[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Sorry, I think this is a big brouhaha over nothing. I agree that if this had happened in California or New York or ...., I would have had a hissy fit that someone parked in my driveway without permission. However, strangely enough, this is The Villages. It really is a different mindset.

If I see a strange car parked in a driveway either at home or a friend's house, I do knock on doors to find out whose car it is and give them a head's up if I need to get in/out of the garage within the next few days and then let the owners know what's going on. Now, if I can't find anyone laying claim to the car, then it is time to call the police. For TV, parking in driveways is a neighborly thing to do. Have never seen anything like it anywhere else in the world, but it is our own special little bubble.

As the OP of this thread, I guess that makes me responsible for this "big brouhaha over nothing!" However, don't expect me to be apologetic anytime soon for having started it so as to not act impulsively upon being notified that someone was using my property without my knowledge or permission without first seeking the opinions or advise of others who have been around TV much longer than I have. I also have to disagree that it was over nothing.

Several years ago I experienced what I would call a traumatic experience involving my father when someone parked on his property in front of his garage. I was at work at the time and was called and told I should get to his house as soon as possible. When I arrived the police were in front of his house and the cop was on the front porch with my upset mother. The cop explained what happened and felt that I should be with my father who was inside the house on the floor, angry and shaking uncontrollably like I had never seen him do before, and stay until he calmed down. He apparently had an emotional breakdown caused by the buildup in anger when he said something to the driver of the illegally parked vehicle and was confronted by him.

Seemingly that driver felt he was entitled to do what he wanted whenever he wanted and wasn't apologetic about it. It took around a couple of hours before we could calm my father down enough so he could get up and move himself to his bed. It was about 3 days later before he got over it enough to finally leave the bed, except for usage of the bathroom, and resume his normal routine.

Hopefully, my sharing that will help you understand why my concern wasn't over nothing. It helped me avoid acting impulsively and possibly incorrectly like I feel my father did.

Also, I have to ask, could it have the potential of being a big deal if it turned out that is was not a neighbor using the driveway, but rather occupancy for some other potentially undesirable purpose. And would it still be a no big deal if the vehicle was there without permission and the oil leaked from the vehicle staining my driveway? I don’t know if it would have been, but it could have. Remember, I did not have the benefit of your experience or the experience of many others here on TOTV when I was notified of the presence of the auto, and I saw the problem through a different prism as a new resident who wasn’t quite sure how to react and simply sought advise!