# Neighbor Parking Problem **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205 "2013-06-05T14:26:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/21 "2013-06-05T17:47:50Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > It’s totally normal to want to work things out directly rather than report to insurance. That’s always been my preference, and I have full insurance coverage. You may be doing this with the best of intentions but if you _can’t_ work things out, your insurance company will be very unimpressed that you tried to hide it from them. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/22 "2013-06-05T17:51:17Z")
I took close up pictures of both our cars. I also took video. My insurance is going to look at his car and mine. Hopefully this whole thing just goes away with no more involvement of me. He has a 2000 Le Sabre in decent shape. Lots of dents which make me wonder why he is so concerned about two minor paint marks. The quote he provided me says “pain scrapes” on the rear bumper. All this is so much BS because I NEVER F’ING HIT HIS CAR! ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/23 "2013-06-05T17:55:54Z")
Can you elaborate on the “parking issues” you’ve been having with this guy up to this point? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/24 "2013-06-05T18:03:08Z")
> [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > Send him a certified letter that says: > > Dear Neighbor, > > I have received your extortion attempt to not report a crime in exchange for a cash payout. I have filed a police report. I did not hit or otherwise damage your vehicle. I have notified my insurance company of your attempted scam. > > Sincerely, > > Laggard I think this is probably the way to go - your neighbour doesn’t sound like he’s playing with a full deck. I also think you should not park beside him any longer - this nutty person seems to have singled you out as someone to harass. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/25 "2013-06-05T18:13:15Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > True, but if it happened while parked, then it may be difficult to prove fault to the insurance company’s satisfaction. Then it’ll be equally difficult to prove in small claims court, or to the satisfaction of any police officer who takes the time to investigate this mess. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/26 "2013-06-05T18:29:38Z")
Take photos of car, with date. Stop by the police station. Tell them, what you told us, quietly and politely, show them your pictures. That should do it, since you’ve already called the insurance company. Congrats on maintaining your cool, I admire that ver much! ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/27 "2013-06-05T18:53:13Z")
Machine Elf: > [@](#): > > Then it’ll be equally difficult to prove in small claims court, or to the satisfaction of any police officer who takes the time to investigate this mess. Insurance companies have a bias toward not paying out. A judge or policeman who has no financial liability might be more sway-able by flimsier evidence of fault. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/28 "2013-06-05T18:53:40Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Can you elaborate on the “parking issues” you’ve been having with this guy up to this point? He has a space that is roughly 25 feet wide but chooses to park inches from me. There are no lines so he is apparently either a bad driver or he does it on purpose. Thanks for all the support. I feel better. Can I file for a restraining order from this jerk so that he never contacts me again directly? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/29 "2013-06-05T19:02:27Z")
Let your insurance company handle it. The police are not going to match anything. Do not communicate with him verbally or in writing about this incident, but be cordial if you encounter him. Let him say he’s going to take you to small claims court; it’s a bluff. If he actually confronts you about it, say, “My lawyers are handling it, so I can’t talk about it.” Bluffing works both ways. Don’t make an enemy of him. ETA. I vote against any overt legal action on your part. Restraining order? No. That will just antagonize him, and he will still be your neighbor. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/30 "2013-06-05T19:19:40Z")
I don’t know what kind of unit you live in , but I would take pictures and document his passive-aggressive parking style and this extortion nonsense, and bring it to whoever manages your building, and ask for him to either have a different spot assigned to him (if that’s how it’s done) or for lines to be painted. In my opinion, he’s going to keep fucking with you. The faster you involve someone with the power to stop it, the sooner this is over. He sounds like a nut. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/31 "2013-06-05T19:47:17Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > He has a space that is roughly 25 feet wide but chooses to park inches from me. There are no lines so he is apparently either a bad driver or he does it on purpose. > > Thanks for all the support. I feel better. > > Can I file for a restraining order from this jerk so that he never contacts me again directly? Yup, nutcase. I don’t think you have enough grounds for a restraining order yet\* (but I’m no lawyer or judge), but seriously, park somewhere else if you can. I’ve had a nutcase neighbour in the past; they always win against non-nutcases, because they’re willing to do things we aren’t. \*He’s doing the equivalent of what kids do - holding his finger millimeters from your face and saying, “Can’t get mad! Not touching!” ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/32 "2013-06-05T20:03:03Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > He has a space that is roughly 25 feet wide but chooses to park inches from me. There are no lines so he is apparently either a bad driver or he does it on purpose. Of course he’s doing it on purpose because he wants to extort money from you. If he parked 25 feet away, you wouldn’t even ponder whether you could have possibly hit his car. And, no, you can’t get a restraining order against him. Nor would you want to clog up the courts with that kind of nonsense, would you? Don’t stoop to his level. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/33 "2013-06-05T20:12:12Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > And, no, you can’t get a restraining order against him. Nor would you want to clog up the courts with that kind of nonsense, would you? Don’t stoop to his level. You are correct, sir. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/34 "2013-06-05T21:19:15Z")
When corresponding with police or insurance, you’ll want to use their term for the (alleged) marks on his car: ‘paint transfer’. IE: “As shown in the attached photographs, there is no evidence of fresh paint transfer on either vehicle.” ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/35 "2013-06-05T22:00:35Z")
How do you define how wide (or long?) his parking space is, if there are no lines? And how wide is _your_ space? (And how do you know?) Is your space also 25 feet wide? Are you parking your car as far as possible to one edge of your space, _away_ from dick-neighbor’s space? Are _other_ tenants having problems with dick-neighbor, or just you? Does the manager have a goodly collection of complaints about dick-neightbor? ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/36 "2013-06-05T22:28:51Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > How do you define how wide (or long?) his parking space is, if there are no lines? > > And how wide is _your_ space? (And how do you know?) Is your space also 25 feet wide? > > Are you parking your car as far as possible to one edge of your space, _away_ from dick-neighbor’s space? > > Are _other_ tenants having problems with dick-neighbor, or just you? Does the manager have a goodly collection of complaints about dick-neightbor? Well the parking area is 50 feet wide by 20 feet deep and there is only ours, dickheads and another guy who parks on the other side of me. There are no lines but one can figure that each space would work out to be roughly 16 feet wide. There is a low wall on both ends of the parking area. I park as directly in the middle as I can. Dickhead will park two feet from me and he still has a good 10 feet on the other side of him. He backs in normally so I have no idea why he gives himself two feet between his car and mine yet the passanger side is side is 10 feet from the end of the parking space. Long story short there is a crapload of room for everyone yet he chooses to crowd me. Dickhead isn’t on the lease. He lives here with his girlfriend and her mom. The mom is well known to all as someone whose one method of coping with conflict is to get defensive and yell. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/37 "2013-06-05T22:46:48Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > I’ve reported the incident to my insurance agent and supplied him with photos and a copy of the letter. > > I will not talk to him. I’ve tried talking to his mom before but her only method of dealing with things is to get defensive and yell loudly. > > What is my next step if anything? I’ve had this happen to me, and I didn’t even bother with contacting my insurance agent. The bldg manager stopped by to say a neighbor was claiming I hit his/her car in the garage. I said I didn’t hit anyone, but you’re welcome to give them my phone number so we can discuss the issue. Isstead of speaking to me, I got a call from their insurance company, along the lines of “So, you hit one of our customers and we’ll need your insurance information.” I said “No, I didn’t.” They said “Oh. Okay” I never heard from anyone about it again. To this day, I don’t know who it was or why they thought it was me; the bldg mgr at the time refused to tell me who it was and I didn’t press her on it. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/38 "2013-06-06T13:00:41Z")
Thanks all for the advice! ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/39 "2013-06-06T15:42:48Z")
Forgot to ask: If worse comes to worse and dickhead takes me to small claims court, will my insurance company represent me? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205/40 "2013-06-06T15:56:24Z")
IANAL but I doubt it. (And I thought that you weren’t even permitted to have a lawyer represent you at Small Claims Court?) But given his lack of evidence, you should be able to defend the claim yourself. Just tell the truth, and presumably the judge will notice his lack of evidence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neighbor-parking-problem/660205.md?page=3)