When I bought my first home, I thought I’d found a peaceful neighborhood — until my next-door neighbor, Peter, started using my driveway as his personal parking space. At first, I let it slide, but it kept happening. Each time I asked him to stop, he’d apologize and claim it was “just for a few minutes.” Weeks turned into months, and my patience wore thin. It was clear he had no intention of respecting my property.
The turning point came when I was heading out for a weekend trip to Las Vegas. Instead of leaving my car in my own garage, I parked it squarely in the middle of Peter’s driveway at 3 a.m., trapping both his vehicles. Then I boarded my flight and enjoyed my getaway. By the time we were in the air, my phone was full of frantic messages from Peter, demanding I move my car. I replied with his own favorite excuse — that it was “just for a few minutes” — and didn’t respond again.
When I returned on Sunday night, both of his cars were still blocked in. He didn’t say a word to me the next morning, but from that day forward, my driveway stayed clear. There were no more “temporary” parkings, no more excuses, and no more quiet frustration on my part. The problem was solved without another argument.
That weekend taught me something important — sometimes people only understand boundaries when they experience the inconvenience themselves. By giving Peter a taste of his own behavior, I finally got my space back. My home feels peaceful again, and I’ve learned that standing up for yourself can be the most neighborly thing you can do.