Someone blocking your driveway - would it bother you

[CJ2008]

I just went outside to throw something out and someone is completely blocking my driveway with their truck. There was a man and a kid putting some stuff into the truck - I didn't think much about it but it's bugging me now. I looked through my window and it seems that they're visiting my next door neighbor, because there's a bunch of people hanging out in their driveway. Why don't they block HIS driveway?

Anyway - I don't need to leave or anything but it kind of bugged me - they didn't even acknowledge me when I walked by. Would it bother you and would you say something?

This next door neighbor just moved in not too long ago - so I don't know him well at all.

 

[TravelingGal]

You know, I always say don't sweat the small stuff.

But yeah, I think this would bug me because it's rude. And I'd go and politely ask them to move it. I don't believe in fuming in silence if results can be had.

ETA, if they are hanging out outside NEAR the truck (where they could easily move it should I need to leave) it wouldn't annoy me. Only if it was left unattended.

 

[atroop711]

would bother me..it''s rude. It''s time for "to take out the car" lol

 

[Hera]

I would if I needed to go somewhere, otherwise I would let it go. Hopefully, it''s just an isolated incident.

 

[rockzilla]

Ugh. I hate that! My fiancé used to live in a building where the parking spots were out in front and people would block him all the time.

But then they''d leave and he''d be completely blocked in. Once or twice he had to take s cab to the airport or work, which made him late.

I guess I just don''t understand why people think it would be ok to completely inconvience someone like that- what is going on in their head? Are they just not thinking? It is not just rude- I simply can''t comprehend it.

I suppose if the person is there e.g. Quickly unloading a piece of furniture and it''s the only place they can do it; and they areavailable to move the car if necessary I would be more forgiving. But not if they left - to me that''s saying "my convienence is worth more than your right to use your vehicle." ugh. Scumbags!!

 

[KimberlyH]

I used to live across the street from an elementary school and parents picking up their kids blocked our driveway at least once a week, if not more often. It drove me CRAZY! The would often leave their cars running -- a way to indicated they''d be right back? -- but would sometimes be there for 20+ minutes. Definitely not a good way to start off my day, when I needed to get out of my driveway and to work on time.

 

[CJ2008]

I chose not to say anything...looks like they''re putting away all their stuff and leaving now...

Me? If I were blocking someone''s driveway, and they came out of their house, I''d say something like "we''ll be out of your way in a minute."

But that''s just me...

Anyway - I don''t know the next door neighbor, hopefully this is an isolated incident, and I didn''t want to start off on the wrong foot.

 

[CJ2008]

Date: 7/15/2009 7:17:57 PM
Author: KimberlyH
I used to live across the street from an elementary school and parents picking up their kids blocked our driveway at least once a week, if not more often. It drove me CRAZY! The would often leave their cars running -- a way to indicated they''d be right back? -- but would sometimes be there for 20+ minutes. Definitely not a good way to start off my day, when I needed to get out of my driveway and to work on time.

That''s pretty bad...I would have had no problem saying anything then...but they WERE there, so if I needed them to move it, they could...

 

[Kaleigh]

A one time thing no biggie... You said you aren't going out, and if you did, I am sure he would gladly move his truck...

My old house??? Nightmare.. Had a shared driveway, my house was the last one in the back. My neighbor was removating her house, and had me blocked every damn day from getting out or IN.

I had to knock on her door and ask the workmen to move theri freaking cars and trucks..... She looked at me and said, you come in and out a lot. I said I am a busy gal..

It made selling the house a nightmare but we sold it and the guy built a huge house and then made her life a nightmare. Payback was awesome!!!!

 

[packrat]

The kids of one of our next door neighbors always park directly across the street from our driveway when they visit. The streets are narrow, so we usually end up doing a 327 point turn to get out. Like Austin Powers in that little hallway. We ignore it..outwardly. I never say anything but if they were ever looking out the window when I''m trying to get out they''d learn some really interesting phrases.

 

[icekid]

Date: 7/15/2009 7:19:51 PM
Author: CJ2008
I chose not to say anything...looks like they''re putting away all their stuff and leaving now...


Me? If I were blocking someone''s driveway, and they came out of their house, I''d say something like ''we''ll be out of your way in a minute.''


But that''s just me...


Anyway - I don''t know the next door neighbor, hopefully this is an isolated incident, and I didn''t want to start off on the wrong foot.

You''re too polite

Just do whatever suits you and don''t worry about anyone else. Hehe.. juust kidding. I would be annoyed, too!

 

[strmrdr]

one place a friend of mine lived he put up a sign and kept a towing company on speed dial.
Took care of the problem

 

[that_someone_special]

Where I live, you might get towed for stuff like that and/or get your car smashed or keyed. Seriously.... there is no parking to begin with, and when someone screws with the parking you actually might have... well... I've heard stories! But really, most people around here know that you can't do that and don't. The few times it's happened to us, the people were waiting in the car and just moved for us. No biggie.

But yes, they get towed (and fast). It's illegal here.

 

[Kay]

Date: 7/15/2009 7:17:57 PM
Author: KimberlyH
I used to live across the street from an elementary school and parents picking up their kids blocked our driveway at least once a week, if not more often. It drove me CRAZY! The would often leave their cars running -- a way to indicated they''d be right back? -- but would sometimes be there for 20+ minutes. Definitely not a good way to start off my day, when I needed to get out of my driveway and to work on time.

If they left the keys, I would be tempted to move their cars out of my way.

 

[nycbkgirl]

i call the cops right away (by the time they get there ...which is a looooooong time.....sure enough the car is gone)

i wouldnt block someone''s driveway unless im sitting in the car so i hate when others think it is their right to do so!

 

[ckrickett]

I''m not very patient (altho i pretend to be) and I probably would have said something. If I had to go to work and no one was in sight I wouldnt call a cab. I''d call a tow truck.

 

[phoenixgirl]

Yes, that would annoy me.

We live in the city and thankfully have our own spots on our property off the alley, but a year or two ago these people in an apartment on the side street started parking illegally in the alley, which made it impossible to do the half a K turn we need to do to park. We put up signs and called the police, who never came. Argh. But finally it was resolved when I had a girl fight with this one offender. I burst out of the house when I saw her parking there and asked her if she was leaving her car there. She said yeah (snottily), I said OK then and started repeating her license plate number over and over really loudly (I guess to prove I was memorizing it? Not really sure my strategy there . . .), and she was like, "Oh, do you want me to move it?" and I was like, "Yeah, duh," and from thenceforth there were no more idiots parking in the alley. I like to think it was because of me, but it was probably because DH tracked down their landlord and told him how annoyed we all were.

We''re the only people on the street with off street parking, so the rest of the block has to deal with parking on the street. Our neighbor runs the [Street Name] Street Parking [Holy War], which also involves yelling at people who drive the wrong way on our one way street and who don''t pick up after their dogs (it''s quite a responsibility, but I suppose holy war always is). There was this one car parked right in front of our house for several weeks, and he called the police over and over until they finally came. It had a dead battery and flat tire, and the owner (whom we discovered was another renter, of course -- no offense to renters but ya know) was too lazy to fix it, so she just stopped using her car (wish I had that luxury!). She amazingly figured out how to get her car operable super quick once there was a big sticker on her car saying it would be towed.

Lastly, there''s my family beachhouse. There is a driveway where cars can park two deep and four across and a three car garage. As a duplex, we own one half and the other owner owns the other side of the driveway, but he rents it and those people never get it right. They always park on our side or park so that we can''t fit four across (we can even do five, so four is not really smushing) or, worst of all, they park us in, and it drives me crazy when I pull up for vacation and see that yet again the renters are taking up the entire driveway. I know you''re supposed to be nice and ask them politely to move it and explain how things work, but usually they''ve just decided to do things their own way and I want to declare a parking holy war just like my neighbor. They''ll say something like, "Oh see, we thought it would be easier if we all just parked wherever there was a space," and I''m like, "If you really need more than 5 parking spaces for a 4 bedroom condo then you crazy people need to rent a bigger place!" They''d rather make us park 2 deep over on a tiny sliver of the driveway than have to juggle their 3 or 4 ridiculous SUVs. I object!

It''s good for me to have my nice DH to defuse my tendency to declare holy wars on the unsuspecting masses, but recently he has been getting really angry at dog poop leavers and bad drivers, and I can only guess that this is some kind of sympathy reaction to my being pregnant? I think I''m more mellow now, if anything. Except for how writing this post makes me want to punch something . . . deep breaths, deep breaths . . .

 

[Barcelona]

I''d find a reason to leave the house.

I can''t stand people who feel like they can park wherever they please and when we lived in a complex, I called the towing company a number of times on our neighbors. Lazy people who can''t walk 50 feet and instead have to park next to the curb, blocking a lane of traffic or blocking the mailboxes drove me crazy.

 

[D&T]

i''ve blocked driveways but it was only a few feet of it when I''m picking/dropping up my kiddos from their in -home daycare, otherwise the streets are so packed with cars, and I don''t want to be walking a block in 110 degrees weather, but its only for a few minutes and I''m pretty conscientious about it, I can usually see my car from my Daycare''s doorway, so I''m always peeking out to see if her neighbors are out. But I would get annoyed myself if its longer than 10 minutes.

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 7/15/2009 7:21:15 PM
Author: CJ2008

Date: 7/15/2009 7:17:57 PM
Author: KimberlyH
I used to live across the street from an elementary school and parents picking up their kids blocked our driveway at least once a week, if not more often. It drove me CRAZY! The would often leave their cars running -- a way to indicated they''d be right back? -- but would sometimes be there for 20+ minutes. Definitely not a good way to start off my day, when I needed to get out of my driveway and to work on time.

That''s pretty bad...I would have had no problem saying anything then...but they WERE there, so if I needed them to move it, they could...

I''m glad they were at least present and able to move the car if necessary, but I''d still be annoyed!

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 7/15/2009 8:36:38 PM
Author: Kay

Date: 7/15/2009 7:17:57 PM
Author: KimberlyH
I used to live across the street from an elementary school and parents picking up their kids blocked our driveway at least once a week, if not more often. It drove me CRAZY! The would often leave their cars running -- a way to indicated they''d be right back? -- but would sometimes be there for 20+ minutes. Definitely not a good way to start off my day, when I needed to get out of my driveway and to work on time.

If they left the keys, I would be tempted to move their cars out of my way.

Believe me I was. I was in HS at the time and I was going to move a car once, but my dad stopped me, sent me inside and waited for the person to come back and spoke to her. I also left notes on cars when they did this.

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 7/15/2009 10:23:30 PM
Author: D&T
i''ve blocked driveways but it was only a few feet of it when I''m picking/dropping up my kiddos from their in -home daycare, otherwise the streets are so packed with cars, and I don''t want to be walking a block in 110 degrees weather, but its only for a few minutes and I''m pretty conscientious about it, I can usually see my car from my Daycare''s doorway, so I''m always peeking out to see if her neighbors are out. But I would get annoyed myself if its longer than 10 minutes.

D&T, I do not intend any sort of snark when I ask this, I am truly curious. Why do you feel that the inconvenience of walking a block, no matter how hot or cold it is, makes it acceptable to block someone access to and from their home?

 

[Haven]

It wouldn''t bother me if the driver was out there with the car. If I had to leave I''d just ask them to move. If I didn''t, I wouldn''t think twice about it.

I''m not a territorial person, though, so I''m probably more laid back about this than most.

 

[Fly Girl]

It''s not legal where I live, so the parked car across your driveway would get a ticket and a tow. If they were with the car the entire time, then it should be fine. You can ask them to move it if you have to leave.

 

[D&T]

Date: 7/15/2009 10:30:44 PM
Author: KimberlyH

Date: 7/15/2009 10:23:30 PM

Author: D&T

i've blocked driveways but it was only a few feet of it when I'm picking/dropping up my kiddos from their in -home daycare, otherwise the streets are so packed with cars, and I don't want to be walking a block in 110 degrees weather, but its only for a few minutes and I'm pretty conscientious about it, I can usually see my car from my Daycare's doorway, so I'm always peeking out to see if her neighbors are out. But I would get annoyed myself if its longer than 10 minutes.

D&T, I do not intend any sort of snark when I ask this, I am truly curious. Why do you feel that the inconvenience of walking a block, no matter how hot or cold it is, makes it acceptable to block someone access to and from their home?

I've only done it three times that I can remember, and yes I leave my keys in the car running not just to indicate I was coming right back, but more for my kids so they don't have to enter a very hot car in 110 degrees. The neighbor that I block only park their car outside, and they leave before I get there in the morning, or they are there before I get there during the day. When I have quite a load to carry, yes, walking a block is a pain in 110 degree weather with an eight month old and carrying a carseat as well as a diaper bag and adding a toddler with her stuff. Again, I'm conscientious about it, I tell my daycare provider if i do happen to block a driveway even if its only three feet that I have to go so I don't linger for no more than 5 minutes tops and she always have my stuff ready by the time I get there. I've been on both sides so I understand from where you are coming from as well, but I'll admit that I have done it as well.

ETA; also if a neighbor has an issue especially with in home daycare - I would assume they will tell the day care provider to tell the parents not to do so. I have been to a daycare that has strictly mention this to parents and I have not issues with it before, that so and so does not like this action, So if I were you, I would also indicate that to the school and have them make other parents aware of the issue if it bothers you so. like I said, I've only done it a few times in the 4 years that my kid has gone to daycare.

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 7/15/2009 11:06:57 PM
Author: D&T

Date: 7/15/2009 10:30:44 PM
Author: KimberlyH

Date: 7/15/2009 10:23:30 PM

Author: D&T

i've blocked driveways but it was only a few feet of it when I'm picking/dropping up my kiddos from their in -home daycare, otherwise the streets are so packed with cars, and I don't want to be walking a block in 110 degrees weather, but its only for a few minutes and I'm pretty conscientious about it, I can usually see my car from my Daycare's doorway, so I'm always peeking out to see if her neighbors are out. But I would get annoyed myself if its longer than 10 minutes.

D&T, I do not intend any sort of snark when I ask this, I am truly curious. Why do you feel that the inconvenience of walking a block, no matter how hot or cold it is, makes it acceptable to block someone access to and from their home?

I've only done it three times that I can remember, and yes I leave my keys in the car running not just to indicate I was coming right back, but more for my kids so they don't have to enter a very hot car in 110 degrees. The neighbor that I block only park their car outside, and they leave before I get there in the morning, or they are there before I get there during the day. When I have quite a load to carry, yes, walking a block is a pain in 110 degree weather with an eight month old and carrying a carseat as well as a diaper bag and adding a toddler with her stuff. Again, I'm conscientious about it, I tell my daycare provider if i do happen to block a driveway even if its only three feet that I have to go so I don't linger for no more than 5 minutes tops and she always have my stuff ready by the time I get there. I've been on both sides so I understand from where you are coming from as well, but I'll admit that I have done it as well.

Thanks for taking my question as intended and answering. I understand the convenience, but my husband would say I spend all of my time in public ensuring I'm never in anyones' way so I would never have the guts to park where it was easier for me or do anything that might interfere with another persons' path, just in case I made life more difficult for someone else. I appreciate your honesty, even if it's not something I think is okay to do.

Edited to respond to your ETA: Neither my parents nor I live there anymore, so people are now parking in someone else's driveway. The school was notified, it didn't stop the parents. I teach, and in my district all of the schools have safety patrols set up that monitor the school and surrounding entrance streets and I'm sure they are told to ask parents to move cars if they are parked illegally. I bet homeowners really appreciate it, and I certainly don't think living by a school should mean a person needs to ask the school to request parents not block peoples' driveways, it should just be something that people don't do, because they wouldn't like for it to be done to them.

 

[D&T]

Date: 7/15/2009 11:15:41 PM
Author: KimberlyH
Thanks for taking my question as intended and answering. I understand the convenience, but my husband would say I spend all of my time in public ensuring I'm never in anyones' way so I would never have the guts to park where it was easier for me or do anything that might interfere with another persons' path, just in case I made life more difficult for someone else. I appreciate your honesty, even if it's not something I think is okay to do.

Edited to respond to your ETA: Neither my parents nor I live there anymore, so people are now parking in someone else's driveway. The school was notified, it didn't stop the parents. I teach, and in my district all of the schools have safety patrols set up that monitor the school and surrounding entrance streets and I'm sure they are told to ask parents to move cars if they are parked illegally. I bet homeowners really appreciate it, and I certainly don't think living by a school should mean a person needs to ask the school to request parents not block peoples' driveways, it should just be something that people don't do, because they wouldn't like for it to be done to them.

no worries. I know its wrong, and I'm usually a better person than what I'm portraying but I can't be perfect every time. I will probably be the only one to admit it here

with the parking no no and yep, i'm gonna get slack from it, but don't lynch me.

and I do agree with the highlighted, but it happens, if it happens frequently like yours then something should be done like the monitors and notes to parents, it probably won't solve it 100% but at least parents are aware that while it may not bother them, it does bother other people.

 

[luvmyhalo]

I totally think it''s rude to block someone''s driveway! Even if it''s just for a couple of minutes. It''s also dangerous. What if you needed to leave in a hurry for an emergency? I would definitely ask them to please move their car.

 

[jewelerman]

would bother me.It limits my ability to go and come as I please.Its rude to block anyones drive way with out permission.My biggest problem is with those who take handicapped parking spaces at stores,public buildings and apt. complexes.When i was in a wheel chair it always was a huge problem with people who were able to walk taking these spots.Sometimes they would pull in with me/ my driver right behind them.When we would tell them to get another spot they would walk away.When reported to the stores managers, the companys(Walmart for one) would never do anything about the situation.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I would be annoyed. . .but, I''m an easily annoyed person. A neighbor here has hired some landscaping work and their landscaper isn''t even blocking my driveway, but just making it that I have to manuveur my car out of my drive and that, alone, is enough to piss me off!

Maybe it''s also because my car just spent 2 weeks in the shop because someone hit it and cost $1,800 worth of damage!