I have a neighbor (retired bachelor - the worst kind it seems) across the street. (we are corner houses) I've never had any direct run-ins with him and have been here 10+ years.
He has for years "disliked" anyone parking on "his side" of the streets around his house - even for an hour. Neighbours, their friends and visitors to the Park just down the street are the "victims" who parked on the streets there.
Although, he has room for 5 cars across from me (3 in front, 5 down the side) - rarely is there more than one or two at any one time there. He always garaged his car (ironically, worried about vandalism). So it's NOT a case of the street getting filled up with nowhere for him to park. It is not THAT scenario. He just doesn't like people parked there. It's "his".
He has "demonstrated" his annoyance of people parking there by causing mischief. He likes to "fold in" the vehicle's mirrors, or messing with their settings. He is very dedicated - even getting off the couch in -30C winter temperatures to come out to do this! In summer,he likes shooting water over the fence onto their car, leaving water spots on the paintwork. He has done this to 5 Fieros parked there during our Annual Fiero Club BBQ hosted at my house - when the street is full of parked Fieros on both sides of the street for a few hours.
The typical advice of "ignore him and he will get tired of this" has not worked. Instead, it had emboldened him FOR YEARS.
If it happened once and he was a ten-year-old, it would be a "prank". But this character is in his 60's!! Sure - it's not outright vandalism - so nobody reported him. Would Police even take it seriously? BUT THIS IS Harassment and Mischief that he has been able to carry on for years. Harassment and Mischief are against the Law.
Other neighbours have confirmed that their visitors who dared to park in his self declared personal parking zones have been bullied into not parking there again by his actions. Obviously, this is what he's had in mind all along.
Last month, one of my friends had had enough when he messed with his mirrors on his Ford Edge and confronted him about it. My friend told him "it's a public street, I can park there if I want". The next time he stopped by with his car, his black Fiero got sprayed with water.
We'd suffered this annoyance long enough, and I did not want this escalating further (my friend had eyes on his garden hose). I did something someone in the neighbourhood should have done years ago. I phoned the Calgary Police Service and filed report regarding the harassment he'd been causing and the mischief to vehicles parked on the street alongside his house. This is against the law and he needed to be told by someone "in authority". He ignores everyone else's "advice" until he "gets in trouble". (He got caught not cleaning up after his neighbourhood dog walks and a $600 fine solved that problem.)
The Constable who talked with him spelled out the Law for him and that he COULD NOT do any damage/mischief to vehicles parked on the Public Streets around his house. That it's against the Law. It's a Public Street and available to all for Public Parking, that's it. Nobody would suffer "mischief" if they parked there any more!
Because I stopped his mischief against parked vehicles, he has now turned "Public Parking" law into a Harassment Tool against me!
Just after the Police visit, he bought a new vehicle, so that occupies his 1-car garage and his "old car" is now a "spare" vehicle he has no room for except on the street (it must just be a coincidence, right?) In retaliation, (Police warned me about this - they know these kind of nut-bars) he has decided to "permanently park" his old vehicle 24/7 on the street adjoining my home.
Yeah - sounds like "what's the difference?" Blocking my parking 24/7 is very different from an occasional visitor parking for 2 hours.
His old vehicle's only purpose now is "to be in the way" as much as possible. He parks his "spare" vehicle to block and limit my visitor parking to 2 cars as we have to park "around" him, and often he's parked directly in front of my gate to inconvenience me. I have to park behind or ahead of him when hauling in groceries etc. And the problem will get worse once I have to try to start clearing snow around him (I want to avoid "snowblower wars").
Meanwhile, "his side" of the street is completely empty - no shortage of room for parking his old vehicle there.
At the very least he is guilty of Mischief for "willful interference with a neighbours' lawful use and enjoyment of their property."
All I wanted was to stop him from harassing and causing "mischief" (non-destructive vandalism?) to visitor's vehicles parked on the street. It appears he feels this is unreasonable. And the law now allows him to be an ass about it...
How do you reason with someone who can not be reasonable??
I've been taking pictures for a few weeks to document all of this as "evidence" of ongoing harassment. His vehicle hadn't moved for 5 days, but yesterday he moved it up to block me from parking in front of my gate when I got home. I went in and came out with my camera and started taking pictures. He happened to be outside raking leaves and saw me taking pictures this time (other times he wasn't home).
I went back in the house. About 1/2 hour later I'd noticed he had moved his vehicle back about 2 car lengths!! Yay! I must have worried him.
A also noticed some oil drips where he had parked. So I'm guessing he doesn't want oil spots on the road in front of his house, so he parks in front of mine??
I just want to say good luck. Issues such as these can get MUCH worse. Document everything. Notarized letters from neighbors describing their own situations with said neighbor. Do not do anything against the law. Sounds like you will not, but had to say it.
Don't know about Calgary, but here in Ottawa, we have by-laws about parking. A vehicle can't stay parked in the street for more than a few hours during the day (in the same spot). Overnight parking is ok unless there is a heavy snow forecast, then there is no on street parking. If he violates those by-laws, just call the city…
Use his name/address to sign up for all sorts of "unique" postal mailings and free catalogs
In reality, there is not much you can do, except report/document/photograph his actions. If he damages something, take him to small claims court and be sure to have documentation.
UGH. Thank you for venting,it helps (at least a little...)
Believe me, I understand how frustrating it can be when you have "bad neighbors". I've vented on here quite a few times regarding this type of stuff...
Don't know about Calgary, but here in Ottawa, we have by-laws about parking. A vehicle can't stay parked in the street for more than a few hours during the day (in the same spot). Overnight parking is ok unless there is a heavy snow forecast, then there is no on street parking. If he violates those by-laws, just call the city…
Same here in most places in the states. You can park on the streets for a certain period of time. The cops will generally put a warnng on the car if it's been there for more than a few days, after which they'll start ticketing. If it doesn't get moved after that it gets towed.
Go out in the middle of the night and let the air out of a couple of tires.
Same here in most places in the states. You can park on the streets for a certain period of time. The cops will generally put a warnng on the car if it's been there for more than a few days, after which they'll start ticketing. If it doesn't get moved after that it gets towed.
Go out in the middle of the night and let the air out of a couple of tires.
That only applies to vehicles that aren't near their residence - like someone parking here but living 5 blocks down the street, or an abandoned vehicle.
I don't want to escalate things further. The LAST thing I need is 2 flat tires when I come out in a snowstorm at 6:00am to go to work.
I just want him to back off and park by his own house. That sounds reasonable to everyone but him apparently.
[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 10-30-2014).]
I just want him to back off and park by his own house. That sounds reasonable to everyone but him apparently.
Yeah, not going to happen. You need to buy another vehicle and park it in the street. Something old.... ugly. Oh... buy a pink miata and park it on his side of the street...
You all realize doing some of these would only make things worse and the Police would be visiting ME - don't you?
Hell, if he just gets a regular flat tire now - I will be the "suspect".
I have to be completely "clean" on this, so if it ever gets in front of some kind of Legal discourse (Mediator, Court etc.), he's the only one that looks like an idiot for doing what he's doing for no reason other than "because I can".
I can't have him saying "Yeah - but he did this..."
[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 10-30-2014).]
Just drown him with kindness... Bake him some cookies each time he parks the car in front of you house. Bring him his newspaper. Tell him how wonderful his car looks. LOL! eventually he will just let go. Pissing people off with extreme kindness is priceless!
My first thought is the old quote: "There are no personal problems that can't be solved by the proper application of high explosives."
It's a shame you couldn't have gotten someone from across town, or a visiting Fiero Club member, to file the complaint. I'm assuming the police had to tell him the name of the complainant. Seems being retired, and a complete jerk, he's got nothing better to do with his time.
The only way out of this, other than being a bigger jerk, is the "drown him with kindness" approach. Probably won't work, but you'll get the satisfaction of being a decent human being. Sometimes, that's all you get.
As you have found, there are no easy solutions to neighborhood problems. His ego is entirely engaged now. He is not going to give an inch.
You might try to reason with him again, but it sounds like this situation is well beyond that. You only have to put up with it for another 15-25 years before he kicks the bucket.
On the plus side, I have seen much worse from neighbors. I saw one guy that would shoot cars with his BB gun when they parked in front of his car. He would slash the tires of cars that parked over night in front of his house. Law enforcement didn't do a thing about it.
I am jealous that you were able to get an officer to talk to the guy for you. That does not happen here in California.
My first thought is the old quote: "There are no personal problems that can't be solved by the proper application of high explosives."
It's a shame you couldn't have gotten someone from across town, or a visiting Fiero Club member, to file the complaint. I'm assuming the police had to tell him the name of the complainant. Seems being retired, and a complete jerk, he's got nothing better to do with his time.
The only way out of this, other than being a bigger jerk, is the "drown him with kindness" approach. Probably won't work, but you'll get the satisfaction of being a decent human being. Sometimes, that's all you get.
if i dont like you and you come to my house, that would not go well. Im sure it wont in his case either.
I'm not suggesting or condoning anything, just stating a few facts.....
#1 you ARE aware that latex shop gloves to a fantastic job of not only protecting your hands, they also keep you from getting fingerprints all over everything you touch (saves polishing chrome )
#2 you PROBABLY know that about 1/2 pound of sugar or salt dumped into a gas tank will do a significant amount of fuel system damage, requiring a complete (and damn expensive) tear-down, cleaning and re-assemble of the system. Until thats done the vehical is inop.
#3 your town probably does not allow non-operational vehicals (derilects) to be parked on the street, and if the owner doesnt remove them PDQ, the town will take care of it and bill the owner towing + storage.
I just want to say good luck. Issues such as these can get MUCH worse. Document everything. Notarized letters from neighbors describing their own situations with said neighbor. Do not do anything against the law. Sounds like you will not, but had to say it.
this.
keep a cool head, and you seem to be doing the right thing. in the end you shall prevail
I'm not suggesting or condoning anything, just stating a few facts.....
#1 you ARE aware that latex shop gloves to a fantastic job of not only protecting your hands, they also keep you from getting fingerprints all over everything you touch (saves polishing chrome )
#2 you PROBABLY know that about 1/2 pound of sugar or salt dumped into a gas tank will do a significant amount of fuel system damage, requiring a complete (and damn expensive) tear-down, cleaning and re-assemble of the system. Until thats done the vehical is inop.
#3 your town probably does not allow non-operational vehicals (derilects) to be parked on the street, and if the owner doesnt remove them PDQ, the town will take care of it and bill the owner towing + storage.
And if he has a camera, you are dead ( perhaps literally )
Ah... let it go. Best thing you can do is ignore him and his pettiness. If he does something you can report, do so, otherwise, just let it go. Life is too short and some people would like to spend that time trying to annoy others.
Just drown him with kindness... Bake him some cookies each time he parks the car in front of you house. Bring him his newspaper. Tell him how wonderful his car looks. LOL! eventually he will just let go. Pissing people off with extreme kindness is priceless!
We tried that, remember my "good fences make good neighbor my ass" thread? Melanie made all our new neighbors home baked bread and gave them a couple dozen of our farm fresh eggs when ever a new neighbor moved in right next door, look where that go us.
I still say shooting him would be the best solution,
The street is public property with no assigned parking spaces, so you are each free to park wherever. That being said, Purple86GT has a point about prolonged parking in one spot without moving. Mark his curbside tires with a white grease pen and mark the curb with sidewalk chalk. Since they are out of his view, he won't know to move it. Photograph his car with a camera that has date and time stamps. Show it to the PD. Visit with your city's Mayor and explain the problem to see if you can't get an ordinance passed along the line of 4 hour parking. See if the city will paint parking spaces so that your walkway or gate isn't blocked.
Buy a big bag of bird seed and while he sleeps, liberally sprinkle the seed over the car. Birds will leave lots of thank you droppings. Bread crumbs might also bring birds and a few cats during the night time. Order a 4-pack of Liquid Ass. http://www.liquidass.com/ Like Brylcream, A Little Dab-L-Doo-Ya. A squirt on the door handle, a squirt on the air intake on the cowling. Totally harmless, so it's just Mischief. Not vandalism.
keep a cool head, and you seem to be doing the right thing. in the end you shall prevail
Exactly what I am doing.
The "small victory" was when he moved after seeing me take pictures of him deliberately parking in front of my gate just to prevent me from parking there. (about the 3rd time in about as many weeks) I have room for 4 cars with #2 being where I have parked daily for 10+ years. He was parked there, then moved back to #4 once I took the pictures.
Maybe he thought blocking my gate (though fun for him) might be going too far - AND cause some "legal" trouble for him.
[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 10-30-2014).]
Buy a big bag of bird seed and while he sleeps, liberally sprinkle the seed over the car. Birds will leave lots of thank you droppings. Bread crumbs might also bring birds and a few cats during the night time. Order a 4-pack of Liquid Ass. http://www.liquidass.com/ Like Brylcream, A Little Dab-L-Doo-Ya. A squirt on the door handle, a squirt on the air intake on the cowling. Totally harmless, so it's just Mischief. Not vandalism.
Its still vandalism, you cant legally touch his property.
If i was feuding with someone and i found that on my car, i would know who did it, and he would not do it again. I wouldn't need 'legal proof', i would know and i would take care of it.
It, unfortunantly, seems like this prick has you. The best thing to do, i guess, is to park your cars directly in front of his house. Talk to your other neighbors and get them in on it too. Crowd his house with parked cars.
...in Ottawa, we have by-laws about parking. A vehicle can't stay parked in the street for more than a few hours during the day (in the same spot).
Same parking by-laws here in Vancouver.
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Originally posted by fierosound:
I have a neighbor (retired bachelor - the worst kind it seems) across the street. (we are corner houses) I've never had any direct run-ins with him and have been here 10+ years.
Here the law says if its parked on the street, it has to be moved every 24 hours. They mark the tires, and tow you the next day. Your also not allowed to park within 20' (I think) of a driveway opening or mailbox.
Ive had similar problems before with my driveway and just people who are not neighbors. Ive removed and thrown away their tags, hooked a tow chain on them and drug them into the street and left them. Ive also called tow companies and had them towed away. Of course its my property so no one has any evidence (like video) of me doing it . People for some reason think they can park in my lot, driveway or even on my lawn so they can go drink or shop nearby. I actually found a guy parked in the middle of my front lawn waxing his car once. I don't care what they do at the curb or street.
You might go down to city hall and see if you can get your curb marked for assigned parking only, then you put the permits in your cars. I know people who have gotten a reserved spot at the curbs in front of their houses, some are handicapped. Those spots are marked with signs and you get instantly towed/ticketed if you park there. Apartment complexes have assigned parking spaces all the time.
You might go down to city hall and see if you can get your curb marked for assigned parking only, then you put the permits in your cars.
I can almost guarantee that the city would not go for that. Everyone and their dog would be applying for this privilege... including the neighbor who started all this nonsense!
He doesn't want to talk. The guy sees me coming and won't open the door. He could also accuse me of threatening him - even if I didn't.
So I've left a note in the mailbox that's very carefully worded. Even if he showed it to a Lawyer for some reason - there's nothing there to be used against me.
It would just show that I am the one who is TRYING to resolve the problem.
[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 10-30-2014).]
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He's never been outside when you could've waved and said "Hi"?
