Help! Neighbors keep blocking our mailbox

**micki76** · 12-03-2003, 10:35 AM

Anyone know of anything that I can do to stop my neighbor from blocking my mailbox? They seem to have about 10 people living in or visiting their house. They are very good neighbors, and other than this one issue, we’ve never had any problems with them. My husband has been over three times in the past and asked them to stop parking in front of our box, because we keep getting notices (sometimes 2-3 times a week) from our carrier that she’s not delivering our mail because the box is blocked by a vehicle. (We always park in our garage)

Any ideas on what to do to stop this?

I thought after my husband asked the first time that they’d stop. Then the second time, I would have been embarrassed if it had been me. By the third time, I was ticked off. Now I’m just livid.

I talked to our mail carrier and she has put notices on the cars saying that she was not able to deliver our mail and why. I’m sure the teens just throw them away, but now the adults are blocking it also. Apparently their neighbor on the other side (according to our carrier) got so fed up that they sent a letter demanding that they stop parking in front of their mailbox. Sheesh!

HELP! I’m about out of patience and this is about to cause serious issues with someone I share a fence with!

**Samantha Puppy** · 12-03-2003, 10:39 AM

Write them a letter and threaten legal action. OR if you have a friend who is a lawyer, have them write a really official letter to them.

**catland** · 12-03-2003, 10:50 AM

I've often seen signs saying "do not park between the hours of 8am-5pm (or what ever is appropriate)." I don't see why you couldn't just make your own sign and post it.

(and how rude of them!)

You could also see if your city/town has any ordinances prohibitting the parking of cars in front of mailboxes. If they don't, consider proposing this to your city council.

good luck.

**ramanth** · 12-03-2003, 10:53 AM

Find out if you can have their car towed.... if the postal service is putting notices on their cars warning them not to do it, then they obviously can't point the finger at you.

**Logan** · 12-03-2003, 10:55 AM

Seems to me that the Postal Service should be solving your problems for you. If you contact them, make sure they know that the cars involved are not yours, but your neighbors. It is not your fault, and your mail should not be hindered as a result of their actions. Maybe a call to your local police department would help, just to ask what you should could do, or they could do, to help with the problem.

Logan

**Cataholic** · 12-03-2003, 11:55 AM

Call a postal inspector, call the police, call a tow company. You know, you can pay to have them towed, then, let them figure out where they were towed to, and they will pay the impound....

I know, I know, this is your neighbor (course, I did call the police on my neighbor). I wouldn't be above "helping" them remember not to park their car there....if you know what I mean....

**Kater** · 12-03-2003, 12:17 PM

We had some neighbors that would park in our driveway and block the sidewalk. (At our old house we had a massive driveway -- it was probably a side street at one point in time.) This erked my mother to no end and she slipped some polite notes under his windshield wiper. After a while her notes got nastier and she put a huge pot in the way. THAT finally worked!

I don't know that obstructing the parking spot would work for you because then the mail person may not be able to get to your mailbox. However, a blockade might make your point to the neighbor's guests and then the postal worker can pull up closely beside the blockade for the quick drop off.

With some creativity-- it might work!

That's the only suggestion I've got but there are lots of good ones here..... Good luck, Micki!

You surely don't want to miss any Pet Talk Christmas cards!!!

**amoore** · 12-03-2003, 01:36 PM

I would just go to the law about it. My brother- in -law had to do that, when some neighbors was using his mailbox for target practice.

I guess you could try the signs first. That might work.

**Miss Meow** · 12-03-2003, 03:36 PM

Start blocking their letterbox so they receive some undeliverable mail notices

Or, get some strong people and ask them to lift the offending car to the middle of the street, where it's bound to get a ticket

If they keep parking there, the car will keep getting lifted else where ...

Good luck. Sometimes it's the little, niggly things that make neighbourly relations awkward.

**Tonya** · 12-03-2003, 06:00 PM

Funny you ask...A huge sign just caught my eye today. It was on a mailbox on a piece of carboard. It said in spray paint "Do not park in front of mailbox!" If you are going to do that, please make the sign nicer. lol.

**Soledad** · 12-03-2003, 06:02 PM

Isn't it a federal offence to do this? I would call the police or a towing company at the very least. These people are imbeciles!!

**popcornbird** · 12-03-2003, 06:04 PM

You told them not to. They didn't listen. Next time they do it.........call the towing company. I'm sure they won't do it again after having to find their car and then having to pay to get it back. I know you wouldn't like having bad relations with those who live closest to you, but when they're doing something like that, what else can you do?

**dukedogsmom** · 12-03-2003, 06:52 PM

I don't think she can have them towed if it's on a public roadway. How about the zoning board? If there's that many people living in the house, might be against zoning. Time to get a little persistant since they are not cooperating with your kindness.

**KYS** · 12-03-2003, 07:37 PM

I don't blame you, I would be livid too.

I agree, and would try to talk to the postal inspector and
see if they can work something out, by leaving
an official letter at your neighbors house and also on the cars. Their has to be something you can do, maybe even contact your local coucilman and see if they can put a red painted curb right
in front of your mail box. Than if a car parks their they
can get a parking ticket.

Good luck and let us know what happens.