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cars blocking our driveway -- any suggestions?
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Anonymous
| OP--what about instead of orange cones you put something more attractive, like big potted plants/trees? You could paint the (heavy ceramic) pots a bright color (orange? green? yellow?), but this way it looks like you're trying to beautify your property instead of just block access. Though you are indeed trying to block access. If you put them just on the edge of your driveway, or in the street on either side of your driveway so you get that foot on either side of your driveway, if someone has a problem with it, they will be in the position of having to approach you about moving the pots. Would someone do this? Could you get ticketed for this? I have no idea. But I figure if you are ready to put orange cones on either side of your driveway you might be open to suggestions about what else you could put there. Pots are nice. Good luck--I dont like to be a jerk either and am a confrontation-avoider at all costs, so I see where you're coming from! |
Anonymous
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OP - don't just call 311 - use the citywide online service center to log your complaints. www.dc.gov
Contact your councilmember or ANC representative. They may be able to help you with this ongoing problem if the hospice won't take action. |
Anonymous
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OP---here's the info on how to try to get the block zoned for RPP.
http://ddot.dc.gov/ddot/frames.asp?doc=/ddot/lib/ddot/services/rpp/rpp_brochure.pdf |
Anonymous
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Maybe you could get one of these fake pothole stickers!
http://www.moillusions.com/2008/01/pothole-sticker-illusion.html |
Anonymous
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All my life I assumed that if I blocked someone's driveway, I would be towed.
Can you talk to a local towing company? Maybe they are legally allowed to tow people for blocking a private driveway? I'm sure they'd be happy to have the revenue. I would put up signs that they will be towed, and then do it. These people make signs you could use, look legit enough to scare me! http://www.myparkingsign.com/MPS/no_parking_signs.asp |
Anonymous
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I would SO give the tow guy whatever amount he wants so inconsiderates don't even think of parking near your driveway again. I am so ready to do this to my neighbors who INSIST on parking on my lawn (instead of their lawn or the street itself - what a concept). Suit themselves, I say. |
Anonymous
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I wouldn't bother with cones or trash cans, they will just move them out of the way to park...
1. Call a tow truck and find out about towing them 2. Take the valve cover off the tires and let the air slowly leak out of their tires. 
I once saw a sign in San Francisco that said something to the effect "No Parking and Blocking drive - even just a little bit" It was actually a real metal sign and several people had them so I can't even imagine how many times they had to deal with people saying "but I am only blocking it by a little bit!" |
Anonymous
OP here, thank you all for commiserating and for the truly excellent tips! I am going to call our ANC person. It would be nice not to have to have them zone the street, wouldn't want to punish everyone for a few bad apples. Today was a good day, someone actually gave us a whole three feet on one side (another car parked in tight from the other side) but as long as one side is clear and nobody is actually overlapping the driveway it's okay. I so want to get one of those signs that PP mentioned, above. The "even just a little bit" is golden. I think that's exactly what people are thinking. They just think "oh, they can get out" or "I'm just a little bit over the edge" without realizing that some other jerk is going to come and do the same thing on the other side and then we're trapped in or out. The city is unclear on what I can and can't do about having a car privately towed. Residents can do this to folks who park in their privately owned parking spots (condo parking, for instance) but that is different from towing a car from a publicly owned place (the street) even if it is blocking my private property. Going to talk to the ANC person tomorrow about what can be done. Oh, and the potted plants are not a bad idea, but I think people would probably move them or drive over them. Then again, perhaps the pots would be doubly useful in that the dirt could be dumped on top of any car who parks us in? |
Anonymous
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NP here, former San Francisco resident. One sign that I often saw in private driveways in SF was "Don't even THINK about parking here".
And here ya go: http://www.tapcostore.com/Don-t-Even-Think-of-Parking-Here-p/373-158.htm |