Why do they park in front of my house? archived
Nov 27, 2006 at 1:12am
I recently had the same situation, by someone who works at my neighbor's house. We don't have a sidewalk, and she'd park directly in front of the walkway so I couldn't fit behind her and in front of her was far from my house and I had to walk through mud.
I saw her getting into her car one day (when she was parked right there) and I explained to her how it made it difficult for me to get into my house with packages and my young kid. I told her there was plenty of room if she moved forward so she didn't block my walkway.
She hasn't parked there since. I realized she wasn't being inconsiderate on purpose, she just didn't realize. (Ignorance is bliss.)
I saw her getting into her car one day (when she was parked right there) and I explained to her how it made it difficult for me to get into my house with packages and my young kid. I told her there was plenty of room if she moved forward so she didn't block my walkway.
She hasn't parked there since. I realized she wasn't being inconsiderate on purpose, she just didn't realize. (Ignorance is bliss.)
We had a neighbor who would park in front of our house every day from about 7:00 in the morning to 6:00 at night. It only annoyed me when I was home during the day because I was usually home because I was getting a delivery or had contractors coming to the house, in which case, it would have been nice to let them park in front of my house rather than my neighbor.
But, I looked at it this way, maybe it gives the appearance that someone was home in my house, even when they weren't, possibly deterring anyone from robbing my house. I'm sure that may be a bit of a stretch, but that's how I looked at it and it annoyed me less.
But, I looked at it this way, maybe it gives the appearance that someone was home in my house, even when they weren't, possibly deterring anyone from robbing my house. I'm sure that may be a bit of a stretch, but that's how I looked at it and it annoyed me less.
THe housekeeper of someone on my street has a bright effing yellow Hummer that she parks in front of the next door neighbor presumably because the housekeeper's family doesn't want the thing in front of their house! Not only rude, but sheesh, it is the worst ugliest hunk o junk I've ever seen. It is a blight to our neighborhood.
Tryin' to digest the idea of a cleaning woman with a Hummer. Uhm.................
I had a similar situation, which was annoying mostly because the piles of leave out front couldn't get picked up. Similar thing happened in the winter, with another neighbor, and our side of the street wasn't plowed well. For the former, I parked our car in front of the neighbors house on the leaf pick-up day, (we usually park in the driveway) and she got the message. For the latter, I wrote a polite note and put it on his windshield, and it hasn't happened since.
I have the same problem. For a minute, I thought maybe I had made the original post. But, I checked, and no, it wasn't me.
I think people do it because it usually isn't a problem. All you have to do is make the request, and maybe explain why it's a problem. On my block, there's always more than enough parking, so people do whatever takes the least effort. We all park in front of each other's homes all the time. If it ever inconvenienced me, I would say so, but it hasn't yet.
We get cars parked in front of our house all the time. It doesn't bother me unless they block the driveway (which has only happened a couple of times). What does bother me is when the landscapers park their trucks in front of the house and prevent the town from removing our leaf piles. This happened just the other day, so no leaf pick-up.
I think a small, nice note on the windshield is the way to go if you do not know the neighbors. If you do know them, explain about blocking your walkway and that it is inconvenient with children etc...
Probably does not even realize that they are doing it. One cannot correct something if one does not know that they are doing something.
Good luck!
B
Probably does not even realize that they are doing it. One cannot correct something if one does not know that they are doing something.
Good luck!
B
ffof, I hope you're kidding when you complain about the looks of a vehicle. I don't want there to be any standards about whose vehicle is ugly and where ugly vehicles can and can't be parked. Next thing you know, they'll make laws about ugly people and deem you and me to be ugly.
Tom, it really depends where you live. Where I grew up there are too many cars and not enough driveways and garages, so there are cars everywhere. Here, we keep our cars in the driveway and you just don't expect to see a street full of cars unless it's near a store or school, etc. and then, people generally park for a few minutes, not all day.
Granted, not all of us are home all day, so the irritation level varies, but I can honestly tell you I don't like looking at the 6 neighbors' employee cars on my street all day, every day. It makes it tough to back out of the driveway, and it takes away from the charm of the street. I'm not looking to start trouble though, I asked that they not park in front of my walkway and they obliged. As long as they're respectful of my property, I'll keep my mouth shut.
Granted, not all of us are home all day, so the irritation level varies, but I can honestly tell you I don't like looking at the 6 neighbors' employee cars on my street all day, every day. It makes it tough to back out of the driveway, and it takes away from the charm of the street. I'm not looking to start trouble though, I asked that they not park in front of my walkway and they obliged. As long as they're respectful of my property, I'll keep my mouth shut.
why dont you pop all four of thier tire !! they won't park there any more
In a simple answer to the question, they park there because the street they use when they come home puts them on the side of the road that your house is on. It is easier than turning around in the driveway.
Doesn't seem to be a "silly" issue as it is affecting your right to enjoy your property. Yes, there is an unwritten etiquette ... if you have space at your own house, you park your own car there. Particularly with cold and icy weather ahead, I'm sure if you politely mention that you'd like to "reserve" the space in front of your property for safely shuttling your own kids and their young friends, a reasonable person would understand.
I am totally serious, Tom!! Hummers are butt ugly!!!!!!!!!! And their gas mileage is the ugliest of all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It sits atop our street like a school bus, although, I would rather have a school bus there.
Hummer --the man and his car are an absurdity. Here is a suburban assault vehicle with a macho image. Add to this, Denali, Yukon, Explorer, Pathfinder --you get the idea. For the most part, the only pathfinding these vehicles do is on the path to the local Starbucks for a $6. frappacino.
Now I am surprised that George Carlin hasn't commented on Hummers. "Hey Mr. Hummer, ya want somethin' to hum on?...
Now I am surprised that George Carlin hasn't commented on Hummers. "Hey Mr. Hummer, ya want somethin' to hum on?...
Actually, we live on the same side of the street. All that they would need to do to avoid parking in front of my walkway is to pull forward about 20 feet to the front of their own house.
jane, i'm curious...do you have a nicer house and yard than they do? who has lived there longer, you or them?
jane - ask them to please pull forward so as to not block your walkway. period.
Jane, I find that it is our neighbors on the same side of the street that do it most. They back out of the driveway and pull forward (which is our house) rather than backward in front of their own property. I guess thismust be a pet peeve of mine too if I have studied it.
I have to say that neighbors parking directly in front of my house is a pet peeve of mine as well! I could care less about the car, it just prevents me from parking there! (and anyone who comes over...)
shh, that's my point. It depends on where you are. It's important to find out the prevailing attitude of the block you live on. I've learned that on our block, we share and exchange parking spaces the way toddlers share their food. It's fine, because there's always more than enough (spaces, not chewed food). On other blocks, where there is a scarcity, people ought to be more considerate.
ffof, I hate Hummers and find them ugly, too, but I don't think I have the right to ban cars based on my opinion of them.
Jane - maybe you can get up a little earlier and park your car outside your house first if you dont want to confront the "nice" neighbor. Personally I would drop him a note and explain your situation or even sned hom a weblink to this page...good luck
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I hate to mention this to him, since they're very nice people and I wouldn't want animosity over something so silly. But, during the heavy rain period, I had to park across the street and run with my two small kids in my arms...we all got soaked (my plumber was parked in my driveway that morning). Playdates end up parking down the street as well, it's really annoying.
Is this common? Do other people deal with this? We're new to the suburbs, is there car parking etiquette?