Finding free parking in the middle of a city can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack. You have to carefully check every sign, look out for parking meters, study the exact dates and times that street cleaning happens, and say a prayer that your car won’t be towed when you return to it. But there is one place we should all feel safe parking, even if we live downtown: our own homes. Unfortunately, one woman did not seem to understand that when you move away from a building or neighborhood, you are not entitled to park there any longer.
One frustrated resident shared a story on Reddit explaining how her former neighbor continued to try to steal her parking lot after moving out, and the situation only escalated from there. The woman reached out to others online wondering if she had reacted too drastically to her parking spot repeatedly being nabbed, so below, you can read the full story and decide for yourself if her response was justified. Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below, and if you have ever had parking drama with neighbors, we would love to hear your stories as well.
Then if you’re interested in a couple other Bored Panda articles featuring parking disputes, check out this story or this story next!
One woman reached out online to find out if she was wrong for calling a tow truck on her former neighbor’s car
Image credits: thekirbster (not the actual photo)
Image credits: JACK REDGATE (not the actual photo)
The woman continued to update the post to clarify details as new information came to light
Finally, she shared a photo of the retaliation her car endured
Image credits: ShamyJane
Parking disputes between neighbors are nothing new. When there are not specifically designated spots or one person does not respect the amount of space available for all residents, drama tends to ensue. However, in this particular situation, it should not even be up for discussion. The former neighbor no longer has any right to be parking at a building she does not live in. She was also kindly warned not to park there any longer. I can empathize with how expensive parking is, particularly in big cities or downtown areas, but she has to be reasonable. It is up to her and her employer to find a solution for her parking dilemma when she comes to work; it is not the responsibility of a pregnant former neighbor who is just trying to peacefully live her life and have somewhere to park when she gets home.
She continued to answer questions in the comments from curious readers
Based on the vocabulary the woman uses in this post, I would guess that she lives in the United States. But parking disputes can happen anywhere. One recent survey in the UK found that 75% of citizens cite parking issues as the main reason they argue with neighbors. In fact, 62% of these residents have even had a falling out with a neighbor over parking, at least once. These parking disputes can easily escalate as well. Often, residents attempt to resolve them on their own, by putting up private parking signs, painting their house number in the space, blocking the space with something, or installing CCTV. But 54% of the survey participants admitted that their arguments even escalated to the point of calling in community police to help resolve the issue.
Parking can be a touchy issue anywhere. It is basically an extension of your home, and when you don’t have the opportunity to park a safe, comfortable distance from your place of residence, a mountain of unnecessary stress and inconvenience can be added to your day. Sadly, this situation did not end in the former neighbor apologizing or attempting to make things right, and as most of the commenters stated, the resident was absolutely justified in calling a tow truck. We would love to hear your thoughts down below as well. Have you ever been wrapped up in parking drama with neighbors? Feel free to share your personal experiences with your fellow pandas!
Readers have overwhelmingly sided with the author, assuring her that she had much more patience than most people
They were going to write the word "b***h". You can see the B and I clearly. It had to be her.
I would have just towed her after noticing she was in my spot. I pay for it with my apartment. no moochers.
Same here. Why even wait for an opportunity to talk to her? She knew from the start when she moved away that she was parking in someone else's spot and that her car could get towed (even when her old parking spot and apartment were still empty, it wasn't hers to park there anymore and she knew it). The first time I'd noticed her parking in my own spot I'd (anonymously if possible) report it to get her car towed. Even if I weren't pregnant
Load More Replies...
She did not have any sympathy for you being pregnant and having to walk further because she occupied your space while not even a tenant so why does she expect sympathy after parking in your spot after telling you she would not? If she was a nice neighbor I might have waited one more day to catch her and tell her you would have it towed next time. That said, she showed her true colors when she ( in all likelihood) had your vehicle keyed. Her car, while at her work, would endure the same fate if she had done that to me.
It never surprises me that people who are caught doing wrong will retaliate when they're caught. If you're guilty, don't blame your victim for getting caught.
This level of entitlement bugs me. Yes, life is tough, but she created her own problems here by using a space she had no right to. We all have problems, and most of us manage to deal with them without making them other people's problems.
NTA. Parking assholes are annoying. And She even gave F a proper warning. Other probably would have towed her car wy before that, before paying for parking themselves
The OP was way more patient and understanding than I would have been. I probably would have had her car towed at the 1st incident. This is a sore spot for me, as I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with people taking my designated spot. Multiple people. Often. And, I would and have called the tow company at the drop of a hat.
She is definitely NTA. F is the AH. Why she continued parking in the apartment's parking lot when she no longer lived there?, I don't know. Why did she picked the OP's spot and not the others? Who knows. I wonder if moving to a nicer apartment was worth driving to a workplace that doesn't have it's own parking lot and stealing another person's spot.
NTA. Her lack of preparation does not constitution your emergency. She had no right expecting you to sacrifice your spot, especially being pregnant.
Considering the fact that she no longer lives there, she has no right to continue to park there. No to mention you have been more than patient with her on the matter and even let her know that you were pregnant and needed your spot back. The fact that she continued to park in that spot despite the signs saying "violators will be towed" says a lot.
Dude the fact OP actually parked on the road and talked to her before towing her is amazing.
This is my biggest pet peeve. It would be universally considered nuts if you parked in a home's driveway as though it were city parking. This is no different. I have had many a car towed from many an apartment/condo without even a smidge of guilt. Don't. Do. That. Not free parking. It is, in fact, extremely expensive parking.
I don't blame OP at all. I have a neighbor in which his girlfriend and he believe she can park in my spot and I park around the block. Both are delusional.
This has happened to me and my husband at an apartment complex we lived in. There was covered parking and we were all assigned spots. A few times someone would be parked in our spot when we came home form a night out. We were not very happy of course. Instead of calling the tow truck, he decided to park our vehicle across car parked in our spot.The next day was Saturday so we didn't have to get up as early to go to work. We get a call from the apartment manager's office about our car parked that way, saying it is blocking the car and cars are not allowed to park there. When we went down there the young woman was upset saying her boyfriend had to go to work. I told her then she shouldn't have let him park in our spot. He isn't allowed to park in here unless he was a resident with a fob. Apparently, the person who parked there was the boyfriend of a young woman who lived there. Yes my husband decided to take matters into his own hands, but it was to inconvenience someone who deserved it.
People always say 'talk to them before calling a tow truck '...this is why I wouldn't. Then they key your car or talk smack abt you to others causing drama. Same with noise issues and reporting. They know they are doing wrong and the potential consequences, as well as the fact they are causing others issues. Stay safe, let the authorities handle it.
I'd have had them towed the first time...the OP was more than generous waiting as long at they did. No sympathy...i dealt with people that believed they were special before, it didn't end well for any of them.
She was very lucky to even get a warning to not park there anymore. Its her own fault her car was towed. End of story.
Even if you were a star Olympic sprinter with zero issues walking distances, it comes down to the principle of the matter. You don't use your personal issues as an excuse for poor planning. And force others to problem solve YOUR issues. You and your fiance were right to have her car towed. You offered a courtesy to remind her to leave your parking alone....which you did not needed to....She dismissed it. Let these loyal friends of hers offer up their parking or help her pay for parking. She's an adult and need to come up with a different plan. Not your problem.
She moved out and shouldn't be parking there period. That's completely on her. I pay for my parking spot as well and will not tolerate that at all.
While I'm of the mindset that it is not my responsibility to bear discomfort for a pregnancy I had no hand in making or deciding (that is, I help pregnant women out because I choose to, not for some societal "requirement", and will likewise back up people who dont), it *IS* her spot. F is a b***h for thinking she can just steal the space. Also, for any women that read this: I'm former security, and I maintain a state license for armed security. If yall ever need a temp bodyguard to help you get home safe, I'm available. My standard rate is $15/hr, though that's open for negotiations. For a long term contract, my pricing can be reduced and paid monthly, annually, bi-anually, etc.
I hope the one who keyed her car gets sprayed by a skunk right after getting off the bus
She shouldn't have said anything or confronted her. Talk to the landlord and let the landlord do the dirty work and take the blame.
BoredPanda - where AITA subreddit happens ALL THE TIME. Lazy BP, very lazy.
They were going to write the word "b***h". You can see the B and I clearly. It had to be her.
I would have just towed her after noticing she was in my spot. I pay for it with my apartment. no moochers.
Same here. Why even wait for an opportunity to talk to her? She knew from the start when she moved away that she was parking in someone else's spot and that her car could get towed (even when her old parking spot and apartment were still empty, it wasn't hers to park there anymore and she knew it). The first time I'd noticed her parking in my own spot I'd (anonymously if possible) report it to get her car towed. Even if I weren't pregnant
Load More Replies... She did not have any sympathy for you being pregnant and having to walk further because she occupied your space while not even a tenant so why does she expect sympathy after parking in your spot after telling you she would not? If she was a nice neighbor I might have waited one more day to catch her and tell her you would have it towed next time. That said, she showed her true colors when she ( in all likelihood) had your vehicle keyed. Her car, while at her work, would endure the same fate if she had done that to me.
It never surprises me that people who are caught doing wrong will retaliate when they're caught. If you're guilty, don't blame your victim for getting caught.
This level of entitlement bugs me. Yes, life is tough, but she created her own problems here by using a space she had no right to. We all have problems, and most of us manage to deal with them without making them other people's problems.
NTA. Parking assholes are annoying. And She even gave F a proper warning. Other probably would have towed her car wy before that, before paying for parking themselves
The OP was way more patient and understanding than I would have been. I probably would have had her car towed at the 1st incident. This is a sore spot for me, as I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with people taking my designated spot. Multiple people. Often. And, I would and have called the tow company at the drop of a hat.
She is definitely NTA. F is the AH. Why she continued parking in the apartment's parking lot when she no longer lived there?, I don't know. Why did she picked the OP's spot and not the others? Who knows. I wonder if moving to a nicer apartment was worth driving to a workplace that doesn't have it's own parking lot and stealing another person's spot.
NTA. Her lack of preparation does not constitution your emergency. She had no right expecting you to sacrifice your spot, especially being pregnant.
Considering the fact that she no longer lives there, she has no right to continue to park there. No to mention you have been more than patient with her on the matter and even let her know that you were pregnant and needed your spot back. The fact that she continued to park in that spot despite the signs saying "violators will be towed" says a lot.
Dude the fact OP actually parked on the road and talked to her before towing her is amazing.
This is my biggest pet peeve. It would be universally considered nuts if you parked in a home's driveway as though it were city parking. This is no different. I have had many a car towed from many an apartment/condo without even a smidge of guilt. Don't. Do. That. Not free parking. It is, in fact, extremely expensive parking.
I don't blame OP at all. I have a neighbor in which his girlfriend and he believe she can park in my spot and I park around the block. Both are delusional.
This has happened to me and my husband at an apartment complex we lived in. There was covered parking and we were all assigned spots. A few times someone would be parked in our spot when we came home form a night out. We were not very happy of course. Instead of calling the tow truck, he decided to park our vehicle across car parked in our spot.The next day was Saturday so we didn't have to get up as early to go to work. We get a call from the apartment manager's office about our car parked that way, saying it is blocking the car and cars are not allowed to park there. When we went down there the young woman was upset saying her boyfriend had to go to work. I told her then she shouldn't have let him park in our spot. He isn't allowed to park in here unless he was a resident with a fob. Apparently, the person who parked there was the boyfriend of a young woman who lived there. Yes my husband decided to take matters into his own hands, but it was to inconvenience someone who deserved it.
People always say 'talk to them before calling a tow truck '...this is why I wouldn't. Then they key your car or talk smack abt you to others causing drama. Same with noise issues and reporting. They know they are doing wrong and the potential consequences, as well as the fact they are causing others issues. Stay safe, let the authorities handle it.
I'd have had them towed the first time...the OP was more than generous waiting as long at they did. No sympathy...i dealt with people that believed they were special before, it didn't end well for any of them.
She was very lucky to even get a warning to not park there anymore. Its her own fault her car was towed. End of story.
Even if you were a star Olympic sprinter with zero issues walking distances, it comes down to the principle of the matter. You don't use your personal issues as an excuse for poor planning. And force others to problem solve YOUR issues. You and your fiance were right to have her car towed. You offered a courtesy to remind her to leave your parking alone....which you did not needed to....She dismissed it. Let these loyal friends of hers offer up their parking or help her pay for parking. She's an adult and need to come up with a different plan. Not your problem.
She moved out and shouldn't be parking there period. That's completely on her. I pay for my parking spot as well and will not tolerate that at all.
While I'm of the mindset that it is not my responsibility to bear discomfort for a pregnancy I had no hand in making or deciding (that is, I help pregnant women out because I choose to, not for some societal "requirement", and will likewise back up people who dont), it *IS* her spot. F is a b***h for thinking she can just steal the space. Also, for any women that read this: I'm former security, and I maintain a state license for armed security. If yall ever need a temp bodyguard to help you get home safe, I'm available. My standard rate is $15/hr, though that's open for negotiations. For a long term contract, my pricing can be reduced and paid monthly, annually, bi-anually, etc.
I hope the one who keyed her car gets sprayed by a skunk right after getting off the bus
She shouldn't have said anything or confronted her. Talk to the landlord and let the landlord do the dirty work and take the blame.
BoredPanda - where AITA subreddit happens ALL THE TIME. Lazy BP, very lazy.
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