OK To Be Territorial About Parking In Front Of Your Home? [Block Talk]

Do people have the right to be territorial about the parking spaces directly in front of their houses?

Public streets without permitted spaces are fair game and homeowners can’t legally lay claim to a spot. We all know that. But we’ve also probably all been that person at one time or another, the one who peeks through the blinds every five minutes or so to see if the offending car is still parked there.

In neighborhoods, where we know the Johnsons’ four kids have cars that don’t fit in the driveway, isn’t it a given that the Johnsons have something akin to squatters rights on the spaces directly in front of their house?

Isn’t that just basic courtesy, whether the neighbors have extra cars or not? Their guests shouldn’t have to hike a city block to see you, should they?

What do you do when people violate this unwritten neighborhood code? Do you talk it out politely? Do you leave a note explaining the situation under the windshield wiper?

We’re asking for Block Talk, Patch’s exclusive neighborhood etiquette column. Just fill out the survey below. As always, we don’t collect email addresses.

Editor’s note: This survey closed on Feb. 28.

About Block Talk

Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com with “Block Talk” as the subject line.

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