California Neighbor Keeps Using Homeowner’s Driveway for Party Guests Until It Backfires

A California homeowner spent months dealing with a neighbor who treated his private driveway like extra parking for party guests. Despite repeated requests to stop, the neighbor kept sending visitors onto the property, leaving the homeowner fed up and looking for a way to put an end to it.

There was no shortage of other places to park. The neighbor had his own driveway with extra spaces, and street parking was readily available. Still, he saw no reason why his guests shouldn’t use the space next door.

In October 2017, the frustrated homeowner turned to Reddit for advice. Rather than simply having the unwanted cars towed, he wondered what would happen if he locked the gate behind them and refused to let their owners retrieve them for several days.

The question drew hundreds of responses, with some readers warning that his plan could cause legal trouble. What nobody expected was that another party at the neighbor’s house would bring the dispute to an end without the homeowner having to carry out his threat.

Parking Privileges Revoked..?

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Neighbor keeps inviting people to park in my gated drive-way. What happens if I lock the gate and refuse to let neighbor’s guests access their cars?
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u/Direct-Caterpillar77 in
BestofRedditorUpdates

Whenever the homeowner complained, his neighbor brushed him off. With so much room available, he couldn’t understand why sharing the driveway was a problem.

Reddit users weren’t nearly as understanding. Many suggested posting signs and calling a tow truck whenever another car appeared. Others pointed out that the guests might believe they had permission because their host had told them where to park.

One commenter even proposed a sign telling visitors not to park there if the neighbor had directed them to the property.

California law provides ways for property owners to remove unauthorized vehicles, although towing companies must follow certain rules. Under Vehicle Code Section 22658, many private properties require warning signs, but single-family homes are exempt from that general signage requirement.

The homeowner knew he could pursue towing. He simply wanted the people using his property to experience some of the inconvenience they had caused him.

One Bad Decision

On October 24, the homeowner returned to Reddit with an update about another party his neighbor had hosted a few nights earlier.

As guests arrived, several parked in the private driveway. Some vehicles apparently blocked others from leaving, prompting one visitor to find his own solution. He pulled into the homeowner’s driveway and slid the entrance gate shut behind him.

Unfortunately, he had no idea that the gate was broken.

The homeowner had been leaving it open because closing it created a major problem. Once shut, the gate required several people pushing and pulling together to get it moving again. He couldn’t afford to repair it and didn’t know what was causing it to stick.

When the guest tried to leave, he discovered that he couldn’t open the gate. He approached the homeowner for help, only to learn that two people wouldn’t be enough to move it. The homeowner was also injured and unable to assist.

After threatening to call police and report the guest for trespassing, the homeowner offered him a deal. If he returned early the next morning with enough people to open the gate and remove his car, the homeowner wouldn’t make the call that night.

A Free Fix

The following morning, the guest returned with something better than extra muscle. He brought a repairman who fixed the sliding gate, then covered the entire cost himself.

For the homeowner, that meant the end of an expensive problem he had been unable to solve on his own.

When the story resurfaced on Reddit’s BestofRedditorUpdates community, readers enjoyed the unexpected result. One commenter joked that the problem had managed to solve itself and pay for itself, while another praised the guest for taking responsibility.

The homeowner had also shared an MS Paint drawing showing the layout of the properties. That illustration became a favorite among readers, who praised the effort he put into explaining the parking dispute.

With his gate finally working, the homeowner could prevent future visitors from using his property without permission.

“I now have a working gate that I can close so douchebag neighbor can’t tell anyone to park here,” he wrote in his final update. “Or at least he still can, but #### him, my driveway is CLOSED.”