Parking wars and rude neighbors.

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Parking wars and rude neighbors.

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trendpotter
rookie newb
Joined: Sep '11
Posts: 27

Greetings to everyone on this board:

I will cut right to the chase and say that I have a neighbor on my street who owns a beautiful townhouse. She is a very proud home owner which one can tell by the way she keeps her immaculate mini garden. We have have been neighbors for about 3 years and we would occasionally greet each other with a good morning or a good afternoon when we happened upon each other.

The problem started when my car basically broke down in front of her home. When I say it broke down in front of her home I say that it just would not start. This problem has plagued me for about 2weeks and I would sit in my car and wait for sanitation to come by in order avoid an alternate side of the street parking ticket. At this point the sanitation guys know who I am and they basically drive around me and wave.

By week 1 the pleasant good mornings from my neighbor turned into questions revolving around when I was going to move the car. At first I was puzzled because last I was aware street parking was public. My neighbor explained to me t hat the spot in front of her home belonged to her and that I should move my car. I tried to explain to her that my brother(a mechanic by trade) would be coming in from Vermont and that he would fix my car. I further explained that I did not have the money to have my car towed to a garage. By the beginning of week 2 I told her that it would be moved as soon as possible but this was not good enough for her.

By the end of week 2 she was calling 311 on my car but I suspect that the police told her (saw the police checking my car) that there was nothing she could do about it unless I was illegally parked. Yesterday she actually stopped the sanitation sweeper and demanded I get a summons which the operator refused(thank god). This morning I came to my car and the below nasty note was placed under my windshield wiper.
I will be honest and say that I am at my wits end with this woman and part of me wants to leave the car there indefinitely so as to prove a point. I am originally from Vermont and I have never heard about the spot in front of your house being owned by the property owner right in front of it. I am hoping this is the last nasty letter she leaves on my car because if I get one more I will have her arrested for harassment.

Just to be clear my car is not an eyesore and it is a well kept 2003 Camry. There is no reason she would want my car moved from in front of her house unless of course she wanted the spot for herself.

Sorry for the long winded first post but I needed to vent. Thanks for lending an ear.

# Posted 1 yr ago
scarlett
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 2,866

Omfg. That woman needs a reality check of what is important. Send dogs to relieve themselves on her stoop and children to chalk up the sidewalk ASAP!

# Posted 1 yr ago
trendpotter
rookie newb
Joined: Sep '11
Posts: 27

Scarlett, I assure you your advice is taken to heart but I choose to remedy this situation via diplomatic routes. Unfortunately , I have to see this woman day in and day out and something drastic like that would only lead to further tension. We are neighbors after all, I will try the route of discussion until that fails..

# Posted 1 yr ago
booklaw
admin
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 2,408

I love parking my car in front of my house, on the one day each month or two when I am able to find that space available. Do I think I "own" that space? Hell, no. That is totally ludicrous! And so is the lady who's harassing you. When you are able to move your car, you should leave a present behind for the lady: break a few glass bottles and leave the glass shards behind.

# Posted 1 yr ago
BrookSignal
getting it
Joined: Jul '07
Posts: 108

Um it is illegal to leave your car parked in the same spot anywhere on city streets for more than two weeks. Alternate side rules are for street cleaning, your car is preventing the street in front of your neighbors residence from being cleaned and the homeowner can receive a summons for garbage debris etc. in the street in front of their home. If you can't afford to get your car towed and repaired maybe it's time to think about selling it.. You are in the wrong here.

# Posted 1 yr ago
Mamacita
Stuck in the middle with you
Joined: Dec '06
Posts: 9,496

So are the breaks glued stuck? Put it on neutral and with a friend back that sucker in front of your building. And I second Brooksignal.

(\__/)
(=’.'=)
(”)_(”)

# Posted 1 yr ago
OpossumQueen
rocking it
Joined: Aug '07
Posts: 2,525

The note and her harassment are uncalled for--the city can ticket you if they see fit. I live on a nice block and had to put up with a dumpster (house a few doors down was being gutted) in front of our house or one over for about 8 months. They didn't move it for street cleaning but really, even though it was a dumpster the area really never seemed worse for it. The rain and wind really keep trash moving along.

Her claiming the spot is hers is just ridiculous. No matter how much she paid for that house, she only owns the house and yard. The sidewalk and street are city property, though she can be fined for trash or damage on the sidewalk (pretty sure not for what's in the street).

# Posted 1 yr ago
arches
above average
Joined: Aug '07
Posts: 839

^ You can get a ticket for trash on the sidewalk in front of your building or in the street up to 18" from the curb.

# Posted 1 yr ago
ParkSlopeGay
rookie newb
Joined: May '11
Posts: 16

Sorry, leaving your dead car in front of anyones house, for weeks on end is illegal, and your "trick" to bypass the street cleaners is bullsquat. I'd bet its soon to be a target by thieves who have seen it sitting there forever. Cant afford the maintenance, cant afford the car. MTA pass is $104.

# Posted 1 yr ago
Alana
getting it
Joined: Feb '08
Posts: 148

Passive Aggressive WIN
http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/

# Posted 1 yr ago
WhyFi
I'm Urban - recognize!
Joined: Jul '05
Posts: 5,268

It's a really well-kept car... other than the fact that it doesn't run.

How long does a car have to sit in the same spot before the city can consider it abandoned?

...not that there's anything wrong with that.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,093

Whyfi-
The Department of Sanitation has the authority to tow cars that are visibly abandoned or not functional (broken windows, flat tires, missing license plates, expired registration, etc) without giving them tickets first. As a result, it isn't really a "length of time" issue.

The NYPD, on the other hand, tends to focus merely on towing cars that have excess unpaid parking tickets. As a result, getting the NYPD to remove a car often takes some time.

[Cars blocking traffic or causing some hazard are obviously towed by both agencies as conditions warrant, but this does not seem to be such a situation]

Regardless of which agency makes the decision to tow a car, the tow truck that comes is usually labeled NYPD.

While posters are correct in pointing out that the neighbor has no inherent right to the space in front of her house, Trendpotter also has no right to not abide by alternate side of the street rules. By doing so, Treadpotter effectively denies the neighbor (and everyone else) the "chance" to get that particular spot if the car were being moved as per regulations.

I think the answer is for Trendpotter to fix the car and move it before the neighbor becomes frustrated and decides to make the car look abandoned by flattening the tires, removing the plates, etc and then calls 311 to report an abandoned vehicle in front of her house.

Such a technique by the neighbor would quickly solve the problem, and is often used against cars with alarms that go off at 2 AM while people are sleeping.

Frustrated NYers have learned that the city won't tow a car with an alarm that is going off, but will tow one that has had its plates stolen and may (coincidentally) have its alarm going off....

It would not surprise me if a frustrated NYer made such a condition happen in this situation.

I love NY, and watching the "dramas" that it creates.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
trendpotter
rookie newb
Joined: Sep '11
Posts: 27

GOOD NEWS!

This evening I decided to try and crank her up and she turned on but it only lasted 5 minutes. I was ecstatic that she turned on at all which signaled to me that she still had some kick in her and was not ready to fully croak. I immediately kept trying to turn her on but all she would do was stay on for about 5- 10 minutes and then she would conk out. The longest I managed to keep her on was about 30 minutes but that was on if I applied slight pressure to the pedal. Needless to say I wasted a quarter of a tank of gas today and about an hour of my time.

If anyone has any clue as to what could be ailing my car please feel free to help out with some car advice.

When my brother gets into town on Friday and I am hoping he gets her running again. He assures me that it should be an easy fix but I am keeping my fingers crossed. He is driving in with his truck full of tools so if things look dire he will not hesitate to get under the car. Did I mention he was a mechanic by trade?

As for some of the comments demanding that I get out of her spot I choose to ignore the lot of you and your crooked selfish advice. To all those with friendly useful advice, I thank you.I looked into the parking spot thing by calling the local precinct and they told me that no one can lay claim to any specific parking spot. The officer stated that it was a first come first serve situation when it came to city parking and that I was doing nothing illegal. The polite officer also told me as long as my car is fully registered and currently inspected that sanitation had no authority to tow my car based on abandonment. He even went as far as to tell me to have my brother swap out his truck for my car in the spot when he gets my car running just to pour salt in the complaining lady's wound.

I think I will heed the officers sound advice. It is time to stand up for something.

# Posted 1 yr ago
Idlewild
rocking it
Joined: Sep '05
Posts: 2,795

Try cleaning or replacing your air filter.

"Clamato! Straight Up! No chasah!

# Posted 1 yr ago
trendpotter
rookie newb
Joined: Sep '11
Posts: 27

Idlewind, funny you should say that but my brother told me the same thing. I had a tuneup done on the car 3 months ago and it was changed.

# Posted 1 yr ago
BrookSignal
getting it
Joined: Jul '07
Posts: 108

So did your brother do the tune up?

# Posted 1 yr ago
Drea
getting it
Joined: Jan '07
Posts: 51

Sounds like you're ignoring the advice you don't like and justifying the advice that you DO like. If you can't maintain your car, get rid of it. Pretty simple.

# Posted 1 yr ago
trendpotter
rookie newb
Joined: Sep '11
Posts: 27

Sounds like you're ignoring the advice you don't like and justifying the advice that you DO like. If you can't maintain your car, get rid of it. Pretty simple.

Drea, did you even bother to read what you posted? It is my God given right to pick and choose the advice I feel most comfortable with. There is no such thing as "the perfect advice". Some advice sucks and some advice is good. Everyone contributed their ideas and I basically ignored the moronic ones and stuck with the advice that made most sense to me. I can't please everyone and for the record I can afford my car and there is no need to get rid of it. As for your advice, it was gingerly placed in the column I personally labeled "trash". Fret not for your advice is not alone in that bin.

# Posted 1 yr ago
ringrunner
above average
Joined: Mar '08
Posts: 704

Never mind you neighbor who gives you dirty looks. Think if the rest who have to come home and look for a spot 5 or 6 or more times a week. On a regular basis they have to drive around looking for a spot.

Do you really need your car at all? If you can go weeks without using it, maybe you don't need it.

If you can't afford to fix it think of the money you would save if you did not have to insure it.

Don't get me started

# Posted 1 yr ago
nearnostrand
getting it
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 189

The woman is an overly-entitled nut job. The spot does not belong to her. On the other hand, you gotta move the car. Roll the car one spot forward or one spot back, just to show you are trying. Your neighbor might be a nut, but I am sure she is not the only person annoyed by your ability and willingness to flaunt the breaking of parking rules. They just haven't said anything.

For those who seem to take the greatest issue with the obstruction of street cleaning, would the unfortunate situation be easier to swallow if the OP went out with a broom and swept up around the car until her brother from Vermont fixes it?

# Posted 1 yr ago
Clementine
what am I, new?
Joined: Jan '11
Posts: 9

The woman needs meds for her disorder. No excuse for her behavior. STREET does NOT belong to her. This reminds me when i was trying to do cat rescue IN the street on Garfield and one family did not like it. They thought they owned the WHOLE block of Garfield.

# Posted 1 yr ago
catwalkertexasranger
above average
Joined: Jun '09
Posts: 483

somebody is not doing their job, and it's not the fed up homeowner who observed that a car is there for a couple of weeks. Ask the police to sticker the car, they will look in and see the odometer has not moved and tow it. In the impound yard nobody cares how long the car sits for, then everybody is happy, the dead, can't move car is with others like it, the sanitation guys car start new relationships, and the homeowner can look at the posted signs and think they apply to everybody , even the magician that can make a dead car appear alive and moving

# Posted 1 yr ago
Clementine
what am I, new?
Joined: Jan '11
Posts: 9

P.S. At some point you have to move the car.

# Posted 1 yr ago
snarkslope
getting it
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 173

Am I the only one who thinks this is fake?

# Posted 1 yr ago
PuckBrooklyn
Thinks all these new people are one person.
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 159

snarkslope said:
Am I the only one who thinks this is fake?

You are not alone. Adding TrendPotter to my list in my sig.

Starting a list of users names who are actually the same person: west1440, DownwardPuppy, TruthandBeauty, Stretchy, RupaulRox, NarcolepticAbe, QuantumSilence, SoldierSantana, SouljaJuan, TrendPotter, THREEKxdz, HomeEida

# Posted 1 yr ago
PuckBrooklyn
Thinks all these new people are one person.
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 159

I actually appreciate the lengths the poster is going to now... actually taking fake photos! I love it.

Starting a list of users names who are actually the same person: west1440, DownwardPuppy, TruthandBeauty, Stretchy, RupaulRox, NarcolepticAbe, QuantumSilence, SoldierSantana, SouljaJuan, TrendPotter, THREEKxdz, HomeEida

# Posted 1 yr ago
OpossumQueen
rocking it
Joined: Aug '07
Posts: 2,525

arches said:
^ You can get a ticket for trash on the sidewalk in front of your building or in the street up to 18" from the curb.
</blockquote

TIL. I can understand keeping the sidewalk clean, but being responsible for part of the street seems odd to me. With all of the cars parked it seems like a tall order. I've seen tons of folks who regularly sweep their sidewalk debris into the street. I guess the guy on PPW that sweeps up his mess and takes it across the street to the park knows this rule

# Posted 1 yr ago
veets
rocking it
Joined: Feb '07
Posts: 2,535

There are so many "problems" and stuff to complain about it is amazing that someone would take the time and energy to post "fake" issues here. but this OP is added to the list.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,093

PuckBrooklyn said:
You are not alone. Adding TrendPotter to my list in my sig.

Thanks Puck

P.S. Although its just a story, I hope the neighbor is a Frustrated NYer, as I described. If she is crazy, that's ok too.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
THREEKxdz
rookie newb
Joined: Sep '11
Posts: 15

Common decency dictates that the original poster should be more neighborly and respect his/her neighbors by allowing them to share the parking spot. Hoarding the spot for 2 weeks is unacceptable and downright criminal. The woman who owns the house in front of the spot has first dibs on the spot but by no means has exclusive rights to it.
A couple of years back I had a similar problem with a few greedy parkers on my block and I handled it in the most creative manner. What I would did was walk my dog and scoop up his fecal matter after he had finished his business. Instead of disposing of the fecal matter I would use the dog poop to smear under the car door handles. The message to the offending parker was blunt and too the point. Needless to say I got rid of a few greedy parking hoarders in my day.
The parking situation in Park Slope is horrendous and no one should be allowed to hoard a specific spot for a long period of time. Hoarders of parking spots should be dealt with swiftly or else the simple rules of society will degrade and eventually collapse. The OP is wrong on so many levels.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,093

Puck-
Can your signature accommodate threekids?

Threekids-
Welcome to the board! Thanks for posting.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago