Bad neighbours can be the bane of our lives. If you’ve got a good one, hold on to them, because many people aren't so lucky.
Add into the mix parking woes, and you have a recipe for neighbour wars. It is a battle shows no sign of waning for one householder, who has taken to Reddit in total exasperation at the antics of someone next door.
They are at a loss knowing what to do anymore, because no matter what they do, it never seems to be to the neighbour's satisfaction.
"I live in a townhouse complex. Everyone has 2 parking spots directly in front of their town home," the anonymous Reddit poster explains.
"I only have one vehicle. My (60-ish kooky) neighbour only has one car. She parks to the far side of her spaces. This results in a lot of extra space in front of our places - which everyone finds tempting to use despite my asking them to park on the other side of my car or in visitor parking. "
This is the sticking point on which the neighbour is resolutely refusing to budge from.
"Ever since I moved in a year ago she would leave me notes, text me, or come to the door anytime anyone I knew - or even didn’t - parked in her spot even just to drop something off. Even if they’re only a few inches over the line for a minute she’ll yell out the window."
But deliveries have to be made and the householder is powerless to stop anyone parking there. The arrival of winter and snowy weather is making a bad situation worse.
"Today my dad had to pull forward into her spot to back into visitor parking. This resulted in a slew of texts about how his car resulted in dirty snow clumps falling in her spot and the tires packing down the snow - which will apparently freeze and be harder to shovel and a safety issue for her."
The homeowner is painfully conscious of their neighbour's age and the risk of falls in cold weather, but, nonetheless, they can’t plan for everything.
"I’ve been polite so far but I told her that at a certain point I can’t control how people drive in a communal parking lot. I did kick the bigger clumps off her spot for her even though I don’t think it was my dad’s fault.
"I don’t think it’s fair to continually make me feel guilty for anyone ever even touching her parking spots. She doesn’t even need the space but I swear she just sits and watches out the window all day to make sure no one touches it."
Desperate for advice, the Reddit poster concludes: "I don’t want bad blood but I don’t know how to handle this anymore? Continue being polite? Take full responsibly for everyone else’s driving? Or be petty? And if so how?? I’d love a laugh."
Most of the comments on her post insisted that the neighbour was being unreasonable, as one person wrote: "Take absolutely no responsibility for other people's driving. Every time she tries to complain, ask her why she is talking to you."
Another added: "She has already created bad blood by being a sh***ty neighbour and blaming you for anything she can find or invent in her head. The best response? Stop giving a s***, first of all".
One Redditor offered a different perspective, saying: "It’s sounds frustrating but please don’t be petty back, this woman is obviously old and clearly not being reasonable, don’t bully her, just be patient with elderly people pls."
