Parking problems due to inconsiderate neighbors! (Boston, York: house, neighborhood, purchasing)

[niceneighbor]

The neighbors (a couple) that live below us are very inconsiderate !!! Besides them being loud and obnoxious (which is going to be another thread...), they are very inconsiderate about parking. Each 2 family home on our block has a driveway and they have they are permitted the access to the driveway. They have a non-working car in the driveway and also non-working car taking up the street parking right in front of our house, as well as 4 other cars across the street!! So they have a total of 6 cars and they only use 2!!!!! I don't care that they have 6 cars, the problem is that they use the 2 extra cars that they NEVER use to save spots for the 2 cars they do use daily. They leave a gap big enough for his small car to fit and for them to maneuver the 2 non-used cars back and forth when they come home so that they always have 4 spots right across the street - - on top of the 2 spots they have right in front! When he is lazy and doesn't want to stuff his little car in the spot he saves for himself, he just takes another empty space on the block... This messes up the parking for the rest of the people on the block but it bothers me b/c if I happen to come home later than them my boyfriend and I have to park far down the block, where the street lighting isn't so great. I am more concerned now since I am 7 months preggers

I mean if they want to have 3 extra cars parked on the street and also have a driveway at least be a little bit considerate of the rest of the neighbors on the block and don't save spots. We have tried to give them a clue by parking where it is hard for them to do their ritual maneuvers, but they just keep on doing the same thing. There is no use in speaking with them about it, bc they are just inconsiderate in all aspects and I KNOW they wouldn't care (we’ve had similar issues with them in the past and have tried to talk to them about those and they are still inconsiderate)!!! I need to take some other recourse

What options do I have? Does anyone know if there is a maximum amount of cars allowed per household in Queens NY? Is there anything we can do to get them a clue???

[grindin26]

I doubt it, used to be an abundance of spots pre year 2000 in my neighborhood. (Woodhaven)

Now its hard to find a spot after 7pm. And theres always the jerks who park in a space between driveways intended for 2 cars.

Its more of a moral issue. Street cleaning rules being enacted in your neck of the woods could be the only solution.

[NewYorkNative]

Could you write a letter & have a bunch of neighbors sign it?

Something I have actually done, believe it or not, is leave a note in the windshield wiper when someone is parked in a dangerous or inconvenient spot.

I don't know about any limit of cars per person, that seems kinda....fascist-state-ish?

[Fred314X]

Originally Posted by NewYorkNative

Something I have actually done, believe it or not, is leave a note in the windshield wiper when someone is parked in a dangerous or inconvenient spot.

I've done this too, on occasions when someone who didn't live on my block left their car parked right outside my window...with the car alarm blaring all night long. Afterwards, I found out that leaving a note is technically illegal. If you got caught doing it, you could be arrested for making threats. (I don't make the laws; I just call this city home!)

Unfortunately, there's no limit on the number of cars you can own. Having six seems ridiculous, but then it takes all kinds, doesn't it?

[bmwguydc]

If the car is not running, is it legally registered? If not, it can be ticketed and towed, I believe, since it should not be on a public street in non-running condition.

[ogplife]

That is a public parking space and they are allowed to park anywhere they want if the car is legally registered. You need to get over it. They could call you unrealistic for purchasing a house with a one car garage and expecting more than one "guaranteed" parking space.

[Henna]

Originally Posted by niceneighbor

The neighbors (a couple) that live below us are very inconsiderate !!! Besides them being loud and obnoxious (which is going to be another thread...), they are very inconsiderate about parking. Each 2 family home on our block has a driveway and they have they are permitted the access to the driveway. They have a non-working car in the driveway and also non-working car taking up the street parking right in front of our house, as well as 4 other cars across the street!! So they have a total of 6 cars and they only use 2!!!!! I don't care that they have 6 cars, the problem is that they use the 2 extra cars that they NEVER use to save spots for the 2 cars they do use daily. They leave a gap big enough for his small car to fit and for them to maneuver the 2 non-used cars back and forth when they come home so that they always have 4 spots right across the street - - on top of the 2 spots they have right in front! When he is lazy and doesn't want to stuff his little car in the spot he saves for himself, he just takes another empty space on the block... This messes up the parking for the rest of the people on the block but it bothers me b/c if I happen to come home later than them my boyfriend and I have to park far down the block, where the street lighting isn't so great. I am more concerned now since I am 7 months preggers

I mean if they want to have 3 extra cars parked on the street and also have a driveway at least be a little bit considerate of the rest of the neighbors on the block and don't save spots. We have tried to give them a clue by parking where it is hard for them to do their ritual maneuvers, but they just keep on doing the same thing. There is no use in speaking with them about it, bc they are just inconsiderate in all aspects and I KNOW they wouldn't care (we’ve had similar issues with them in the past and have tried to talk to them about those and they are still inconsiderate)!!! I need to take some other recourse

What options do I have? Does anyone know if there is a maximum amount of cars allowed per household in Queens NY? Is there anything we can do to get them a clue???

Seems like you don't have much of a recourse though I would be highly annoyed by it too. The spots are unreserved and public, though by their behavior, they are actually reserving the spots for themselves.

It's kind of like the old practice in certain working-class communities outside of Boston (maybe it happens here too) where people put trash cans and lawn chairs in "their" street parking spot during the winter after it's been shovelled out. Though in that case, at least the people reserving the spot have actually done some work (shovelling).

I'm sure there are many examples of what neighbors might do that is technically within the law but certainly not neighborly or considerate.

[vitalove]

Man, six cars!! Talk about ghetto fabulous!! LMAO.

I'm sorry you're going through this. I have to suggest that you at least try to talk to them about the vehicles. Maybe they could get rid of 2 of the vehicles that aren't being used right now. Or make use of a nearby garage or parking lot.

There isn't any reason to have 6 vehicles in NYC unless you live in a mansion, and own a private driveway and 2-3 car garage. That's what I mean about ghetto fabulous, not that you live in the ghetto or anything.

[Fred314X]

Hey, maybe a couple of their cars will get stolen, and that will bring the odds down a little!

[Sean34597]

How can they have a non-working car parked on the street? Don't you have alternate side rules in Fresh Meadows?