'AITA for calling the cops on my neighbor's guest, causing them both to get a ticket?'
"AITA for calling the cops on my neighbor's guest, causing them both to get a ticket?"
In front of my house is a fire hydrant. The law says you can't park by one, so I expected the street parking to be clear. My neighbors park their car in front of their house and I do not. I use my driveway. One day I came home from work, and there was a car there with out-of-state plates. I figured it was a guest for my neighbors and didn't think much of it. Then a few days passed by and the car didn't budge.
I thought it was a stolen car that was dropped off in front of my house because I don't live in the best neighborhood. So I called the cops to see if they could come check it out. Please keep in mind it was also a day before trash pick up and seeing as the car hadn't moved in a few days, I assumed it wasn't going to move again any time soon.
I called as I left for work and when I got home. The car moved across the street (where there is PLENTY of parking). Well, fast forward to today. My neighbor is parking there now and I've asked her before to move her car due to trash day and this time she made a remark "yeah, I'll move my car. Before you call the cops again on us.
I got a ticket by the way, are you going to pay for it?" I told her the reason why I called, stating I thought it was a stolen car because it had out-of-state plates and that it was there for almost a week and hadn't moved. She claims it was only two days.
She said I could've asked them to move the car, but how was I to know it was someone visiting them? She tries to argue with me but I didnt want to argue because her son is there literally watching the interaction. Then she called me an asshole for calling the cops and I told her that I was being nice by asking her and I could've just called the cops again because it's illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant.
That I don't care if they park there, they just need to move their car for trash day. She started to cuss me out in her native language and I just went into my house and shut the door on her. Thankfully, I'm moving out of here at the end of the month. One year was all I could take living in this neighborhood. So AITA?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
traditional-sky5252 wrote:
NTA. However, your response should have been “You got a ticket!? That’s too bad.”
Never admit you made the call when lawbreakers complain about getting caught. Never.
dizcuz wrote:
You shouldn't had admitted to calling the cops. That just creates more tension. She parked there again after her company was ticketed? She should also get a ticket for stupidity. Good for you for leaving that place. I hope your new area is better for you.
ada-byron wrote:
Who parks in front of a fire hydrant?? Neighbor deserves a ticket for being so obtuse.
Terravarious wrote:
NTA. It doesn't sound like your neighbor is smart enough to have a license. I wouldn't park in front of a hydrant long enough to take a shit. In the cities I've lived in you're more likely to get a tow than a ticket for parking in front of a hydrant. They already got one expensive reminder of the rules, you'd think it would be a long time before they parked there again. That's a FAFO lesson.
teamtunafish wrote:
NTA. Illegally parked is Illegally parked and anybody who blocks a fire hydrant deserves what they get. There is not a country in the civilized world where parking is more important than safety. Besides, how would you know who she was visiting?
Ecstatic-Ad1295 OP wrote:
Someone commented that I was TA because I was being nosey and being a parking police. I tried to reply to their comment but idk what happened.
I literally said I don't care if they park there, as long as the car is moved for trash day.
What I forgot to mention is, they have 6 cars. One work truck that the husband uses, two SUVs they park in front of their house and the other in front of mine, the rest is across the street. I could care less if they want to park in front of my house but I have noticed they move their car for trash day but leave the one in front of my house and wait for me to ask them to move it.
silly_brilliant868 responded:
Tbh I already know you’re NTA...but is your concern with them parking in front of the hydrant or in front of your house on trash day? Also, is there a reason you couldn’t have knocked on neighbor's door and asked them if car belongs to them in anyway before calling police?
Ecstatic-Ad1295 OP responded:
I live in an area where there are guys selling d**gs a few doors down and cars have been left on the street before. The car had spider webs on it from not moving for days so I assumed it was stolen and left in front of my house.
I don't care if they park there, but when it's trash day, I'd like to put my trash out in front of my house and not in front of my driveway since I leave for work in the morning. I said this in another comment but they will move the car in front of their house for trash day but will leave the one in front of mine until I go and ask them to move their car.
ell15 responded:
I wouldn’t think less of you if you drove past your old house periodically and reported them for parking in front of the fire hydrant. After a few times, I bet the city will come and check for you since it will obviously be a pattern of behavior.