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Back when I lived where is snowed, I lived in a semi rural neighborhood and there were several of us on a long driveway of the public street. Everybody pitched in to keep it clear. I had a tractor with a plow so I did most of the heavy work, and the other people did the detail stuff with shovels. Then over a summer, one of the neighbors sold their house to “the new people”.

The new people were commuters that worked in DC. They did not understand that you cooperated with your neighbors out in the country, that they were on a common driveway and were expected it to participate in maintenance. They did not even mow their side of it for the rest of the year. I knocked it down once or twice, but that was all that was done for the season...then winter came.

I cleared the first snow since I was home, doing the common and private portions. They did not help, but it was light and all I did was plow. When the second snow came, the other neighbors were away, we were home, but had no need to go anywhere. Late that day we get a knock on the door. Its the “the new people”. They wanted to know who they should call and complain to since the driveway was not plowed. I pointed out it was indeed a private driveway and residents had to do it themselves. They were astonished, said it could not possibly be true and left. They returned home and called everyone they knew yelling about how they are trapped. Finally they call the former homeowner who tell them that I had done the plowing in the past.

That evening I get a knock on the door. Its the “the new people” who are incensed saying that I misled them and that I am the person who is supposed to plow their driveway and the common section. I point out that while I do have a plow on my tractor, I was not going to plow until the next day at the earliest. The wife starts shouting about how I have to do it and how they have to get out. I ask them if they left a car on the street like all the rest of us do? They are confused, do not understand why anyone would do that, and then start insisting I have to plow immediately and am required legally to do so. I tell them I have to do no such thing, and close the door.

A few hours later, there is another knock on the door. Its a Deputy Sheriff. The “the new people” have complained to him that I have the legal obligation to plow their driveway and common section and by not doing it I was kidnapping them and holding them prisoner. They had actually called 911 over it. I invite him in out of the cold and tell him the story of “the new people”. I point out it is a community driveway and that I have not asked for payment (no ransom). I also point out that I will be plowing my way out in the AM. I also look at their driveway and see his tracks (he was in a Blazer). I point out that he had already done the hard work, they just needed to shovel it clear. He agrees and goes back over to talk to them. Later I see them trying to get their Prius out through the snow. No luck, its still there in the AM.

The next day I plow my way out. I don’t do the neighbor that is not there since it will melt before they get back. The “the new people” are standing by their stuck car watching but make no move to communicate with me. A month later there is a for sale sign on their house. The sell (for a loss) and the “new new people” have their own tractor.