I had dropped in at my friend's place at Velachery (Chennai) after work around 10PM. Since his apartment-complex does not have parking for visitors, I parked my car on the street
alongside their gate, with the passenger-side adjacent to the gate. Infact, my car was parked in an incline position - in my effort to keep it as close as possible to the gate to avoid taking too much road space. Around midnight, the watchman rings the bell and says that I need to move the car since it is obstructing someone else. I assume that a resident of my friend's apartment wants to take his car out and since my car is parked along their gates, I go down to move my car.
But when I go down, I see an Ikon parked outside the apartment near which stands a young guy dressed like he is back from work. I am not sure what the problem my car is causing here because he is not getting his car out of the complex - infact he does not even reside in the apartment. He stays in an independent home opposite my friend's flat and says I need to move the car because while he can park the car in his garage, he would not be able to get it out, if he has to take it out again at night. I tell him that I would be leaving in 30mins anyway. Also, as I see it there is more than enough space for him to park the car and take it out. Plus, if he can park in, would taking the car out be any different ? He still insists I move the car.
I tell him that I see no reason why I should move the car, since I am not obstructing the path to his garage - my car being on the opposite side of the road. He mumbles something about some sick person at home and so possibility of him having to take the car out at odd times. Even though I have parked it correctly & I can see that there is more than enough space for him to both park and take out his car, I decide to move my car on hearing the medical stuff.
I walk to my car & have not yet opened the car door when he says something about visitors to the apartment always parking cars here and how it is a big nuisance. That blows my top and I tell him that I see no reason why cars parked alongside the apartment should be termed a nuisance to someone who stays on the other side of the road. He says something on the lines of "If you dont move the car, dont blame me if your car is damaged". I tell him that I would like to see him damaging the car, lock my car and start to walk back to the apartment.
He says he will call the police to complain about the parking. I tell him that he can complain to anyone he deems fit, since I dont see a mistake on my side. And then the guy rushes off - I assume he has gone to call the cops. Meanwhile his aged Mom comes on the scene and says "Why all this trouble, thambi? He is returning from work and has not had his dinner. Plus his Dad is a patient etc etc". I calmly tell her that even though my car is not parked wrongly or blocking his way, I was about to move it and the only thing that stopped me is his saying that I had parked wrongly, which is not the case.
Meanwhile the guy who I thought was going to the cops went rushing to my friend's apartment, rang the bell and tells him that his guest (me) is fighting with his Mom, while I was talking calmly with her. The poor friend rushes down and tells me to ignore and just move the car. Being a guest, I go by his word to avoid any trouble later for him and move the car. We go back to the flat and 30mins later I leave for home.
I know that parking in a "No parking" zone is illegal. Plus even when no signs are there, parking in front of someone's gate is wrong. But is there any logic in what this guy was saying ? See pic below to get an idea of the situation.
My car was parked where my friend's Alto is parked - the gates of my friend's apartment-complex is seen on the right of the Alto. Difference being that my Baleno was parked closer to the gates in an incline position. Plus I had parked it in the opposite direction to how Alto is parked. The gate you see to the left of the Alto is the guy's garage. The pic would also give an idea of how wide the road is.