SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Dang it, Dori! Should I call the cops on my annoying neighbor?
Jan 24, 2013, 12:21 PM | Updated: 3:55 pm
Almost everyone can empathize with people who get angry seeing totally healthy people use handicapped parking passes. But what's appropriate for this woman to do? (AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
Dori is the best advice-giver in town, so when one woman was at the end of her rope with her awful neighbor who keeps using her disabled mother’s parking pass, she turned to the Dori Monson Show for advice.
Our listener, signing herself “Frustrated Mom,” says her neighbor is using her mother’s handicapped parking pass to park close to grocery store entrances and soccer fields on game day. Frustrated Mom says that her neighbor’s mother is never in the car when this happens.
This Frustrated Mom would love to call the cops on her neighbor, but her husband said to just let the issue go. She wants to teach her neighbor a lesson, but she also doesn’t want to seem vindictive and set a bad example for her 14-year-old son.
News anchor Ursula Reutin and producer Jake agree with her husband and don’t think she should call the police on her neighbor.
“I think she should try to address this terrible neighbor first, separately, before doing the cop thing,” said Ursula. “These neighbor disputes go on for way too long, and maybe there’s a simpler solution.”
Jake thinks that calling the police seems like a spiteful thing to do, since Frustrated Mom writes in the letter that she really doesn’t like her neighbor. And calling the police could lead to more problems with her neighbor down the road.
Dori, on the other hand, says the woman should call the cops because the neighbor sounds dangerous. Although it doesn’t solve her problem, Dori thinks it’s worth it to stick it to the neighbor and feel superior for a few days.
“Parking in a disabled parking spot is a lousy thing to do,” said Dori. “It gives her some momentary satisfaction.”
Listener Dee thinks that Frustrated Mom is taking out her personal annoyances on her neighbor. He also doesn’t think it’s a big problem that the neighbor is illegally using her mother’s parking pass.
“There’s always more than one handicapped spot,” said Dee. “To me, that’s moot.”
Several listeners thought that it didn’t matter what Frustrated Mom’s motivations were because her neighbor was breaking the law – so Frustrated Mom is justified in calling the police.
One woman suggested that the neighbor’s history might indicate that she’s mistreating her mom. She says that’s even more reason to call the police.
“I feel for her mom, I think she might be bullying her mom,” said listener Karen.
Read Frustrated Mom’s letter and decide: should she call the cops on her annoying neighbor for using a disabled parking pass, even though she’s perfectly able?
Hi Dori,
Believe it or not, it’s my 14-year-old son who told my husband and me that you and your listeners should solve a problem we have. Our family was listening when you helped the guy with his friend’s funeral problem, and the Lake Stevens dad who got hassled by the hockey arena parking staff – so now our son thinks your show is the best way to settle our issue once and for all.
If you want to put this on the air, feel free – but please don’t use our names.
Here’s the deal: there is a woman in our neighborhood who is a biggest B-word I have ever met. She never volunteers at any school events, but she criticizes everyone else who does – behind their back, of course. If her kids don’t get invited to a birthday party, she starts rumors about the host mom. And it’s not just women that she attacks. Two years ago, the cops arrested her for assaulting her husband – who is a pretty nice guy. Clearly, no one ever stands up to her because they are afraid of what she will do next.
My problem is this: at weekend soccer games, this woman always shows up late when the parking lot is already full – but she borrows her disabled mom’s parking pass to get a front row parking spot. She does this at the grocery store, too. Her mom is NEVER in the car. Believe me: my neighbor isn’t disabled. I see her working out at the gym.
I would like to call the cops on her – anonymously – when I see this — but my husband disagrees. He think my motivation for ratting her out is “impure” and “vindictive” so tipping the police off is wrong. I say a crime is a crime and my motivation for alerting the cops doesn’t matter. My son says you and your show listeners should decide.
Dang it, Dori – I can’t stand this woman – and I hate it when people park illegally in disabled spots – but I want to set a good example for my son. What do you think?
Sincerely,
Frustrated Mom
What you’re saying on Facebook:
Eric Krieger: As a disabled person I see this all the time and it ticks me off! I like to park my car behind them and go about my business shopping or whatever. The other thing I like to do id call them out on it loudly and publicly. The cops do have bigger tthings to worry about but it’s still a problem.
Barb Marshall Jachimiak Miller: Call the cops.
Bryan McNally: Per Washington State Department of Licensing guidelines, you’re to contact your local police to report individuals who are abusing disabled parking privileges or parking in a disabled parking space illegally.
Jake Anderson: She should have her son egg the B’s house
Stephen Waters: No one likes a snitch, get a life!
Don Carlson: Rat the neighbor out. Show that she is playing hard ball, and maybe the neighbor will back down from future confrontation.
Lisa Edwards: Why should she get so upset about what someone else is doing? It doesn’t affect her directly, so why let someone else’s actions control your emotions? Who even cares ? How important is this really?
Crystal Mullins: It seems to me that the people saying not to be a “snitch” are people that have never had to use a handicap pass. Imagine yourself or someone you love as an elderly person who can barely walk as it is just to live their life having to suffer. We all get old sometime; your words may come back to bite you one day.
