Homeowner speaks out after neighbor's car leaks oil all over street in front of their house: 'What would you do?'

A frustrated homeowner recently took to Reddit to vent about their neighbor, who had effectively transformed their residential neighborhood street into a makeshift auto repair shop. The author of the post described how their neighbor had been parking cars on the street, performing repairs on the road, and leaving behind car waste.

The post shared on the r/BadNeighbors subreddit sparked a lively discussion about dealing with these kinds of neighbors, as well as the negative environmental impacts this neighbor's decision will have on the community.

"The oil leak has now completely left a full oil slick in front of my house with quite obvious wet spots where oil is starting to pool," said the OP. "I took pictures of their small spots in August. Today, it's completely f***** with oil."

"What would you do in the situation?" they continued. 

The problem is that oil that leaks from a car does not just stay on the road — it is also a notorious contributor to water pollution. Because oil does not dissolve in water, it easily infiltrates stormwater systems and doesn't wash out naturally.

Thankfully, there have also been breakthroughs in the ways that contaminated water can be treated, but more proactive steps can be taken in cases such as this one. 

Coordinating efforts as a community can be an important first step when encountering difficult neighbors who are not in line with environmentally friendly approaches. Having a simple conversation with that neighbor can be an equitable first step in creating a more positive environment and healthy relationships within a community.

While it can be tempting to resort to hostility when conversations do not work, there are other options that may be helpful when placed in situations such as these.

Commenters, who were also frustrated alongside the original author, tried to offer equitable solutions and expressed solidarity with the original author's concerns.

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"If you have an HOA, get them on the action," said one commenter. "They would love some extra money from fines."

Another commenter recommended checking with their local environmental services department and reporting the vehicle for leaking oil. 

"Depending on the city or county, this can be enough to get the department involved and the operation shut down," they said.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.