r/badparking • u/Ok_Cauliflower6916 • 1d ago
Neighbor Consistently Parks Badly
My neighbor consistently parks over the line, crooked, and way too close to my vehicle making it incredibly difficult to get in and out. Our building has assigned spaces and even though the parking space next to them is almost always open, they still park like this. I don’t understand how someone can even park this badly and then not realize or care enough to repark and just walks away from their car like that. What would you do?
Edit to add and answer some questions: some of you who are saying this car is parked fine and the problem is my “big truck” which is completely stock, not lifted or modified in any way clearly aren’t looking at all 3 pictures. Steering wheels are both on the left side. No my neighbor is not elderly or disabled. This is an able bodied woman in her 20s-30s. Does not have children, therefore no baby seat or anything like that. We have parking for people with disabilities. She is usually alone in the vehicle sometimes accompanied by a man (similar age, able bodied, normal size) presumably her partner.
•
u/HairyWithFlatFeet 1d ago
This is why I miss driving a beater. I used to park so close that it was impossible for them to get into their car from the driver's side and they usually learned after that. If they hit my door or whatever, I never even noticed because my car was already a beater lol
•
•
u/smoosh33 1d ago
I do this with my work truck. I park right up next to them and then just slide over and get out the passenger side.
•
•
u/WildeRoamer 12h ago
Same here: Oooh look at that tight spot everyone left me! Insurance? "By Other"
•
u/Big-Pudding4109 1d ago
I feel safe in my pos car. Who would break in and try to steal from this? If they’re that desperate, they can have it.
•
•
u/NonChromatica 1d ago
That's why I love my shitbox too, people usually think twice before doing anything
•
u/Nalabu1 1d ago
I'd ask management to a) assign you another space or b) notify them of their parking habits.
•
u/RunningonGin0323 1d ago
Nah why do something easy and practical when you can post on the internet asking strangers
•
u/microwavedranch 1d ago
i would probably leave a note or say something if i saw them.
•
1d ago
[deleted]
•
u/Ok_Cauliflower6916 1d ago
Uh no I didn’t. Where did you even get that information? Where in the post did I say that? I’ve never left a note nor spoken to this person.
•
u/RunningonGin0323 1d ago
I dunno maybe do that or speak to the office? You know do something other than post to reddit
•
u/MDGR28 1d ago
Really? I swear I saw those pictures earlier this week. My bad! Someone has a similar truck and parking garage :p
•
u/WaywardPrimrose 1d ago
I thought the same exact thing! Looks almost identical to that other post. I might be slightly chronically online LOL
•
u/Sorgaith 10h ago
In the other post, the car was parked perfectly centered. I still looked for the parking spot numbers 41 and 42 because it did look like the same place.
•
u/Bortron86 1d ago
You could park a bus in that space with plenty of room either side. You've got to be extremely stupid or extremely vindictive to park like that.
→ More replies (12)
•
u/Main_Breadfruit_3674 1d ago
I would paint a second Costco line inside that line and see if they can keep it down the center. It looks like a new car.
•
u/car_raamrod 1d ago
Mfs at Costco still can't stay between the lines in those big ass spaces.
•
u/WERKED66 1d ago
Costco parking is heaven wish every lot was designed like that
•
u/car_raamrod 1d ago
I agree. parking at Costco should be the standard. Meanwhile at the small shopping center near me, no one can park between the lines between two cars and still get out of their car because the lines are too close together, so it's just the wild west of parking.
•
u/WERKED66 1d ago
And that's why I park all the way at the end of the parking lot but still some asshole parks next to you.
•
u/Downtown_Tune_1468 1d ago
what is a Costco line ?
•
u/corpsegrinding 1d ago
Its a type of parking space that adds extra space in between the parked cars. Sam's Club also uses this type of parking. It extends the space from being around 7.5ft wide to around 10ft wide.
•
u/mathewtyler 1d ago
Try putting your passenger side right next to the line next to their driver's door?
•
•
u/One-Ad2914 1d ago
Speak to them and tell them the way they park is making it difficult for you to get in and out of your car and to please correct it.
•
u/Handcraftedsemen_ 1d ago
If it's difficult for you to get in and get out, then it's difficult for them too. Park closer to the line, but don't back your vehicle in. That way, your driver's side is free, but theirs isn't.
•
u/tandyzmills 1d ago
Don't back in and park right on the line. Why would you continue to back in and let this idiot fuck you?
•
u/ur-humble-overlord 1d ago
we had an apartment neighbor who did this. my husband left a note and they got a little better after. he was in his car when they opened their door into his mirror one time. some people just really don't care about cars and don't care if you do. :\
•
•
•
•
u/Gliese_667_Cc 1d ago
Assert dominance. Park 1 inch from them and get out the passenger door. Do this until they start parking in the middle of the space.
→ More replies (1)
•
u/djh_van 1d ago edited 1d ago
I feel like this is the flipside of a very similar post from last week.
The poster there said they just moved into a building, and their neighbour who owns a truck stuck a more on their windshield asking them to give them more space to park their truck.
The note had in big letters: LET'S WORK TOGETHER!"
•
u/No_Usual_3973 1d ago
I thought the same and found the other post. I was disappointed they appear unrelated.
•
u/No_Performance_108 1d ago
Think it’s time for you to pull in as close to the line as you can and just have to back out a couple times
•
u/vortec350 1d ago
Good luck with this. You have a nice vehicle and they have a beater. They are clearly 100% at fault here yet because you have a big truck you're going to get a bunch of hate. My concern is if you ask them nicely to park better and the issue doesn't improve, anything further you do (asking them more firmly, involving apartment management, etc) is going to involve them damaging your truck. I would recommend instealling a nice front and rear dashcam system with parking guard type feature before you take this any further. Not being paranoid, just realistic - people suck.
•
u/bicumlover67 1d ago
So they sell these neat car rollers where 2 people could move a car without damaging it, would be fun to watch this reaction on thier lost car. For your safety wear good gloves.
•
u/bullzeye1983 1d ago
Stop backing in. You are just punishing yourself. Pull in and crowd his line. Then only he has to deal with the consequences of his bad parking.
•
u/illbethereforyouuuu 1d ago
There’s a concrete pillar on the other side, probably difficult for OP to get out that way if they pull in
•
u/StatisticianPure5083 1d ago
Considering they are technically over the line just a tad, my complex would’ve towed them for parking in the wrong spot. Ask if your complex could do the same if leaving a notice doesn’t change this habit. This is wild behavior on their part, considering how big those spots are 😅. My complex has significantly smaller spots and people usually park better (or get towed).
•
u/Aggressive-Poet-4396 1d ago
IMO I would skip the note & go straight to management. It’s pretty clear the other driver doesn’t give a shit considering how frequently it happens along with the size of the parking spot. Also people are batshit crazy; there’s a nonzero chance either her or her partner will intentionally damage your vehicle if you ask them directly.
•
u/snktiger 1d ago
park head in first. so your driver's door is not on the same side as your neighrbo.... then park right on the line.
if confronted... "I thought you thought this is ok."
•
•
u/kickrockz44 1d ago
Park on top of their door so they can’t get in.. from your passenger side. But have a camera on it.
•
u/Hot_Guess_1871 1d ago
Thank goodness for pic #2 and #3. Not that #1 isn't bad, but, you know, maybe it's an extra small space with a concrete column or something on the right.
Sees pic #2...Nope. They're just really, really bad at parking.
•
u/kokeroo91 13h ago
Leave them a page from a coloring book with a note that says: “so you can practice staying in your lines.”
•
u/ccuriouss_ 1d ago
You may be able to get them booted or towed for this. Look into the parking enforcement for your garage
•
•
•
u/praguer56 1d ago
Maybe take those photos to her apartment and ask her if she could park better so that you can get in and out of your vehicle
•
•
•
u/numbersthen0987431 1d ago
Part of me wants to suggest you park as close to them as possible so they can't get in or out, and then call in sick the next day. They'll learn very quick to not do that
Side effects are scratches to your car, so don't do it.
•
•
•
•
u/Bobloblaw_333 1d ago
Neighbor consistently has flat tires while parked in the garage! Not sure how that happens but it always seems to happen to him when he parks badly!!! Must be gnomes!!
•
u/TechnologyOk6878 19h ago
I use to carry snack size snickers for this reason, would be warm in the car, smash it up in wrapper and stick under the door handle.
•
•
•
•
u/Late-Macaron9569 10h ago edited 9h ago
Leave a note that is blunt. This world is full of people so miserable they’ll pry apart and rebuke any pleasantries. I would NOT play any parking games either, it alludes to you being mentally affected by their behavior, rather than simply physically inconvenienced. I’d say “continue parking like this, we’ll have a problem that i’ll have to escalate to management”- signed your name. Personally i’d avoid going direct to management because that COULD result in creating a vindictive hoa karen energy against you. Going to management immediately causes an instability in the “perpetrators” home, fear of eviction fear of surveillance by the management company etc. Which can make people REAAAALLLY weird and conniving. Anyway, considering the age of them, they’re knowingly parking sloppy like assholes, possibly even purposely from being offended by your glorious truck or the type of person they’ve decided your truck symbolizes. The second you say anything- either note or management or in person, I would have a dashcam ready.
•
•
•
u/Known_Wear7301 1d ago
Could it be that someone is in the passenger seat who is less mobile and needs extra space to get out. My uncle has Parkinsons and can't get in unless the door is open fully.
•
•
•
u/Narrow-Ad-6130 1d ago
I’m curious if your neighbor is elderly?
As my Mom aged she struggled with depth perception so we hung a tennis ball on a robe so that it would bump her windshield when she was on the correct spot.
Centered of course 😊
•
•
•
u/Efficient_Day_9869 1d ago
If they’re young they might not “get it.” Leave a nice note like the other poster said and see how it goes
•
u/BlackStarBlues 1d ago
Texas. Of course. The worst drivers in the US.
I wonder how she gets out of her car? Through the passenger side? Weird.
•
•
•
u/triciann 1d ago
Give me your keys. I will park even closer and crawl out the passenger side. Fuck her.
•
•
•
•
•
u/Stoked_Otter 1d ago
Adjust your truck in the spot so that you are even closer to her car and then slide out the passenger side and leave it like that.
•
u/Toe_Jam_is_my_Jam 1d ago
Is that their permanent spot? Maybe a couple bright orange cones stuck to the white line.
•
u/badmiddling113 1d ago
That's insane. There's like a Walmart isle between her car and the line. I might be able to look past it if she were parked straight (giving a bit more room), but at that angle... Nah, you ask (tell) her to move, or... you show those pics to management to deal with it. Part of their job is dealing with people.
•
•
u/Middle_Bread_6518 1d ago
Next time you get there first pull an uno reverse and park over the line in his spot
•
u/Big-Tooth2020 1d ago
Give them 20 dollars and a note that says “I am begging you to get more sleep so I dont have to do Tetris when I park. Thanks”
•
u/iplaysdrums2 1d ago
It's because they have to unload and reload a chest of drawers from the passenger side each morning and evening. Has to be. Mystery solved.
•
u/ExtraPrejudicial 1d ago
I like backing in, too, but if you park nose in, the driver's door will be on the other side from you and not blocking your entry.
•
•
u/Duckysawus 1d ago
I'm just wondering how the Kia driver gets out/in their car... even if they're only 105 lbs that's work to get in/out parking like that.
•
u/SofaKingAwezome 1d ago
I’m petty I’d start parking right on the line so she has to move over so she can get out of her car
•
•
u/MaadMaanMaatt 1d ago
Pure capsaicin mixed into Vaseline and wiped up under his door handle. Only put it on when they park badly for negative reinforcement, and maximum pettiness.
•
u/MommaGuy 1d ago
I would turn the truck around so its passenger door is as close to the line as possible making it difficult for owner if the car to get into.
•
u/sydpermres 1d ago
Does the car have a child seat? Sometimes that's the only way you can get the kid out, but obviously it's best to repark the right way once you have the kid out.
•
u/PckMan 1d ago
Driving is just one of those things that people can do every single day of their lives for decades and not get better at it and for some reason we just accept this as normal despite the thousands of death per year as a result of bad driving.
Think about it. Everything else we do, we get better at, or at least we expect that to be the case. Even if it's something simple there's still a progression curve. If it's something complex, I mean that's a job, that's how we make a living, by getting good at something you can't learn in a day through repetition is how we progress in our careers.
And yet driving is somehow magically exempt from this. To me this realization is shocking, considering the fact that it's a public safety issue, and what's mlre shocking is that we just accept this as normal. It's insane that people are turning this on you somehow because they're not realizing that if this woman can't even care enough to park right, she's not going to care enough to drive safely in general.
All I can say is invest in a dash cam, front and back, movement/sound activated. One day she will inevitably scrape your car and the camera will pay for itself.
•
u/Potential-Leg-8860 1d ago
You do this if your drivers doors are opposite, not if they’re next to each other. Seems weird
•
u/Zuli_Muli 1d ago
Hang a golf ball down on a string from that pipe (the white pipe not the sprinkler pipes) so that it will hit their car if they park to close.
•
u/LitCockBumble 1d ago
Open your door as much as you need to to get in, if that happens to dent their car some? So be it
•
u/maccapackets 1d ago
Park the truck nose in and as close to the line as she is. Maybe she will get the message when she has to climb in through her passenger side.
•
•
•
•
•
•
u/senoj96nodnarb 23h ago
I back in everywhere aside from when I go shopping and need to access the trunk easily. I’d also not back into that spot seeing they’re parking a foot away making it more difficult for you to get in or out of the truck.
•
•
u/Medical-Aide5586 22h ago
get some blue tak and 2 reflectors. mount the reflectors on the wall where the lane lines are. or hang a foam ball from a string so neighbor can line car up to.
•
u/Adventurous_Badger95 21h ago
Get a handy dandy valve stem remover to carry in your car. Loosen stem. Zero damage. But they’ll get tired of changing flats.
•
u/summertime_fine 20h ago
speak to them.
or pull in close to the line you share and force them to park further to the right.
•
u/Huge-Attitude4845 19h ago
Stickers that tell them to park better. Start with polite statements on removable stickers put on the driver window. Progress to nasty message on permanent stickers on the windshield in front of the driver.
•
u/No-Penalty-1148 19h ago
Nice little sedan she's got there. It would be a shame if, say, a truck door dinged the paint over and over.
•
•
•
•
u/FlatwormAltruistic 19h ago
I have assigned parking spaces as well. Usually I leave a lot of room, but when neighbour next to me happens to park close to line, then I will park just as close to the line. I can enter and exit my car easily, if I park close to line and he as well, then you cannot fit between 2 cars, so it will be fun for them to get into the car. He parked that close to line one or 2 times and then got the message that I will keep as far from the line as he does, just opposite direction.
•
•
u/SpareBaggageCarousel 15h ago
Is it just me, or is there some sort of placard hanging from their mirror? My first thought with this parking job is that they might have a disabled passenger that needs the space to enter/exit the vehicle, perhaps to ensure enough space for a wheelchair to fit.
I imagine the apartment building probably has handicap spots that could solve this for them though, if that is the case. If it's a temporary disability, they might be unaware or just not wanting to deal with management.
•
u/WillowHaunting429 15h ago
As long as she is inside the lines she is legal. She is a bit over here, so that's wrong
If I were you I'd pull up in your space front end in and park close to the line yourself. She will not be able to open her door to get in and maybe this will teach her not to do this going forward.
•
u/DudeFrom816 15h ago
Park worse. Just hog the line with your passenger side so they have to climb in some other way.
•
u/MaybeOnToilet 15h ago
Put a sticker on the brick wall so it lines up with where the driver should be. A point of orientation may help.
•
•
u/Infamous-Creme-199 14h ago
Return the favor and let them know how it feels. They know what they are doing and do NOT care but as soon as the tables flip it’s a different world.
•
u/droopy__drawers 10h ago
Except why would anyone intentionally make it this hard to get in and out of their own driver’s door? If you’re going to be a douche like this you usually do it with the passenger’s side.
•
u/Infamous-Creme-199 9h ago
Op need to pull in instead of backing in. And when he does he be blocking her with his passenger door.
•
•
•
•
u/olderm4messyplay 9h ago
A guy did this all the time. We'd see him parking as we're pulling in our leaving. ALWAYS crooked, but always within the lines. We (well, more my wife) confronted him one day and asked if there was a reason why he has to park crooked.
He honestly thought that as long as he was inside the lines it didn't matter how the car was oriented. We explained to him how it can cause issues with surrounding cars such as he could inadvertently block somebody, make it difficult to get out, awkward getting into their car, etc. He never looked at it that way before and replied that is no issue back in his country. I didn't ask where.
But I did remind him that if he came here it would probably be a good idea to learn some of the customs and courtesies because I know with certainty if I went to his country while still doing things the American way I would have problems!
Context - he's a physician, or more likely pursuing a fellowship and spoke very broken English. Not passing judgement but also only giving so many "gimme's" before enough is enough.
•
u/Ps3godly 8h ago
“Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.”
•
•
u/Anxious_Invite184 1h ago
I had a great parking spot in the building I use to live in. It was next to a pillar where the building changed angles. The person that parked next to my car always parked like shit but my spot was so big it didn’t matter.
•
•
•
u/J-a-c-k-o 1d ago
Maybe the passenger is a fat cow & needs the extra room to get out. Or a child seat.
•
•
•
u/Explorador42 1d ago
They may be spatially challenged and need something like a black dot on the wall to aim towards. Others have a dominate eye that they don't adjust for. Some people are simply really bad at parking.
•
u/Kirkuleeez 1d ago
Assigned parking means that you can go to an authority with photo proof and have your issue resolved by them. Pretty simple.
•
u/Wibblefishbanana 1d ago
Depends what side your steering wheels are on tbph.
If they're both on the right, then you're gravy, left, you've both got an issue.
•
u/Tiger37211 1d ago
Both on the right? Only if you live in a current or former English colony but judging by the giant American pickup truck and the Texas licence play... I highly doubt it
•
•
u/Downtown_Tune_1468 1d ago
OP needs to get a bigger parking space. These oversize/lifted trucks are too big for non-commercial use. Someday we will have to start painting the parking spaces larger.
•
u/Libby_785 1d ago
OP is perfectly straight and centered in their space. This is solely on the KIA driver for their terrible parking.
•
u/lmdirt- 1d ago
Nothing wrong with how the truck parked. Space is adequate for a truck. As the picture shows it is aligned correctly. Other car is not. Not sure why you feel like you need to rant about the size of vehicles that are not directly connected to this picture. And let me guess you drive a Prius?
•
u/Downtown_Tune_1468 1d ago
Hi , Imdirt sorry you feel that way. No I think its just time we accept the fact that vehilces average size is increasing and it is causing stresses in parking issues.
•
u/SofaKingAwezome 1d ago
This actually isn’t even accurate the average vehicle size is 14.7 feet long the size of a Nissan versa. While it’s true people are buying more SUV’s that f150 is 17 feet long- ave width 6 feet, his truck is 6.6 feet wide. I’m actually offended you blame this on the truck that’s nuts. I drive a suburban and I can park better than that sedan.
•
u/Ok_Cauliflower6916 1d ago
Oversize lifted truck? What are you talking about? This is a F-150 truck from the factory… not lifted, not modified, regular size tires. And I’m well within the line. The building comes with standard sized parking spaces and you’re assigned a spot with your unit.
•
u/TweakJK 17h ago
A small portion of reddit has this extreme hatred for anything bigger than a Kia Rio.
I drive an F250, sure it might be a little harder to park, but I've not once parked outside the lines. Sometimes I'll step out and see that I'm a little close and readjust, it's really not that hard to have a little awareness. These are the same people we're trusting to have a little awareness at 75mph on the highway.
•
u/Downtown_Tune_1468 1d ago
the factory is putting out an F150 today that has a larger total footprint than 10 yrs ago. This means parking spaces need to get bigger.
•
u/Ok_Cauliflower6916 1d ago
Okay cool and this is a 2017 model. What is your point? It’s standard not lifted nor oversized. I don’t control the size of parking spaces the building provides. I don’t need a bigger space, I’m parked perfectly within the lines and straight. You’re failing to see the actual issue here which is the car next to me not parking in the lines and crooked.
•
u/Rassayana_Atrindh 1d ago
You blind? I'm guessing you're the shit-parking neighbor if you can't see the problem here.
The parking spots all look generously sized for a full size truck and the little car still can't fit it between the lines.
•
u/telliwont 1d ago
Looks like a stock Ford F-150 from here. Not lifted or oversized if I’m correct about the model.
•
u/naranghim 1d ago
These oversize/lifted trucks are too big for non-commercial use.
That's a normal sized non-lifted truck. Oversized lifted trucks don't fit in residential parking garages. It's shorter than my dad's old F-150 4x4.
•
u/SuddenKoala45 1d ago
Then they are doing it intentionally to piss you off. What ever you did you should apologize for.
•
→ More replies (2)•
u/Ok_Cauliflower6916 1d ago
I haven’t done anything to this person I’ve had zero interactions with them. They’ve done this since they moved in. They’re just genuinely bad and inconsiderate about parking.
→ More replies (5)
•
u/WestFun311 1d ago
I once left a note for my apartment garage neighbor that read, “Hello, please stop parking so poorly. I’d hate to damage your car on my way in or out of my space. Thank you.” In those words exactly and left my first name, apartment number, and phone number. The next day they parked fairly centered and I left them a $15 gas card with a sticky note, “I really do appreciate it, thank you!” Or something like that. Never an issue with them after that.