Homeowner gets even with gossiping neighbor by refusing to help jump-start her car, leaving her stranded: 'Some people only look out for themselves'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Apr 16, 2026 2:30 PM EDT

Did this person's neighbor never learn to treat others the way she would like to be treated?

Yes, that simple ethical principle can actually go a long way, especially when it comes to the people who occupy your daily life. For instance, if you're sharing with someone, be it a partner or a roommate, you might want to consider respecting one another's space and boundaries. You don't want to start drama in your home, especially when said individuals are in close proximity to your food, your clothes, and your valuables.

Now, anyone who has lived in a tight-knit suburban community knows that sometimes, it feels like your next-door neighbors might as well be your roommates. Not everyone exercises decorum when it comes to privacy and respecting boundaries, but it's a good idea to do so in case you ever need a show of kindness from them. 

This entitled lady never subscribed to the kindness principle, which would ultimately backfire for her when her car wouldn't start on a Sunday morning. 

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  • An unhappy woman in a blue jacket gives an angry stare while standing in front of a large plant.
    via Unsplash+ (Levi Meir Clancy)

    An unhappy woman in a blue jacket gives an angry stare while standing in front of a large plant.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • [Am I wrong] for refusing to help my neighbor jump start her car after she spent six months being openly [unkind] to me?

    my neighbor and I got off to a bad start about a year ago over something minor, a noise complaint she filed that I thought was unnecessary. I apologized,
    via cherry_fairyx
  • adjusted my habits, thought it was over. she did not let it go. for months after she would make little comments when we crossed paths.
    via cherry_fairyx
  • An unhappy woman in a blue jacket is obscured by a shadow as she stands outside.
    via Unsplash+ (Levi Meir Clancy)

    An unhappy woman in a blue jacket is obscured by a shadow as she stands outside.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • pointed remarks about inconsiderate people, loud sighs when she saw me outside, once said something to another neighbor that I was pretty sure was about me loud enough for me to hear.
    via cherry_fairyx
  • I stopped engaging entirely. not hostile, just done. wave if I see her, nothing more.
    via cherry_fairyx
  • last week I was loading my car on a sunday morning and she came over and said her battery was d d and she needed a jump. she had somewhere to be and her usual people were not picking up.
    via cherry_fairyx
  • I said I was actually heading out myself and could not help. she got sharp immediately. made a comment about how it was good to know where I stood and that she guessed some people only look out for themselves. I said I hoped she found someone and got in my car.
    via cherry_fairyx
  • I do not think ad d battery on a sunday morning is an emergency. I also do not think I owe a favor to someone who spent six months making small digs at me every chance she got.
    via cherry_fairyx

  • As several members of this online community correctly pointed out, the homeowner's behavior in this scenario was more than justified. Still, it might not be enough to fully send the message. Now, the lady next door just thinks the homeowner is unkind. In her warped sense of reality, she probably thinks she has done nothing wrong. 

    So, it's important for the homeowner to do more than just display a small dose of passive-aggression. In other words, if the author wants a genuine change to their dynamic, there needs to be a confrontation about the neighbor's past behavior. Assuming that the author would like to live in peace moving forward, it might be time to address this lady directly in order to put their grievances behind them. Remember: you don't have to like each other. You just have to respect each other!

  • SpeechMuted NTA, but if you want the behavior to change, you have to address it. Don't expect her to connect your refusal to jump her car to her previous behavior. You missed a chance to say "I'm not going to jump your car,
    via cherry_fairyx
  • because you've spent the last year being openly r e to me. If you want me to be neighborly, you need to be neighborly yourself."
    via cherry_fairyx
  • An unhappy woman in a blue jacket gives an angry stare while standing in front of a large plant.
    via Unsplash+ (Levi Meir Clancy)

    An unhappy woman in a blue jacket gives an angry stare while standing in front of a large plant.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • HighAltitude88... Not the j enough for that one. Your last sentence was the response you should have delivered to her personally. She needs a visceral comeuppance so she learns how to behave.
    via cherry_fairyx
  • C.. NTJ - I had a wicked neighbour like this...3 years of her . In the end, she hit my car with hers (mine was parked and I watched it happen) and she begged for me not to call Police an put it through insurance. I did her no favours.
    via cherry_fairyx
  • raucus_one I would have done the exact same thing, except I would have pointed out her r e behavior and why I wasn't going to reward it.
    via cherry_fairyx

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neighbors car homeowner petty revenge entitled people karma entitled people
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