Resident frustrated by neighbor's baffling habit in shared yard: 'It makes absolutely no sense'

Being a good neighbor certainly doesn't look like this. 

A Redditor on the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit detailed their frustrating experience with their neighbor's odd habit — parking on the communal lawn, right in the grass.

The apartment complex the OP lives in shares a yard space for recreational activities. After observing their neighbor's confusing choice to park there, they took to Reddit to vent their grievances, saying, "It makes absolutely no sense."

With the yard space being obstructed, walking dogs, playing with kids, and generally enjoying time outside are greatly hindered.

Difficult neighbors directly impact those around them, especially if they aren't considering how their actions affect their fellow apartment-dwellers.

In the case of the Reddit post, this neighbor is thwarting the OP's and their neighbors' attempts at having a cohesive living situation. Anyone who may want to use the communal space faces the same issue: a car in the middle of the yard.

Beyond the hindrance to outdoor enjoyment, parking on the grass is a safety hazard and harmful to the plant life in the area.

Per Backyard Boss, "the excessive weight of [a] car can cause soil compaction … [which] can hurt a healthy lawn due to poor air, water, and nutrient penetration." The lawn will drain more slowly, leading to mucky patches. And stunted plant growth will leave yellowing areas that can't sustain themselves due to reduced soil fertility.

Aesthetically, the lawn already looks much less inviting. Environmentally, parking cars on grass leads to an increase in weed growth. This chokes out healthy plant life and negatively impacts the yard's ecosystem. 

Additionally, pests are more likely to appear in unkempt lawn spaces left by cars, Backyard Boss noted, which further drives away outdoor enjoyment and environmental health. 

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For situations like these, overcoming such issues with neighbors is essential to improve the well-being of everyone involved. Some commenters suggested that the OP should go to their landlord with their concerns, and others agreed, even proposing that multiple neighbors come together to bring up the issue.

One commenter said it best: "They share use of the yard, but this isn't the yard's intended and agreed upon use."

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