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Conference quark::human_relations-v1

Title:What's all this fuss about 'sax and violins'?
Notice:Archived V1 - Current conference is QUARK::HUMAN_RELATIONS
Moderator:ELESYS::JASNIEWSKI
Created:Fri May 09 1986
Last Modified:Wed Jun 26 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1327
Total number of notes:28298

414.0. "Crunch" by LABC::FRIEDMAN () Fri Oct 09 1987 18:38

   I just moved into a new neighborhood.  This morning I found the following
   note on my car's windshield:
    
       "Park your
        car on your
        side of the
        street before
        I crunch it!"
    
    
    How should I best handle this?
     
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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414.2PIPA::SECMAILFri Oct 09 1987 19:0214
    re: .1
    
    nice way to incite some property abuse.
    
    how about informing some proper authorities that you are being
    threatened? this way, if anything happens, there is already a
    record that somebody has been over-reacting to a minor thing
    like parking on the wrong side of the street.
    
    there isn't much you can do about a loony neighbor, except complain
    or trade threats. the scary part about trading threats is that
    some people take them seriously and follow through on their's.
    
    j.
414.3Nice neighborhoodAPEHUB::STHILAIREYou might think I'm crazyFri Oct 09 1987 19:035
    Re .1, first he has to make sure he's really up to crunching somebody's
    face.  I'd rather not.  I'd find a different place to park my car,
    or move.  Why do people have to be so hostile and mean to each other?
     It's discouraging.
    
414.4I seen it beforeGNUVAX::BOBBITTface piles of trials with smilesFri Oct 09 1987 19:1529
    I gotta tell you....I'm renting a condo right now and these people,
    who pay dearly for their parking spaces behind the building, would
    KILL to get UNAUTHORIZED FOLKS out of the lot.  Unfortunately, they
    must first warn, then tow.  There are NO exceptions.  Family visiting?
     They can park on the street or in an overnight garage.  I can kind
    of see their point, but I don't think they have to be QUITE so
    hysterical about it.
    
    As for your predicament:
    
    a.  How does the person know which side of the street you live on?
    b.  Has this been this person's "standard" parking space for a long
    time?
    c.  Are there "parking permits" required for the area you spoke
    of - if so then people who live in houses and must park in front
    of them on the street are likely to want the car on THEIR side of
    the street, particularly if it's a place where cars "aren't too
    safe", either via traffic or vandalism.
    d.  Is it that difficult to park on the other side of the street
    and let this neurotic paranoid person go bother someone else?
    
    Again - warn the authorities - send 'em a copy of the note - try
    to find out who wrote it - JUST IN CASE you have to prove something
    later....

    sympathies -
    
    -Jody
    
414.5MANTIS::PAREWhat a long, strange trip its beenFri Oct 09 1987 19:183
    Park where you want to and leave a note on your window saying..
    
    	Its a public street pal... 
414.6Life's a Circle!DIEHRD::MAHLERYugo's for Yo Yo'sFri Oct 09 1987 19:3222
    
    
    	A while ago, while visiting a friend, I parked in his
    	apartment complex in a spot [non-marked].  When we returned
    	from partying, there was a note on my window:
    
    	"Don't park in MY space or next time it's TOWED JERK!"
    
    	So I just laughed and ripped it up.  Sure I KNEW which 
    	apartment it was, but I wasn't in the mood, you know?
    
    	NOW I am living in that SAME apartment complex [didn't
    	even recognize it until I went to look at the place]
    	and someone parked in my spot one night.  So, I parked
    	in back of them and waited until they wanted to leave.
    	Not being in a rush helped, but it wa only 5 minutes
    	before the guy came out.  Shame of it was that he was
    	visiting someone there and has been there before MANY
   	times which pissed me off.  But I guess being on the
    	other side helped me not to get all flamed.
    
    
414.8LESLIE::LESLIEAndy, CSSE ME for VOTS/OSAK/MRX.400Sun Oct 11 1987 18:542
    To best handle this, park on your side of the street until you find
    outthe size and seriousness of the author.
414.9Sometimes these things escalate.SSDEVO::YOUNGERThis statement is falseSun Oct 11 1987 21:0416
    I had a similar problem a few years ago.  In my case, it was the
    woman next door.  She seemed to believe that the people who own
    the house also own the street.  She started with notes, then started
    egging my car periodically.  After awhile, she would periodically
    egg it no matter *where* it was parked (in front of my house, across
    the street, anywhere she could notice it.).  She would periodically
    come over and give a speach that made little sense, containing the
    sequence "It's common knowlege that you are supposed to park in
    front of your own house".  We had 2 cars, and not enough street
    space for them.  What were we supposed to do, park in the living
    room???  After a few visits from the police, and a court order to
    quit harassing us, she still didn't stop until she left the guy
    she was living with over there.  I wonder who this nut is harassing
    now over what?
    
    Elizabeth
414.10don't compromise with stupidityAMULET::FARRINGTONstatistically anomalousMon Oct 12 1987 15:2319
    1. Inform the police, including a copy of the note.
    2. Query city/town/village hall -
    	a) are there parking regulations (aka: Boston BackBay style)
    	b) is it public property
    	c) are there sanctioned "customs" or even rules (but uncodified)
    3. Assuming public property/street, park where you wish/can, exercising
       due restraint (park in front of your house if possible, or otherwise
       try not to park directly in front of another house entrance)
    4. If jerk continues, register additional complaints at town hall
    5. If jerk escalates, you can -
    	a) request/DEMAND official action to rectify, or
    	b) "nuck" the idiot.  YOU assume responsibility for YOUR actions...
    
    Moving or otherwise giving in to intimidation such as that (@ .0)
    will not solve the problem, only set a precedent for future problems.
    Too, being a tax payer and law abiding citizen, public property
    guarantees equal access.
    
    Dwight
414.11NEXUS::GORTMAKERthe GortTue Oct 20 1987 04:1823
    I have the reverse of .0 I dont mind people parking in front of
    my house but I DO mind when they park in such a manner that they
    prevent my parking. The part of the street in front of my house
    is bounded by two driveways leaving room for exactly two cars
    and still allow access to either drive. My problem is this neighbor
    parks exactly in the middle leaving no room for my guests to park
    as well as blocking my walk. I have told him I DON'T mind his parking
    on my side but to please leave room for another car. He said he
    would but has yet to do so. This annoys me to no end.
    I realize he has a right to park there even if the car looks like
    a junker and blocks my ability to park in front of my own home.
    Last night I came home and they were having a party and one of their
    guests had blocked my driveway. I walked over and told them I needed
    it moved to get in my drive his responce was slam the door in my
    face. I dident bother calling a tow truck since I only had to run
    inside before leaving again.
    I have given this person every chance to be reasonible but he refuses.
    Anyone have any suggestions on what to do next? I've tried my best
    with no results. I don't want a war just to be able to park.
    
    -j
    
    
414.13Sometimes a gentle (official) prod works.SQM::AITELNO ZUKES!!!!Tue Oct 20 1987 13:587
    Another solution would be to phone your public works company and
    ask them if they could resolve the issue by painting parking
    space delimiters in front of your house.  The police dept might
    be willing to help you get the public works company to do this,
    in the name of community tranquility.  

    --Louise
414.14CEODEV::FAULKNERvery serious...Sun Jan 17 1988 22:221
    get a gun.