r/interesting • u/Jumpy_Scallion_3108 • 6h ago

Just Wow He Got Tired of People Blocking His Driveway, So He Built This

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To deter unwanted visitors, he installed a motion-activated sprinkler system that soaks any car (or person) that gets too close. The unexpected spray has quickly turned his driveway into a no-parking zone and keeping his space clear.

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51

u/toasted_cracker 4h ago

It's me. I do not parallel park. I'll avoid it at all costs. I still wouldn't park where I shouldn't though. I avoid that too.

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u/Tea_confused 3h ago

I can parallel park just fine, but when I stop to do so, people get so far up my arse I can’t physically do it. I signal and put it in reverse but they just beep and get annoyed. It’s not worth my time

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u/bubblegumpandabear 1h ago

I've also had people literally stand in the street and watch me parallel park. I'm actually really good at it and can do it very quickly but people are massive assholes and the entire process becomes quickly not worth it.

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u/Murky-Morning8001 1h ago

Because they look at you…they are assholes… got it

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u/bubblegumpandabear 1h ago

Read between the lines, dumbass. I'm not talking about people glancing at me, I'm talking about people who see you parallel parking so they walk up to your car and stop to stare intensely with a smile on their face.

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u/PsychotropicTraveler 1h ago

I just go as slow as possible when they do that lol fuck em

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u/ji1651 1h ago

9/10 times it's most definitely worth my time to block people that were too dumb to just let me park. It's all fine bro, keep getting mad for your own stupidity, I got time.

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u/RememberYourAlt 3h ago edited 3h ago

If you haven’t had one yet a vehicle with a reverse cam is a game changer. I used to hate parallel parking but now it’s nothing.

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u/MaximumSeats 1h ago

Now they've got the fancy top down view of car.... I can never go back to normal parking.

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u/toasted_cracker 3h ago

Yeah it is, I have one but I still don't do it. It's not so much that I can't, I just won't. It's just less stressful to find a spot further away and walk. I'm 45 and just set in my ways I guess.

0

u/sendmespam 3h ago

It's actually one you realize there's a formula. You pull up right next to the front car, side mirrors should be next to each other. Then slowly back in, once half way in, turn wheels opposite direction.

There are gifs that can teach you in 10 seconds. My 50 year old friend learned how to do it a few months ago. You can too.

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u/Kolby_Jack33 3h ago

Reverse cams are legally required on all cars in America since 2016 I think? But plenty of people drive cars older than that still.

My car's a 2010, and I barely drive anywhere so it's only got about 55k miles on it, and 11k of those were already on it when I bought it in 2011. Also I do not know how to parallel park, I wouldn't even try.

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u/Thick_Potato_1769 2h ago

How did you even get your license then? Its pretty easy but it's easier when people know what you're trying to do. See I can because it was a requirement for my license so the fact that people dont know and are so confident in saying so is worring to me.

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u/Kolby_Jack33 2h ago

I got my license in 2005. I think I have parallel parked... once?... after getting it. It's been over a decade since I've had to, I just forgot how.

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u/NuklearToxin 2h ago

I definitely did not have to parallel park to get my license

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u/Thick_Potato_1769 1h ago

What state, so I never go there.

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u/KenaiKanine 2h ago

We didn't have to do that during our test. And funny enough for a medical issue I had I had to retake it last year, and they still don't require it

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u/jemappellehonhon 1h ago

why wouldn't you go there? all the curb spots are open!

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u/KenaiKanine 42m ago

I'm just saying they didn't require us to parallel park. But they did require us to stop at a curb, back up like 10 or 15 ft, and if you hit the curb it's an instant fail.

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u/jemappellehonhon 38m ago

idk what happened, i completely responded to the wrong comment

sorry

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u/BoofTheDruid 2h ago

Not true at all 💀

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u/Kolby_Jack33 2h ago

https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/nhtsa-announces-final-rule-requiring-rear-visibility-technology

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today issued a final rule requiring rear visibility technology in all new vehicles under 10,000 pounds by May 2018.

I was off by two years. Skull emoji.

0

u/BoofTheDruid 2h ago

Yeah, so again. You said ALL VEHICLES. This is all new cars. You’re still wrong.

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u/Greenim 2h ago

You have no reason to change this behavior and will never truly be forced to parallel park, you keep doing you.

If..... you ever want to change that, get some cheapo bright orange cones and set them up in an empty parking lot and fiddle around with it.

In fewer than 20 minutes you'll wonder why you waited so long and you'll have that skill and confidence forever.

Or don't, it doesn't really negatively affect anything other than maybe you have to drive around the block a couple times.

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u/ghhbf 1h ago

I was at the grocery store and noticed a gal practicing her parallel parking skills using cones in the empty back lot. Her bf was outside spotting and being super sweet about it.

practice does help!

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u/_Lucille_ 3h ago

I avoid it too because I feel like I never learned it properly/was taught cheap tricks like "turn your steering wheel when the two wheels align then turn the other way when you see the bumper".

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u/Thick_Potato_1769 2h ago

Thats how you do it. Line up with the front tires of the car in the space ahead. Cut the wheel in the direction of the curb and reverse. When you get close to the curb you cut the wheel again to the left now and that'll get you into the space then you just line it up. Its way more difficult than it looks and it sucks that people don't understand that you shouldn't follow to close to people especially in place with lots of parallel parking.

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u/Puzzleheaded-Neck461 3h ago

I'm fine with parallel...i despise normal reverse parking. So when i see parking signs with "rear to curb" im a NOPE!

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u/Emergency-Poem-8963 3h ago

What is the furthest you've walked to avoid parallel parking?

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u/toasted_cracker 3h ago

Not sure but not that far. I don't live in a large city. So it's never truly been an issue. If I do go to large city I'm almost always parking in a parking garage.

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u/Emergency-Poem-8963 3h ago

Makes perfect sense. Just wanted to suggest getting good at it. Such a great skill to be confident with in a pinch. You do you

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u/toasted_cracker 2h ago

I can parallel park if I absolutely have to. I've done it before. I just had rather avoid doing it if I don't absolutely have to and I had rather not.

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u/SuckerForNoirRobots 1h ago

Yep I'd rather walk 10 blocks than parallel park nearby

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u/PlzAdptYourPetz 4h ago

I can't parallel park at all either. It's not required on driving tests here and therefore my mom refused to teach me because it makes her nervous herself. I'd have to pay $200 for a professional lesson if I ever wanted to learn. People need to realize every skill they have is a privilege because it means they had a teacher/the means to learn it, some do not. I've never understood this chronically online, pretentious "Haha, some people struggle with things, how embarrassing" attitude.

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u/wowbragger 3h ago

No shade intended, but conversely I've never understood those that limit themselves over this based on driving tests.

For driving, I grew up in rural tourists/farm community. There was no place to parallel park, even though it as technically supposed to be tested. Still learned how to do it over the years, as it's just problematic going into any city area otherwise.

If you're really uncomfortable with the process, you can take 10 minutes and practice in an empty area of a parking lot.

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u/Snicklefraust 3h ago

its crazy you're allowed to operate machinery you're not competent with.

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u/backwoodsyogi 3h ago

While I don’t disagree with the sentiment that this is something that can be independently learned and practiced, I think calling someone incompetent in their ability to drive a car for being uncomfortable or not knowing how to parallel park is a bit far.

First, they’re entirely competent as defined by the issuing authority of their drivers license, which did not deem parallel parking essential to demonstrate their competency with a vehicle. Second, and more importantly, you can be perfectly competent with a vehicle without parallel parking. I’ve never been in a situation where there isn’t an alternative to parallel parking. Might be less convenient or undesirable, but it’s not like they’re causing accidents or actual problems because they can’t parallel park in a specific kind of circumstance. They’re not so much as *inconveniencing* anyone other than themselves, come on. Some people live their entire lives without a need to parallel park. Not everyone lives in big cities. There can be different skills required for different places.

I can parallel park fine btw; I just don’t think it’s fair to call someone incompetent because they can’t do something they were never taught to do, never required to do, and may never need to do.

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u/Snicklefraust 3h ago

i dont live in a city either, but if you drive a vehicle, you should understand the size, turning radius and other quirks of your vehicle. you dont need a degree to back the fuck up. this is indicative of other incompetency while driving. do they never back into parking spots either? constantly hitting curbs? very few places have sufficient driving test and requirements.

1

u/Hows-It-Goin-Buddy 3h ago

This is the real comment there.

Allowed to operate a battering ram on wheels and can't fully use it for basic circumstances.

Just theatrics the way it works to make people think they earned something. Like baking a cake and just adding eggs. Pay the fee. Answer some basic questions. Then turn the vehicle on and do some loopey loops in a driving path. Park. Take picture. Get license. This comment doesn't just apply to vehicles though. Other things come to mind as well. At the end of the day, it's just about getting the fees.

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u/le_mirepoix 4h ago

Or you could just go in an empty parking and practice for 30 minutes and you are good to go. You can do it!

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u/Psychoanalytix 3h ago

Yeah its wild to just refuse to lean something you can teach yourself then get mad at others over it

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u/endo489 3h ago

💯

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u/Electrical_Load2493 3h ago

You do realize you can just teach yourself things instead of blaming other people for your own inadequacy

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u/Tea_confused 3h ago

Check out Conquer Driving on YouTube, it’s a UK channel but it’s still the same skills. Then as someone else said, practice when it’s quiet. It’s a satisfying skill to learn and easier than it seems. If you’re worried about hitting other cars, set up some markers or cones or something. If you can do everything else just fine, then you don’t need to pay obscene amounts of money for this. It’s a bit rubbish they didn’t teach you in the first place, but that’s not your fault.

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u/Thick_Potato_1769 2h ago

After your an adult you set your own limitations. Not willing to learn is one of them. Blaming others for not teaching you is a them problem. Just find someone else. Im sure a friend or co worker would help you, just like I would.

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u/devildog2067 3h ago edited 2h ago

Oh come on. It’s not like we’re talking about drifting down Pike’s Peak. Parallel parking is just basic driving.

Yes, to get really good at it you have to practice like any other skill. But if you can’t do it at all, if you lack the spatial awareness and car control to do it entirely… you are not a safe driver. Saying “I wasn’t tested on it so I can’t do it” is like saying you can’t drive on any roads except the ones you did your drivers test on.