cars blocking our driveway -- any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Hello there.

My husband and I recently moved to a new home in a new neighborhood. We love everything about the place! One problem we have been encountering, however, is that our home is located near a medical center in an otherwise very residential neighborhood. Ever since we moved in, we find that cars from the staff and visitors to the hospital have been blocking our driveway. Our home had been vacant for years before we moved in, and I suspect that this is part of the problem, but they do this even when our car is IN the driveway, which is really aggravating. Most of the time they don't completely block us, but just make it VERY difficult to get out of our already narrow driveway. They park right at the edge of the driveway (not even an inch to spare) and on more than one occasion they've been as much as a foot into our driveway.

I sympathize with folks trying to park for work in a residential neighborhood however I'm getting a little bit annoyed with being blocked in or having to sweat it out trying to make sure I don't hit anything in the obstacle course that is getting out of the driveway every morning. In the month or so since we've been here, we've only seen two tickets on folks car for parking so close so it doesn't seem like the city is going to help.

A few questions: Is it a good idea to leave a (polite) note asking for just a foot on each side of our driveway to allow us to get out? I think we're well within our reasonable rights to leave a note, but I am a little bit uncomfortable about touching someone else's car. It does seem to be the same couple of cars all of the time. Then again, i'm not sure this is particularly helpful. the other day I came home just as one of the drivers was leaving and told him that he'd been blocking my driveway and he said "sorry" but his car (at least I think it was the same car) was back a few days later. Should I phone the city? If so, is 311 the appropriate number? And finally, it does appear that the yellow "no parking" paint has faded but was once in place a few feet on either side of our driveway. Should we repaint this or is this something the city can only do?

Thanks for any guidance. I'm sure this sounds very silly but it's really starting to get frustrating.

[Anonymous]

I'd call the city to see if they can do the paintwork and possibly post signs. If it's near a hospital or other commercial area, I'd seriously consider posting your own sign if the city doesn't come through.

[jsteele]

Yes, call 311 (assuming that you are in DC) when you see a car parked illegally. That goes to the mayor's call center now and can be used for almost anything. I am sure DPW would love to write some tickets. That is one service with which they are fully efficient.

[Anonymous]

I'd also contact the clinic if you think the cars belong to employees.

[Anonymous]

and I'd take the passive aggressive approach and put trash cans in the street on either side of my driveway. If I felt fiesty. I might put a sign on the trash cans "No parking" or "Driveway in use 24hrs/day" or "Poilce will be contacted for illegally parked vehicles". Depends on my mood.

[Anonymous]

I'd definitely take matters into my own hands (garbage cans, orange cones, "no parking" signs, etc.)

Before we moved to the 'burbs, we lived literally right next door to a huge construction site in NW DC, and calling the city was absolutely useless as far as trying to get parking violations and other problems taken care of.

We couldn't even communicate effectively with them by phone (I got the feeling they were going "umm, hmmm" but not even writing anything down@!). Forget about getting someone to actually come over and do something about the cars illegally parked all over our street every day, the huge crane that was far too close to our house, etc. But of course, the day my residential permit expires, parking enforcement on the job giving me a ticket.

Just one of the many things I don't miss about living in the District.

[Anonymous]

OP here with a timely update. You'll love this. Today my husband came home from work and our driveway was blocked again. Since we have a driveway, we didn't get street parking permits yet. For the most part we've been able to get into our driveway, it's just been tight. But today my husband couldn't get into the driveway at all because there was one car jutting almost 2 feet into the driveway space on one side and another car within inches of the other side of the driveway. My husband parked on the street for a few hours because he couldn't get into our driveway and -- OF COURSE -- he got a ticket! Of course, no tickets on the cars blocking our driveway.

I've since discovered that the street in front of our house is zoned, but the street behind our home (not an alley) is not zoned -- that is why the cars cram themselves into the back street, parking us in. My husband told me that as he was out with our dog this morning he heard someone behind our privacy fence mentioning that it was getting "harder and harder to park around here" and that the new residents were "assholes" and had gotten somebody ticketed. Holy crap! The fact is, we haven't started calling 311 or trying to get anyone towed, but now I feel like it's on!

I think it's probably a good idea to discuss this with the medical center since it is very clearly medical staff that are parking there. They have a parking lot, but I guess it fills up or people don't want to pay or something. Grr.

[Anonymous]

Are you able to leave a car parked with 2 wheels in your driveway and 2 wheels in the street? Lots of people do this in Old Town Alexandria to keep from having their driveways blocked in. I am all for the trash cans, orange cones, maybe strategically placed dog poop.

[Anonymous]

how about some broken glass strategically placed?

[Anonymous]

How about parking on the street after you get the permit? I'd skip the broken glass. Can you get a citation for 2 wheels in/2 wheels out?

[Anonymous]

How about getting those permits and blocking your driveway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about parking on the street after you get the permit? I'd skip the broken glass. Can you get a citation for 2 wheels in/2 wheels out?

I'm not into the broken glass idea either, but why in the world would anyone park on the street so that idiots can take over their driveway? I'm not that generous.

[Anonymous]

I am always shocked what people think is acceptable. Hey, I need to park, let's just block a driveway. It work, I often have people pull up to my parking space in such a way that I cannot open my car door - not an inch. Did they REALLY think that is OK?

I'd start with just some orange cones or orange flags or a small sign (maybe even Home Depot sells some "please don't block the driveway" signs). It's possible it really is just a "I didn't realize I was blocking the driveway" thing. Some people have a way of being "stupid" when it suits them. I don't think talking to the medical center hurts either as sometime all people need is a warning.

The problem with notes and/or calling 311 is that if it is an entire hospital, you could have a constant flow of people. So you teach one, they don't return, but another does. Of course, you may need to address this car by car if the above doesn't work.

Good luck to you. I know, the few times our driveway has been blocked and I've been in a hurry, I have been tempted just to back-up full speed and knock the car out of the way. But that would have been wrong (and yet so satisfying)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you able to leave a car parked with 2 wheels in your driveway and 2 wheels in the street? Lots of people do this in Old Town Alexandria to keep from having their driveways blocked in. I am all for the trash cans, orange cones, maybe strategically placed dog poop.

We have a dog, so maybe this is not a bad idea!! Just kidding.... Mostly.

I think we're going to just call the city a few times and maybe leave some notes saying that we're going to start having any car that blocks us in towed. I think there seem to be a few repeat offenders so if we see the same car twice, we'll probably leave a note that says we've recorded the license plate and are going to begin complaining to their employer. I don't know that either approach will be a silver bullet, but if it makes them at least make sure they're not IN my driveway, that would be a good start!

[Anonymous]

Also - do be careful about blocking your own driveway (in an attempt to stop others). I'm pretty sure you can actually get a ticket for blocking your own driveway. And you know - that would be the day they were ticketing. I'm not sure about 2 wheels in and 2 out. It's possible it's against the law to block the sidewalk, although with as many of my neighbors that do it (Arlington), it doesn't seem to be enforced.