His Car Was Towed Multiple Times By a Strict Homeowners Association, But His Retaliation Against the President Became a Neighborhood Legend.
In a suburban showdown, the Original Poster (OP) and his roommates face off against a sanctimonious neighbor over community parking rules. A series of escalating encounters culminates in sweet revenge, turning the tables on the antagonistic neighbor but leaving an undercurrent of unresolved tension.
The Arrival in a New Community
Upon moving into a homogeneous townhome community, OP and their three roommates face the dilemma of scarce parking. With each of them owning a car, their garage space soon becomes a challenge, fitting only one vehicle due to an abundance of sporting equipment. However, they discover an alternative – parking in front of their garage, a practice observed among other neighbors.
The Confrontation with Bad Neighbor
‘Bad Neighbor,’ a member of the community’s Homeowners Association, confronts the group about parking in front of their garage, threatening to have them towed for violating community rules. Although caught off guard, they promise to adhere to the community’s regulations. The threat marks the beginning of a strained relationship.
The Adherence and the Unforeseen Complication
The roommates attempt to comply with the official parking regulations, ensuring their vehicles are moved from the garage front before nightfall. This balance lasts until one roommate, in a rush one evening, parks against the garage for a quick stopover at 9 PM. Within an hour, his car is towed.
The Incident and the Aftermath
Returning to find his vehicle missing and Bad Neighbor gloating, the roommate learns from the towing company that he has to pay a $500 fee to retrieve his car the following day. The roommates are infuriated, more so because of Bad Neighbor’s evident satisfaction with their predicament. OP takes this personally and decides to take action.
Unearthing the Fire Lane Secret
In an attempt to better understand the community rules and avoid future conflicts, the roommates discover that the garage-front street is actually a fire lane, where no parking is allowed at any time. Realizing that Bad Neighbor had been ignoring the same rule he imposed on them, OP starts to plot revenge. Armed with this new knowledge and growing animosity towards Bad Neighbor, they begin to formulate a plan.
The Surveillance Phase
Working from home, OP begins observing Bad Neighbor’s daily routine from their window. They notice Bad Neighbor habitually parking in the fire lane during his lunch breaks. After two weeks of gathering evidence, OP prepares to put their plan into action.
The Sweet Taste of Revenge: Part I
One afternoon, when Bad Neighbor parks in the fire lane as per his routine, OP contacts the towing company. To OP’s delight, Bad Neighbor’s car is towed, leading to a rage-filled spectacle. The roommates enjoy the turn of events, but OP isn’t finished yet.
The Sweet Taste of Revenge: Part II
Despite the initial setback, Bad Neighbor repeats his mistake the very next day, and OP repeats their counteraction. Bad Neighbor’s car is towed once again, and OP relishes the repetition of the previous day’s chaos. Yet, Bad Neighbor still fails to grasp his error.
Bad Neighbor Learns… Temporarily
Following the second tow, Bad Neighbor begins parking correctly, but only for a short period. After two weeks, he reverts back to his old habit of parking in the fire lane. This behavior is immediately noticed by the ever-vigilant OP, who contacts the tow company within minutes of the violation almost three weeks later.
The Sweet Taste of Revenge: Part III
Just as before, Bad Neighbor’s car is swiftly towed away, resulting in another uproar. However, witnessing Bad Neighbor directing his anger toward his innocent wife makes OP reconsider their course of action. Although satisfied with the revenge, they decide it’s time to stop.
The Costs of Arrogance
Bad Neighbor’s repeated parking violations have cost him $1,500 in towing fees in less than one month. However, the monetary loss seems secondary to the humiliation he suffered. Despite his role in the Homeowners Association, his disregard for the same rules he enforced on others became a spectacle for the entire community.
The Unexpected Silver Lining
Ironically, Bad Neighbor’s initial confrontation led the roommates to discover the rule about the fire lane. As a result, they were able to turn the tables on him. They relish the fact that while other neighbors parking in the same area were spared, Bad Neighbor faced the consequences of his arrogance.
A Neighborhood Shared Satisfaction
Other neighbors, who had at some point parked their cars parked in the fire lane without consequence, unwittingly added to Bad Neighbor’s humiliation. The selective enforcement of the rule against Bad Neighbor became a shared joke among the community. While Bad Neighbor’s car was consistently towed, their cars never seemed to get towed, even when they used the spot for a short amount of time.
Continued Tension with Bad Neighbor
Despite the successful execution of their revenge, the roommates’ encounters with Bad Neighbor continued to be unpleasant. His demeanor towards them remains hostile, reminding them of the initial confrontation that sparked their revenge. The tension between them and Bad Neighbor is ongoing, promising more conflicts in the future.
Was The OP’s Behavior Appropriate?
The readers in the forum had a lot of mixed views on the matter. Here are some of their responses:
Forum Responded
One reader said, “This is amazing. Honestly feel bad for the wife, but he deserves this completely. I just can’t believe he kept doing it even after the second time.”
Another Commenter Thinks
Another responder wrote: “Call the cops for a noise complaint next time he starts yelling at his wife.”
A Third View On The Story
A different person states, “Only three to one. I would have kept it up; maybe his wife would have gotten tired of his s***.”
What Do You Think?
What are your thoughts on their actions?
What would you have done in this situation?
This story is inspired by a Reddit thread.
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