It’s good to have neighbors because you know there’s someone you can count on when you are in urgent need. However, some neighbors can turn out to be so inconsiderate, especially when they start parking their cars in front of your house, limiting your free movement.
If you are currently going through the same predicament and you want to know how to stop someone from parking in front of your house, this article offers you several practical tips on what to do.
How to Stop Someone from Parking In Front of Your House: 5 Ways
Living harmoniously with your neighbors boils down to having mutual respect and courtesy. However, some neighbors just want to give you a hard time. Living amongst such neighbors can be stressful, especially since some of them will intentionally do things that annoy you, like parking in front of your house. Here are some of the simple ways to stop this selfish behavior.
1. Talk to Them
The quickest and easiest way to let your neighbor know that they annoy you by parking their car in front of your house is to talk to them directly. There are several ways to do this without triggering a nasty confrontation with your neighbor. For instance, you can just visit their house and raise the concern with them politely. If they are courteous, they will stop doing it forthwith.
If the first step doesn’t work, write a note and paste it on their car’s windshield. Make the message on the note simple and direct. For instance, you can write “Hello neighbor, this is a PRIVATE driveway! Next time we will call the tow company to get your car towed! Kindly park elsewhere.” Avoid writing a long and passive-aggressive rant.
2. Put Up a Sign
If talking to the person and writing notes don’t yield results, especially if you are dealing with more than one culprit, put up a “No Parking” sign in front of your house. You can even include some traffic cones to prevent neighbors from parking in front of your house. Make sure the warning sign meets the necessary standards.
For example, set it near the entrance of your parking driveway and ensure it’s visible and legible. So, remove any barriers that could block the sign. If you don’t know how to design an effective “No Parking” sign, hire a professional fine artist to do it for you or purchase a ready-made sign.
3. Set Up Security Cameras
In addition to a warning sign, install surveillance cameras in front of your house to know who the defiant neighbors are. Research shows that people tend to comply with “No Parking” signs more if they are accompanied by surveillance cameras. Make sure you include a sticker warning your neighbors of 24/7 surveillance.
This should deter them from parking in front of your house. Even the most notorious neighbors don’t want to be caught in the act.
4. Seek Help from Police
If all the above steps don’t seem to be effective, it’s time to involve the police and other relevant authorities. Although the first thought that comes to your mind when you find someone else’s car blocking your driveway is to call a tow truck, you shouldn’t rush to do so because the car owner might take legal action against you.
The best thing is to call the police, especially if you have warned your neighbor severally and they seem to be doing it deliberately.
5. Fill Up the Space
Regrettably, you may try all the above steps with no success. If that’s the case, the only other option left for you is to fill up the empty parking space in front of your house. The most effective way to do this is to park your own car there. Unfortunately, this may not be very effective, especially if you work full-time or your neighbor is one of those people who seem to spend most of their time in the house.
Can You Put a No Parking Sign Outside Your House?
There is no law prohibiting you from putting up a “No Parking” sign in front of your house facing a public road. You can put up such a sign at will, but you need to understand that it doesn’t necessarily mean that the driver who parks there will get a traffic ticket for illegal parking.
Even if you don’t put up a “No Parking” sign, there are regulations that stipulate where you should or shouldn’t park. For instance, in the United States, you are not allowed to park your car in any of these places:
• Private property
• A bus stop
• In front of a fire hydrant
• Sidewalk (unless specifically allowed by signs)
• Within 50 feet of a railroad crossing
• Within 20 feet of a crosswalk
• Within 30 feet of any flashing signal set up on the side of a roadway
Also, note that it’s not illegal to park a non-commercial vehicle on a public street, even in front of your neighbor’s house. But it’s illegal if the vehicle remains parked for over 24 hours without moving. This largely affects vehicles that have been abandoned or no longer work.
What Can You Do If Your Neighbor Keeps Parking In Front of Your House?
It’s infuriating to always wake up to a neighbor’s car blocking your driveway. It is even worse if you’ve asked them not to park in front of your house severally. But as much as it’s annoying, make sure you don’t do anything you might regret like smashing their car or calling a tow truck. Understand that they have a right to park their car there, especially if it’s on a public street.
So, the only reasonable thing to do is to reason with them. If their car is blocking your free movement, make it clear to them. Also, be prepared to listen to the reasons why they keep doing it. You can even suggest a place for them to park their car.
If they are preventing you from leaving the house in the morning and getting back to the house in the evening, you can ask them to remove their car at specific times so that you can move in and out freely. But if your neighbor doesn’t want to listen to you, you can report their anti-social behavior to the authorities. Explain to the police how their parking outside your house is making your life unbearable.
But you need to understand that some police departments consider such issues trivial, so they won’t solve them immediately, especially if the car is abandoned or in a poor state. It’s also possible to pursue a legal claim, especially if you have evidence that your neighbor’s intentional parking behavior is a nuisance.
