Taking it to the streets
QUESTION: We live on a street that often has many cars parked in driveways and along the street. We have one neighbor who becomes upset if anyone parks in front of his house. He maintains it’s his “spot” despite being a city street. He’s even gotten cars towed or ticketed if they remain for more than a couple days. Any thoughts on how to solve this neighborly dispute?
What a jerk! Egg his house! Kidding. Have you tried talking to him before the person parks there? Letting him know beforehand might help.
HELEN’S ANSWER:
Your neighbor thinks that he should be able to park in front of his own home if he wants to. There are probably city ordinances on the subject, and maybe you should check that out and give him a copy of your findings. Maybe polite “no parking by request of owner” signs could be set out to cut down on the number of cars that neighbors leave in the street.
LILLIE-BETH’S ANSWER:
Etiquette-wise, I think it’s rude for other cars to be parked directly in front of someone else’s house all the time, even if it might not be illegal in your area. I have had neighbors at times park constantly in front of my house, blocking the sidewalk to my front door and more for days. Usually, if it’s been too many days, I’ll knock on the door and ask them if they’ll move it. Usually, they’re really nice about it and move it right away, giving me a little space for guests. Another time, instead of asking me, another neighbor upset with me for parking a boat near my house reported me to the city of OKC’s Action Center line (405-2972535). The boat wasn’t mine nor did I park it there. It irked me that the neighbor didn’t knock on my door to learn more before turning it in to the city. I just received the citation notice from the city of OKC for a vehicle that wasn’t mine and that wasn’t technically in front of my house. Since I knew whose boat it was, I knocked on that person’s door, and they moved it happily before a fine was assessed.
Some of these things are best resolved between neighbors, even those who don’t know each other, as was my case. I would steer clear of parking in the street directly in front of the neighbor’s front door most of the time and let your neighbor know on special occasions that friends might park there temporarily.
It can be stressful if people can’t park in front of your house when they visit or if others block your walkway all the time. Often, cities have ordinances to keep people from camping long-term on the street, so you can check the rules out to be sure. Here is OKC’s Action Center website for help if this is where you live: https://www.okc.gov/residents/actioncenter. But if possible, let your neighbor have his space and try to work things out between you.
GUEST’S ANSWER: Scott Kinnaird, software executive:
If the property owner has a right to remove vehicles from in front of his property, the only neighborly way to settle the dispute is to kindly ask for parking permission. It’s amazing how cooperative people can become when they’re included in decisions about things they own. Callie Athey is 20-something, Lillie-Beth Brinkman is in her 40s, and social columnist Helen Ford Wallace is 60-plus. To ask an etiquette question, email helen.wallace@cox.net.