SINGAPORE: A man recently took to Reddit to share not just one but two notes from an unknown individual asking him to park his van elsewhere. The first note, which was written on a yellow sheet of paper and was plastered on the window, said:
“Bro, can you park your vehicle opposite. Coz if you park this row the car parked next to you got a difficult time to drive out and it’s very dangerous. Your car is too big and high so blocking the incoming vehicles. “I almost hit vehicle when I need to drive out. Therefore, ask for your understanding. Don’t park here. Opposite will be better for everyone. Thanks!”
The second note, written on a smaller piece of paper at the bottom of the window, said: “Please don’t park here. Coz your car too big and high. Blocking the incoming vehicle. So the car parked next to you is very dangerous to drive out.”
After returning to find the two notes in the morning, the van owner couldn’t help but feel flabbergasted. He said it was his first time receiving such notes after parking on the estate for six years.
Unsure of what to do, the man took to social media and asked his co-redditors, “Should I comply?”
“Based on his complaint, shouldn’t he be more aware of his surroundings before moving off? Edging out slowing and look out for oncoming traffic,” u/ilovesupermartsg wrote on r/askSingapore on Saturday (Dec 30).
He said he preferred to park on that lot since it is shielded from the morning sun.
“I don’t know man, shouldn’t carpark lots be on a first come first serve basis? And the onus is on him to look out for traffic before moving off,” he added.
To comply or not to comply?
After reading about the situation and seeing the photos of the van in the lot (which was parked near the edge and left a lot of room for the other vehicle), most of the Redditors came to his defence and said that he shouldn’t comply with the stranger’s request.
One Redditor said: “No, don’t comply. Whoever that is should learn how to drive out of a parking lot safely.”
While another added: “I don’t see any problem, and you parked so close to curb giving so much space to the adjacent car. That’s considerate of you. If the other person has an issue, they should park on the opposite side. That said, better to install camera in case they do something to your van.”
Meanwhile, one Redditor had a different approach and said he should talk it out with the stranger instead, “Ask for phone number and talk it out. That way if smth happens to your car you got his number. Also contrary to what others say, since the person asked twice, give your neighbour the benefit of doubt and park across, if it’s not too much trouble for you. Save you any worries and everyone is happier in the end.”
Legally, should the van owner budge or not?
Legally speaking, the vehicle’s owner is not required to move his van to make room for other vehicles. There are no laws that stipulate it, so, in this case, two scenarios are likely to play out: first, the van owner ignores the note, and the stranger either finds himself another parking space or learns how to drive out carefully or second, they talk it out and amicably handle the dispute.
Steps for handling parking disputes:
Consult your neighbour about the issue. The best action in a parking issue is to have a conversation. You can get their contact information and set up a date to have a brief meeting with them.
Approaching them politely if you run into them in the parking lot is also a good idea. Often, the issue can be resolved by addressing it immediately and courteously.
Write them a note, too. If you don’t know which car they own, you can leave a note in the same spot they left a note on your vehicle. You can also convey to them that you respectfully deny their request and offer alternative solutions to their issue.
File a complaint. If you notice that problems keep coming up even after you’ve explained them in detail, you can complain to your local parking authorities.
To properly explain the issue, look into gathering documentation regarding the parking violations by snapping pictures or keeping a log of them.