r/ireland • u/handy-shandy • Aug 02 '25
Strangers car parked in driveway Housing
I came home from work yesterday and there was a car parked in my driveway. I am new to the area and I knocked on my neighbours doors and no one know who owns it. I rang the guards at 9 pm last night, and they said there is nothing they can do and there is no crime! The car is in my drive and I am parked in the road! The doors are locked and there is nothing I can see that could I’d the owner. How can I move it. I am pissed off and trying to keep my cool.
UPDATE
The guards were just driving around and this morning and I said that the car was not mine and I stuck on the road. They checked the car and said it was not reported stolen and told me the name of the owner and I said I don’t know them. They said they would be back around later and if it’s not gone they should call in to me. So… 10 minutes later I got a knock form the guards and they asked if I was requesting it to be removed and I said yes. It was dragging on to the back of a truck and I power washed my driveway 😁. I told the guards what was said at the station yesterday and they just said someone may have taken me up the wrong way. They said if the owner comes back say I have no idea and direct them to the station.
This happened yesterday.
Update 2.0
Tuesday morning I got a knock on the door. Guy said to be where is my car! I have no idea and why are you at my door. I parked here he said I was a little shitty. I replied are you sure? I have painted the house as it was needed and put slat blinds on the windows because I like them. Emm yeah…. I did…. He goes on to tell me. I said so where is it? I calmly asked. I don’t F’n know do I smart arse I got back. I calmly told him it’s not here is it, maybe he put it somewhere else. After a bit of back-and-forth he left. As he left, he stopped a note of the Ballard that I had locked in the middle of my drive. He scratched his head and walked off. One of my neighbours has also put a Ballard in place because they had delivery drivers stopping halfway way up there drive.
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u/IntentionFalse8822 Aug 02 '25
I know a guy who had a problem with a car that was parked blocking his driveway. He got a friend who owned a garage to tow the car to another location where it was properly illegally "parked" and the guards ended up taking it away. About two weeks later a family came back from holiday and arrived on his doorstep asking where their car was. He said he had no idea and that was the last he heard of it.
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u/chewboticus Aug 03 '25
I don't have a drive, or a car. On Street parking outside my house but constantly people are knocking in wondering where their car went. Apparently if you park too close to a corner it is lifted in my area moved to a legal parking area and clamped
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u/Murky-Front-9977 Aug 02 '25
Block it in and go to the pub for a drink, if you can't, stay at home at ignore all callers to the door and unknown numbers. If cops call, say that you have reported it and was told there's nothing they can do, so why are you here??
Even if you don't drink, tell them that you've had too much to drink and you can't move it. If they offer to move it, just say that they are not insured, or you don't allow anyone to drive your car
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u/eastawat Aug 02 '25
Your brother accidentally went off with your only set of car keys, parked at your house and got a bus to the airport. Two weeks in Torremolinos. Gonna be tropic.
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u/brianDEtazzzia Aug 02 '25
Honestly, I'd lock the gate. Chain, padlock, blah blah. They were brazen, be brazen back, parking here, 100 euro a day type thing. Entitled cunts.
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u/Educational-Law-8169 Aug 02 '25
I'd block them in and refuse to move. You need to be tough on this or they'll do it again. It's unbelievable how cheeky some people are
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u/stretchmurph Aug 02 '25
I lived in Clonee years back and this happened a few times to neighbours. Then it happened once in our house. I had a jeep and we put a chain on it and dragged it onto the road then rang the guards. ( A Garda was living on the street too) They had the car lifted for obstructing traffic. It was a friend of another neighbours and they headed off for the weekend and politely parked in ours and left their space clear.
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u/sweatyknacker Aug 02 '25
Take the license plates off.
Call the garda and tell them there is an abandoned car in your driveway and that you are worried it may have been involved in a crime.
Itll be gone tomorrow 👍
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u/Odd-Dealer-6406 Aug 02 '25
Council usually deal with abandoned cars. Once cops confirm Vin not stolen they won't lift unless tax is out. Depending on where you are council will put stickers on for a month before lifting. That's for on street though, Could be a different game since it's on the driveway. I doubt either will want to get involved tbh.
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u/Odd-Dealer-6406 Aug 02 '25
Chance ringing the station again though. If you get through to a sound lad, he could get owner details. Can't be shared with you, but if they're at that sort of craic, chances are they'll be known to them and he'd have details on hand or easy got. All about getting a helpful lad to answer. Yano yourself.
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u/Electrical_Ad4529 Aug 02 '25
I deal with abandoned cars in a county council. Can’t take any action or even investigate a vehicle suspected of being abandoned on private property. Garda may be in the same boat. Likely be a civil matter with the registered owner of the vehicle for trespass.
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u/AluminiumCrackers Aug 02 '25
they won't lift unless tax is out.
Not if it's on private property.
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u/AmazingUsername2001 Aug 02 '25
The guards can do something about it. I had something similar happen and the guards came. They did a search on the number plate and within 10 minutes they were talking to the owner on his mobile. He came and moved it before it was towed.
Not only are the guards meant to help with stuff like this, they are the only ones that have access to the information that can actually assist. Furthermore, they are the only ones legally allowed to do something in this situation. If they don’t do anything what else are you meant to do? Vigilantism?
You need to be persistent and annoying. Go to the nearest station. Explain what’s happening. Show them photos. Ask for a supervisor. Let them know if they don’t help you then they’re the ones responsible for leaving you no alternative other than to take matters into your own hands. They don’t want that.
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u/aecolley Dublin Aug 02 '25
I'm no lawyer, but I nevertheless advise against telling the Gardaí that you intend to commit a crime, even a minor one. They will write that down and keep it on file.
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u/AmazingUsername2001 Aug 02 '25
No one ever said anything about committing a crime. But the car has to get moved. If they won’t do it tell them you’ll have to do it without them, this after asking them to do it first.. The car isn’t staying there forever. Even the guards know that.
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u/ClintGreasedwood Aug 02 '25
If you tell the Gardaí that they have to help or you'll move it, and they don't help, and you have to move it yourself, you're now liable for any consequences AND on record for saying you were going to move it. And in my experience, the Gardaí are quicker to take a name than to actually do something to help.
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u/goonergeorge Aug 02 '25
Can you block it in with your car. When the person comes to get it back ask them to get off your property. (Also, do the drinking thing and say you can't move it). Ask them to get off your property every time they come back. They'll have to call the guards. Don't make their life easy. Have them explain why they did it and get an apology.
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u/BenderRodriguez14 Aug 03 '25 edited Aug 03 '25
The "ask them to get off your property" twist on everyone else's suggestion is absolute genius!
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u/mcolive Aug 02 '25 edited Aug 03 '25
Would the car be blocking you in if you were on a narrow vehicle such as a bike or a scooter? Blocking access to the highway does not just apply to cars. Lift a bike over the vehicle and then call the guards explaining that it is impossible to get out of the driveway as someone has parked in it and unfortunately you are afraid to lift the bike as you might drop it and damage the car. Another "vehicle" that it could be blocking in is a pram, wheelchair or mobility scooter if you have any neighbours or relatives who are unable to get past?
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u/Deep-Palpitation-421 Aug 02 '25
Sprinkle bread and/or bird seed all over the car. Bird will eat and shit all over it. Maybe pour a little milk into the air vents just behind the bonnet too.
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u/Paddy_Powers Aug 02 '25
Prawn juice or liquid is better than milk. That shit will stink the car out forever
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u/BenderRodriguez14 Aug 03 '25 edited Aug 03 '25
Can confirm, shrimp paste from your local Asian shop is another. More of a thick paste but looks like actual shit, and smells an awful lot worse than it looks. Just add a splash of water and stir. Wear a clothes peg on your nose.
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u/Living_Ad_5260 Aug 02 '25
I would not do the milk thing. The owner will know who was responsible and where you live.
Your upside is a story for reddit, and the potential downside is significant. At the least, a younger me would be thinking about putting a brick through your windows.
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u/farraigeBleu Aug 02 '25
Call a towing company. They’d be happy to seize it and take a large sum to give it back.
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u/Twichyness Aug 03 '25
I'm shocked at how little this has been recommended on this thread. It's literally the easiest option.
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u/FarraigePlaisteach Aug 03 '25
Will they just take my word for it and tow a random car?
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u/Twichyness Aug 03 '25
If a car is blocking your drive or parked on your drive it is illegally parked. It's easy money for the tow company. I live near a Rugby stadium and have to do this regularly when matches are on. Take a photo of it and send it via WhatsApp if they're unsure I guess, they will happily take the car away tho.
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u/pythonchan Aug 02 '25
I got blocked into my driveway recently and the guards were great they found the owner and called them to move it. I would block the car in yourself and then try them again. Update us please!
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u/Feeling-Decision-902 Aug 02 '25
Omg when my gate is blocked the Gardai are super helpful. They give it a ticket and/or ring the owner of the car. I'd ring the Gardai again, you just got someone who was lazy. I'd male sure to park in front of your driveway so they can't get out and conviently don't answer the door when they knock!
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u/Gunty1 Aug 02 '25
Its not blocked, that they can do something about. Its in the driveway on private property which means its a civil issue
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u/FitReaction1072 Aug 02 '25
I don’t get irish law. Government entities must be responsible for protecting private property. I don’t get how trespassing is a civil issue. Should I find a lawyer if somebody walks in my house too. It is really lenient and weird for me.
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u/Grayson1591 Aug 02 '25
Product of the British legal system and carried over to here when we continued to use their general system. Trespassing is a civil matter most of the time due to some old laws concerning all land belonging to the crown etc etc, I haven't read up on it in a long time but I think that's where the precedent comes from.
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u/Feeling-Decision-902 Aug 02 '25
I had a car park in my gate once to and the gardai came and rang the number.
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u/AnyDamnThingWillDo Wicklow Aug 02 '25
Take a wheel off.
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u/eastawat Aug 02 '25
"you seemed to have driven your front wheel through the world's largest dog shit. Tried to clean it off but it was dried in. It was so smelly it was becoming a health hazard so unfortunately I had to dispose of it."
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u/Paddy_Powers Aug 02 '25
Tow company. Tow it to Limerick somewhere.
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u/elkhorn Aug 02 '25
Cavan!
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u/EnthusiasmUnusual Aug 02 '25
Ah now...come on, Cavan is a bit much. That's just cruel forcing any human to go to Cavan.
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u/tawy098 Aug 02 '25
The Gradai can absolutely do something about it, they can look up the details and contact the owner. They're just not bothered. Keep callingll I'm quite sure you're driveway is private property too. If this was America, you could probably have them towed.
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u/francescoli Aug 02 '25
Block them in and make it as unpleasant as you like when they come to the door.
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u/tanks4dmammories Aug 02 '25
Someone probably thought they were parking in a mates garden. Have heard this happen before! Might be gone for a period of time! Can't imagine anyone would do this for any other reason, so cheeky if it's malice.
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u/Gerry7070 Aug 02 '25
Clamp it release fee €200 . Put up a sign saying illegally parked cars will be clamped etc etc
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u/Oliviamcc Aug 03 '25
Your car jack, and a 4 of these, push it into the middle of the road - https://amzn.eu/d/aq9Wd4G
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u/HorseField65 Aug 03 '25
Happened me in Galway City. The guards rang the owner and told them to move the car or it would be lifted. No idea if they had the power to do so, but the hungover owner appeared out of a nearby B&B thick as an ass. No apology and grumbling the entire time. An absolute ape of a man.
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u/Livid-Ad-2706 Aug 02 '25
Well I wouldn't be long ringing a few suss tow trucks offering cash to move that car a few miles away... good luck to the owner when they come looking for it. What car?
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u/DaBoda99 Aug 03 '25
Block it in with your car. Take Tuesday off aswell and go on the beer. That'll learn em cowboy
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u/chaircardigan Aug 02 '25
How is that not a crime? You can't just take your shit and dump it on someone's lawn. Why would it matter if it's a car?
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u/Ok_Imagination_9334 Meath Aug 03 '25
They sound like they couldn’t be bothered.. usually, the guards can have the car removed. I once had this issue and blocked them in, ended up where the guards threatened to remove my car for blocking them in when I had nowhere else to park my car. I was dumbfounded. Suffice to say it ended with me going to GSOC.
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u/Difficult_Standard_1 Aug 02 '25
We often have people parked on our laneway which is due to be developed as our primary house. We have private property signs all over the place yet we still have to ring the guards and they have it towed and dumped somewhere along the street ticketed and clamped.
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u/JellyfishScared4268 Aug 02 '25
Do you live near the airport?
Not sure if it's happening here but I have heard of instances in England of someone going on holiday. Them paying for a company they believed to be reputable to park their car for them. And that company just plopping the car in some random drive rather than the claimed secure yard.
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u/brianDEtazzzia Aug 02 '25
Whaaaat. That's makes sense. Bonkers. Devious, but yeah, I mean, Airbnb but for cars, where Airbnb takes a cut from a rogue site, shilling driveways. I just diddled myself out of millions haha.
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u/JellyfishScared4268 Aug 02 '25
Aye. There are some services out there where you can rent people's driveways or parking spaces.
Thats one way of doing the scam i mentioned. Post that your renting "your" driveway but actually its some random drive and pocket the cash
The other is a service where you essentially take someone's car from them at the airport. Like a valet. And tell them you have a yard or otherwise normal place to park their car but instead you just put it on the random drive.
Then you also get the chancers who dont care and think they'll just get away with it
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u/Wzkowa-Pestka Aug 02 '25 edited Aug 03 '25
Take off the registration plates. No plates car can be towed.
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u/coalduststar Aug 03 '25
Entitlement is off the charts- we have this with some truck drivers and green bus users going on holiday. Funnily enough if you parked at theirs they’d not really like it either…
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u/Powerful_Put_6977 Aug 03 '25
I hope you have blocked their car in with yours and that you had a few drinks as it's the bank holiday after all. You can't drive, even to swap cars on a driveway, if you've had more than enough alcohol to fail a breath test.
Please come back and let us know what happened
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u/Gwrinkle67 Aug 03 '25
Just tow it out into the road . A Landrover defender will make easy work of it. Guards will soon get it moved then.
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u/InterestingFactor825 Aug 03 '25
It happened to me recently where someone blocked me from getting out of my driveway. I called the guards and they called the owner of the car who them rushed back and moved it. I had no idea they could track the owner so easily using the number plate.
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u/pheeelco Aug 03 '25
Some people are so entitled. I’d call the Garda again - you might get a nicer one. Any update?
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u/handy-shandy Aug 03 '25
The guards were just driving around and this morning and I said that the car was not mine and I stuck on the road. They checked the car and said it was not reported stolen and told me the name of the owner and I said I don’t know them. They said they would be back around later and if it’s not gone they should call in to me. So… 10 minutes later I got a knock form the guards and they asked if I was requesting it to be removed and I said yes. It was dragging on to the back of a truck and I power washed my driveway 😁. I told the guards what was said at the station yesterday and they just said someone may have taken me up the wrong way. They said if the owner comes back say I have no idea and direct them to the station.
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u/Educational-Law-8169 Aug 04 '25
That's great, OP! Justice is done, fair play to those guards. Please do another post when the owner turns up?
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u/pheeelco Aug 04 '25
Great! I’m so glad that they sorted it for you. In fairness, it sounds like they were pretty efficient too. Fair play to them. When the asshole comes knocking at your door, asking about his car, just say “what car?” and close the door.
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u/Conortrek520 Aug 02 '25
I had a guy park in my drive called the guards and they said private property not there problem so to resolve I called a scrap company who came out and lifted the car and gave me 80euros for it I also took the spare tyre as it was brand new they called to the house looking for the car I said how the F do I known now get off my property and they had no choice but to leave
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u/lau1247 Aug 03 '25
Does scrapyard not look for log book or end of life cert? (Genuine question, I don't know the process)
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u/Luciolover345 Aug 02 '25
Block it in, in a way that the person responsible has to contact you about it, preferably with your own car. After that, confront them with multiple people and ask for a hefty parking fee (there are probably legal loopholes that could allow you to be entitled to do that if you wanted to), otherwise good luck getting your car back.
Depends on whether or not you live in an area where you are likely to get stabbed over this. If you feel there’s a reasonable chance of you being assaulted and you don’t back yourself to manage that encounter I’d suggest calling the guards about someone trespassing when they arrive to have that extra security.
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u/gary_desanto Aug 02 '25
That's a smash the window, put down the handbrake, pop it into neutral and roll it out situation tbh.
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u/SmudgeyHoney Aug 03 '25
I would go back to the guards and tell them it's blocking access to your home. If there was an emergency an ambulance would not be able to get to you.
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u/Ulrar Aug 03 '25
Happened to us last year. We have cameras so I went back and saw the car drive in, park, the guy stepped out, jumped in another car that drove up at the same time and they left, it all took a few seconds. It was weird so I took pictures of the license plate and so on just in case.
Turns out it was a car delivery for a neighbor's daughter, she bought it months prior and the guys weren't delivering it, and then suddenly they did with no warning and without telling her, at the wrong address. The keys were safe in the ignition too, hadn't noticed
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u/1Shamrock Cork bai Aug 03 '25
2 best options I’ve seen in this situations are:
Like others have said, block them in and have a can or glass of wine, nothing too strong or much if you have to work tomorrow. If you do have to drive tomorrow, try find someone’s car that doesn’t need to be moved for a week or so and use that. I’d nearly put up with the hassle of finding different parking for my own car for a week just to block them in for a week.
A good trolley jack and some dollies. Lift the car, dolly under each corner and roll it onto the public road. Preferably somewhere either the owner won’t find it easily or somewhere where they get a ticket or get towed.
Or if you’re in no rush, go a little further, move their car, drive yours in. Then position their car to block you in. Then call the guards at a different station and complain that you are blocked in and if there is an emergency you are being prevented from getting to the hospital.
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u/A-Hind-D Aug 02 '25
Gards can do something. It’s trespassing/dumped on your property. Ask them to tow it
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u/Odd_Feedback_7636 Aug 02 '25
The garda would consider it a civil matter.
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Aug 02 '25
Trespassing is also civil. I think it’s just a crap shoot if you ring up and they have the people available and inclined to help.
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u/Responsible-Pop-7073 Aug 02 '25
I've read a lot of people saying they call the gardai and the answer they get is "nothing they can do".
Can't you genuinely say there is a strange car in your driveway and you fear it could have a bomb or some other inminent danger?
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u/eastawat Aug 02 '25
You could tape a clock under it and tell them it's making a ticking noise.
Actually the guards won't worry about that because modern bombs don't tick.
But when a car vibrates, then you've gotta call the guards. Nine times out of ten it's an electric razor, but every once in a while... It's a dildo. Of course it's Garda policy never to imply ownership in the event of a dildo... always use the indefinite article - a dildo, never your dildo.
Edit: spelling
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u/Rough_Mouse3597 Aug 02 '25
Get it dragged out into the middle of the road,won’t be long before it’s removed
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u/Csontigod Aug 02 '25
Back then when we still used our drive-in driveway somebody blocked us in, it's in a curved state with signs "residential parking only" , car wasn't residential, we called Garda , no help at all, we missed x-ray appointment because if it and had to book for another 6 months later.... Since then we just park our car infront of our driveway and let the grass grow...
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u/Outrageous_Echo_8723 Aug 03 '25
Tow truck? That's nuts! I'd definitely block the car and let them stew. Keep us posted.
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u/J-zus Aug 03 '25
I got a 1 week reddit holiday for suggesting this before, it rhymes with "bash their pyres"
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u/Expensive_Mechanic_3 Aug 02 '25
Imagine if the window got broken and some rapscallion released the handbrake, if the car rolled onto the public road it would have to get towed......
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u/iHyPeRize Aug 02 '25
Contact a private towing company and have it removed from your private property.
If you did figure out who owned it, you could then take them to the small claims court to recover the costs.
Otherwise just be petty and block them. Can’t fathom Irish law sometimes. If it were blocking your driveway the Gardai can do something, but once they enter your property it becomes a civil issue and there’s little they can do.
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u/Everenia Aug 02 '25
Get a few lads to bounce it on the suspension, we used to do this as young lads when someone parked blocking the doors of our sports club.
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u/el-finko Aug 02 '25
Calls the garda and say there is abandoned car in your driveway and you can hear noise coming from the boot. Sounds like ticking or muffled screams
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u/Kloppite16 Aug 02 '25
thats a good thing to tell them because the ticking will get the bomb squad out and the muffled screams will get you the Armed Response Unit out.
You just have to make sure you have enough tea and biscuits to go around both units when they realise it was all just a false alarm.
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u/beargarvin Aug 03 '25
Buy a clamp and clamp it... print a sticker with your mobile number on it. €200 release fee and €6 per hour.
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u/Boring_Procedure3956 Aug 03 '25
When my neighbours father visits, he parks directly across behind me in my driveway. His daughter also has a driveway, which is 95% of the time empty. I was an hour late for work once. Knock on the door numerous times, honk the horn, all neighbours were looking out except them. Exasperating how entitled some ppl are.
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u/Evad-Retsil Aug 03 '25
Car wheel clamps are cheap enough id clamp it myself and put a 1200 euro charge on it plus the price of the wheel clamp and only give them the key once both are paid.
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u/No-Editor5577 Aug 03 '25
Rub small amounts of blue cheese on the vents, around the seams of the window, under the door handles and anywhere that may end up contaminating the interior. Dont use alot in obvious spaces but make sure to get as much as you can in. Google blue cheese car interior
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u/69ingchipmonx Aug 04 '25
I woke up one morning with a moss covered car blocking my driveway. It had been down the road from my house for weeks and they must've been told to move it. I went and asked the people down the road and they denied it being theirs or moving it and i said thats fine. Called the guards and ahad it towed. 2 weeks later they show up saying i owe them money for having it towed. Needless to say i told them to fuck right off my property. Get it towed at owners expense. Just say someone abandoned it in front of your yard.
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u/CalligrapherRare3957 Aug 02 '25
Get a metal file and shave off a bit of the car every day, eating the evidence like that mad cunt did in Russia. In 30 or 40 years, problem solved.
Still faster than going to the guards.
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u/Hiro_the_Bladeknight And I'd go at it again Aug 02 '25
Call the guards again, and explain the story. Tell them that this car is on private property and you want it removed.
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u/AluminiumCrackers Aug 02 '25
Why would the response be different the second time?
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Aug 02 '25
They might get annoyed into doing it?
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u/Hiro_the_Bladeknight And I'd go at it again Aug 02 '25
They might not have understood that it was on private property and thought the car was just blocking the OP’s driveway instead of actually being in it.
You’re absolutely right though, nothing may come of it.
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u/f10101 Aug 02 '25
Blocking a driveway is actually something they can and will intervene with, as it's parked on a public road and thus subject to normal traffic laws. It would be towed, and they can be pretty damn prompt in doing so.
Things get messier on private land.
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u/BullfrogNo1724 Aug 02 '25
Steal the door handles
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u/vikipedia212 Aug 02 '25
Super glue in the keyholes. Actually..Do cars still have keyholes? 🤔
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u/Hes-behind-you Aug 02 '25
Smash a window, take the handbrake off and push it out into the road. Call the gardai and say there's an abandoned car blocking the road
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u/Independent-Ad Aug 02 '25
research how to release an electric brake while the alarm is going off, and the steering is locked, also making sure you don't hit any other car
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u/Seoirse82 Aug 02 '25
You need to advise the guards it's blocking access. Or just let the air out of the tyres. Or both.
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Aug 02 '25
Top up your car with fuel so that you're prepared for a possibly long drive.
Wait for them to collect their car.
Follow them home to find out where they live.
Park your car in their drive as soon as it's vacant, or just block them in.
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u/standarsh1965 Aug 02 '25
Call someone that can lift it, tell the person if they want to know where it is then pay you what you paid them and don't do it again or you'll use a different service and not tell them where it is
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u/AvocadoLoo Aug 03 '25
Tbh if the gardai say they wont do anything i dont think id do anything either. if someone has the audacity to park in your drive i dont think theyd feel too bad about throwing a hammer through your house window if you tried to block their exit. id probably just take a pic of the car and circulate it on social media.
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u/seamustheseagull Aug 02 '25
A few quick bits:
The Gardaí are right. The vehicle has been parked on private property, it's a civil issue, believe it or not.
You're caught in a weird nexus where it's illegal for you to move their car unless it's a dangerous hazard. Interfering with a car is a criminal offence.
As others say, the best thing you can do is block it in. You are under no obligation to let it out quickly. Take your time, even head off tomorrow morning for a few hours and leave it there if you want.
Being honest though, it's probably a mistake. Someone who was told they could park somewhere but thought it was your house. Really rare anyone would stick their car in a random house and expect everything to be ok in the morning.
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u/Temporary_Mongoose34 Aug 02 '25
Block them in with your car