Man Wakes Up To Find 'Outrageous' Note on His Parked Car

A Reddit post showing a photo of a threatening note left on a car has gone viral, amassing 48,000 upvotes in just two days.

The post's caption described the situation: "There are no assigned parking spaces at my parents' townhome community. People park in front of my parents' house all the time. I woke up to this."

The note, handwritten and pinned to the car, was a stark warning to the owner Jonathan (u/SumOMG), expressing anger over parking. It said: "THIS SPOT BELONGS TO SOMEONE!!! PARK IN THE RIGHT PLACE. NEXT TIME, you're getting towed."

Jonathan, a 34-year-old sales manager from Florida, told Newsweek: "I felt the note was outrageous. We've been here for 20 years and people park in front of our house all the time."

He added: "It's a townhome development, there is no street parking. There are parking spots in front of every townhome; I would say there are about three or four parking spots for each unit. No matter where you park, you're in front of someone's home."

According to Florida Property Management, homeowners associations (HOAs) can enforce parking rules on private streets within their communities, where access is restricted to residents. However, HOAs generally cannot enforce parking restrictions on public streets, which are regulated by local government ordinances. Public streets, open to everyone, fall under local jurisdiction, and any HOA rules cannot contradict state or local laws. For issues like speeding, HOAs can request assistance from local government or law enforcement.

The sentiment on Reddit mirrored Jonathan's shock, with many users condemning the anonymous note-writer's aggressive approach.

Despite the threat, Jonathan remains unfazed and is ready to take legal action if necessary.

He told Newsweek: "I have not seen this person yet, but if I do I'll let them know that towing my car would be considered theft and I wouldn't hesitate to press charges."

The post's virality underscores a common issue faced by residents in many communities: parking disputes and the resulting tensions between neighbors. Jonathan's story adds a personal dimension to the broader conversation sparked by the Reddit post.

The poster made it clear that the note would not deter him from using the parking spot in the future. "The spot has been taken so I have not parked there, but if I need to park and the spot is open I will certainly park there again. They have no legal right to the spot," he said.

The Reddit community, known for its diverse range of opinions and experiences, continues to debate the situation.

One user's advice has racked up over 9,000 upvotes. It said: "Put a camera pointing [at your] car from a window or somewhere [visible] to the parking space. This way if anything happens you can file a complaint with the police department with video proof."

"They are not gonna tow you, but your car gonna get keyed, my dude," warned another.

"Write "ok, thanks" and place it right back on the ground in that space," advised a third user.

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