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sillymomma · Aug 3, 2009, 02:08 PM

We had new neighbors that moved in a week ago and since their move in day that have continuously parked at the end of our driveway blocking my car from leaving or entering the driveway. Saturday they did it again and I went outside and got their license plate number and said I am turning this into the police. Before I could go in the house the lady came out hollering and using disgusting language that caused a small portion of neighbors to look out their doors. She did move the car but said if you called the police it won't do any good because I have already moved the car. About 2 hours later I looked out my kitchen window a male that lives in the house was acting strange on the deck (their deck). I noticed he backed up to the wall and was peering around to the front of the house. I stared at him for a few minutes before I noticed the lady that was hollering was walking away from the corner of the house. I didn't think much of it at first but later on we noticed that the tires were cut on my daughters Camoro. We didn't actually see them do it but I am fearful that they may try more. What can we do?

s_cianci · Aug 3, 2009, 02:23 PM

Unless you (or someone else who's willing to admit it) actually saw them cut the tires on your daughter's car there's really not much you can do. You can file a police report and note your suspicions (and you probably should, just in case they do try some other shenanigans) but that's all it is ; a suspicion. Obviously common sense tells you that they are in fact the guilty ones but common sense doesn't make them guilty by the required legal criteria. Just try to ask them nicely not to block your driveway. Is there a feasible reason why they would park in such a way as to block your driveway? Is it a neighborhood where parking spaces are scarce? Is your driveway wide enough that they could park alongside your car? Obviously you're not obliged to share your driveway with them and maybe aren't inclined to after the way they've acted but it could be a feasible solution to your problem anyhow.

JudyKayTee · Aug 3, 2009, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by jessie99

Tell the police secretly so she does not harm u

You cannot file a secret Police Report -

I think this is one of those situations where, in general, the Police won't take an "I think" or "what if" report.

I'd certainly keep my eyes on them, talk to the landlord about it, not give them an excuse to slash tires or do something worse - and move.

I see no way to stop this and these things have a tendency to escalate. It is unfortunate that people like this can drive you out but I never put my safety or that of my family in jeopardy.

Fr_Chuck · Aug 3, 2009, 06:13 PM

You put in video cameras to record everything around, and release it will get a lot worst before it gets better.

If they rent, call up the landlord, if there are zoning issues, contact the city, start going against the landlord since if he is paying fines for actions of his renters, that gets them out faster

dontknownuthin · Aug 3, 2009, 07:30 PM

They just moved in and it sounds like they parked at the end of your driveway and your first reaction was to write down their plate number and threaten to report them to the police? I think that you overreacted and should have just gone over and first of all welcomed them to the neighborhood - a pie or cookies might have been a nice touch. I'd let things slide while they are moving in and see if they continue to do it. If they do, then I'd go to their home and say, "I don't want to bother you but it's difficult to get out of my driveway when you're parked there, and I was hoping you might park somewhere else moving forward? I'm so affraid I might hit your nice car!" This makes it sound like your concern is for them.

A little sugar goes a long way.

Sounds to me like you're paying a bit too much attention to what other people are doing... just leave them be and give them a chance to be good neighbors before you start wolrd war III.

danielnoahsmommy · Aug 3, 2009, 07:35 PM

An apology to them is in order. A peace offering would go along way.

JudyKayTee · Aug 4, 2009, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by dontknownuthin

They just moved in and it sounds like they parked at the end of your driveway and your first reaction was to write down their plate number and threaten to report them to the police? I think that you overreacted and should have just gone over and first of all welcomed them to the neighborhood - a pie or cookies might have been a nice touch. I'd let things slide while they are moving in and see if they continue to do it. If they do, then I'd go to their home and say, "I don't want to bother you but it's difficult to get out of my driveway when you're parked there, and I was hoping you might park somewhere else moving forward? I'm so affraid I might hit your nice car!" This makes it sound like your concern is for them.

A little sugar goes a long way.

Sounds to me like you're paying a bit too much attention to what other people are doing...just leave them be and give them a chance to be good neighbors before you start wolrd war III.

They probably slashed her daughter's tires! While it sounds like a peace keeping gesture I don't see a plate of cookies calming this situation down. No one should have to welcome someone to the neighborhood with a pie or plate of cookies in order to keep his/her tires from being slashed. What is the OP going to have to bake next week to keep her car safe?

I think the neighbors minimally are hot heads, could be dangerous, and the answers are now turning toward blaming the OP.

It's too late now for the plate of cookies, anyway.

danielnoahsmommy · Aug 4, 2009, 06:11 AM

OK too late for cookies! Is it ever to late for an apology. Yes they may be pot heads, but the op set them off. She can go over and apologize if not with cookies how about a six pack!

epawls · Aug 4, 2009, 07:28 AM

FR Chuck is absolutely correct... cameras do not lie... you can set something up for about the cost of a couple Camaro tires... once you have video evidence... it is irrefutable.

JudyKayTee · Aug 4, 2009, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by danielnoahsmommy

ok too late for cookies! is it ever to late for an apology. yes they may be pot heads, but the op set them off. She can go over and apologize if not with cookies how bout a six pack!

I don't think handing alcohol to these people is the way to go - if the OP wants to apologize, then, fine, she can take over cookies or whatever else strikes her fancy. Maybe it will keep them from doing something else, maybe it won't.

Again - I don't know why the responsibility of "making friends" is on the OP whose property has already been damaged. She's not the bad guy!

But - if she sees no other recourse, then, yes, she should take over cookies and apologize for whatever she thinks she needs to apologize for.

I find the more "you" back up the more people run over you - and she's already been run over. Maybe earlier things would be different but she can't take anything back, nor can the neighbors.

But I appear to be in the minority here.

dontknownuthin · Aug 4, 2009, 07:52 PM

It is too late to start on the right foot with these neighbors but there's some value in considering for a moment that perhaps things were handled badly by this poster to begin with.

Obviously I'm not suggesting that cookies are a good response to vandalism - rather they would have been a much more appropriate response than a police report to new people moving into the neighborhood! Don't pick a fight if you don't want to be in one.

Slashing the tires - if they did do it - is totally unacceptable, of course. But picking at crazy neighbors is no more appropriate than picking at the nice ones -- it's kind of like poking a stick at a rabid dog if you ask me!

JudyKayTee · Aug 5, 2009, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by dontknownuthin

It is too late to start out on the right foot with these neighbors but there's some value in considering for a moment that perhaps things were handled badly by this poster to begin with.

Obviously I'm not suggesting that cookies are a good response to vandalism - rather they would have been a much more appropriate response than a police report to new people moving into the neighborhood! Don't pick a fight if you don't want to be in one.

Slashing the tires - if they did do it - is totally unacceptable, of course. But picking at crazy neighbors is no more appropriate than picking at the nice ones -- it's kind of like poking a stick at a rabid dog if you ask me!

And so - what is your advice?

dontknownuthin · Aug 5, 2009, 07:33 PM

In answer to your question, my advice is first, not to start relationships with new neighbors by making a threat. Second, to recognize that she had something to do with starting on the wrong foot. Third, to stop watching and worrying about what the neighbors are doing. Also, to not assume the neighbors slashed the tires if she doesn't actually know who did it. Neighbors last a long time, and I'd suggest either letting things drop, recognizing they will not be great friends - if you don't get along with someone, stop engaging in the relationship with them so actively. Be friendly but don't watch them, don't instigate.

Or, if feasible, try to start fresh with them - perhaps extend an olive branch, "Hey, we got off on the wrong foot - let's do this over...I'm Mary, welcome to the neighborhood!"

Especially if the neighbors are complete jerks, feeding the disagreement is a pretty bad approach in my view.

JudyKayTee · Aug 6, 2009, 07:13 AM

I don't see that the OP is "actively" attempting to engage in a relationship. I see her question to be "I think they slashed the tires. What should I do now?" The extend the olive branch thought came from people responding to her, not from the OP.

And, again, I think blaming her for starting on the wrong foot, if in fact she did, is blaming the victim.

As far as the olive branch - she won't be the first or the last to attempt to let something go but the other side of things won't let that happen.