Woman Dumps Bins On Neighbor’s Driveway, He Kicks Them Back
I (34M) live next to a neighbour (37F) who seems to always leave her garbage bins — overstuffed, unlocked, maybe broken hinges — right in front of my driveway. Raccoons get into them, trash spills out, sometimes the bin itself blocks my car. I’ve asked her multiple times (politely-ish) to move them or secure them. She often claims it’s wind or animals, and says she’s already handling it.
After many mornings of being stuck backing out, being late, stepping over trash, I snapped. Even knowing she was home, I started kicking her bins hard enough that garbage spilled into her driveway, not mine. Since I did that a few times, she’s improved somewhat. Now she sometimes locks the bins, sometimes places them on the other side of her driveway. But not always.
My wife says what I did is pathetic and “a low blow.” I tell her I tried being civil. I just don’t care anymore. AITA?
The author of the post and his wife recently got a new neighbor, and she turned out to be quite a sloppy person
At least she made a habit of leaving her garbage bins open in front of the author’s driveway
Here’s a deeper look at what’s going on, what others have said in similar situations, what legal or social norms may apply, and whether your actions are understandable or problematic.
1. Similar neighbor disputes & norms
- Many neighbor conflicts start with small nuisances (garbage, parking, noise) that escalate when one party ignores repeated requests. What begins as a minor annoyance becomes something more emotional.
- In disputes involving blocked driveways or items obstructing access, people often feel their property rights are being disrespected. The driveway is “mine,” I have a right to leave whenever I want. When a neighbour’s bins or items consistently block that, resentment builds.
2. Legal / communal rights about driveway obstruction
- In many jurisdictions, blocking someone’s driveway is not just rude — it can be illegal. Private driveway access is generally protected under local ordinances. If something repeatedly obstructs it, you may have recourse. FindLaw+1
- There are also “property maintenance” and “nuisance” laws in some places that require people to keep their property (including garbage bins, rubbish, items visible from street) from becoming health or safety hazards, or obstruction. If your neighbour’s bins are constantly spilling or unclosed, that could fall under a nuisance ordinance. sunnyvale.ca.gov+1
3. Moral / relational considerations
- Proportionality: You made repeated requests, the problem persisted, and it directly inconvenienced you (blocked driveway, extra work to clean up). Your frustrations are valid.
- Intent and escalation: You didn’t start by being aggressive, but you moved to a retaliatory action (kicking bins, making mess). That shifts the moral burden; you are causing damage to property, possibly creating health risks (spilled trash), and escalating tension.
- Effectiveness: It seems your kicking pushed her to change behavior somewhat — locking bins, placing them away from driveway. That suggests your actions had effect. But change via intimidation or annoyance often breeds resentment or conflict down the line.
4. Is kicking bins “a new low”?
- “Low” implies underhanded, mean‑spirited, petty. Yes, it is in a way: instead of enforcing boundaries through civil means or official channels, you used force/damage. Many would see that as petty revenge.
- However, some might argue that when all polite efforts fail, people resort to stronger measures. And in everyday life, “stronger measures” are often petty.
5. Risk / downsides of your approach
- You could damage something (bins, driveway, car) and be held responsible.
- If neighbour complains, there might be escalation: legal, vandalism claims, neighborhood drama.
- Once neighbors see someone responding this way, trust breaks. Community relations suffer.
6. Alternative / constructive paths
Here are other paths you might take (or might already be doing) that are less likely to escalate, maybe more sustainable:
- Documenting every time the bin is blocking and the garbage is spilled: photos with time stamps. Use that if there are local ordinances.
- Talking again, but more formally: “If this continues, I’ll have to notify local sanitation or municipal code enforcement.” Framing it more like a serious boundary and legal consequence.
- Offering help or suggestions: maybe buy her proper locking lids, or bins that can hold more so they don’t overfill; or help her find better placement. Sometimes people ignore because they don’t have better tools.
- Involving a mediator or neutral neighbor.
People in the comments massively supported the man, claiming that some folks, alas, learn only the hard way
NTA overall — I lean toward you not being the asshole, though your method was petty and borderline aggressive.
Here’s why:
- You tried to communicate first.
- The problem persisted and it was affecting your life (car access, mornings, cleanliness).
- Your action forced change.
But… you are partly in the wrong for escalating to kicking and causing trash spillovers. If everything had failed and no official remedy existed, I’d say your frustration is justified. But there’s a fine line between setting boundaries and being destructive or acting out of revenge.