Disrespectful Neighbors

You Are Not Entitled to the Street

By Chad Greenslade

The real question that I truly grapple with on a day-to-day basis is does it make me a bad person for reporting my neighbors' parking violations? 

The rules are clear.  The habitual parking of your vehicle in the street is prohibited.  The rules are also clear that your garage is to be used primarily for AUTOMOBILE STORAGE.  You are NOT to run a business out of your garage.  You are not to store your golf carts, instead of your cars, in the garage.  If you didn’t buy the extra ½ garage, you don’t get to have a golf cart, and if you did buy the extra ½ garage, then that is not meant for your woodworking set.  If you own a golf cart, YOU’RE A MORON because we don’t live on a golf course.  The beauty of this community, which is literally the only thing I like about it, REQUIRES that you keep your vehicles off the street.

I don't report everyone.  I certainly don't patrol the neighborhood.  The things I report are literally right in front of my home and I see them daily.  They intrude on my tranquility.  When I look out my home office window, I don't want to see your car, RV, sister's car, jet ski, etc.  In fact, I the only cars that I ever want to see are the types of cars that get parked up front at Legacy West.  You know, nice cars; cars that you and I can't afford.   

The real issue is that you're disrespectful and you don't care that your life is spilling out onto the street.  You can't park your car in the garage because it's full of your stuff.  You have too many cars to park in the driveway because too many people live at your home. 

I tried to work it out with you.  I placed a very nice, polite letter on your windshield, citing the rules, asking for your concurrence and stressing that the rules are meant to beautify our community.  I gently asked for your compliance and enclosed my contact information.  You were surprised when I was unmoved by your reasons for why you should be allowed to park your cars in the street.  I don’t want to know you.  I just want you to not park your cars in the street.  You proceeded to be defiant and I proceeded to have you fined. 

But back to the real question: am I a bad person for continuing to report you, and others, for parking violations?  Am I evil for taking pictures and making time to follow-up?  Is it odd that I have a folder on my hard drive cataloging your transgressions?  I hope not, but I just don’t know.  Since so many of you do it, it makes me think I am the crazy one.  The one thing that I know for sure is that I’m never going to stop getting angry about seeing your vehicle parked in the street.  I am just wired that way.  Some people call it OCD; I call it getting what I pay for.  When I sit down in the morning with my cup of coffee and look out at the beauty that I have paid so handsomely to create for myself, the last thing I want to think about is you, your life, and all of the reasons why I now despise you for parking your car within my view.