My neighbor is trying to get me fined by our HOA for parking 'improperly' in my own driveway.
By @owenkk · Petty or Nah
He's taking pictures and emailing the board because the back end of my minivan is technically over the sidewalk by a few inches. My kids' car seats are in the back, so I can't pull up any further without making it impossible to get them out.
The full story
We have two young kids (4 and 2), so we have a minivan. It's our only car that fits the whole family and the two giant car seats. When we park in our driveway, the nose of the van is almost touching our garage door, but the very back of it hangs over the public sidewalk by maybe six inches. It's not blocking the whole path, you can easily walk around it, and honestly, most people in the neighborhood just walk in the street anyway since it's a quiet cul-de-sac. Well, my neighbor across the street, who has no kids and is retired, has made this his personal crusade. For the last month, he's been documenting it. He sends emails to the HOA board with timestamped photos of my van 'obstructing a public right-of-way.' He even printed out the specific bylaw and highlighted it for them. I've explained the situation to the board (and to him, when he first brought it up). To get my toddler out of her rear-facing car seat, I have to open the sliding door all the way. If I pull the van up any further, the door would hit the side of the garage, and I physically can't maneuver her out. It's a logistical nightmare. I told him I'm not trying to be a menace, this is just the reality of having small children and the car we need for them. they said 'rules are rules' and that I should 'park on the street like everyone else' if my car doesn't fit. But there's rarely parking on the street and I don't want to haul two kids and groceries a block away. It feels like he has nothing better to do than make my life harder.
How people voted
- OP Is Right — 25% (39 votes)
- Both Messy — 47% (73 votes)
- OP Is Wrong — 28% (43 votes)
Readers say “Both Messy” (47%) — 155 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@eli — A man's driveway is his castle, end of story.
@maekay — My parents got an HOA fine because their basketball hoop was 'rust-colored' and not 'black.' They made my dad repaint the whole thing.
@quinnkay — Have you tried backing into the driveway instead of pulling in forward?
@accidentallyhonest — lmaoooo
@daniee — On their side. Time to start learning the bagpipes. Play them early in the morning, right by the property line.
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