Nowadays .. parking (leaving) an old banger either side . for a couple of days.. could yield a similar level of smug satisfaction
When I lived in Weymouth, directly opposite was a small Toyota dealer. Like most garages, there is never enough parking space on site. The workshop staff would arrive a little before I had to set off for work.
Some time after moving in, the workshop foreman (Triumph 2000) and the valeter (Lada) took to parkign very close. They'd move up to my, or any other car on the street, touch bumpers (chromed metal of course), then move a few inches away. Often there'd be one in front and one behind my car, so I'd have to go across and ask them to move one before I could set off. They always treated this as an inconvenience for them.
Early 1987, I was running a Marina, getting old, 130k, and had bought its replacement. One morning, the foreman parked his usual closeness to the front of my car. I told my partner, plan B, we were going to work on the motorbike. Across I went, moved the other car in froont of his, just inches away, so he was sandwiched.
We used the bike for three days, his car stayed, as he used the works van to go home. Afraid to come and ask? Embarrassed? They of course had no idea who owned the second Marina, but would have guessed some time later when the older one disappeared.
Space was better for some time. Result.
Another occasion, a Saturday morning, there was a Bedford HA van in front of my car, and the valeter behind. I needed to go shopping, so went across into the service reception. The servie manager was in that day and happily said he could not move the valeter's car, as he'd gone into town on an errand, and knew nothing about the van. He seemed quite proud to inconvenience his neighbours.
Back across to the flat, looking out the window, dialled the number on the side of the van. A painter and decorator. His wife answered, sorry no idea exactly where he was, just that he was painting a car showroom.
Across to reception again. "He's not back yet." said the manager, sternly.
"Are you having your showroom painted?" I asked, "do you think the painter's van might be his? Would you like to get him to shift it, while I tell your two customers here about the tyre marks outside the workshop door." Didn't need to say any more, he moved very quickly. Of course, the customers immediately understood that the tyre marks were from cutomers' cars, exiting for test drives.
Never had my car blocked again.
