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Newsweek
3 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
Woman Gets New Apartment With Parking—a Week Later, Anonymous Notes Appear
"I got the notes on Monday, all four appeared at once," Elizabeth told Newsweek. "I have no idea who left them, but I have not gotten any further notes, so I choose to believe it was just a misunderstanding that they figured out when they went to talk to the management office." Parking and space-related conflicts are a growing source of tension in apartment communities. A recent survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Newsweek asked 1,000 U.S. adults about their most intense disputes with neighbors. The findings highlighted a wide range of issues, from noise complaints to more confrontational scenarios like property damage and boundary disputes. Gregg Ward, executive director of The Center for Respectful Leadership, warned against retaliatory behavior between neighbors. "If your neighbor doesn't behave in ways you want them to, the last thing you should do is get into a tit-for-tat battle with them," he told Newsweek. "This happens all too often, and it never ends well. In short, don't respond to disrespect with more disrespect—it will just make everything worse." 'Over the Top, Passive Aggressive' The handwritten notes in the viral Reddit post, each written in red ink, carried an unmistakably hostile tone. "Respect your neighbor + stop parking in their paid, assigned spot. It's just rude," read one. Another said: "I've tried to be kind but you ignored my note. You could have been towed week ago. Please let me park in the spot I've had for years. THX." Two others echoed similar sentiments, with one stating simply: "Not your spot. Please stop taking it. Thank you." Elizabeth said she responded by placing her own note on the windshield. It read: "I checked with the office and this is my spot. You should check with them too." She later found that her note had been removed but no additional messages were left. "This is a pretty common occurrence for many different reasons, including inept property management and just trying to bully someone else out of their spot," she told Newsweek. "I prefer to believe that it was unintentional, and the notes were just an over-the-top, passive aggressive response to someone they genuinely believe was wronging them." A number of Reddit users related to Elizabeth's experience and chimed in with their own stories of parking disputes caused by confusing or inaccurate leasing information. U/cacophobiaxo said: "As someone who rents apartments for a living, can confirm this is usually the case." One commenter, u/RogueKitteh, wrote: "This reminds me of when we first moved into our current place and the property manager at the time told us the wrong space number so we were parking in someone else's spot like an asshole for a few days." Another user, u/ecstaticegg, said: "Our complex put the 'wrong' parking spot number in OUR LEASE and then like twoyears later threatened to tow our car for parking in the spot we had been in for two years that was written into our lease agreement. I guess two leases had the same spot written in." U/luciipurrrxo said: "Well if they don't leave anymore notes, I'd say they realized they were wrong and feel I would have checked with the office before writing these goofy notes and claiming a spot that isn't mine." A stock image of a woman looking at a note left on the front window of a car. A stock image of a woman looking at a note left on the front window of a car. Getty Do you have a neighbor-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Newsweek
08-08-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Dog Owner Sparks Outrage Over Neighbors Who Block Sidewalk Daily
Parking disputes like the one depicted in the post are far from rare. A recent Talker Research survey conducted on behalf of Newsweek asked 1,000 U.S. adults about their most intense or unusual disputes with neighbors, revealing conflicts ranging from noise complaints and lawn battles to property damage and boundary disputes. Gregg Ward, executive director at The Center for Respectful Leadership, said that, while disagreements between neighbors are common, starting a war is never a good idea. "If your neighbor doesn't behave in ways you want them to, the last thing you should do is get into a tit-for-tat battle with them," Ward told Newsweek in April. "This happens all too often, and it never ends well. In short, don't respond to disrespect with more disrespect—it will just make everything worse." 'I Hate People Like This' The Reddit post resonated with many users who shared similar stories and vented their frustrations. One commenter, u/Psydop, wrote: "I hate people like this. They are so self centered and don't give a s*** about how their actions affect others … Call the city and file a complaint. And keep doing it until something is done about it." Another user, u/Deep-Ad-9728, described their own approach: "When I encounter this situation, I walk on their property instead of walking in the street. Onto their lawn, over their driveway, onto their lawn again … I sing a little jingle too: 'I'm a f*****' douchebag. Look what I can do.'" Others offered more passive-aggressive suggestions. U/iamr3d88 joked: "I wonder how many passes it would take for a trail to start to form in their front yard … Show them consequences to blocking the path." Safety concerns were also raised. U/AlphaNoodlz wrote: "I'd be worried about people running into my car and scratching it up honestly. That would be my main concern, so if for some reason it happened, I couldn't act surprised, right?" Some users shared personal experiences with long-term sidewalk blocking in their own neighborhoods. U/Maeberry2007 said: "I had neighbors who parked the same way and half their tree lawn was dead all year round from people walking on it … They parked that way for years." Advice to involve authorities was common. U/AlternativePerspecti recommended: "Call the city by law enforcement or the nonemergency number for the police. Loose dog in the neighborhood? See above. Late night loud parties? See above. Don't get frustrated; just call." Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system. Stock image: A woman walks a dog on a sidewalk. Stock image: A woman walks a dog on a sidewalk. Getty Do you have a neighbor-related story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Newsweek
19-06-2025
- Newsweek
Woman Gets Revenge on 'Snooping Neighbor,' It Leaves Internet in Hysterics
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A group of neighborhood women found an unconventional way to handle a persistent snooper in their midst—and Reddit users are loving it. The incident was detailed in a post shared by u/foodf***flee on June 17 to the r/pettyrevenge subreddit. The tale of subtle yet scathing retaliation against a nosy neighbor has earned 5,000 upvotes and dozens of comments from amused Reddit users. According to the post, titled "Snooping Neighbour Got a Taste of Their own Medicine," the story originated from the Redditor's mother and centers around a woman named Judy, whose habit of snooping through other people's homes had become a well-known nuisance in their social circle. "This is my mom's story," the user wrote. "Every week a few neighborhood ladies plan a meet-up in any one of their houses. Three weeks ago it took place at our home, and my mom caught Judy coming out of my old bedroom when she had left on the pretext of going to the washroom." Though Judy claimed she "lost her way," the excuse didn't hold up. "She had been in our home before," the post noted. That incident led the mother to consult with others in the group, who revealed similar experiences of finding Judy in unauthorized parts of their homes. When confronted, the post claimed, Judy became "rude and defensive." A stock image of a woman sticking her head out from behind a door. A stock image of a woman sticking her head out from behind a door. Getty A recent survey by Talker Research for Newsweek found that disputes among neighbors are surprisingly common, ranging from noise complaints and lawn battles to property damage, intrusions and boundary disputes. Rather than confronting Judy directly, the women in the Reddit post opted for what the poster describes a taste of her own medicine. "Last Saturday, when the get together was at Judy's place, my mother and her friends bought googly eyes stickers and one by one they left the room on pretext of washroom and pasted those stickers all around the house," the user wrote. They even stuck them on Judy's mailbox, front door, and fence. The result? "A couple of neighbors had quite a show of her breakdown on Sunday going in and out, up and down her house looking for more stickers and removing them. Pretty sure the plan worked," the post concluded. Gregg Ward, executive director at The Center for Respectful Leadership, also cautioned against retaliatory behavior. "If your neighbor doesn't behave in ways you want them to, the last thing you should do is get into a tit-for-tat battle with them," Ward previously told Newsweek. "It never ends well." Jodi RR Smith, an etiquette consultant, agreed, telling Newsweek that the situation could have been handled with more grace and boundaries. "What the mom decided to do, with the rest of the group, was just cruel," Smith said. "Judy knows she is a snoop. Judy knows the group knows she is a snoop. Now Judy knows that the group had a discussion and decided to make her the focus of their practical joke." Smith suggested a more tactful approach, recommending hosts preemptively set boundaries in a group setting, such as by saying: "As you know the bathroom is at the top of the stairs. The door is open. Please do not enter any rooms where the door is closed." "And if the behavior continues, a direct conversation is key, saying something like 'Judy, I need you to stop snooping around in my home. If this continues, I will not be able to invite you back," Smith noted. She added: "Judy now needs to decide if she will alter her behavior and if she wants this group as friends." 'Genius' Reddit users responded with glee to the mom's "petty" reaction to her neighbor's behavior. "Genius! This is the way," wrote u/goodOmen78. Another user, u/Due_Classic_4090, added: "That is so petty, I love it!!!! Hahaha." U/Fire_or_water_kai agreed, calling it a "master class in petty!" U/pc_principal_88 said: "This was actually pretty satisfying to imagine. Hopefully she gets the hint and chills tf [the f***] out when it comes to snooping thru peoples things, etc." While Judy's future status in the neighborhood group remains unclear, one Redditor, u/obscurititty404, summed up the lingering question for many, saying: "It blows my mind that she's still invited to those events!" Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system. Do you have a similar story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Man Gets Ready To Go on a Date—Then Discovers Neighbor's Revenge
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A home resident's tale of sweet revenge against an inconsiderate neighbor has gone viral on Reddit, drawing hundreds of reactions from readers who have dealt with their own difficult neighbors. The post, titled "My neighbor blocked my driveway one too many times, so I had his car towed during his Tinder date," was shared by u/VryCuteAjaBharDuChut in the r/revengestories subreddit. The post has garnered more than 32,000 upvotes and over 1,200 comments since it was uploaded about a month ago. "For context: my neighbor is the type of guy who thinks rules are for other people. An arrogant 6 feet something hunk, in his mid 20s," the poster wrote. "He constantly parks in front of my driveway, fully blocking it, despite multiple warnings, notes, and in-person 'hey man, seriously, stop' conversations. His excuse? 'I'm just here for a bit.' A bit apparently means an eternity … 3-5 hours every d*** time." After repeated run-ins, the situation reached a boiling point. "Last week, I come home and surprise. He's there again. Blocking my driveway with his crusty silver sedan. I see him through his window getting ready, cologne and everything. He's going out. I decide, tonight's the night," the poster said. Rather than leaving another note or having yet another conversation, the frustrated resident took decisive action. "So I do what I should've done weeks ago. I call a tow truck. No warnings or notes. Got it towed straight up." Stock image: A man stands outside a car with his arms stretched forwards, while another pokes his head out the driver's window of a vehicle. Stock image: A man stands outside a car with his arms stretched forwards, while another pokes his head out the driver's window of a vehicle. Getty While the story has been widely applauded online, experts caution against escalating neighbor disputes. In a recent survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Newsweek, 1,000 U.S. adults were asked about their most intense or unusual conflicts with neighbors. The results highlighted a range of issues, from noise complaints and lawn battles to property damage, boundary disputes, and unwanted intrusions. Gregg Ward, executive director at The Center for Respectful Leadership, told Newsweek that retaliating against neighbors can backfire. "If your neighbor doesn't behave in ways you want them to, the last thing you should do is get into a tit-for-tat battle with them," Ward said. "This happens all too often, and it never ends well. In short, don't respond to disrespect with more disrespect—it will just make everything worse." 'Most Hollywood Revenge Story Ever' About 45 minutes after the Reddit user called the tow-truck service, as the poster sat on the porch enjoying a beer, a young woman arrived, clearly dressed for a date. She knocked on the neighbor's door, and, when he came out smiling, he quickly realized his car was missing. "She's confused. He's flipping out. He starts looking around like someone robbed him," the poster wrote. At that point, the resident informed them both: "I casually say, 'If you're looking for your car, it got towed. You were blocking my driveway. Again.'" The woman's reaction sealed the moment. "He tries to argue but the girl just says, 'Wait, you parked in front of his driveway?' He tries to explain, but she just says, 'Wow. That's trash,' and walks off," according to the post. The Reddit user said the neighbor has since changed his behavior. "I haven't seen him block my driveway since, and he never called another girl home after that. His confidence took a major hit," the poster added. Reddit users overwhelmingly supported the original poster's actions, with many praising the patience shown before finally calling the tow truck. U/_Roxxs_ said, "That's hilarious," and u/dj_is_here said it was the "Most Hollywood revenge story ever." TORONTOTOLANGLEY simply wrote, "You're my hero," while u/Intrepid_Lack7340 posted: "He blocked you, you blocked him. Fair is fair." Schtweetz commented: "You did a favor to the date too. She didn't have to find out what he's like later in the game." Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system. Do you have a home-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
