Neighbor keeps parking in shared driveway blocking access to my garage
Since this is a common alley, everyone one would be best to work together but sadly, unless something bothers someone directly, the others will not give a care. Besides, op sounds like a nice person and in this city, being nice with people who are not on your team does not always work.
If this were me, I would probably pull in when he does this and leave my car behind his, blocking him in and at least one other person or two if you can. I would leave my car there but be prepared for the resulting commotion. If the offending neighbor knocks at op’s door, I would answer in a robe and tell him I am not yet dressed and will be down in a half an hour. If the other neighbors come to your door, tell them you are on a teleconference with work and you will break away as soon as they have gotten the offender to move his vehicle but not before. Tell them you’ve already wasted enough time with the offender and refuse to waste more and will not interrupt your meeting for non sense. Bring them into the fray.
OP does not want to act as though they are being vindictive but want s to make a case that they are put in this position by him. You had a meeting and were running late and needed to get to your garage. If this does not bother the other owners, I would just keep parking there until he gets tired of asking you to move. Keep in mind, the police are not going to tow you on an easement you have a right to be on.
OP, if you are female and he is what I already think he is, he may bully you. People who drive oversize cars, unless they must for work or have a big family, have insecurities of their own (they are compensating for something). If your playing his game with him causes him to flip out, catch it on video, especially if he threatens you and then call the police. If he loses control with you more than likely you will get everybody else on your side. You are the victim here. Play it.
stevecym
in General Discussion 3 years and 6 months ago
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hayley.moynihan | 3 years and 6 months ago
I own a house in Queens, NY. There’s a row of 7 houses which share the driveway in the back, and access to the garages of each house. My house is last in a row of 7 houses. My neighbor of 5th house continuously keep parking his car (big SUV) in the middle of driveway, blocking the access to my garage.
I have raised the issue to his attention twice by leaving a note on his car, asking nicely not to park there and block the access to my garage. Additionally, we had a conversation over text messages twice in last few years where each time he said he will no longer park there but after few weeks, he’s back to his old ways where he leaves his car there in the middle of driveway, even though he has a vacant garage where he can park his car. He parks the car there at times for few hours, and sometimes leaves it overnight. blocking the access to my garage for the entire time. Recently, I’ve tried reaching out again however he keeps ignoring my text messages.
What can I do legally to stop my neighbor from parking in the shared driveway which blocks the access to my garage?
stevecym | 3 years and 6 months ago
The police will not get involved as these are easements over private property and if the person blocking part of it is another owner, the police will treat it as if they have a right to be there – on any part of it. If you have not done so already, read the easement filed with the deed to your house or attached to all of the lots on your block. We have a written easement for the community drive behind our house and it spells out certain terms. It probably also states that no one can block another’s access. But my guess is the only way to force this is by civil action and that will be a pain in the neck. You can start by showing the terms of the easement to the offending party. If that does not help, talk to some other neighbors and if they agree with you and are friendly with the other person, they may be able to talk to him. Here, when there is an issue, people generally get together and just the force of numbers talking together in a nice way sways others one way or another.
RobertGMarvin
in General Discussion 3 years and 6 months ago
When your neighbor blocks your garage do you ring his bell, or phone him, and ask him to move his car? If so, does he do so? I’d think that after a few times he’d get the hint.
owobgsguk | 3 years and 6 months ago
Call the Precinct and ask who the community officer is and speak to them. I believe they are the policeman assigned to help with things like this
owobgsguk | 3 years and 6 months ago
Call the Precinct and ask who the community officer is and speak to them. I believe they are the policeman assigned to help with things like this
stevecym | 3 years and 6 months ago
OP, in spite of what I say above, I would call the precinct and see if they can help. The reason I said they won’t is because these driveways are a big issue here in zip 11379 and we have been told by neighbors who go to the community meetings with the local police captain that the police refuse to get involved. The easement makes this sort of thing a civil matter between two or more parties bound in some sort of agreement. I hope you will call and report back if I am wrong.
I will ask the man on the corner what the police say in the meetings.
ceci | 3 years and 6 months ago
This is a civil matter and Police won’t get involved.. Why don’t u do the same and block him out ,maybe, your neighbor will get the message!!!
hasibur.rahman07 | 3 years and 6 months ago
I went to a Neighborhood coordination meeting through the precinct. They have officers assigned to help people in the neighborhood. Ceci is right; these are not the regular officers. Good luck!
andriywww1990 | 3 years and 6 months ago
vard, what is it that you think ceci is right about? i think i am missing something. (i think ceci is right as well, btw).
hasibur.rahman07 | 3 years and 6 months ago
Ceci is right that the precinct won’t handle it. But there is a separate Neighborhood force that is meant for resolving neighborhood issues. One has to go through the precinct in order to find out when the meetings are and where they are held.
hasibur.rahman07 | 3 years and 6 months ago
Though wondering if it’s better to block the driveway with a barrier vs. escalating the situation? You do have to live with your neighbors. However the neighborhood officers can guide you on how to approach the situation.
Lurker | 3 years and 6 months ago
You’ve been nice, done due diligence, and so short and sweet tell them: I’ve asked you not to park there, it has been a problem and so the next time you leave your car there I will have it towed—here’s the number of the towing place and the cost to get the car back. And then follow through and do it when it happens next. Here’s the official process for it. https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-01062
stevecym | 3 years and 6 months ago
Lurker: I thought you were on to something there. Here is the thing, the information in that link pertains to a driveway which is something altogether different than these community driveways that exist in certain areas of the city developed during the 1920’s. The police will not ticket a vehicle in a community driveway and even though this man is blocking the op’s garage or property, he may very well be entirely on his property while doing so. It can happen here: I can pull out my back gate and park my car on my part of my property in the lane way and prevent the people behind me from leaving THEIR garage.
These drives are covered by easements and they come with their own rules (as filed with the easement) and implied laws. OP should begin by getting a copy of her easement. I think the existence of ours is noted on the deed to our house.
To your idea, someone here told me that someone blocked like this on the easement can contact a tow company and have them put a sign up warning that they can be towed and have them towed. I do not know if this is true so i did not say it earlier.
stevecym | 3 years and 6 months ago
Others reading this should think of these community drives as the paved areas and parking on the private land around a condo complex in the suburbs. Their may be reserved parking spaces and places with no parking and if owner x parked on owner y’s space, the police are not going to come sort the issue out. It’s an issue for the condo association which basically means the owners and if it goes to court it is a civil matter. The police cannot enforce the association’s by-laws and in the case of our easement here, the police are not able to enforce what is contained within it because it is an agreement between parties, a contract, and violating the contract is a civil matter between those parties, not between those people and the public. The police do not have access to our easement and the one time I had to call the police on a trespasser, the officer told me she had never heard of the word “easement”.