'Neighbour demands I move my car for unacceptable reason and I refuse to budge'

You can get a long way with your neighbours simply by being kind. If you need to borrow a tool for a DIY project or you need someone to water your garden while you go on holiday, just asking your neighbour if they'd be willing to lend a hand will often result in a positive answer. They don't have to help, and if they say no, you shouldn't bother them about it, but asking politely often yields better results than making demands.

One man, however, is learning that not everyone asks politely when they want someone else to do something. His neighbour has made outlandish demands and even "threats" to try and get him to move his car - even though it's parked completely legally on the side of the road.

In a post on Reddit, the man said his neighbour knocked on his door "insisting" he move his car from the road outside their houses, and gave him the most "ridiculous" excuse for her demand - she couldn't see the street well enough.

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He wrote: "My neighbour knocked on my door yesterday, insisting I move my car because it's 'blocking her view' of the street. I'm parked legally on a public road, not even in front of her house."

The man claimed his neighbour "threatened to call the HOA" to report his parking, but he is still adamant that he's done nothing wrong by parking on the street.

An HOA (homeowner's association) is a private organisation within a housing community that collects fees from residents to maintain shared areas and enforce rules. They are most common in the US, and the rules can cover aspects such as property maintenance and exterior appearance.

If homeowners fail to comply with the rules outlined by their HOA, they can be subject to fines or special assessments. In severe cases, the HOA could place a lien on a homeowner's property, which is a legal claim that secures a debt or obligation and could lead to a foreclosure.

Commenters on the man's post, however, told him that it was his neighbour who was being unreasonable, especially if his car was parked legally on the side of the road.

One person said: "She is being completely unreasonable. Tell her if she wants to call the HOA, she can go right ahead, but in the meantime, make it clear to her that you are NOT moving your car."

Another added: "Parked legally on a public street and she's acting like she owns the road? Sounds like someone needs a hobby besides micromanaging asphalt."

Is it illegal to park on the roadside?

In the UK, it is not illegal to park on the side of the road, provided you aren't parking somewhere with restrictions such as double yellow lines, no parking signs, or places where you would cause an obstruction.

Kerbside parking is often free-for-all, meaning you can park wherever you like on a stretch of road. You cannot demand access to the space outside of your house, and you cannot put cones in the street to reserve spaces.

When parking on the side of the road, you may also want to take care not to park on the pavement. Parking on the pavement is not illegal outside of London and Scotland; however, you can still get a fine for doing so in some instances.

Since 1974, Highway Code rule 244 has stated that drivers "MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it."

In the Highway Code, the words "must not" mean there is legislation behind this rule, and you could receive a fine for breaking it. But "should not" is advisory and is not backed by legislation.

However, rule 242 states drivers "MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road". This means that if you park in a way that is viewed as dangerous or unnecessarily obstructive, you could receive a fine.