AITA for having my sister’s friend’s car towed when she kept intentionally blocking me in my driveway?

In a cozy lakeside home, weekend visits from a younger sister brought joy to a hardworking woman—until her sister’s friend turned the driveway into a battleground. Night after night, the friend’s car blocked her path to work, ignoring pleas and even a bright orange traffic cone. Exasperated, she called for a tow, sparking a firestorm of texts and family tension. Now, with an apology from her sister and a ban on the troublesome guest, peace seems within reach.

For those who want to read the previous part: Original AITA Post. This update unfolds a tale of reclaimed boundaries and family reconciliation, pulling readers into a drama where respect and responsibility collide. Was towing the car a bold stand or an overreach? The story invites us to weigh in.

‘AITA for having my sister’s friend’s car towed when she kept intentionally blocking me in my driveway?’

I am 10 years older than my younger sister and have a house about 2 hours from my parents’ house where she lives. My sister often stays with me on the weekends because I live a few minutes from a large recreational lake. This is fine, as long as she is quiet and allows me to sleep as I work 5a-5p shifts all weekend.

My sister is very courteous, and I enjoy having her over. However, my sister has been bringing her new friend with her. They drive separately because the friend leaves for summer school on Sunday nights, and my sister is on summer break and often stays until Monday afternoon so we can spend more time together because I work weekends.

This friend has been nothing but trouble. She is very loud, obnoxious, and annoying. She often wakes me several times during the night laughing loudly, going in and out of the house and slamming the door, using the microwave/oven timer, etc.

I have nicely told her to please keep the noise down, and she always says that she is trying to be quiet but forgets sometimes that I’m there. The major issue is that the friend continues to park directly behind me in my driveway where I cannot back out to go to work in the mornings.

I go to bed around 8pm on Fridays, and the friend usually arrives at my house later than that, so I can’t catch it as it happens. I always have to find her keys in the morning to move the car myself or if I can’t find them, wake her to move her car. This has almost made me late for work every Saturday for the past five weeks.

I remind her the next day when I get home to please not park behind me because there is plenty of street parking, but it never fails for her to be behind me the next Saturday when I leave for work. This week was the last straw. I set up a traffic cone behind my car last night to remind her to not park behind me.

When I woke up this morning, I saw that she had MOVED THE CONE and parked behind me even though the space behind my sister was empty and there was plenty of street parking in front of my house. I was extremely angry, as this was at least the 5th week I’d told her to not park behind me.

I called a tow truck and had her car towed. While I was at work, I got an angry text from the friend asking about her car. I explained to her that I’d had it towed and that she was not to block me in intentionally again, or she was no longer welcome in my house. My sister and her friend both think I’m TA, but I feel that after so many reminders, my actions were justified. AITA?

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UPDATE: My sister has apologized to me; she was unaware of the times I had to move her friend’s car and only knew about the 2x I had to wake her friend to find her keys and move the car. The friend did not tell her I was moving her car in the mornings.

I tried not to start drama between the two of them by calling the friend out in front of my sister, so she truly did not know how I felt. She and I have agreed that the friend is not to come back over, and I doubt she and the friend will remain friends for much longer. Thanks for the clarification that I was not TA!

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Towing a car to protect your livelihood might sound drastic, but sometimes it’s the only way to make a point. The woman’s sister’s friend ignored repeated requests not to block the driveway, even moving a cone in a blatant power play. Her actions disrupted the woman’s work schedule, a serious issue when early shifts are non-negotiable. The sister’s apology and agreement to ban the friend mark a step toward restoring household harmony.

This saga reflects a classic boundary violation. Dr. Henry Cloud, a psychologist specializing in boundaries, notes, “When someone repeatedly disrespects your space, consequences like towing are a natural response to enforce limits” (Boundaries). The friend’s deliberate parking, despite ample street space, suggests a lack of respect, escalating the woman’s frustration after weeks of patience.

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Shared living spaces often breed such conflicts. A 2022 study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that 48% of disputes in shared households involve space misuse, like parking violations (Journal of Environmental Psychology). The friend’s noise and disregard for the woman’s sleep further compounded the issue, making her home feel less like a sanctuary.

To maintain this resolution, the woman should reinforce house rules with her sister, ensuring future guests respect her work schedule. A written agreement for visitors, outlining parking and noise expectations, could prevent repeat offenders. The sister’s willingness to cut ties with the friend suggests alignment, but clear communication will keep their bond strong. This approach safeguards her home while nurturing family ties.

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These are the responses from Reddit users:

Reddit rolled in like a tow truck, hauling out a load of support with a sprinkle of shade for the friend’s antics. The community cheered the woman’s decisive move and slammed the friend’s disrespect, serving up a lively mix of fist bumps and witty jabs. Here’s the raw scoop from the crowd:

[Reddit User] − NTA and why do you allow her in your house? Tell your sister she is welcome but her friend is not allowed on your property at all so she can get a hotel

DanGodsOpinions − All I needed to know is. 1. It's your property. 2. They know you need to get onto the road. 3. They are preventing you from doing so. NTA. They can have fun getting their car out of the impound lot.

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Consistent_Trip_1030 − NTA. She forgets that you're there....in YOUR house?!?!. Nope. She's got to go.

Sea_Huckleberry8008 − I’ll repeat an earlier comment: Why are you letting this disrespectful person stay in your house?

eevin1 − NTA just tell your sister her friend has one chance to better herself or she can't come anymore your house your rules end of story

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[Reddit User] − NTA but why have you let her return for five weeks. After the first two just say sorry she needs to find a hotel, she isn’t welcome

Alarming-City8035 − NTA. You repeatedly asked her not to park behind you, you left a cone out to remind her, and she still blocked you in. I wouldn’t even give her another chance to come over if it were me.

You need to sleep and you need to be able to leave the house on time for work without stressing about someone blocking you in. Also, you deserve basic human decency and respect from anyone who is staying at your house. Since she can’t manage to do that, she has no place in your home.. Edited bc I forgot a word.

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daric − Her moving the cone made it obvious it was a power move. She wanted you to know that she had the control even though it was your house. She's just angry that you showed how idiotic that was with an even bigger power move; she was counting on you to just swallow it. NTA.

Enviest0 − NTA - If your sister thinks you’re the AH then ban her from coming over as well. It’s all fun and games until it starts messing with your livelihood. They can take this bs somewhere else. Your sister’s friend and your sister included since she allowed this to happen when she is your sister’s friend.

[Reddit User] − NTA. You told her to not park behind you. She didn't listen. Car is gone. Plain and simple.

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These Redditors brought the horsepower, praising the woman’s stand and roasting the friend’s audacity. But do their fiery takes capture the full story, or are they just revving up the drama?

This tale of a towed car and a sister’s apology shines a light on the power of standing firm in your own home. The woman’s bold move, backed by her sister’s newfound understanding, redraws the lines of respect. It’s a reminder that boundaries are non-negotiable, even with family ties at stake. How would you handle a guest who keeps crossing the line? Share your thoughts and stories below!

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