So I live in a townhome neighborhood. There’s like 3 different HOA’s around here and then some duplexes that aren’t in one. My wife and I just have a tiny 1 car driveway and usually her car is parked there.
For the past 4 days I’ve seen these kids riding their bikes and scooters through my porch and down my driveway, weaving around her car. This has happened before with other kids and one actually messed up her car in the past, so now I’m pretty sensitive about it. We work hard to pay for that car and I don’t wanna deal with more damage.
Anyway today I was home, long day, sitting at my desk and my door/driveway camera goes off. Look at it and sure enough it’s them again, while their mom is just strolling down the sidewalk like it’s nothing.
I ended up walking the loop around the neighborhood a few times until I came across them in someone else’s driveway. I politely told the mom “hey, can you keep your kids out of my driveway, we’ve had damage happen before.” I even said I don’t care when no car is parked there, but if there is then yeah, please don’t.
She instantly gave me attitude. Said something like “well it’s a driveway, if you don’t want kids there you should put a sign up” (and my HOA won’t even allow signs like that btw). I told her driveways are private property, not a public playground, and if she wants a place for them to ride there’s literally tennis courts and a park in the neighborhood. She just shrugged and repeated “it’s a driveway” like I was the crazy one.
So now I’m sitting here wondering… AITA for even saying anything? Or is she out of line for letting her kids run through people’s private driveways right next to their cars?
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So I live in a townhome neighborhood. There’s like 3 different HOA’s around here and then some duplexes that aren’t in one. My wife and I just have a tiny 1 car driveway and usually her car is parked there.
For the past 4 days I’ve seen these kids riding their bikes and scooters through my porch and down my driveway, weaving around her car. This has happened before with other kids and one actually messed up her car in the past, so now I’m pretty sensitive about it. We work hard to pay for that car and I don’t wanna deal with more damage.
Anyway today I was home, long day, sitting at my desk and my door/driveway camera goes off. Look at it and sure enough it’s them again, while their mom is just strolling down the sidewalk like it’s nothing.
I ended up walking the loop around the neighborhood a few times until I came across them in someone else’s driveway. I politely told the mom “hey, can you keep your kids out of my driveway, we’ve had damage happen before.” I even said I don’t care when no car is parked there, but if there is then yeah, please don’t.
She instantly gave me attitude. Said something like “well it’s a driveway, if you don’t want kids there you should put a sign up” (and my HOA won’t even allow signs like that btw). I told her driveways are private property, not a public playground, and if she wants a place for them to ride there’s literally tennis courts and a park in the neighborhood. She just shrugged and repeated “it’s a driveway” like I was the crazy one.
So now I’m sitting here wondering… AITA for even saying anything? Or is she out of line for letting her kids run through people’s private driveways right next to their cars?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I might be the asshole because I stopped my neighbor and told her to keep her kids out of my driveway. I know kids just want to play and ride around, and maybe I came off as territorial or harsh when I confronted her about it. Some people could see me as the jerk for not just letting it go since they’re only kids.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA. Your driveway isn’t a bike path. If damage has already happened before, you’re well within your rights to politely ask her kids not to play there. She’s the one being dismissive
NTA
The mom needs to parent her kids, they’re not entitled to your driveway.
NTA. It is your property and you can choose who you want to be on it. You were respectful and approached her kindly instead of approaching her kids about it which was the right thing to do. You even gave them permission when the car isn’t there. Her dismissing you is blatantly rude and ignorant. I’m not the best at advice, but if you have any type of camera maybe keep getting footage of the kids in your driveway in case something does happen to the car. Additionally, maybe try bringing it up to the Mom once more, if she doesn’t comply maybe see if you can bring it up to the HOA and see what they can do. If you don’t want to take it that far maybe see if there is another parent/guardian you can talk to who might be more open to listening to you.
You are totally in the right to ask for respect of your space and property. It’s one thing if it’s a shared driveway, but this sounds like these kids are going either out of their way or just riding around aimlessly, and using your driveway as part of their path, which means they don’t have to use it out of necessity. You don’t need to put up signs if it’s your property either.
It sounds like you have cameras, which is good. It’s not easy to just say you’ll call the police for trespassing, especially if they’re going through fast. But if any damage is caused from them not respecting your wishes, then at least you’ll have that documented on camera and can use that to hold them responsible. It doesn’t stop the behavior.
Overall, this other woman isn’t respecting your property or your wishes and that’s never the nice neighborly thing to do in my book.
Good luck with this. Hopefully things get better.
NTA but if you had to hunt her down in the neighborhood, that ignorant woman sure won’t know which driveway is yours to avoid it….
Sounds like a job for motion activated sprinklers to me.
NTA
NTA. It’s your property so you have every right to tell them to stay off it. Could you report it to the HOA?
This sounds pretty mean but just squirt them down with a garden hose when they come by. If she says anything just squirt her down too.
NTA
NTA and I’d be more worried about your legal liability if one of the kids tips their bike over and breaks a wrist or arm or teeth on your property.
Talk to your HOA about No Trespassing signs while showing the kids trespassing. Tell them the mother was not open to staying off your driveway.
“Well ma’am it’s my property if you and your kids don’t want a trespassing charge you’ll stay off other people’s property.”
NTA
What a sad example she is setting for her kids. 😕
NTA the same thing happened to me last week. This lady was having her two year-old run up and down a cement driveway, which of course was mine. Then he started messing with the license plate on our car and then he started ripping hydrangeas from the bush next-door and trying to stuff them where my electric charger is. She was on the phone looking at him doing it. I wasn’t home at the time, but I saw it on my ring camera. When she walked by again, I had a conversation with her. She said he didn’t touch anything. I was watching him the whole time. I said lady I have it on camera and you were watching him the whole time you but you weren’t correcting him. Then she clutched her chest and said I feel so violated you were invading my privacy. I said no, you were on my property. You were right to say something to her. The entitlement of people is unbelievable.
NTA, that’s not a thing you let your kids do, ride their bikes on someone else’s property. The mom has no manners. Can you put a sign up on the driveway? What if one gets hurt somehow?