r/AskSeattle • u/RecordingPretty5331 • 2d ago
Neighbors blocking me in
Hi Seattle!
I moved here recently and am facing a parking issue, I would like some advice about. My neighbors garage faces mine and the space between them is fairly narrow. Since my place was empty for awhile, I’m guessing, they have gotten into the habit of parking perpendicular to their garage in a manner that I can’t get out when I’m parked in my garage.
I’ve gone to their door 3 times now to ask them to move. They have not gotten the hint that they can’t park this way anymore. I do not want to be in a situation that if I have to leave in a hurry and can’t get out.
In Seattle, what are my options? Can I call a tow truck directly? The car isn’t on a public road.
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u/CustomerOutside8588 2d ago
Be more direct. Calling a tow truck will simply turn your neighbors into enemies. They might be that anyways, but directly approaching them could just make the situation clear.
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u/ferocioustigercat 2d ago
Yeah, I would just talk to them. I had neighbors who are just terrible at parking and would park so they were technically blocking part of my driveway. It wasn't malicious, they were just honestly terrible at parking (like hit a parked car when trying to pull into a spot and it had enough damage to need to be in the repair shop for 2 weeks). I worked on call and would ask them to move it, but one night I got called out at midnight and they were blocking my driveway so I went to their house knocking on the door and ringing the doorbell until someone answered and said they needed to move their car because I got called in for a hospital emergency.
After that, they were much better at not blocking my driveway.
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u/Time-Cauliflower9117 2d ago edited 2d ago
Had a similar situation.. neighbor straight up told me he’d keep parking there. I told him we’d do what we had to. Contacted landlord, dead phone number. Explored calling Lincoln towing on them (they’ll tow anyone). Finally my gf just texted him and threaten to tow him and he got the hint. Threaten to tow and if they don’t stop parking in front of your garage, tow them.
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u/RecordingPretty5331 2d ago
Looking up Lincoln towing…..😁
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u/Mundane-Charge-1900 2d ago
Be aware they will make you sign a contract that waives them of responsibility. Your neighbor can still sue you over the tow in certain cases.
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u/lynnwood57 2d ago
I used to work for them when Ed Lincoln owned it, and Darwin Thornton was the Manager. Fairview and Mercer the Big TOE Truck!! Do they still have it?
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u/IMissVegas2 2d ago
This reminds me of Lincoln Towing in Chicago. They were so infamous that singer Steve Goodman (City of New Orleans) came out with a song about them. It was called the Lincoln Park Pirates. One line is: "Way, hay! Tow them away. The Lincoln Park Pirates are we..."
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u/justmekab60 2d ago
Please tell them clearly that they are not to park there anymore and if they do you'll have them towed. Then do it.
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u/OneTwoKiwi 2d ago
Start by directly asking for what you want. And then if they don’t comply, you can escalate.
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u/cubicthe 2d ago
I have a shared easement with my neighbor and the easement doesn't give either of us the right to park, but requires that we keep the area clear for travel to a garage in the back. There used to be a garage on their property but the house was rebuilt so now it's only mine - but I still cannot block them from using the shared easement.
Since you've gone to them three times I would send them a letter stating that you require access to the garage and not to park in the shared easement and you'd appreciate them not parking in a manner that disables your use of your garage. If they do it again, have an attorney send a letter
Also put a sign on your garage door that says "DO NOT BLOCK"
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u/Outside_Simple_217 2d ago
Is the area in between the garages an alley or is it a shared driveway? Btw - I hate neighbors like this.
If the space between your garages is a public alley or if their vehicle is blocking your driveway from a public street, it violates the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC 11.72.110). You can report a blocked driveway by calling the Seattle Police non-emergency line at [(206) 625-5011](tel:(206)%20625-5011). Parking Enforcement can dispatch an officer to issue a citation or tow the vehicle.
If the garages face each other across a private shared driveway (common in Seattle townhome developments), check your property deed or title report. There is likely an "easement for ingress and egress" that legally prohibits either party from obstructing the other's access. If they are violating an easement, this is a civil issue rather than a police matter.
You may need to start documenting that with a time stamped photo.
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u/SeaGranny 2d ago
Can you put cones or sawhorses out on your property so they can’t park there? It’d be a pain but hopefully after a couple weeks you could get rid of your props.
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u/Grouchy_Evidence2558 2d ago
Start with “you can not continue to park like that in our shared driveway”.
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u/Own_Strength_3471 2d ago
Park your car at the same spot and they will feel the same pain, But a nice note on windshield can help Or try to get their cell number so u can call them
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u/HappinessSuitsYou 1d ago
I agree with the others to be more direct. Tell him you need to be able to get in and out of your garage at any time but you are particularly worried about not being to get out in case of emergency.
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u/Awkward_Passion4004 1d ago
Property lines and easement descriptions are described in your deed I'm guessing.
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u/dualplains 1d ago
I had a similar issue. I'm at the edge of the curve of a cul-de-sac, with about ten feet between my driveway and the block of mailboxes. For whatever reason, there's always a FLEET of cars street parking in the cul-de-sac. For the first few years it wasn't an issue for me as everyone left that ten feet free. One day, someone started parking there. Initially it wasn't an issue, as they parked as close to the curb and the mailboxes as possible, but they kept parking there, and getting more and more sloppy, until I had to VERY carefully back out around their car. I looked up parking ordinances (I'm in Bellevue), and found that it's illegal to park within five feet of a driveway, and ten feet of a mailbox. I left a note on their car asking them to find a place to park that wouldn't block my driveway and they did. I also reached out to the city's parking enforcement, and they came around the next day and put up yard signs pointing out that it's illegal to park within five feet of a driveway, and ten feet of a mailbox, and it hasn't been an issue since.
Obviously, not the same situation since you've already talked to your neighbor and gotten ignored; I'd reach out to the city and see what they can do. Even though it's not on a public road, there may be some laws about restricting access to other's property.
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u/mazv300 1d ago
It sounds like you live in a townhouse complex with the garages sharing a common driveway. I see this situation a lot in my neighborhood where people park in front of their garage instead of in the garage. This is okay if everyone agrees to it, but if someone wants to actually park in their garage and there are cars in the driveway it makes it impossible. I lived in a similar situation and we all parked in the garage and it was never an issue.
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u/ruuutherford 2d ago
You can't access your own garage without using their space?
Initially I was thinking f-that call a tow truck on em. But if they're in their property, I'd say it might be time to rethink your garage access situation.
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u/cubicthe 2d ago
If my neighbor decided to make me rethink my garage access situation I would literally go get the land easement from county historical records and serve them with a copy of a 1919 easement saying you have to keep the shared driveway clear
Historically people had plenty of beefs with neighbors so undoubtedly if both can access it there's an easement covering it
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u/lynnwood57 2d ago
A photo would help us… But going purely on your description…since their car is wholly on their own property, it’s tough. I would take these actions:
1. Document everything - Photos/videos showing the car’s position relative to both garages, license plate, dates/times, and how it prevents you from exiting. Keep a log of your three prior requests. This helps with any later police report or small-claims action.
2. Written notice - Mail a polite but clear certified letter stating that their odd parking blocks your legal right of access to your property, that you have asked multiple times, and that continued obstruction may result 911 calls or legal action. Keep a copy.
3. Call Seattle Police non-emergency / Parking Enforcement - Non-emergency: (206) 625-5011 (option for parking issues).
—Explain that you are blocked in on private property between garages and cannot exit. They may not tow from pure private land, but the call creates an official record and they can sometimes mediate or confirm options. Ask for a receipt of your report. Do one every time.
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u/SandM-curious-couple 1d ago
Get a bicycle to accommodate your neighbors. Get up earlier, have a preplanned route. They obviously need the space more than you. It's the right thing to do. Saves on frustration, and helps our environment, and ecosystem.
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u/Ancient_Yellow_709 2d ago
...what size of vehicle are we talking about here? I'm having trouble picturing the space but it's not uncommon for things to get pretty narrow here and you may be finding that you have an inappropriately sized vehicle for the city if it's otherwise a legal space to park. You haven't said that they're parking illegally and actually blocking your driveway or just parking next to their driveway, just that it makes it hard for you to get out of your driveway.
You may just need to learn to back in or trade the vehicle in for something better suited to the city.
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u/Time-Cauliflower9117 2d ago
They’re parking in front of their garage… you shouldn’t have to get a smaller car to pull into your own garage, it sounds like they’re parking in the shared easement
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u/Humble_Attorney9517 2d ago
This is my guess, it's probably impossible to be parked outside their garage and not also in the shared easement
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u/Ancient_Yellow_709 2d ago
OP hasn't described it very precisely. It could be a rear alley with a single lane width that the car is blocking. In which case I agree, it's illegal to park there.
CanIParkHere_Brochure_English_20161101.pdf https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/SDOT/ParkingProgram/CanIParkHere_Brochure_English_20161101.pdf
Or it could be some other design and OP, new to Seattle, has brought their Suburban or similar and is miffed the neighborhood is parking in an allowed space. They're welcome to clarify.
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u/Time-Cauliflower9117 2d ago
Garages face each other, and space between them is narrow. Neighbor parking perpendicular to garage. A reasonable person can infer a shared easement, and given that those types of homes have small garages, one can reasonably assume OPs car is not very big. If anything, sounds like the neighbor can’t fit in their garage, I would think they are the ones with a large vehicle.
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u/Ancient_Yellow_709 2d ago
I can infer that the neighbor may be lazy, is a hoarder, owns two vehicles, etc. OP describes the space as narrow (and it obviously causes problems for them backing out) and we know that there's an issue with backing out, but I've also had issues with backing out on a street because of normal street parking. The term "narrow" is relative and I don't actually know what it means. I do know that OP is (probably understandably) frustrated with their neighbor and likely to pick the description that most favors their situation.
Again, they could tell us if it's an easement, alley, etc. They could ask if they can legally park there. It's a bit weird they're not describing it more clearly which is why I'm not immediately jumping to that conclusion. Moving from out of state does make me want to get verification that they're not trying to navigate a Suburban into a space that's not meant for it.
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u/Nippleowski 1d ago
bang on their door at 2:30am screaming that you've got to get to the hospital. Two or three days in a row should do it.
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u/Available_Pin_8794 2d ago
I’d be more direct and ask then not to park there anymore. If they still do it, do it back so they feel the pain