You can achieve a great deal with your neighbours simply by showing kindness.
If you need to borrow equipment for a home improvement task or need someone to tend to your garden while you’re away on holiday, merely asking your neighbour if they’d be prepared to assist will frequently produce a favourable response.
They’re under no obligation to help, and if they decline, you shouldn’t pester them about it, but requesting courteously often delivers superior outcomes than issuing demands.
One man, however, is discovering that not everyone requests politely when they want someone else to take action. His neighbour has issued outrageous demands and even “threats” to attempt getting him to relocate his vehicle – despite it being parked entirely lawfully on the roadside.
In a post on Reddit, the man revealed his neighbour knocked on his door “insisting” he shift his car from the road outside their properties, and provided him with the most “ridiculous” justification for her demand – she couldn’t observe the street adequately.
He wrote: “My neighbour knocked on my door yesterday, insisting I move my car because it’s ‘blocking her view’ of the street. I’m parked legally on a public road, not even in front of her house.”
The gentleman claimed his neighbour “threatened to call the HOA” to report his parking, but he remains resolute that he’s committed no wrongdoing by parking on the street. A homeowners’ association (HOA) is a private organisation within a residential community that levies charges from residents to upkeep communal spaces and implement regulations.
They are predominantly found in the US, with rules encompassing matters such as property upkeep and external aesthetics.
Should homeowners breach the regulations set out by their HOA, they may face penalties or special levies.
In extreme circumstances, the HOA might impose a lien on a homeowner’s property, which constitutes a legal charge securing a debt or duty and could result in repossession.
However, those commenting on the man’s post informed him that his neighbour was the one behaving unreasonably, particularly if his vehicle was stationed lawfully at the roadside.
One individual remarked: “She is being completely unreasonable. Tell her if she wants to call the HOA, she can go right ahead, but in the meantime, make it clear to her that you are NOT moving your car.”
Another contributor stated: “Parked legally on a public street and she’s acting like she owns the road? Sounds like someone needs a hobby besides micromanaging asphalt.”
Is it unlawful to park at the roadside?
In the UK, it is not unlawful to park beside the road, assuming you aren’t stationed somewhere with limitations such as double yellow lines, no parking notices, or locations where you would create a blockage. Roadside parking operates as a free-for-all system, allowing motorists to park anywhere along a stretch of road.
You cannot claim exclusive rights to the space directly outside your property, nor are you permitted to place cones on the street to reserve parking spots.
When parking at the roadside, motorists should also be mindful not to park on the pavement.
Pavement parking isn’t against the law outside London and Scotland; nevertheless, you may still face penalties for doing so in certain circumstances.
Since 1974, Highway Code rule 244 has stipulated that motorists “MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it.”
Within the Highway Code, the phrase “must not” indicates there is legislation supporting this rule, and you could face a penalty for violating it.
However, “should not” serves as guidance and lacks legislative backing.
Nevertheless, rule 242 declares that drivers “MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road”.
This means that if you park in a manner deemed hazardous or creating unnecessary obstruction, you could face a penalty.