My neighbour's car is touching mine, what can I do?

Batman Lannister

My neighbour has always been one of those typical neighbours from hell. I recently got a car and I'm parking it outside my house but he has some unwritten rule that this is his second car's parking space. I park over enough so that half my car is in front of my house and there's still half the footpath for his wife's car but every time I move the car away, they run out and move their car up. Now, they're parking the car so it's right up against mine, the front of their car touching the back of mine. Can I call the guards? I mean, one of these times, they could do damage to my car and I know they'll deny it. I have pictures of the cars touching and everything. This is a forty something year old man with two kids picking a fight with a twenty-two year old girl over a couple of inches and it makes me so angry.

jimmycrackcorm

Neither of you owns the public road space.

DredFX

Threaten him sternly, stating that you will take legal action if he can't respect your property. If he snubs you, then do definitely call the guards. He's violating your property without your permission, so you have every right to tell him to respect your own personal space.

Lombardo86

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Neither of you owns the public road space.

Most useful advice ever. How is that helping the OP?

Not to burst your bubble.. you have pictures as you say but they don't actually really show much. You could have tipped his car and got out to take pictures or parked right up against him and got snapping. I dont think you could rely on that too much.

I always sympathise with people who have horrific neighbours.. just dont understand why people go out of their way to be idiots about these things.

Have you actually had a conversation about this?

Outside our house growing up we had cars but we used have HALF of the area in front of our house, as did the neighbours. That was out of courtest, clearly this guy has none

MagicMarker

DredFX wrote: »

He's violating your property without your permission...

What does that mean exactly?

syklops

My neighbour's car is touching mine, what can I do?

Inappropriately?

DredFX

MagicMarker wrote: »

What does that mean exactly?

Maybe "violating" was a poor choice of words on my part. Sorry.

What I really meant was that if his car is bordering on her property, and was scraping up against the vehicle in question, then she should have the right to tell him to move it away.

DesperateDan

MagicMarker wrote: »

What does that mean exactly?

Not sure if trolling...but he's pushing his car up against OP's, where the violating is the wilful disrespect for his property and the property is the car.

Tom Young

Most contentious matters in Ireland arise over a "few inches".

Property, Family Law, etc.

First thing to do, is calm down. Forget the conspiracy theories and move on with your life.

the_syco

Batman Lannister wrote: »

I recently got a car and I'm parking it outside my house but he has some unwritten rule that this is his second car's parking space. I park over enough so that half my car is in front of my house and there's still half the footpath for his wife's car but every time I move the car away, they run out and move their car up.

This bit makes no sense. It sounds like your car is half in front of your house, half in front of their house; why not park your car fully in front of your house? As for the "unwritten rule", it sounds like his car is parked infront of his house, but you think you can park half your car there instead?

DredFX wrote: »

What I really meant was that if his car is bordering on her property

How so?

CIARAN_BOYLE

I'm afraid that the public road is just that public and so it doesn't belong to anyone.

That said you should probably just talk to them.

DredFX

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I'm afraid that the public road is just that public and so it doesn't belong to anyone.

That said you should probably just talk to them.

Good point. The road may just be for public use, so there mightn't be any actual violation of property, so talking it through with them would be the best approach.

sbsquarepants

DredFX wrote: »

Well...


Unless OP is exaggerating, they're taking up her parking space right in front of her house. Then there's the case of how close they're parking to her. I believe she at least deserves to tell them to respect her own space.

That would be her drive way, the road is a public road - legally, I am as entitled to park there as she is.
It just happens to be in front of her house, she doesn't own it, or have any preferential rights to it in any way shape or form. Yes her neighbour is a total dick, but unfortunately that's not illegal!
I've been in your exact same position OP (due to building work on the road) and it almost came to blows on several occasions, thankfully the work ended and freed up some space before any actual fisticuffs - but the bad feeling lingered for years (in fact i still hate the fúcker, i just don't live there anymore). It's just not worth it over a parking space!

DredFX

sbsquarepants wrote: »

That would be her drive way, the road is a public road - legally, I am as entitled to park there as she is.
It just happens to be in front of her house, she doesn't own it, or have any preferential rights to it in any way shape or form. Yes her neighbour is a total dick, but unfortunately that's not illegal!

Yeah, I just realized my mistake. Sorry about that.

mikemac1

CCTV maybe a good idea, they do specials in Lidl and Aldi now and again

If this issue goes on I think you'll wake up one day with an almighty dent in your car.

You know who did it but with no proof there is nothing you can do

MagicMarker

DesperateDan wrote: »

Not sure if trolling...but he's pushing his car up against OP's, where the violating is the wilful disrespect for his property and the property is the car.

Being disrespectful isn't against the law, the cars may be touching but it's not causing any damage (for now). While it may be annoying I can't really see what the guards can do about it.

Solair

I'd say the first course of action would be to go in and have a serious talk to them (in a non-aggressive, non-legalistic and non-threatening way).

Parking that close to another car could scratch the paintwork (e.g. body coloured bumpers) and it could also make it very difficult to access the boot.

If anyone's parked in front of you, it would also make it very difficult to manouver out.

Is it possible they're just trying to really squeeze into a tight space?

If that doesn't work, just fit an awkward tow bar to the rear of your car

Andy454

Well somebody that parks in this manner is goading you in to a response and may be liable under the:

Prohibition of Incitement To Hatred Act, 1989

They could also be charged with Road Rage.

If it was me, I would call the guards, tell the neighbours not to move their car until they arrived.

If they damage your car while moving theirs, they are responsible for the damage they've caused and once a guard witnesses it, they've no comeback.

I'd make a point of taking their insurance details down before allowing them to remove the car.

And if there was so much as a hair line mark from where their car was touching mine, I would run the gammot and demand at the very least the affected side to be totally resprayed.

Yellowblackbird

When you initially took Half the space you were adopting a posture of weakness and sending the wrong message. It's a public road and you can park there. Then if they park a car out front at least it's blocking their whole drive entrance. If they want to be civil and respectful to you then you may revert to leaving them half the space.

And let them park right up against your cars. It's a feeble response. It only effects you at a psychological level because you are allowing it to. They aren't going damage your cars.

You can talk to the guy then - no aggression - but be assertive about it, he is 100% wrong in feeling they own that parking spot.

MagicSean

Andy454 wrote: »

Well somebody that parks in this manner is goading you in to a response and may be liable under the:

Prohibition of Incitement To Hatred Act, 1989

They could also be charged with Road Rage.

If it was me, I would call the guards, tell the neighbours not to move their car until they arrived.

If they damage your car while moving theirs, they are responsible for the damage they've caused and once a guard witnesses it, they've no comeback.

I'd make a point of taking their insurance details down before allowing them to remove the car.

And if there was so much as a hair line mark from where their car was touching mine, I would run the gammot and demand at the very least the affected side to be totally resprayed.

Is this supposed to be a funny response or are you actually serious?

athlonelad

Park where you want. I wouldn't get into an argument with your neighbour as some people can be overly protective of what they think is theirs. He's probably been parking there for years and thinks that is enough to claim his territory. Park where you want on the road and don't be intimidated by his bully boy tactics.

If he wants to park his car there when your car goes, let him. Trust me it is annoying him a lot more than you. I had a neighbour who used to put his bins in front of the house while he was away so nobody would take "his" spot. Another neighbour ended up parking there one day and it was like world war 3.

RandolphEsq

Does the fact that it is the wife's car have any bearing on the situation? Women are not renowned for their driving skills in general, let alone their parking skills. Perhaps you could assist the wife in her parking endeavours?

Andy454

Deadly,

A situation like this developed on my mothers road, the neighbours next door claimed the space in front of my mothers was there's, but there was no allocated parking on the development.

They started blocking me in, I tolerated it once and told them to move, their daughter tried to block me in a second time and scuffed my bumper in the process.

I caught her rapid and told her not to move, called the guards and sat on her bumper and made as much noise as possible so I got as many on lookers as possible, they noted the damage when she moved her car.

I then got her insurance company to cough up the damage along with my very overpriced solicitor....

She lost her no claims bonus for 5 years... she'll park properly in future.

Procrastastudy

Did this thread get moved from After Hours? Half the responses make me look intelligent!

nuac

Sorry for anyone with parking trouble with neighbours.

Try to talk it over, with an intermediary if necesssary.

There is a lot of foolish advice on this thread.

Chill folks

Mr Whirly

sbsquarepants wrote: »

That would be her drive way

It sounds to me like nobody has a drive way but everyone wants to park in front of their own house. Think Ringsend or Stoneybatter. If this case no one has the right to park in a particular place on the street. It's just open season.

This sort of thing went on for a long time in the last estate I lived in. It escalated with traffic cones and the like being left all over the road and cars parking on paths. Eventually someone called the clampers and almost everyone was clamped for having a tyre on the footpath, it stopped after that.

Procrastastudy

Mr Whirly wrote: »

It sounds to me like nobody has a drive way but everyone wants to park in front of their own house. Think Ringsend or Stoneybatter. If this case no one has the right to park in a particular place on the street. It's just open season.

This sort of thing went on for a long time in the last estate I lived in. It escalated with traffic cones and the like being left all over the road and cars parking on paths. Eventually someone called the clampers and almost everyone was clamped for having a tyre on the footpath, it stopped after that.

Sounds like that's needed around that estate near GCD. I don't mind people parking on the path (its a very wide path) despite having drives but it does p!ss me off when they block the path.

Kudos to the Guard I saw cycling down the SCR who I stopped. Went back that way home and the three offending cards where gone. I suspect two of them having expired tax helped.

Batman Lannister

In response, yes there was an attempt at conversation and he started threatening, saying he'd "get people" after my family. To make it clear, I live in a park and there are driveways but there are cars in there already. His car in his, he does this with his wife's car, and my dad's car is in mine. We live in a semi-detached house and so, we share the outer wall where the footpath is and there's a black line of tarmac on the footpath. He made the rule that neither car can pass over that black line but he's breaking that rule. Mine is a few inches past that black line because after the whole threatening thing, I just didn't want to be involved anymore so I moved my car up so it blocks a bit of my driveway but now, he's moving his wife's car up past this black line and breaking his own rule, just to be awkward.

Del2005

Batman Lannister wrote: »

In response, yes there was an attempt at conversation and he started threatening, saying he'd "get people" after my family. To make it clear, I live in a park and there are driveways but there are cars in there already. His car in his, he does this with his wife's car, and my dad's car is in mine. We live in a semi-detached house and so, we share the outer wall where the footpath is and there's a black line of tarmac on the footpath. He made the rule that neither car can pass over that black line but he's breaking that rule. Mine is a few inches past that black line because after the whole threatening thing, I just didn't want to be involved anymore so I moved my car up so it blocks a bit of my driveway but now, he's moving his wife's car up past this black line and breaking his own rule, just to be awkward.

Parking disputes between neighbours never end well. So just park legally and ignore him, it'll p!ss him off even more when you don't react, while keeping a record of his actions like parking too close to your cars.

One thing to try may be for your dad to park on the road for a while, obaying his "rule". The neighbour may have a different attitude to a grown man than a girl

misschoo

I had a similar problem with a neighbour. They decided that they didn't want me parking in any one of the four spaces in front of their duplex - I live 4 doors away & she called up to me on a Sat night to ask me to move my car & start parking elsewhere.. I asked her was she saying it to other residents about parking elsewhere she said no just me. When I said there was no designated parking (my estate is a management property) and we can park anywhere she stormed off. A minute later her partner banged on my door and started to threaten me about what would happen and that I'd "better start watching" my car. I live by myself & I will not have people threatening me in my home - he actually walked into my hall when he said that so I called the Gardai & they came up within half an hour & went down & spoke to them & told them that there was no designated parking in the estate. I also phoned my management company on the Monday who also spoke to them & not a word out of them since. They've now moved thank god. I think that people shouldn't be able to bully you like that.

Stheno

Batman Lannister wrote: »

In response, yes there was an attempt at conversation and he started threatening, saying he'd "get people" after my family. To make it clear, I live in a park and there are driveways but there are cars in there already. His car in his, he does this with his wife's car, and my dad's car is in mine. We live in a semi-detached house and so, we share the outer wall where the footpath is and there's a black line of tarmac on the footpath. He made the rule that neither car can pass over that black line but he's breaking that rule. Mine is a few inches past that black line because after the whole threatening thing, I just didn't want to be involved anymore so I moved my car up so it blocks a bit of my driveway but now, he's moving his wife's car up past this black line and breaking his own rule, just to be awkward.

So your dad parks in the driveway and you park behind him slightly onto the footpath, and your neighbour and his wife do the same with their cars? Then if you move they park behind your dad?

I'm finding imagining this very confusing

BrokenArrows

This is a common occurance.

I had a similar issue at one point but had a **** car with tonnes of dents and scratches so they threats meant nothing. infact hitting it would probably have improved the body work. lol.

Thankfully it was just a short term rent while i found somewhere else.

areyawell

Get a jar and of jam and spread a load under his door handle.
When your neighbor opens his car door he will get a sticky hand full of Jam.
Repeat until it pisses your neighbor off so much he backs off

athlonelad

areyawell wrote: »

Get a jar and of jam and spread a load under his door handle.
When your neighbor opens his car door he will get a sticky hand full of Jam.
Repeat until it pisses your neighbor off so much he backs off

That's not helpful it's only making a sticky situation worse.

Procrastastudy

athlonelad wrote: »

That's not helpful it's only making a sticky situation worse.

Hit him with puns like this one until he hangs himself in a wardrobe!

GullibleOne

My understanding is they can park partly in front of your house but cannot block your entry/exit or park in such a way as you cannot manoeuvre to enter/exit. can someone confirm?

cgarrad

Get a towbar and park with the towbar ball facing his car.

Also get a second car ;-)

Pat Mustard

GullibleOne wrote: »

My understanding is they can park partly in front of your house but cannot block your entry/exit or park in such a way as you cannot manoeuvre to enter/exit. can someone confirm?

AFAIK, the following is the correct law.
See s.36(2)(g) of S.I. 182/1997 - Road Traffic (Traffic & Parking) Regulations, 1997

A vehicle shall not be parked in any place, position or manner that will result in the vehicle obstructing an entrance or an exit for vehicles to or from a premises, save with the consent of the occupier of such premises.

I presume that there is a general penalty in relation to breach of regulation, but you can look that up yourself.

Victor

Andy454 wrote: »

Well somebody that parks in this manner is goading you in to a response and may be liable under the:

Prohibition of Incitement To Hatred Act, 1989

Not really, unless a point was being made about it being a 'black' car or a 'Japanese' one.

The matter is a road traffic and/or public order one and that is how the Garda would deal with it.

GullibleOne wrote: »

My understanding is they can park partly in front of your house but cannot block your entry/exit or park in such a way as you cannot manoeuvre to enter/exit. can someone confirm?

Essentially. However, it is illegal for all of them to park on the footpath.

areyawell wrote: »

Get a jar and of jam and spread a load under his door handle.
When your neighbor opens his car door he will get a sticky hand full of Jam.
Repeat until it pisses your neighbor off so much he backs off

This could amount to criminal damage, assault (admittedly both at the lower end of the scale) or breach of the peace and could get the OP into trouble.

Or the neighbour takes things into his own hands and escalates it further.

Del2005

Stheno wrote: »

So your dad parks in the driveway and you park behind him slightly onto the footpath, and your neighbour and his wife do the same with their cars? Then if you move they park behind your dad?

I'm finding imagining this very confusing

One car in drive, one car on road in front of house. Both houses doing the same, but the OPs neighbourhood parked on the road first so think that they own the parking place in front of both houses.

Not all houses have driveways long enough for 2 cars and parking partially on the footpath is illegal. The OP, or anyone, can legally park on the road unless there is designated parking or other restrictions.

RandolphEsq

areyawell wrote: »

Get a jar and of jam and spread a load under his door handle.
When your neighbor opens his car door he will get a sticky hand full of Jam.
Repeat until it pisses your neighbor off so much he backs off

Does it have to be jam or would, say, marmalade work?

BostonB

Batman Lannister wrote: »

...half my car is in front of my house and there's still half the footpath for his wife's car...

What happens if you park on the half you leave for the wife?

areyawell

RandolphEsq wrote: »

Does it have to be jam or would, say, marmalade work?

Marmalade would suffice yes, or if you want to go a bit further dog ****

Fuh Q

Park your car as close to your neighbors driveway as possible, leave no room for them to park, next time you park, park as normal and if he/she parks touching your car revert to the first parking position.
They will get the message soon enough, if not, get a friend to park with your car and dont use your cars for days and leave them stuck.
A friend of mine had a similar problem so he decided to park opposite the neighbors driveway making it very difficult to get out. They eventually asked him to park where they had the original problem to avoid blocking the driveway.

Elbows22

Batman Lannister wrote: »

This is a forty something year old man with two kids picking a fight with a twenty-two year old girl over a couple of inches and it makes me so angry.

Only a few inches would make ya angry alright

Merch

Fuh Q wrote: »

Park your car as close to your neighbors driveway as possible, leave no room for them to park, next time you park, park as normal and if he/she parks touching your car revert to the first parking position.
They will get the message soon enough, if not, get a friend to park with your car and dont use your cars for days and leave them stuck.
A friend of mine had a similar problem so he decided to park opposite the neighbors driveway making it very difficult to get out. They eventually asked him to park where they had the original problem to avoid blocking the driveway.

Sounds like post 38 applies
your friend was obstructing them from gaining access to their drive by the sounds of it.
Its no fun if someone is being difficult about parking, but retaliating doesnt help.

Dawn Rider

RandolphEsq wrote: »

Does it have to be jam or would, say, marmalade work?

'Lemon entry, my dear Watson'.;)

I'll get my coat...