Where do neighborhood wars start? Sometimes it actually begins with just a small thing—a loudly barking dog, an improperly parked car, overly active and loud kids... and then it all turns into a multi-year confrontation, which sometimes involves entire generations.
The story we're going to tell you today, from the user u/SavvyMaverick, happened a few days ago, and admittedly, it had every chance of developing into a classic neighborhood feud - but thanks to the restraint of our heroine and the politeness of her neighbor, it didn't. However, let's start from the beginning.
More info: Reddit
The author of the post recently had her driveway repaired with new asphalt
Image credits: user26544460 / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The contractor told her that it takes a couple of days for the asphalt to get stabilized, but the author decided to play it safe
Image credit: SavvyMaverick
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The woman decided to park her car in the street for the upcoming week or so, at one of the common use parking spots near her house
Image credit: SavvyMaverick
Image credits: wavebreakmedia_micro / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The neighbors' 21-year-old daughter who had a huge SUV, was not happy with this decision at all
Image credit: SavvyMaverick
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Turns out, the girl just couldn't park her car at another parking spot because of its size
Image credits: SavvyMaverick
Image credits: daudm6835 / Freepik (not the actual photo)
So one day she just approached the author and demanded she started using her driveway for parking
Image credits: SavvyMaverick
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
She looked quite aggressive but the author stayed calm and wished her nothing but 'an ounce of luck'
Image credits: SavvyMaverick
A few days later the girl's father came over and apologized for the daughter's behavior, admitting that it was her overreaction here
So, the Original Poster (OP) says that recently they repaired the driveway at her house, laying new asphalt. The contractor said that in a couple of days it would be possible to leave the car there, but the author googled it and found information that the asphalt will completely harden in 7-10 days. In general, she decided to play it safe and chose the Google version.
While the asphalt was hardening, the OP parked her car on the street - there were several parking spots opposite her house, one of which she began to use. However, as it turns out, the neighbors' 21-year-old daughter, who came to visit them in a huge SUV, was unhappy with this. She couldn’t simply park in the second spot due to the size of her car - otherwise she would’ve blocked someone else's driveway.
So, one fine day, she approached the author when she was doing some business in her yard and literally demanded that she start parking in her driveway. The OP's reasonable remark that the spaces on the street don’t belong to anyone in particular, was not answered. The author also noted that there’s a service road behind the neighbors’ house, but, as it turns out, the girl's parents park there.
The convo ended with our heroine sweetly wishing her interlocutor "an ounce of luck," and she, with a full range of shades of red on her face, stormed away. However, after some time, the girl's dad, who is pretty high on their district's school board, approached the OP and, obviously not wanting to risk his reputation, politely apologized for the daughter's behavior. According to the man, she would soon be leaving anyway, so the incident was essentially exhausted.
Image credits: senivpetro / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Well, many experts do indeed claim that in literally 2-3 days, provided normal weather conditions, the asphalt pavement will be ready to receive vehicles. For example, the Danny's Asphalt Paving website says that within 72 hours the asphalt on the driveway will already be dry so anyway you can literally drive and park in the new driveway after that time has passed.
However, in any case, you should make sure that the asphalt has properly stabilized before using the driveway. "Once the asphalt cools below 100 degrees - which typically happens the same day in cooler weather or overnight during the heat of summer - it is safe for both walking and driving," McConnell & Associates website says. Still, if you rush it, you can cause surface damage, which in turn will require more costs.
On the other hand, people in the comments quite reasonably noted that even if the asphalt has completely dried and stabilized, no one has the right to tell another person where to park their car - unless, of course, their car uses or blocks anybody’s driveway or violates any rules. Especially since these on-street parking spaces were for public, not personal, use.
In addition, responders added that they were glad for the reaction of the girl’s father - that he didn’t escalate the argument and apologized. After all, it’s not often that stories with neighborhood quarrels end this way. "I’m so glad this didn’t turn into a neighborhood war," someone wrote in the comments. So do you, our dear readers, also agree with this?
Most commenters sided with the author, claiming that no one should actually tell another person where they have to park
