When I moved into my first home, I thought my neighbors Peter and Sarah were the perfect welcome—until Peter’s “friendly” habits turned into constant boundary-crossing. He trimmed my bushes without asking, drove across my lawn, and eventually began parking in my driveway. At first, it was “just for a few minutes,” but soon it became a regular thing. My patience wore thin after months of excuses.

I confronted him countless times, but he brushed it off as neighborly help. Then, before a planned weekend trip to Vegas, I decided it was time for payback. At 3 a.m., I parked my car right in the middle of Peter’s driveway, trapping both his and Sarah’s vehicles. “Let’s see how you like it,” I thought as I headed for my Uber to the airport.

By the time my flight took off, Peter had sent six frantic messages about needing to get to work and Sarah’s doctor’s appointment. I replied, “Just for a few minutes while I take care of some business—be back Sunday. Neighbors should help each other, right?” Then I blocked his number and enjoyed my trip. For once, he was the one stuck and powerless.

When I returned, both his cars were still trapped. He didn’t wave or speak, but from that day forward, he never parked in my driveway again. Sometimes, being nice isn’t enough—you have to give people a taste of their own medicine so they finally understand the consequences of their actions. And Peter? Lesson learned.