How to Stop Assholes From Blocking Your Road
Anyone who drives regularly knows that owning a car can be deeply frustrating, especially when it comes to the lack of parking spaces. As someone who spent literally hours searching for street parking in my crowded small town, I know that having a driveway literally makes your life better. No matter how tedious your drive home was, at least you know you won’t have any problems parking your car.
Unless people decide to park in front of your road and block it. Driveways can be a target, especially if parking is scarce in your area. Some people think it’s completely normal to block your driveway for “quick” stops, as if you could never have an emergency and need to get somewhere urgently. Sometimes these are people who don’t live in your area at all and don’t care. Whatever the reason, if this starts happening all the time, you’ll be missing out on the huge benefits you’re paying for. Here’s what to do (and not do) if people keep blocking your driveway.
it is forbidden
First of all, there are a few things you shouldn’t do:
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Don’t touch their car. It may be nice to fantasize about slashing your tires or breaking a few windshields, but vandalizing someone’s car will in no way make the situation any better for you.
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Do not call a tow truck yourself. Technically, you can have their car towed; Most jurisdictions do not allow blocking a private driveway (although this is usually a civil offense rather than a criminal one). But most towing companies won’t come out until the police issue a ticket, and even if they want to, calling a tow truck can open up liability issues if the offender’s car is damaged. And someone will have to pay for that towing, and without police intervention, that someone might be you.
You can probably contact law enforcement using a non-emergency line, but you should check the laws in your area before making any phone calls. The police can usually order a tow truck and issue a ticket, but it can take a long time for police stations to show up and they will often tell you to handle the problem yourself because the police usually have more important things to worry about.
Basics
In any case, contacting the authorities should not be your first step – it will only make the situation worse. Your first steps should follow the basics:
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Signs. Make sure your driveway is clearly marked. If you don’t have painted lines and curbs, consider calling your local parking service and see if they paint curbs on your driveway. If not, you may be able to do it yourself, but make sure it’s allowed. In some cities, it is illegal to paint curbs without a city permit. You can also install signs clearly marking your driveway to prevent people from parking in front of it by mistake.
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Communication. If your neighbors are blocking your driveway, start by approaching them calmly and politely and pointing out that they are blocking access to your property. If you don’t want a personal confrontation, polite notes left on their car can help.
If you have repeat offenders, it may be helpful to collect some information: the make, model and license plate number of their cars, as well as the date they blocked your driveway. Including this information in your note communicates that you are paying attention and allows you to identify neighbors’ friends or family members who may be blocking your driveway without your neighbors’ direct knowledge.
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Leave it open. People often block driveways because they assume you won’t use them (for example, if it’s late at night) and think they’ll leave before you need to leave in the morning. Leaving your driveway lit and open (if it’s closed) can make it look like it’s an active driveway, which can put some people off.
Block it yourself
If polite conversation and clear driveway markings don’t do the trick, your next best step is to take matters into your own hands and block the driveway yourself.
The easiest way to do this is to simply park your car in your driveway. This obviously takes away some of the benefits, especially if you have a parking garage or parking garage that you’re not currently using, but it at least prevents others from blocking you out.
You can also invest in removable barriers that can warn people or even stop them from parking in the space. Good old- fashioned traffic cones create a bright, obvious barrier that can be easily removed. Or experiment with movable bollards that can be placed in front of your driveway to alert people.