A Condo Car-nundrum: When Shared Parking Spaces Turn into Battlegrounds
Gather ’round, my dear readers, for a tale spun straight off the digital streets of Reddit—a place where drama unfolds in tiny squares known as ‘posts’. Our hero—or dare I say, victim—in this story is living the condo life, where shared spaces mean shared headaches. Let me set the stage for this epic clash between a mild-mannered condo dweller and their boundary-busting neighbor.
The Layout of the Land
Picture it: a cozy 4-unit condo, each unit allotted a precious slice of garage space, precisely 8 feet and 1 inch wide. Now, this isn’t just any garage; it’s a shared one, divided into generous bays wide enough to fit two cars. Seems simple enough, right? Oh, but the devil is in the details, my friends.
Enter the Beast: The 4Runner
Our protagonist’s neighbor, a woman driving a beastly 4Runner that could double as a tank in a post-apocalyptic movie, constantly parks 9 inches over her allotted space. This automotive encroachment transforms our hero’s parking experience into a nightmarish game of Tetris—except this Tetris comes with potential dings and scratches.
Now, our protagonist is no villain. The first time this territorial trespass occurred, they took the most reasonable route: calling, texting, and knocking to no avail. Left out in the cold (and facing the menace of street parking tickets), they did the only thing they could—parked in the driveway and hoped for the best. The next morning, the neighbor apologized and seemed understanding. A happy ending? Not quite.
Rinse and Repeat
Fast forward one week, and the cycle repeats. Same oversized 4Runner, same space issues, same driveway repercussions. This time, our hero takes the communication to the next level with a polite and detailed message explaining the spatial situation. Imagine the diplomacy of an international negotiation boiled down into a text message sent regarding a garage. The neighbor responds at the crack of midnight with a curveball: she’s pregnant and can’t maneuver her vehicular behemoth any other way.
Ever the considerate neighbor, our protagonist agrees to move the car early in the morning, lest they disturb their rest for nightly presidential-level crisis meetings over parking. Eight calls at 5 AM later, our hero moves the car and likely a few choice words cross their mind as well.
To Mark or Not to Mark?
Our beleaguered protagonist contemplates the nuclear option: having the garage spaces marked by a professional. A wise move to some, but perceived as an act of war by others. The Reddit hive rises with collective advice ranging from ‘Buy a smart car’ to ‘Lay down the legal smack’.
Roger’s Sassy, Witty Opinion
Now, let me sprinkle my special brand of sass over this suburban skirmish. It’s no doubt that shared spaces demand a modicum of shared manners. A garage isn’t the Wild West where you park your wagon wherever it fits! An 8-feet-1-inch allocation is like the Constitution of Condo Living—unalterable and sacred.
I say, if Ms. Pregnant-4Runner can’t park within bounds, it’s high time for the markings. Pregnancy might bring cravings and swollen ankles, but it doesn’t warrant encroaching on neighborly peace. At 5 AM phone call antics place her squarely in the land of ‘Lady, Are You Kidding Me?’. 🤦♂️
Our protagonist holds the high ground here. They took the respectful route and tried to negotiate peace. But when it comes to parking wars, you gotta lay down the pavement rules early and clear. Otherwise, you’re one garage door malfunction away from going full Fury Road on each other.
So slap on those boundary lines, and claim your rightful 8 feet 1 inch. Because if there’s one thing more sacred than garage space, it’s a neighbor’s right to park without having to throw down the gauntlet.
Original story
I live in a 4 unit condo. We have two large garage doors.
Each bay holds two cars. Think of like a normal garage at a normal house but they are wider to fit two cars.
We each are allotted 8 feet 1 inch of space. My neighbor drives a large 4runner.
She parks 9 inches over the space and it prevents me from parking my car in the garage. I usually manage but she sometimes parks further and I literally cannot fit into the garage.
If I street park I get a ticket. So first time this happened I called, texted, and knocked on her door to move her car over.
No response I then texted her saying that I will be parking in the driveway as I get a ticket for street parking sorry for any inconvenience. She apologized the next morning and said no worries.
One week later the same thing happens. I park in the driveway again and send a nice text message again saying “Hi there, I hope you’re doing well!
I wanted to mention that I’ve been having a little trouble fitting into my garage, and it seems like we might be using a bit more space than we’re each allotted. I want to keep things positive between us, so I thought it might help if I share the survey with you so we can both see the exact space we’re supposed to be using.
If it’s helpful, I can also arrange for someone to come by and mark out each spot. Thanks for understanding, and I’m sure we can sort this out smoothly “
She responds at midnight saying she is pregnant and can’t fit otherwise. That morning she calls me 8 times at 5am and I did not pick up as I was asleep.
As soon as I woke I moved my car.
Was wondering if I am the asshole here for trying to park in my garage space. I think I will have someone come mark the spots in the garage to prevent this issue.