 15 feet, which is on their 'side' of the property line.

Five years ago we got new neighbors. Nice people, early 30's, two small kids, a dog. Since the day they moved in he has parked his Ford Expedition on this side of his drive with half of his car parked in front of our house (approx 10-15 ft). It was never an issue as we only had two cars/drivers but when my oldest got a car last year and started parking in front of our house we figured a light bulb would go off in the neighbor's head and he'd start parking in front of his house. btw, there is nothing in front of his house. Nothing.

Well, he never did pick up the hint. The first snow we got just before Christmas dumped over 2ft of snow. He parked his car in the usual spot and never bothered to pull it into his drive so when the snow plow came down the street it completely bypassed plowing in front of our house because the neighbor's car was there. The temps dropped, everything froze and when college kid came home a few days later there was no place for her to park except in 'his' spot (yeah, in front of our house). She parked there for about a week and when she went out he popped his car there with no regard for the fact that Julie had no place to park. As a result we had to dig out tons of frozen snow for a place for her. He attempted to do this with the last snow but I asked him to move, explaining that his parking there affects us. He moved his car so the plow could do it's thing but he put it back the next day.

About 3 weeks ago I bought an orange cone from Depot, put the word 'slow' in black duct tape on it and placed it in the street about 2 ft. from the curb at the very end of our property. Yes, making it impossible for the neighbor to park there. I mainly put the cone there because cars have been flying up our street (despite the 25 mph speed limit signs) and my son (special needs) plays out front and across the street and isn't very good at judging if he has enough time to cross the street with a car coming. I was concerned that he'd get hit, I asked my cop neighbor across the street if he thought the cone was a good idea; he did. He also noticed the speeding drivers.

Last Saturday there was a neighborhood garage sale. We didn't participate but the neighbors did. When I got up and looked out the window, the neighbor had thrown the cone onto the grass, parked his car back in 'his' spot and parked the wife's Expedition in front of that, leaving us one space to park a car. There was nothing in front of their house. wtf? My daughter came home from college and parked her car in the one remaining spot. He later went somewhere in his car so I went out and moved the cone back to where it had been. He came back and parked his car in front of his house. A little while later he moved the wife's car back into their garage then proceeded to move the cone up the road about 12 ft and parked his car back in 'his' spot.

I went over and asked him if he wouldn't mind parking his car in front of his house because when he parked in 'his' spot, we lost parking space in front of our house for our cars. Well, he was nice but was not about to do that. The discussion went back and forth, blah, blah, blah. I asked him why he didn't just park his car in front of his house. His reason? He's an EMT and he said that if he gets a call in the middle of the night and his car is parked in front of his house he had to walk through his garden to get to his car. Uh, his 'garden' are plantings that surround his light post. Um, he can't walk down his drive and into the street to get into his car, like every other person would? Really?? So basically, he has no reason other than he just wants to park where he's been parking for the past five years.

When he gave his reason I felt myself get really pissed and rather than say something stupid, when he again said 'if you really want me to move my car I will, but . . .' I cut him off at the 'but' said, thank you I would really, really appreciate if he did that and left.

He moved his car about an hour later (he went out) so once again, I moved the cone back to where it had been. When he came home he once again parked in his 'spot' .... he just drove right over the cone. <sigh, can you see where this is going?> I pulled the cone out from under his car and just put it in the street in front of his car. He went out again later and I put the cone back where it had been. We didn't pull our car down the street (thus completely preventing him from parking there), just left the cone. He came home that night and parked his car in his driveway.

I thought 'ok, he was a jerk, maybe he calmed down and realizes that we have a point'. I parked my car next to the cone on Monday because I was unloading two 40lb. bags of top soil into the wheelbarrow. I haven't gone anywhere since so I just left my car there. Parked. In front of my house. This morning I look and he took the cone and shoved it under the front of my car. I'm sure if confronted he'd deny it and say it must have been the wind and rain but . . . the cone didn't budge with 40 mph winds three days ago. This was intentional.

Am I being unreasonable? Again, I get the whole 'public street, park wherever' thing but everyone has always been considerate about parking . . . until this. I could just park in front of his house but again, I don't want to stoop to his level. He has always seemed like a nice guy but I'm wondering if he has some kind of 'above the law' type attitude or if I just pissed him off because I asked him to move his car and didnt' back down when he obviously didn't want to comply.

At some point there won't be one of our cars parked there and I think he's going to put one of his cars there (he has 3, two Expeditions and a sedan. Just he and his wife for drivers so I don't know why they have 3 cars). I think he's going to put a car there that he doesn't drive much and just leave it there for spite.

Any thoughts?

Sorry this is so bloody long . . . it does feel good to get if off my mind though.

The missery of having a spiteful neighbor, it will never end until one of you move.

 

[Baruch Menachem]

I would gather together your better angels and ask the nieghbor if there is any reason that he may be angry with you.

He may see it as a tit for tat situation.

Bake a cake and take it too them asking for a clear understanding and a truce.


There are plants you can plant that drop nasty things on any car parked near them. Buy a beater and leave it in "his" spot permenantly. Edge with a wacker that shoots pebbles at his car. "Fix" your sprinkler to catch his car just right. spread peanut butter on the curb where he parks to attract all kinds of vermon to hang out under his car.

There are many ways to get creative without touching his car. I would suggest the cake as the best solution.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5IW9wK_HNg"]sweets are good[/ame]

 

[Zoom-boing]

The missery of having a spiteful neighbor, it will never end until one of you move.

You are likely correct. C'est la Vie

 

[froggy]

I would gather together your better angels and ask the nieghbor if there is any reason that he may be angry with you.

He may see it as a tit for tat situation.

Bake a cake and take it too them asking for a clear understanding and a truce.


There are plants you can plant that drop nasty things on any car parked near them. Buy a beater and leave it in "his" spot permenantly. Edge with a wacker that shoots pebbles at his car. "Fix" your sprinkler to catch his car just right. spread peanut butter on the curb where he parks to attract all kinds of vermon to hang out under his car.

There are many ways to get creative without touching his car. I would suggest the cake as the best solution.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5IW9wK_HNg"]sweets are good[/ame]

The only sugar he gets is in the tank.

 

[Truthmatters]

I would gather together your better angels and ask the nieghbor if there is any reason that he may be angry with you.

He may see it as a tit for tat situation.

Bake a cake and take it too them asking for a clear understanding and a truce.


There are plants you can plant that drop nasty things on any car parked near them. Buy a beater and leave it in "his" spot permenantly. Edge with a wacker that shoots pebbles at his car. "Fix" your sprinkler to catch his car just right. spread peanut butter on the curb where he parks to attract all kinds of vermon to hang out under his car.

There are many ways to get creative without touching his car. I would suggest the cake as the best solution.

Oh hell no, he's not getting any of my fantastic baking! Not no way, not no how . . . especially after he ran over me cone!

I did do something to piss him off . . . I asked him to park his car in front of his house and when he said he didn't really want to do that, I didn't shut up and go away . . . I pushed back.

I will play it by ear for the next week or two and if need be, write him a letter. That way I can think through what I want to say instead of getting annoyed at him while talking to him and forgetting stuff. My guess is that he (they) are going to do the whole 'ignore' thing . . . which will only make me wave hi to them all the more. I will kill them with kindness that has a definite background of smart ass and sarcasm.

Do you want a solution or retribution?

 

[Zoom-boing]

I would gather together your better angels and ask the nieghbor if there is any reason that he may be angry with you.

He may see it as a tit for tat situation.

Bake a cake and take it too them asking for a clear understanding and a truce.


There are plants you can plant that drop nasty things on any car parked near them. Buy a beater and leave it in "his" spot permenantly. Edge with a wacker that shoots pebbles at his car. "Fix" your sprinkler to catch his car just right. spread peanut butter on the curb where he parks to attract all kinds of vermon to hang out under his car.

There are many ways to get creative without touching his car. I would suggest the cake as the best solution.

Oh hell no, he's not getting any of my fantastic baking! Not no way, not no how . . . especially after he ran over me cone!

I did do something to piss him off . . . I asked him to park his car in front of his house and when he said he didn't really want to do that, I didn't shut up and go away . . . I pushed back.

I will play it by ear for the next week or two and if need be, write him a letter. That way I can think through what I want to say instead of getting annoyed at him while talking to him and forgetting stuff. My guess is that he (they) are going to do the whole 'ignore' thing . . . which will only make me wave hi to them all the more. I will kill them with kindness that has a definite background of smart ass and sarcasm.

Do you want a solution or retribution?

Solution . . . why would I want retribution? I don't appreciate him being a jackass to me . . . why would I want to do that to him?

 

[Truthmatters]

Then bake a cake and show you are willing to start anew.

 

[froggy]

Then bake a cake and show you are willing to start anew.

He'll just toss it in the garbage, thinking it was doctored.

 

[Zoom-boing]

Then bake a cake and show you are willing to start anew.

I asked nicely and his response was . . . . he ran over my cone and shoved my cone under my car. But I should bake him a cake? Fuck that.

 

[Zoom-boing]

Then bake a cake and show you are willing to start anew.

He'll just toss it in the garbage, thinking it was doctored.

And he would be an idiot . . . I'm a great baker.

 

[froggy]

Then bake a cake and show you are willing to start anew.

He'll just toss it in the garbage, thinking it was doctored.

And he would be an idiot . . . I'm a great baker.

But does he know that?

 

[Truthmatters]

A sealed prepackaged treat would suffice